First Blood: The Perfect Mistress

        Amidst the outbreak of the pandemic, I enjoyed the serenity of the ocean in front of my new residence. For several months, I managed to live alone and far from my mother. I’m worried about her most of the time, but with the calibrated lockdown imposed in every province and city, it would be difficult for me to visit her.             Occasionally, I’d talk to her on the phone to ask about her day, and it made me glad that she’s happy with her life being single. After my father fell from the rooftop of our multistory residence, I thought that she would remarry.             It didn’t happen, and she amazed me by devoting her time to other fruitful activities. She continued to manage the club despite everything, and I felt bad for her that I lied about the accident because her husband was murdered.             However, there’s no regret on my part that it wasn’t known as murder, or she would be sad all over again.                 With the closest neighbor at least three hundred meters away, it was safe to go outside and reconnect with nature. I wasn’t worried about being infected with the virus. I’m worried about someone else. My heart ached for him. My body longed for his touch. I missed him so much,h but I couldn’t do anything to relieve my sadness. When I left the apartment we shared, I decided never to see him again! I’d rather see that man with someone else than to be with me. It’s a trying time for everyone. It’s a trying time for me. While I waited for the waves to touch my toes, I wondered when it all began. When did my life take a downturn? Hmmm, it happened a long time ago, and some of the memories faded along with time. However, my memories with him remained intact. It was tattooed on my brain and heart. It’s just a waste that I cannot have him for myself till the end of time.  To protect him from more heartbreak, I had to let him go. I had to set him free even if it’s killing me inside! I took a deep breath while I let myself traveled to the memory lane where he existed. I tried so hard to forget everything about hi,m but I couldn’t take him off my mind. I could see his face in my dreams. I could hear his voice whenever I’m alone. Sometimes, I wondered if he was thinking about me, too. Should I call him? I played with my phone while trying to decide if I should make a call or not. Oh God, how I missed him each day! ******             “Honey, I got a bad feeling about your batch reunion,” Adrianna spoke with Lance while having coffee with him. “It’s about Rachel, right?” He asked.             “I trust you, honey, but I can’t trust her!” She raised her voice, and it was the first time I heard her do that. Ever! “You and your overthinking brain!” He shouted and slammed the table, causing the coffee on his cup to spill. Blood seeped from the wound on my arm, and sweat dripped down from my forehead. I felt the pai,n but the adrenaline pumping through my veins numbed it. I went to see her ask for help. However, she’s in the middle of a heated argument with my father.             My mother covered her eyes as she cried.             My father slammed the table as he cursed like a sailor.             They were both oblivious to my presence and continued to bicker with each other. Lance Anderson cheated on my mother, and I couldn’t forgive him! For several months, Mommy had to endure the insults of being replaced. It wasn’t the first time I saw her cried because of Lance Anderson, my father.             For several months, I’ve always known that something’s wrong with both of them. Something has changed within our household, and I chose to ignore the signs. I denied the existence of a problem that could break our family apart.              I chose to fool myself once more that everything would go back to its normal state anytime soon. I hoped for the best between my parents because I didn’t want them to live separately. I didn’t want a broken family! Although I hated my mom for being too kind and understanding, I despised the man who ignored my mother’s effort. Adrianna Anderson didn’t do anything wrong! She gave him everything! She even focused on being a housewife despite her excellent credentials. Was it wrong to love someone like Lance Anderson?   For fourteen years, I lived happily with my parent, until my Mom found out about the affairs he had with several women. As I listened to her cries every night, it broke something inside me. Slowly, another person tried to take the happiness within me, but I managed to hide my emotions well.                  It wasn’t me anymore!             I was hurting inside,e but I couldn’t stop smiling every time my mother smiled at me. I knew she was faking it, but I couldn’t let her know that I knew. I couldn’t bring myself to add to her sufferings. I wanted to help, but what could I do? A fourteen-year-old girl wouldn’t be able to achieve something without the help of an adult.             One day, I heard them talking as if they were the perfect couple. From a distance, I observed their body language, and I could tell that my mother wasn’t comfortable. I felt bad for the woman who endured everything for my sake. I didn’t mean to pry on her secret,s but I accidentally found her diary. She wanted to kill her husband for cheating on her. She wanted to leave him, but she couldn’t do that because of me. She wanted to keep our family intact!             And I hated her for that!             What’s the use of living under the same roof when the foundation of starting a family was gone?             “Mom, your birthday is coming soon. Do you have any plans?” I asked her, and she just shrugged off her shoulders as if she didn’t know what to say. Usually, she would ask her friends to come over and dined with us. “Are you okay?”             “Yes, baby. Don’t worry about me,” she said.             When she touched my shoulders just to tell me that there’s nothing to worry about, my heart bled for her. I wished I could tell her about my thought,s but I was scared to cause the imbalance of her emotions. She tried to be strong for me, so the least I could do was to show her that her efforts wouldn’t be wasted.             “I love you, Mom,” I told her.             “I will always love you, sweetheart. No matter what happens, your well-being comes first,” she promised.             Before I could mess up everything, I excused myself and lied about doing my assignments. However, I saw my father on the terrace on my way back inside the house. He’s busy with his phone, and I concluded that it was his mistress on the other line.             “Cassie, wait!” He called, so I turned around.             “Yes, Dad?”             “Come here for a minute,” he said.             Slowly, I strolled back and stood in front of him. “Have I done something to upset you?”