Chapter 2
1400 Words
Outside the room, she leaned against the wall, her hands trembling as she pressed them to her racing heart.
Who was that man? And why did she feel like her life would never be the same?
The streets were eerily quiet as Wendy hurried home. The distant sound of her heels clicking against the pavement was drowned out by her racing thoughts. The incident at the club replayed in her mind over and over, but she shook it off. She had bigger problems to deal with, like explaining to her step-parents why she was arriving so late.
The sky was beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn when she reached the small house she called home. It was modest, a little run-down, but it was all she had. She paused at the door, her hand trembling on the knob.
What do I even say to them? she wondered. Would they believe me if I said I had to stay late at the club? Or would they accuse me of something worse?
Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open.
Inside, her stepfather, Mr. Owen sat on the worn-out sofa, a scowl already etched onto his face. Her stepmother, Grace, stood nearby, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. Wendy’s heart sank. They were waiting for her.
“You’re finally back,” Mr. Owen barked, his voice dripping with anger. “Do you know what time it is?”
“I... I got delayed at work,” Wendy stammered, avoiding his piercing gaze.
“Delayed? Or did you go gallivanting around town like some street girl?” he snapped.
“No, sir! I was working! I swear,” Wendy said quickly, her voice trembling.
“Working?” Grace interjected, her tone cold. “What kind of work keeps you out until dawn, Wendy? Do you think we’re fools?”
Wendy’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. She wanted to defend herself, to scream that she was doing everything she could to support the household and her mother’s hospital bills. But she knew better. Arguing would only make things worse.
Mr. Owen stood up, towering over her. “Since the day I took you and your sick mother in, you’ve done nothing but cause problems! Headache after headache! You’re ungrateful, Wendy. Do you hear me? Ungrateful!”
Tears welled up in Wendy’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Sorry doesn’t cut it,” he spat. “If you keep this up, I’ll throw you out. Do you understand? Out on the streets! I’m not running a charity here!”
“Please, sir, I’ll do better,” Wendy pleaded, her voice breaking.
Grace stepped forward, her expression hard. “You better. Because if you don’t, we’ll have no choice but to stop your mother’s treatment.”
Wendy’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock. “No! You can’t do that!”
“Oh, yes, we can,” Grace said coldly. “We’ve been paying those bills out of our own pockets, Wendy. Do you think money grows on trees? If you want your mother to stay alive, you’ll stop being so selfish and start doing as we say.”
“I... I’m doing everything I can,” Wendy said, her voice shaking.
“Not enough,” Mr. Owen cut in. “That old b***h has been in a vegetative state for over 10 years now. It'd be better if she died.”
“Dad!” Wendy protested as tears streamed down her cheeks. “It was mom who had established and developed the Owen Cooperation from square one. How could you be so coldhearted.”
“If I was coldhearted, that old b***h would've died when she had lost all her memories, from the accident! I've only married her for her looks, who knew she was pregnant with you at the moment.” He barked as he cursed her existence.
"But..." Wendy’s voice came
“ Honey,” Grace snapped Wendy out of her words as she faced her husband. “Our million dollars would go to waste if you throw Wendy out.” She said to him as she helped Wendy sit on the sofa.
“Wendy, we'll save your mom’s life. After all, her life is also a life.”
“Thank you so much! Thank you,” Wendy cried.
“Mr. Nelson Senior is critically ill right now,” Grace continued, “ He had given us a million dollars and asked your sister to marry over the Nelson family and care for him. But how can I allow your sister to suffer? As long as you marry over to the Nelson family in your sister's stead, your mother’s medical bills are covered.”
Wendy frowned, confusion clouding her face. “What do you mean?”
Grace exchanged a glance with her husband before turning back to Wendy, a smug smile on her lips. “We’ve arranged for you to get married in place of your stepsister, Evelyn.”
“What?” Wendy’s voice came out as a whisper, but her disbelief was clear.
“You heard me,” Grace said. “The Nelson family needs a bride, and we’ve decided it’ll be you.”
“Marry?” Wendy asked, her voice rising in panic.
Grace’s expression darkened. “Yes, you will get married. You’re perfect. They’ll take you, and we’ll be rid of our problem.”
Wendy shook her head, her legs trembling. “No. No, this can’t be happening.”
“It’s already done,” Mr. Owen said, his tone final. “The Nelsons have paid a handsome sum for this arrangement. They think they’re getting Evelyn, but they’ll get you instead. You should be grateful, Wendy. This is your chance to pay us back for everything we’ve done for you and your mother.”
Tears streamed down Wendy’s face as she looked between her stepfather and stepmother. “You’re selling me off like I’m some kind of property?”
“Stop being so dramatic,” Grace snapped. “This marriage will solve all our problems. You’ll go to the Nelsons, and in return, we’ll make sure your mother continues to get her treatment. Everyone wins.”
“But... I don’t even know them,” Wendy said, her voice breaking. “What if they’re terrible people?”
“Don’t be ungrateful,” Mr. Owen said, his voice harsh. “You’re lucky we’re even giving you this chance. If it weren’t for us, you and your mother would be out on the streets by now!”
Grace stepped closer, her voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “Think about your mother, Wendy. Do you want her to suffer? To die because you couldn’t do this one thing for her?”
Wendy’s heart shattered into a million pieces. She felt trapped, cornered with no way out. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to fight back, but the image of her mother lying in that hospital bed held her in place.
“Fine,” she said finally, her voice barely audible. “I’ll do it.”
Grace smiled triumphantly. “Good. I knew you’d see reason.”
“When... when is this happening?” Wendy asked, her voice hollow.
“Tomorrow,” Grace said matter-of-factly.
“Tomorrow?” Wendy’s eyes widened in shock. “That soon?”
“The sooner, the better,” Mr. Owen said. “We don’t want the Nelsons finding out about the switch.”
Wendy felt like the ground was crumbling beneath her. She wanted to scream, cry, and beg for mercy, but she knew it would be useless. Her fate was sealed.
As she turned to leave, Grace called after her. “Oh, and Wendy?”
She paused, looking back over her shoulder.
“Don’t even think about running away. If you do, we’ll stop paying for your mother’s treatment immediately. Do you understand?”
Wendy nodded numbly, her vision blurred by tears.
She trudged up to her small room, her body heavy with despair. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she buried her face in her hands and let the tears fall.
How did my life come to this? she thought bitterly.
But even as the pain consumed her, one thought remained clear: She had no choice. For her mother’s sake, she would do whatever it took.
Even if it meant sacrificing herself.
- Writer
