Tainted Love

Chapter 8

Vivian gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove through the city streets, her thoughts racing faster than her car. Why didn’t she just let the chauffeur drive? She could barely think straight, her head pounding, her limbs trembling. The anxiety about the pending test results weighed on her like a mountain. She wiped sweat from her forehead with a shaky hand and whispered to herself, “What’s wrong with you, Vivian?”

The streets blurred as she neared home. Her vision cleared just in time to catch sight of a familiar figure walking briskly away from her house. Her heart skipped.

“Cecilia?” she muttered, confused and surprised. She instinctively reached for her phone to call her, but her hand froze mid-air. If Cecilia really came to see me, wouldn’t she have called first?

“Maybe she came to see mom?” Her stomach twisted. “But... for what?” Her mind raced.

Then, like a lightning bolt, the realization struck. “Oh no…” Her foot slammed the accelerator. But it was too late. Cecilia had vanished.

Vivian swerved into the garage and parked. She leapt out, heels clicking frantically as she rushed inside. But the moment she entered the vast, silent parlor, her steps halted. Her parents sat side by side, both stiff and solemn like statues awaiting judgment. Something about their posture froze her blood.

Usually, she'd run into her mother's arms or peck her father on the cheek, but now—now something sinister loomed in the air. Fear. The image of Cecilia leaving replayed in her head, and dread curled in her gut.

“Good day, Mom... Dad,” she said quietly, unable to meet their eyes. She forced a breath and began up the stairs, her body trembling.

“Vivian, can we talk for a minute?” her mother’s voice rang out, calm but firm. The sound nearly made her trip on the steps. She gripped the railing and steadied herself.

“Uhm... Mom, I really need to fix something in my room. I’m exhausted. Can we do this later?” Her words rushed out, her voice uneven. She climbed faster, desperate for escape.

“Get back here, young lady!” Her father’s voice thundered like a hammer to her ears. The command held more than anger—it carried disappointment, pain... betrayal?

She turned back slowly, her feet leaden. Every step down felt like a descent into her own trial.

As she reached the bottom, her father stared at her, his jaw tight. “Are you planning to get married?”

Her heart slammed in her chest. That was it. They knew.

She opened her mouth, but her tongue felt paralyzed. “Mom… Dad… actually…”

“Mmm?” Her mother raised an eyebrow. “Did you suddenly lose your voice after making wedding plans behind our backs?”

Vivian swallowed hard. “Yes... I mean—yes, I’m planning my wedding.”

Her mother's eyes widened, and her father turned sharply toward her. Both looked stunned, betrayed.

“Mom, Dad,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper. “I know you both love me, and you want the best for me. But I’m an adult now. I deserve to make my own choices. I love him. And this... this is not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” her mother repeated, rising to her feet. “Do you even understand what you’re saying?”

“You’re planning to marry someone who hasn’t even stepped foot in this house to ask for your hand. No greetings. No respect. Nothing.”

“He will, Mom! Victor’s just...”

“Even if he does, the answer is no,” her father snapped. His voice was hoarse, pained. “You will never marry that boy.”

“What?” Vivian gasped. “You can’t be serious! I love Victor—with everything I am!”

“Oh shut up!” her mother flared. “That boy? That same Victor you were fighting over? The same one Cecilia exposed?”

Vivian’s eyes darkened. “Mom...”

“He cheats on you, Vivian. You feed him. He uses you. You’re blind! Have some self-respect!”

“Mom, he’s my first love. We’ve been together since high school! Things might be hard now, but they won’t always be. He’s just struggling. Nobody knows tomorrow "

“Tomorrow is Friday, Vivian. Come back to reality.”

Vivian’s lips quivered. “You gave up your true love because of your parents. You want me to go through the same misery?”

Her mother stiffened. “Say what you want. But as long as I live, you will not marry someone I didn’t approve of.”

“But why, Dad? Why are you doing this to me?” Her voice cracked, tears finally spilling down her cheeks. “Don’t I deserve to be happy? Am I such a disappointment?”

Her father rose slowly, breathing heavily. “That’s it, Vivian. Either you listen to us... or I’ll take back everything I’ve ever given you. Everything. From the day you were born.”

He slumped back into the couch, clutching his chest. Vivian’s world shattered. She turned and ran to her room, sobbing like a wounded child. The sound of her father's pain-filled groan behind her only deepened her despair.

She collapsed onto her bed, tears soaking the pillow. “Why me? Why can’t I be free to love?” she cried.

Then suddenly, a thought pierced the fog of her sorrow. Her father's threat. “I will take back everything I gave you.”

She sat up sharply, wiped her face, and walked into her walk-in closet. Pulling out her suitcase, she began to stuff in her valuables—clothes, jewelry, documents. Then she grabbed her laptop, sat on the floor, and with trembling fingers, transferred all her savings—$60 million—into Victor’s account.

“If he freezes my accounts... at least I’ll still have my money with Victor,” she whispered.

She zipped the suitcase and dragged it down the stairs.

Her mother stood in the hallway, stunned. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m leaving, Mom. You can’t control me anymore.”

“Vivian, don’t do this!”

“I’m sorry, Dad. I can’t live like this. Nothing you say will change my mind.”

Her mother tried to block her path, but Vivian stepped around her.

“VIVIANNNNN!” her father’s voice cracked like thunder behind her, filled with pain. She turned just once, saw the broken man she called her father, clutching his chest, tears brimming in his eyes.

It shattered her, but she didn’t stop.

She walked out.