Chapter3
1175 Words
A loud honk broke me out of my thoughts. I pulled myself together and drove off the middle of the road, the driver blew past me, yelling profanities as she drove past.
I couldn't see her clearly but she looked effortlessly beautiful. I'm sure her fiance would not leave her for her sister.
Was that it? He didn't like the way I looked or dressed and preferred Audrey's appearance?
Audrey was always clad in mini skirts and dresses a size too small, she had on makeup for up to 15 hours each day whereas I was in a pair of slacks and a messy bun for up to 10 hours each day.
Tears sprung at my eyes when another memory flooded my head. I had caught his eyes trailing after Audrey one day that he came to the company I managed. She had just gotten her new black card registered and needed Daddy to sign it off as approved. She strutted across the glass tiles with her heels clinking at each step.
“Forgive my sister, I don't know why she always dresses like this. I'm so worried about her. Even when I keep saying it makes her look like she internationally wants to flash a part of her ass or boobs to the public, she just doesn't listen to me.”
“Oh, no. There's really nothing wrong with the way she dresses, whatever makes one comfortable I guess.” He shrugged in response, begrudgingly tearing his eyes away from her frame.
I was a bit taken aback but shrugged it off because like he said, wherever makes one comfortable.
I scoffed at the memory.
There were signs, I was just oblivious as s**t so I couldn't see them.
I turned on the ignition just as my phone rang.
“My Prince Charming”, it read out loud for me, making sure to call out names of the numerous emojis I had added. I smiled, David.
Was he calling to apologize? Or perhaps to tell me that this was all an act and the whole family was just messing with me.
I smiled internally, wiping the half dried tears off my cheek as I slid my finger across my screen to take the call.
“Davi-”
I heard Audrey's shrill voice through the speaker before I could even let out a word.
“Of course you would take his calls and ignore mine, you shameless pathetic slut. Wherever the f**k you are, daddy said you should get home now and without a scratch on that car.” I rolled my eyes at that last part, it was my car. 14 years of our parents being together and I never quite understood why she still calls him daddy even up to this age.
She was wrong though, I would have taken her calls if I had heard it ring but I was probably too caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't.
“Let me speak to her,” I heard David's voice in the background. “No, there's nothing more that you both have to say to each other, you'll see her when she gets here to finalize the confidentiality contract.” Audrey said, her voice sounding a bit distant. She had probably held the phone away from her mouth so I wouldn't hear that part.
A confidentiality contract?
“Audrey, what do you mean by a confidentiality contract?” I asked her with an edge to my voice.
I couldn't believe this. Were they really trying to make me shut up about this for life with a contract? My heart broke, I wouldn't have even mentioned it to a soul regardless.
“And you wonder why he can't get married to you, you clearly don't know how to mind your own f*****g business. I delivered the message already.”
I heard the sound of the disconnected call before I realized she had ended the call on me.
I chuckled dryly, the intensity of my laughter grew louder and soon enough, I was on a full blown laughing spree inside my car. It took me a full minute to stop laughing but my eye won't stop twitching.
I was hot with embarrassment.
My supposed fiance's family was going to pay me to stay quiet about their son's misgivings and here I was, turning back to receive the insult head on.
I steered back into the road keeping my eyes out for a U-turn. Might as well figure out my way home.
“I'm calling off the engagement Soph, I'm getting married to Audrey”
“I'm getting married to Audrey.”
“I'm getting married to Audrey.”
It played like a f*****g tape in my head, kicking at my senses, heightening my anxiety.
I noticed a U-turn just a few meters ahead and made a sharp turn into the lane to avoid missing it.
That should have been the least of my worries though, what I did miss was the blue and white truck driving up that lane.
Trying to steer myself back on track, I realized my brake had failed. I looked down in panic wondering what I could do and for a fleeting moment there, I decided to not try.
I let go.
The headlights of the truck flashed repeatedly as it approached my car that suddenly seemed very small before it.
I heard the crash before I felt the impact. The car must have spun in the air at least twice before coming to a halt upside down. The weight of the steering wheel was pressing at my chest.
You know how they say when you're dying, you see your life flashing before your eyes. All those happy memories with your loved ones, flipping like a book. That wasn't true, my sight was blank, just the shards of broken glass flying across the seats and the battered head of the truck across me, on the opposite side of road.
I couldn't ignore the metallic taste in my mouth as the smell of petrol filled my nostrils.
Oh how I hate you Audrey, I hate you David.
I could feel the remaining air drain from my lungs, I was choking but I wasn't coughing. It felt peaceful, safe even. Nothing like the moment when the love of my life proclaimed that he was getting married to my sister, nothing like when my father told me Audrey would be the one to handle the Russian project. Just peace.
“Your sister is in a better position to handle this project”, my father's voice flooded my memory. They downplayed my efforts at work and in my relationship. Pushing ne aside and shoving my sister in my place.
The shrill robotic sound of my call identifier filled the car. “My prince charming, red heart emoji, smiley face emoji, gem emoji”. I cracked a smile as my eyes blinked s
hut.
“Well f**k you prince charming”, I thought to myself just before it went dark
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