Her Sweet Vengeance

Chapter 2 (Arthur Carlin)

One week have passed and the Carlin family went back from their travel from Milan. They bought many souvenirs and of course all the extravagance and luxurious things that the Madame and her daughter Maxine bought.

Things such as costly clothes even though they still have a lot of them. Perfumes that were high priced. Lots of very pricey boots and sandals. Those jewelries that when you pawn, surely will give you whooping amount of money. They have their men carry all those things inside and most of the space in the living room were utilized by the paper bags and shopping bags.

Because of the long travel, all of them felt weary. They all relaxed on the sofa when suddenly, Alison snapped. Like something popped her mind in an instant.

"Oh my God! We need to see the rat upstairs. She needs to be alive!" She exclaimed. She looked up at the stairs.

"What do you mean? A rat? Did you put a trap upstairs?" Her husband asked her with forehead creased. He has no idea of what the two did. He looked at his wife as if the Madame will give him the explanation he needs to hear.

"Not me. Your beautiful daughter did that. She needs to live, or else all of those damn money will go to the charity and we can't let that happen. That should be ours." She seemed proud of what her daughter did. She tightened her fist and marched upstairs going to the attic. Every step in the marble tiled stair made a tapping sound that reverberates in the whole mansion.

Upon reaching the front door of the attic, she inhaled deeply. She inserted the key in the key whole and opened the lock. As she opened the door, it creaked, emitting a dreadful sound. You can clearly say that it's an old and abandoned place. The sound you can compare on those hunted mansion doors in those horror stories you watched.

Alison frantically searched the room. She couldn't see Miracle. She entered and looked for her every corner until she found the poor girl. Lying on the floor, passed out from hunger that she felt for a week. Miracle curled like a fetus clutching her stomach. Her face was etched with sadness, hurt and suffering. But the Madame never saw that. She never paid it attention. All she knows was, she need Miracle to do house works again. One week is too long to be a rest period.

Instead of pitying the poor girl, she kicked her back with force. Her boots were made of leather and the soles were really hard. Miracle grunted after the pain was registered to her senses.

"You lazy b***h! Get up! We need you to clean the house up!!" Alison shouted at the poor girl who now is still in pain. She became impatient so she pulled Miracle by hair.

"You are so lazy! You have no contribution in this house! You deserve to die! But you still can't." She slapped the girl hard and Miracle felt her cheek stung but not just that, she heard a ringing sound after that blow. The impact was too much and her lip started to bleed.

"You don't listen do you?! Do you want to leave this house sooner? Well, pray you'll be 18 already and I will call everything quits!" She forcefully dragged the crying girl downstairs. She's like a rag that was dragged by something strong. Her weak body made her so vulnerable.

Miracle tripped several times. Her feet and knees were now bleeding. And not to forget that her scalp hurts like hell because the Madame dragged her by pulling her hair. The Madame pushed her on the cold floor after they descended. She was still crying and she felt pain all over her body. Her head is spinning too.

Grabbing her hair, the Madame forced her to face the angry woman. With gritted teeth, she spoke.

"Listen b***h. You need to clean up the whole house. Don't be so lazy and work hard. Be worthy for your dinner later." She left the helpless girl crying in pain and suffering.

~

I woke up when a searing pain struck my back. I felt electrified for minutes. The pain crept on my whole spine. I saw the Madame, so angry. Her face is now red and she is clenching her jaws.

"You lazy b***h! Get up! We need you to clean the house up!!" Madame Alison shouted at me. The pain on my back is still unbearable and that was the reason why I can't stand up. Plus the fact that I don't have energy anymore. She became impatient so she pulled me forcibly by my hair.

"You are so lazy! You have no contribution in this house! You deserve to die! But you still can't." She slapped me so hard and I felt my cheek stung but not just that, I heard a ringing sound after that blow. The impact was too much and I felt my lip had a cut and it started to bleed.

"You don't listen do you?! Do you want to leave this house sooner? Well, pray you'll be 18 already and I will call everything quits!" She dragged me downstairs. I was crying from the mixed pain on my head and back.

I fell and tripped several times causing me wounds on my both knees and feet as the sharp edges of the stairs grazed my flesh every time I fall.

Upon reaching downstairs, she pushed me hard causing me to fall on the floor and the pain in my body doubled.

"Listen. You need to clean the whole house. Don't be lazy and work. Be worthy for your dinner later." She was pulling my hair back when she said this. Then she pushed my head again. Left me crying in pain and suffering. I felt my head spinning and I need to shake my head so that I could see clearly.

I wiped the blood that now dripped from my wounds. It felt scorching hot and bit my lower lip to silence myself from crying out loud. I stood up slowly. The balustrade of the stairs helped me. I felt my legs shake.

Limping, I went to my room slowly. As I took a seat on the edge of my wooden bed, I felt my energy level go to negative. I fell again. I tried to reach the bandage but I failed miserably. No matter how I try to raise my finger, it can't move.

Panic rose on my system and I couldn't find my voice either. I struggled more but my body never cooperates on the demand of my brain. That was all I remembered before the overwhelming darkness consumed me fully.

~

The Head of the family, Arthur Carlin, interrogated her evil wife and witch daughter.

"Tell me honestly, what did you two do again huh?" He is sitting on the recliner chair on the private office inside their house. And the mother and daughter duo sat on the cushioned grey sofa seat.

The office has this wood colored paint. And the theme was minimalist. And the ceiling high book shelves were displayed. And there were some high priced paintings on the wall. The office table was made of glass and iron as stand. It have a pen holder and an hour glass.

A big window overlooking the pool area and the room was lit by the chandelier on the ceiling.

"I want to get rid of her. She's a pest in this family. I don't like her." Maxine started to name reasons that made Arthur massage his temple.

"Can't you see that she's one big sucker Daddy? She is so shameless. Living under our roof for three freaking long years and still you send her to school. She should stay here so that she can do all the house works. That will be the price of the food she consumes daily." She ranted more and more until Arthur got impatient.

"Before my patience dies, tell me the truth. You don't want me to be mad don't you?" His voice dropped an octave and he is dead serious now. It was lethal and he spoke with authority. So Maxine has no choice but to spill the beans to her Dad.

"I locked her upstairs on the attic." Maxine said the truth. Arthur Carlin instantly snapped and rose from his seat.

"You did what?! Locked her up in the attic for a whole week long while we were away? Did you lose your minds? When did I taught you to be so inhumane Maxine?!" His voice raised and Maxine trembled in fear. His jaw muscles tightened.

"Don't you dare raise your voice on my daughter Arthur. Remember that she is your legal heir. So what if that b***h dies? You'll cry over her dead body or such?" The Madame was wicked as ever. She's now angry too. She's really against the idea of scolding her beloved daughter.

"Don't you have any conscience huh Alison? Where is your soul? And you dare include my daughter on your wicked schemes!? Shame on you!! Now what if something bad happens to Miracle?" Arthur is now having a big problem. If this issue leaks the outside world then their business will go down for sure.

"Then let her die! Our life would be at peace. She's just an extra baggage in this house Arthur!! I can't stand to live one roof with that b***h. And besides, she deserves that." Alison rolled her eyes.

"No one deserves such cruel treatment Alison. I don't know what will I do with you two. I tolerated you making her as your servant. But this is already too much. You are maltreating the poor girl. She did nothing wrong."

"What's wrong is her living under our roof. Can't you see that? The big part of your company will be taken away months from now because your beloved mother gave her the overall 25 percent shares." Arthur Carlin just shook his head. He can't believe that his wife could be this cruel. He marched out of the room, leaving the two tongue-tied and unnerved.

He went upstairs to check on the poor girl. He admits it to himself too that he holds a grudge against the girl. Her mother just gave her the total of 25 percent shares of their company just because she adopted Miracle and the child has been good to her late mother. So he let's her do the housework and never sent her to a private school.

Her daughter is enrolled at a private school where the price of the monthly tuition fee is so high, but he knows that she passes her subjects because of Miracle. She answers her homeworks and do her daughter's projects.

He knocked on her room's door and waited for a response. He already waited for how many minutes but there was no response heard at all. He knocked again and again until he could wait no more and so he fished the keys from his pocket.

As soon as the door went ajar, Arthur's face paled and his blood ran cold. His eyes widened in horror. Seeing all the wounds on the poor girl who now passed out and lying on the cold floor. He came to her side quickly. And there, he saw the poor girl, pale.

With trembling hand, he fished his phone from his pocket and dialled the nearest hospital. Miracle needs to be hospitalized. He picked her up and carried her downstairs. He was shocked because the girl weighs next to nothing but he shrugged the idea that crossed his mind. Right now, his priority is to send Miracle to the hospital. Just as when he was in the living room going outside, the Madame and Maxine came out of the master's bedroom and was totally shocked seeing him carrying the girl.

"Are you really insane huh Arthur? Did you lost your mind? Why are you carrying that b***h!!" The Madame shouted. Arthur stopped his track and looked back at his angry wife. He glowered at Alison.

"Could you please shut the fvck up Alison?! Did you knock your head or something? Where is your conscience?!"

"Wow! Now you are talking about that big word. Well, let me tell you this, so as to remind you that you really dislike that girl too. For goodness sake don't blame me here!!" The Madame rebutted.

"I did before, but right now, what you are doing is so cruel. Very inhumane. If only I knew that you refer Miracle as the rat that you locked up in the attic, I should have stopped that." The Madame laughed scornfully.

"Mister, I am just securing what is for my daughter. My daughter should have all the shares in the company that your family owns and not some unknown b***h saved and adopted by your mother."

"Don't include my late mother in this Alison..." He heard the siren of the ambulance so he stopped arguing with his wife.

"We're not done yet Alison. Whatever happens to Miracle, I will not forgive you." He spat those words and hurriedly go outside to bring the girl to the hospital.

After straight 4 hours, the doctor came out from the ICU. Arthur stood up from being seated on the waiting area.

"Doc, how's Miracle?" He asked anxiously.

"Mr. Carlin. Telling you honestly, she's in a really bad condition. She's starving that's why she passed out. She's also malnourished but what's alarming right now is that, she has broken bones too." The doctor stopped talking at first. And sighed heavily.

"Did the patient fall from something high? The broken bone is not just one. Here. According to the X-ray result, she has a broken rib, as what you can see here." The doctor pointed out the part where the rib broke. Arthur's mind started to wander if what might have caused the injury but he knows it has something to do with the cruelty of his wife.

"And here's another one on her hip, the bone on this area too." Arthur was stunned. The cruelty of his wife was beyond. Alison did overboard.

"I suggest Mr. Carlin that you hospitalize her for several weeks so the broken bones will heal. These injuries are serious. So, when you let the patient move around, the tendency is that, these bones will move and her condition will worsen. She also needs to eat nutritious foods, it will really help in gaining back her strength and she'll heal faster. I suggest that you make her take some vitamins." The doctor also gave Arthur the list of medicine he needs to buy.

"Thank you doc." The doctor walked away as soon as they finished discussing the matter.

He covered his face with his bare hands and closed his eyes. Now, he finally decided. He needs to do the right thing. He'll tell Miracle about the company share that the girl doesn't know of and ask if she could give it back to him so that his wife will not hurt the poor girl again. He thought it is the best thing to do. Surely, Miracle will understand and give his request.

~

HAVAIANAS MIRACLE LEEVEN

I woke up but I couldn't open my eyes. I've heard a beeping sound of a machine. Slowly, I started to see something but still blurred. Until what I saw was a white ceiling. I tried to move but my body felt so heavy. Where am I? The sunshine entered the room from the windows that was not covered by curtains.

"Miracle! Thanks God you're awake." That voice. I looked at the man beside me. My foster father, Arthur Carlin. What? I can't understand what's happening right now. All I remembered was me in my room passing out.

"Are you feeling better? Do you need something?" He looks anxious.

"Wa... Water." My voice cracked. My throat hurts, I mean it's now dry. In a snap, he handed me a glass of water. I didn't know where did he grabbed it. He was fast. Ok? This puzzles me. He behaves very opposite from the mighty Arthur Carlin that I remember.

He helped me drink the content from the glass and after I emptied it, he placed the glass back on the small table on the side. Now, I realized that I am at a hospital. There's an IV on my right arm and there are bandages on most parts of my body.

"Why am I here? The Madame will be mad again. Let me just go home Sir." I said. At the back of my mind, I can see the deadly look of Madame Alison and her daughter Maxine. I also remembered that I didn't clean the whole house and for sure I will receive a lot of beating or worse they will let me starve for I don't know how long. Maybe until they are satisfied.

"No can do. Stay still. You are not fully healed Miracle. You need to recover first." He held me by my shoulder.

"Why are you doing this to me? Don't you hate me? As I clearly remember, you did." He bowed his head down upon hearing my words. Words that are full of dudgeon that I know can hurt a feeble heart but not the hearts like the Madame and her daughter.

"I'm so sorry Miracle. I was blinded by my wife's words. If I just knew about what she and Maxine did to you then I must have stopped it. I know it's my fault for hating you too. But what they did was wrong. I thought you were just doing the household chores but I never knew that they maltreated you." His face clearly shows repentance. I sighed. I know what he feels. Maybe he was just blinded by his hate towards me fueled by the words of his evil willed wife.

"It's okay Sir Arthur. I understand. I forgive you. It's not your fault after all. I am just an extra baggage in your home anyway. Don't worry Sir, when I reach the legal age, I will separate from your house and distance myself from your family. I know that they will also feel bad about me being under your roof. I am a living parasite you see? That's what they always think about me. You are the one who fed me, give me shelter, and send me to school. You know what that means to them. Me, being a sucker for 3 years already." I said explaining why are the Madame and her daughter bully me most of the time.

"I'm so sorry Miracle. You don't need to leave the house soon. It will be a few more months before you turn 18 already. You can still stay." I smiled. I know he has a good heart and for my whole existence, I am grateful that someone in the family still cares about me. After the death of Gran, someone cared for me again. I prayed for this to happen for a long time. I raised my left arm and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. I smiled a little.

"Thank you Sir but I need to leave the soonest. It will be better for the peace of us both. Your family can't hurt me anymore and of course I will not be a sucker to your family like how the Madame thinks."

"You sure are an innocent and kind soul Miracle. Just like what my Mom told me. That's why she gave you the overall 25 percent shares of the company owned by the Carlin." As he told me that, my eyes almost popped from their orbits. Jesus Christ! Is he not kidding?

"Are you not kidding Sir? I mean, how come that Gran gave me such big share in your company? It's too much. Maybe she's just joking to. Hahaha!" I tried to laugh to lessen the tension and my nervousness.

"I wish I am kidding about that matter Miracle but it's the truth. Just before my mother passed away, she told me these exact words..."

Miracle just went out of the hospital room of her adoptive Grand mother, Carla Antonia Madea-Carlin. The only son of the Madame, Arthur Carlin just arrived in the hospital together with his wife Madame Alison Carlin and their daughter Maxine Carlin. They entered the room so she needs to leave immediately. She knows that there will be some important matters to be discussed by the family, and her being adopted is not part of it. After all, she knows nothing about their business or something.

But what she never heard was the big revelation by the Late Madame. The revelation that made the rest of the Carlin family hate her so much.

"Hello Mommy, how are you feeling?" Arthur kisses his mother's cheek. The old woman smiled weakly. Her eyes are dull and her face also shows weariness for living for such a long period of time in this world.

The late Madame raised her hand and reached for his son's hand. Hold on there for a long time and studied his face. She misses her son but she knows it will be a burden to him if she requests that they will live in one roof. She's old now and dying and his son has a lot of things to do.

"I'm not that good. I'm afraid my son. I can feel it. It's my end. My end is about to come." The Madame never cried but her eyes spoke for her feelings deep inside.

"Don't say that Mommy. You'll still live long. You will see how the company rise and you can still travel to the places that you love to travel. It's not your time yet." Arthur's voice cracked. He's at the verge of crying. He knows that his mother is telling him the truth.

"You enjoy my son. I know how you love to travel and I know that you can handle the company much better than me and your Dad. You can make the company rise even without my presence." Arthur just shook his head. Afraid that if he speak right now he will end up crying just like a child.

"But Mom needs to confess something son." This made Arthur look at his mother again.

"What is it?"

"You see, when you are away for such a long time, I am really sad. I always miss you. As a mother, I wanted to see my son often but I know that I can't. I can't demand that we should live under one roof so I can see you because that will be a great burden to your part."

"Don't say that Mom. I would love to have you around. You ain't a burden okay?" The Madame just smiled.

"I know. But what changed everything is when Miracle came to my life. That little girl that I saved from the park after being lost because of the chaos. Truly, she's a Miracle. She made me happy again though I still miss you but she made my life happier."

"So, what is that thing that you'll confess to me?" Arthur's forehead creased. He knows that his Mom is fond of the little child.

"She needs to find her family one day. She wishes for that every time she prays. She needs to go to college too. I can see her as a child who will excel in class. So because I adopted her, I gave her the 25 percent shares of the company. For sure it will help her a lot." Arthur and his wife were stunned.

"What the hell!" That's what Alison said after the words sink in her mind.

"Mom, are you kidding?" Arthur asked.

"No my son. And I believe it is a rightful thing to do. I'm not kidding. She needs support more than anyone else. That will be a small amount but it can make her successful. Trust me when I say she'll ruse one day."

And just like that, the Madame's heart stopped beating. The doctors rushed in after the alarm went ringing but Arthur and his wife were still processing the fact spilled by the late Madame causing Miracle to suffer in the years that came.