CHERYL IN TROUBLE

DISBELIEF

CHAPTER THREE

DISBELIEF.

CHERYL'S POV

I stare at my mother in disbelief. She is staring at me with no iota of emotion and I am left to wonder if I am really their child or is the well-being of their company much more important to them than my happiness? Some times too – like today – I cannot stop thinking how robotic she looks standing there, ordering me.

I shake my head and step away from them. “I am sorry.” I say. “I can’t do this.”

“Cheryl!” my mother warns. Her eyes are threatening but I know that my mother is not a problem. She is a lioness sometimes – she goes to hunt for games and lays it a t the feet of the lion king – and sometimes she is nothing but a dog without teeth. All bark and no bite. My father is the real threat. He makes no noise, but when he acts…

Today, I cannot tell which one she is, whether a lioness or a dog but I will take my chances.

“I don’t care.” I wail. I know my eyes are daring but inside me there is plenty of fire. Enough to burn down this building with everyone in it. I shake my head again, trying to hold the tears in. “I really don’t.”

I turn to leave and it is then that I see my father’s eyes. The storm that is brewing in them and for a moment, I stop short. I have always been the disappointment and this was the one thing that I would have done right and then this. I look away from him and continue on when I hear my mother’s voice.

“If you leave, Cheryl then you better be ready to live with that choice that you are making. This wedding will hold whether you are the bride or not!” her voice is low but threatening. She is not the dog today but the lioness. I don’t regret this choice.

***

Two Months ago

There was a standard we had to maintain, an image we had to uphold as a prestigious and powerful family but we were dwindling. The company lost a lot of shares recently or stocks were steadily declining an it was all these that made my engagement to William a welcome idea to everyone – my mum especially.

William’s family are among the richest and most powerful families in the business world. They had a standing in the society that was fixed and we affiliated our company with their in a bind of marriage, my family was sure to rise from the pit they were rapidly into but this was not the reason why I beamed with joys and smiles as the last of our guests filtered out of the hall.

I was marrying the man of my dreams was what made me happy. Not the thought that I could be the potential savior of my family’s company. I did not care that this was going to be a marriage of families, a marriage of companies, a marriage to save face. I also almost did not care that for the first time in a long time, my mother was smiling at me, telling me how proud she was of me, how proud the entire family was.

I was happy though and I did feel quite good with myself. Usually, I was the bad egg. The one who did everything wrong, the rebel, the hot headed one, but not today. Today, I received a compliment from my father.

“This could easily be the best thing you have done with your life, Cheryl.” He had said in his usually slow, drawled out manner and I could nit tell if it was a compliment or a depreciatory remark. I settled for compliment.

“Of course.” I beamed at him. “I always do think to do what is best for the family.”

He has danced with me after, giving me more than ten whole minutes of his time – which was more than he has spent with me for the past twenty years – before returning to his seat.

It had been nice hearing all these compliments but it was not what I cared for. I admit that I was quite selfish in my desires and sometimes in my actions – a trait which I believe I inherited from my father – I admit that I did not care one but for the company or my family or what they thought of me. All I cared for was William and the fact that soon, I will be married to him. Whatever added benefits that came with the marriage for my family meant nothing to me. Although it was everything for my family.

***

Kayla turns when she hears my approaching footsteps and I almost smile when I see her face go red with shame. At least, she still has the decency to be embarrassed. I say nothing to her, I have nothing to say but it seems my sister has everything to say.

“You are not leaving the wedding, are you?” She asks when I try to get into the car. I glance at her, but I don’t really see her. I’m too tired, too drained to see that the woman I’m staring at is the reason why I am out here now and not happily married.

“Cheryl?” she calls, snapping out from whatever phantasms I had conjured. “You have to go back in there. You know how important this is to the family. To the company.”

“You don’t get to lecture me!” I snap. She recoils slightly and I am shaking now. “You slept with him! On the eve of my wedding! You know how much I loved him, how much I wanted this yet you did not care. You did what you did not minding what would happen if I caught you at it.”

She smacks her lips.”For what it’s worth, I am sorry. It just happened in the spur of the moment.”

I hold myself from landing a hard sleep on her face, perhaps it would reset her brain. She was not sorry and she did not bother to play the act well. She looked almost happy, triumphant even.

I sigh heavily. “Don’t pretend this was not what you always wanted.” I continue. “Don’t act like you are not jumping happily inside you right now. You pretend you care for the company, acting all high and mighty and still seduce you’re sister’s fiancé – a Union which was going to strengthen that sand company you care about. You are nothing but a hypocrite.” I spit. I open the door to my car. “You can go in and have him. He’s all yours, although you might need a wedding dress. “