The Seductress Revenge

4

Maya couldn't tell how long she remained unconscious. It might have been for days or weeks, probably months, but when she finally opened her eyes, she barely even got a chance to ask before her eyes fell on the people who had put her in that position.

Candice smiled sweetly at her, her eyes sparkling with mock innocence.

“ Hello sweet stepsister, I am so glad that you're finally awake. You gave us such a scare, my darling!" Her voice echoed in Maya's ears, her hands reaching out to caress her cheeks.

Maya groaned painfully as she tried to move her head away from Candice' touch.

“ Oh darling! You don't want to worsen the pain you feel, do you now? Stay calm, okay? I am not going to hurt you so just stay still” Candice cooed, her words were villainy but the tone with which she said them was so innocent that no one would suspect a thing.

Maya could not move any part of her body without feeling pain so she stayed still, against her own wish. Candice trailed her hand across her cheeks, smiling mischievously.

Maya's face contorted in anguish, physical and emotional. She directed her gaze to Chris who was standing behind Candice. Their eyes met and for that very brief moment, Maya watched sympathy flash through his eyes.

She was the one to break the contact. He put her in this position so the last thing she wanted from him was his pity.

Then she remembered! Her baby!

" Is my baby alright?” She blurted out.

Candice raised her brows, skeptically.

" What baby?” She asked.

This riled Maya up. With a shaky voice, she lamented,

“ I've had enough of you two speaking about my baby like it doesn't matter. It matters to me. You don't have to accept the responsibility, I'll take care of him or her myself. You two can carry on with your dubious affairs, I don't care anymore"

An oblivious person would actually think it was sympathy that crossed through Candice’ face.

“ Poor Maya! I'm so sorry you have to go through this, I know how painful it could be" she mumbled, commencing the sympathetic rub on her cheeks.

Maya did not see the point behind Candice’ words. She misunderstood her to be mocking her again so she jerked away from her touch despite the pain that soared through her.

“ Don't touch me!” She spat, her head reeling.

Candice’ expression softened even more and Maya could only stare in confusion.

" Maya, you are not in the state to exert yourself this much. You have to calm down” the concern in her voice sounded genuine but Maya knew better.

“ I need to see a doctor, call me a doctor” she said, tearing her eyes away from the duo.

Candice and Chris exchanged looks and Maya heard her say,

" You tell her, I can't do this Chris"

Maya stared on in confusion. What did Candice mean? What were they not telling her?

Chris glared briefly at Candice, saying under his breath,

“ You did this and now that it's time to tell her, you're backing out?”

Maya's dilemma was heightened. And then it hit her hard, like a rushing wave of an ocean. The words flew out of her mouth with her heart heavy and her eyes squinting with tears.

" Please, tell me my baby is fine” she cried.

Candice tore her eyes away and a sigh escaped Chris’ lips.

“ The baby is gone, Maya"

Maya's world felt like it had spun out of control and had collided into stark darkness, crumbling to the ground and leaving her shattered.

“ W…what?” She stuttered.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to kick and throw a tantrum. She wanted to cry her eyes out for her innocent baby but she was dumbed. Frozen into place and unable to think straight, talk very little of acting.

“ No!” was all she could say.

" No!” she repeated, her vision blurring as tears streamed down her face.

The baby didn't deserve to die. It had barely been able to live, it wasn't even up to three months. Why? Why did this have to happen to her? Why was she so unlucky?

Chris and Candice remained silent as she cried silently. It seemed like they were patiently waiting for her to stop, the expression on their faces foretelling that there was more where this terrible news came from.

Eventually, Chris got tired of waiting as Maya made no effort to control her tears. He heaved again, clearing his throat.

" Don't cry so much, Maya. I mean, it's a good thing that it's gone, you don't have to carry the burden all by yourself as you intended to” he said, his eyes darting everywhere around the room but her.

Maya glared at him. At that point, she didn't feel anything but hatred for him. Hatred that ran deep into her heart and cut through every edges and corners.

“ How? How could you murder your own child and talk so freely about it?” She sobbed, the energy to speak emerging from her loathe.

Chris’ eyes turned cold, his tone sharpening as he said,

“ Watch your words. I didn't murder that thing, you better not say that to anyone"

Maya wanted to spit at him in disgust.

“ You're despicable!" She said spitefully.

“ You… " Chris stopped himself as Candice slipped her hand around him.

“ Chris, no! Just give her the papers and let's get out of here" she said softly.

Maya gritted her teeth as the anger surged through her.

“ And you, are you Lucifer's right hand man? Cause how could you be so wicked to your own blood? You will stop at nothing until I'm gone from the face of the earth, right? Is that it?"

Chris made to respond but again Candice tugged his sleeve and he swallowed the words. He eyed her viciously before reaching out to the table beside the bed.

" Sign them! “ He commanded, throwing a stapled document to her face.

Maya hesitated but Chris was impatient.

" Don't waste anymore of my time, Maya” he demanded, his voice heavy with authority.

Maya reached out for the paper, trying her best to not get maimed by the pain that was threatening the life out of her. As she lifted the paper to her eye level, her eyes fell on one word.

Divorce.

She chose not to read the rest and shut her eyes painfully. So this was where life had led her?

Failed childhood, failed career, she failed in motherhood before she even started and now, she has failed in marriage too.

She didn't know how to feel. Happy that she was finally getting out of this misery she called marriage or terrified of how much of a failure she had become.

“ Maya, I know this might be hard for you to take in but it's the best thing to do right now. Just sign the papers and you'll never have to see Chris and I ever again” Candice spoke up.

Maya bit her lips up to the extent that she almost drew blood. Chris was way too impatient.

“ Are you going to sign the papers willingly or do I have to use force on you? Free me from this hold of yours, I want to live my life with the person I love. That's not you” he stated.

Maya sniffed, releasing a heavy breath. She finally looked at Chris, her eyes heavy with a flood of tears.

“ Was it ever me? “ She whispered just above her breath.

Chris didn't respond and that was all it took to make her understand.

“ I'll sign it" she said.

Candice handed her a pen almost immediately and she ignored the splitting pain in her chest and drew her signature at the allotted spot. She handed it to them, searching both of their eyes for any sort of emotion that would comfort her but she found nothing. Candice' eyes sparkled with her revel over the situation, she couldn't hide it no matter how hard she tried. And Chris' was empty, like a dark alley that held nothing but a heavy silence.

“ Maya, my dear sister, you will be fine from now on. And I promise that you'll never have to see me again. Your life is all yours to live now, neither Chris nor I will interfere in any of your affairs” Candice said, rather unnecessarily.

The only thing her words did was rile Maya up even more.

“ Just get out!" Maya demanded, her voice weak but firm and trying her best not to break down any further.

Surprisingly, Chris walked away but Candice stayed back. Maya watched her lips slowly curl up into a villainous smirk, one Maya knew from anywhere. She leaned in to her so her voice wouldn't be heard and said,

“ Before I leave, just be reminded, Maya Edwin, that you are nothing. You deserve nothing good in this life, your very existence was nothing but a mistake. I am glad I could put you in the position right for you, and I won't mind doing it a second time. So… stay down!”

She rose to her full height and her lips twitched into a smile.

“ Goodbye stepsister!" Candice said, walking out the door afterwards.