MARRY ME, UNCLE DMITRI (ENGLISH)

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

I entered the house ahead of everyone else.

I didn't wait for Susane. Even while we were still in the car, she'd been hurling one insult after another at me.

The moment I stepped into the living room, someone suddenly yanked my hair.

My eyes squeezed shut from the sharp sting.

"Susane, what is wrong with you?!" I cried, struggling to pry her hand away from my hair.

"Damn you, Louella!" Susane screamed. "You really know how to make me mad!"

She didn't care if everyone in the mansion heard her screaming.

Her voice was so loud that I wasn't surprised when people began rushing out of their rooms.

"Susane! Louella!" Dad exclaimed in alarm as he hurried down the staircase, with Mommy Susana—Susane's mother—close behind him.

"Susane, what are you doing?"

The two of them immediately worked together to pull her hand away from my hair.

"I hate you!" Susane shrieked through gritted teeth before lunging for my hair again.

"Stop it!" I snapped, my patience wearing dangerously thin.

I knew exactly what she was doing.

Later, she'd simply blame everything on being drunk. And if I fought back, I'd end up looking like the villain.

She struggled wildly, determined to grab my hair again.

"I hope you die, Louella! I hope your mother dies too!"

That was it.

Before I could stop myself, my hand flew across her face.

The sharp crack echoed through the room.

She could insult me all she wanted… But I would never tolerate anyone wishing death upon my mother.

Mommy Susana immediately stepped between us.

"Why would you do that, Louella?" she scolded, shielding Susane. "Your sister is drunk. You didn't have to hurt her. Is this what we taught you? Haven't we always told you to be understanding toward your sister? Why would you hit her like that?"

She sounded disappointed in me.

As though her daughter's behavior wasn't even more disappointing.

Then Dad turned to me.

Without a word...

He slapped me.

His hand struck my cheek so hard that it hurt far more than the slap I'd given Susane.

"Louella," he said sternly, "did it really have to come to this? Did you really have to hit your sister over something so trivial?"

Something trivial?

Was having my hair yanked and my mother cursed really that insignificant?

"That's enough!" Mommy Susana interrupted, rubbing her temples in frustration. " "Everyone, calm down. We don't need to be hurting each other. Jesus Christ... all of you are giving me a headache."

"Mommy!"

Susane burst into tears and ran to her mother.

"She hit me, Mommy!"

She clutched her cheek dramatically, crying as though she were the only victim.

Meanwhile, I remained silent.

Even though Dad's slap had been much harder...

Even though I could already taste blood inside my mouth.

"Louella, why did you have to hit her?" Mommy Susana asked.

They saw me slap Susane.

But no one saw Susane grabbing my hair.

She hurt me first.

Yet somehow...

I was the only one being questioned.

A dry, bitter laugh escaped my lips.

When I looked at Susane, I saw the corner of her mouth curling upward.

I knew exactly what that smile meant.

If I argued and defended myself, our parents would only dislike me even more.

But if I gave an even better performance than Susane...

I knew she'd be furious.

"I'm... I'm sorry," I sobbed. "I was just startled because Susane had been hurting me for quite a while. She kept saying she wanted me... and my mother... to die." My voice broke as tears streamed down my face. "I'm sorry. I drank too, so I wasn't thinking clearly. I didn't mean to hit her."

The smug smile instantly disappeared from Susane's face.

"My child... I'm sorry."

Dad hurried over and wrapped me in his arms as I continued crying.

Mommy Susana approached me as well.

"I'm sorry, Louella. Please forgive Susane. She must've been extremely drunk to do something like that. It turns out both of you had been drinking. Go upstairs and get some rest."

Still sobbing, I slowly walked away.

Deep inside...

I wanted to applaud myself.

I knew Susane was seething with rage.

I wasn't surprised when she started shouting again behind me.

"Sweetie, that's enough," Mommy Susana said gently, her voice overflowing with affection. "Come on. Let's get you to your room. You're drunk. You need to rest."

"I hate her, Mommy! I hate her!" Susane cried in frustration.

"I'm sure you won't hate her tomorrow. Once the alcohol wears off, you'll feel differently."

"Mommy, I don't want her living in this house anymore!" Susane wailed. "Daddy, do something! I don't want that woman here!"

"Why?" Dad asked seriously. "Why don't you want your sister here? This is Louella's home too. Why don't you want her living here?"

"Jacinto," Mommy Susana interrupted, "Our daughter is drunk. That's enough. Don't take her words seriously. You know how Susane gets when she's intoxicated. Just help me take her upstairs."

"No," Dad replied coldly. "Let her walk to her room on her own. If she's old enough to drink, she's old enough to handle herself. Don't help her."

"No. Come on, Susane," Mommy Susana insisted.

Hearing their voices fade behind me, I continued toward my bedroom.

The moment I closed the door, I stared down at my hand.

It was still numb from the slap.

And to my surprise...

I felt satisfied.

So this was what it felt like.

What if I made her experience that slap again?

A smile slowly crept across my lips.

Dad had slapped me tonight...

But how many times had that already happened because of Susane?

Too many to count.

Even when we were children, I was always the one punished because of her.

No matter whose fault it was...

I was always the one who paid the price.

Her mistakes became my mistakes.

That was how unfair our parents were.

They loved Susane far more than they ever loved me.

Before I could even step away from the door, there was a knock.

I quickly wiped the tears from my face.

When I opened it, Dad was standing there.

His brows were knitted together, his expression stern.

"I didn't like what I saw tonight, Louella," he said. "Even if your sister hurt you first, you shouldn't have retaliated. She was drunk. In fact, she seemed far more intoxicated than you. You were thinking more clearly. You're the older sister. You're the one who should've adjusted."

"Y-Yes, Dad. I'm sorry."

I wasn't going to defend myself.

Not now.

Doing so would only make me look worse in his eyes.

Maybe I could've defended myself earlier...

But this wasn't the right moment.

"Louella," he continued, "you should be grateful to Mommy Susana. My wife has been nothing but kind to you. She accepted you as her own daughter and welcomed you into our home. The least you can do in return is show her respect and understanding. Understand Susane. She's your sister. You're the one who has to be patient."

"Yes, Dad," I answered softly.

"This is the last time, Louella. The next time you and your sister cause trouble..." His voice turned colder. "Pack your things and leave. I won't let my wife suffer unnecessary stress because of the two of you."

"Yes, Dad."

I answered obediently...

Even as every word he spoke shattered my heart.

I wished...

I wished he'd been this protective of my mother and me.

I wished he could love me this fiercely too.

Susane wasn't his only daughter.

I was his daughter too.

It hurt knowing he never stopped reminding me that I was nothing more than someone being allowed to stay in this house.

A burden.

Someone with no rights.

Someone who always had to understand everyone else.

It was exhausting.

If only I had more choices in life...

I would never allow them to treat me this way.

But I didn't.

Not yet.

For now, all I could do was endure.

Not just for myself...

But for my mother, too.