A CONTRACT BRIDE

CHAPTER FOUR

I could feel the shame creep up my neck like an evading boyfriend as I made my way out of the office and into the bus that I nearly missed.

The heat did not leave my body, not even as the cold gust of air rushed into the bus through the windows. I did not know what this would entail for me but I had a very strong feeling that I just lost my job.

The pain still weighed down heavily on my shoulders as I made my way into our two room apartment that was now falling apart due to the wood bugs and the rain that kept entering through the small creaks on the wall.

I could smell a herbal tea brewing from the kitchen and it was my only sign to know that he was here.

I tightened my jaw, trying to make my way back out the door when I heard his voice, still dizzy from the drinking he had possibly done all night.

" And where the hell do you think you are going? How have I not been seeing you around the house all these times?" He asked.

I turned around to look at him, slightly older than me, but with a terrifying build. The same build that made my mother fall for someone younger than her in the fi rst place.

When she had brought him in and declared him my new father, I had been repulsed, tried to talk her out of it even but it all seemed to go down the drain.

It was not until he started smoking and bringing women into our own home that she realized what a terrible mistake she made.

He never liked me.

" I have work. I have to get there now, I only came to check if my mum was back home" I said to him, my reply stiff, trying to get out of this mess while I still could.

He glared at me, staring down at my body.

" Come in and sit for a while..have some tea to drink" he said.

That was the most suspicious thing he had said since he met me.

He was never down to hang out with me. But today....

" Let me change fi rst" I said, walking into the room I shared with my sister and ripping off the clothes that had caused me to be called a thief.

By the time I was changed from the clothes and came back outside, my mum was back, eyes sunken with big eye bags and slouched shoulders as she laid on the couch.

Her eyes perked up when they saw me, a kind of surprise in her eyes.

" What happened today dear? You are not supposed to be back this early. And a customer came demanding a full refund of the laundry money.

She asked me to tell you to keep the dress, but that you should never forget she donated it to you" she said.

My heart stung at the embarrassing words, the surprise my mum must have felt when a customer told her that.

" I'm sorry. I wore one of the dresses to work today and the owner recognized it. I can pay you back for whatever you have to spend" I said, trying to cast away the pain in my voice.

" I never understood why you all borrow the clothes of others to look smart. That is just pathetic. Anyways, I'm off to the bar, dinner should be ready by the time I get back home" he said, attempting to walk out.

" Jordan you took the money I placed underneath the counter. Please keep it back it's my savings" my mother said wearily.

He squeezed some crispy notes into his pockets, looking at my mum in defiance.

" And so what if it's your money? You can always make more, you barely take care of me in this house and complain about every single cent" he said, his voice growing louder now.

I was pissed. Who did he think he was? Living off of us, eating our food and still taking the little money we made.

" Give it back to her. Everything we make now is going into my sister's treatment and you know that" i said to him but he just rolled his eyes, the same nonchallant behaviour that caused us thousands.

" She is a dead beat anyways. Why do you keep spending money on someone condemned to die? " He said.

I moved so fast, so fast that I did not comprehend my thoughts until I was standing in front of him, eyes blazing with anger.

" I dare you to repeat what you just said. You are the one who is a liability around here. Life would be better if you get out!" I yelled at him.

It was a wrong move.

His eyes coated with anger and in the next second, he was throwing me through the room, making me land on the business model my mum had set up early that year.

" Jordan! Stop that you are hurting her!" My mother yelled, moving towards where I laid to pick me up but he was faster. He yanked me up by my hair, eyes still daring me to talk.

" What did you say to me? You and your pathetic mother are lucky to even have me in your lives. I protect this family! All you have to do is put food on the table but you act like it's such a big deal" he said, each word growing louder.

He pushed me away and walked out of the house. But I was not about to let him go scot-free after what he said to my mother. I followed him.

"Why are you so selfish?" I cried at him, not caring if I was beginning to draw attention to myself or not. I was past caring. "That woman in there has done everything for you. Everything! All you do is sit, sleep, eat! Yet you claim to do more."

"Get back inside, you stupid child. What could you possibly know." He said as he kept on walking but I wasn't ready to let him go yet.

"True, I can not possibly know anything but what do know is that you are a leach! Sucking the little income we make, draining it. You selfish, irresponsible old man. I never liked you from the start but I was right not to. Wonder why mom attached to you. You're so useless you can't even provide for yours—" the slap threw me to the ground.

For a moment, all I saw was black till he rounded on me again dragging my hair.

"You stupid child," he said, a wicked scowl on his face. "You dare talk to me like that?" Slap! "What are you and your mom doing to me that's even that special?" Another slap! "I'll show you how to talk to elders." The third slap did not land on my face.

I managed to look up with my one swollen eye to see someone holding his hand. And if my eyes weren't close to be bloodshot they'd have widened.

It was Mr Heights.