Entwined Lives

CHAPTER1

Phoebe Walker stood before her dad with tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Dad, why do you hate me this much? Why do you hate me to want to deny me of what brings me joy?” She asked.

Mr Walker Williams scoffed. “Really? You are seriously asking me that question?”

Phoebe Walker was lost. She wished the earth could just open up and swallow her. All her life, she had only dreamt of one thing; just one thing that brings her happiness; to be with the love of her life. And now, her biological father was bent on shattering her dreams.

“Well, I am only doing the right thing here, you can't marry Alex…you just can't” Mr Walker added.

“But why? You have successfully destroyed my relationship with my man, all for what?” Phoebe asked, wiping her tears filled face with her palm.

“You are not the right person for a billionaire as Alex, you'd ruin this…can't you see? You are a failure.” Mr Walker explained, his face mean.

Okay, that was it for Pheobe. The tears she had been fighting so hard to constrain flowed. She didn't attempt to stop it. She just let the tears flowed.

Life had been terrible for Pheobe for over a decade. If she had kept her record well, that's 15 years precisely. This wasn't the kind of life she had envisioned for herself. She used to have a very loving and peaceful family. Before now, she could swear that her dad was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Life with her dad, mom and Ann was what she could brag about. Well, that joy only lasted for 10 years until the death of her mother; Mrs Walker.

Mrs Walker had died in a domestic accident 15 years ago and since then, the family's formation scattered. Mrs Walker was the foundation holding their home. She was a heroine and more. Death is indeed, a respecter of no man.

What Pheobe couldn't wrap her head around was her father’s immediate change in attitude. She could have concluded that He was having a hard time, probably depressed because of the loss of his wife; her mother, but she couldn't seem to understand why he'd channel all his frustration on her. Ann was living the daddy's girl's lifestyle while Pheobe was living like a slave in her father's house.

“Dad” Ann giggled. “I think Pheobe looks exactly like the crying queen.”

Phoebe's legs seemed to fail her as she dropped to the ground with her tears still flowing like an endless ocean.

Mr Walker rolled his eyes, “I bet she does.” He closed the gap between him and Pheobe as he squatted right in front of her. “My darling, you should be used to this already…failure, that's only what you do best. You are just a bad luck.” He blurted.

“As for Alex, don't worry your little head… Ann will do a good job with him.”

Pheobe staggered to her feet. She was weak, emotionally drained. She looked straight into Ann's eyes with shock. “So this is about you?”

Ann rolled her eye balls. “Yeah, so?” She said, shrugging her shoulders.

Pheobe’s mind ran wild. She just wasn't understanding anything again. “You're the reason dad is doing this?”

“No, it's our parents. Mr Martins and dad chose me for Alex.” Ann explained plainly.

“Wow!” Phoebe exclaimed. She could understand her father being wicked to her for some reason known to him, but Mr Martins? She couldn't understand. “Alex wouldn't do this. I trust him.” She assured.

“Big sister, it doesn't seem like Alex has a choice here.” Ann mocked.

With this, Pheobe walked away. She stopped abruptly as she turned to face Ann who was all smile's. “All my days, I never did anything for myself. I never considered myself.”

She paused for a while, wiped her face, and then continued, “I've always had your back.” For a moment, Pheobe was quiet, so was Ann and Mr Walker. Pheobe lowered her gaze to the ground. “What didn't I do for you? While we were still little girls, countless times I'd give up my lunch pack to you just because that bully in your class always had yours.” Pheobe recounted.

She continued, “I'd get myself beaten up while trying to protect you… I eventually got expelled from high school because of my constant fighting in the school which were off course for you.”

“Those were your responsibilities as her elder sister.” Mr Walker said, feeling irritated at Pheobe's words. Ann nodded.

“I never complained about it.” Pheobe responded. “I'm not still complaining… I couldn't go to college because of my high school expulsion and I also didn't complain.” Pheobe wiped her face again.

“I've always done everything for you, but just this one time I decided to do something meaningful for myself, you and dad decided to ruin it…what did I do wrong?” Pheobe asked, her voice breaking.

“And there she goes again, the crying queen…” Ann mocked. “I'd tell you something, I think you are pathetic.”

“Enough!” Phoebe commanded wiping off her tears. “I'm still your elder sister and I won't stand here and watch you insult me.”

“I think you are missing something.”Ann said. “C’mon, you stand here recounting all the shits you did, but you forget the most important one? too bad”

Pheobe was lost. She tried to wrap her head around what Ann was saying but none of it was making any sense to her. She had always tried to be the best big sister anyone could dream of. She was confident that she ticked all the boxes of a good elder. “What are you talking about?” She asked.

“Yes, that's who you are…a pretender.” Ann pointed out. She unbuttoned the first three buttons of her blouse as she moved closer to Pheobe. “Take a good look at it, do you remember this scar?” Ann said pointing towards her chest. “I wish you never existed, I wish you could just disappear, like, I want to wake up knowing you don't exist.I will never forgive you for this.” She concluded before walking out on Pheobe. She stopped halfway as she turned as said, “hey crying queen, just so you'd know… I'd stop at nothing until I ruin you… watch your back.” And with this, she stormed out of the living room.

Pheobe was speechless. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Mr Walker shook his head before walking out too. Pheobe was still dumbfounded. “How could this be?” was the only thing that finally came out.