BOUND TO BE YOURS

CHAPTER 1

My gaze flickered between Dad's grim expression and Christy's indifferent look and my stomach tightened in discomfort.

I had an extremely long day of several back-and-forths between the company and our newly constructed rental apartments that were up for lease.

Our family ran a real estate housing business that had been passed on for several generations in my maternal family and my Mom being the only child had inherited the Company and had successfully managed it before handing it over to Drew Terrell after they got married.

Dad had not made an appearance at the company today so it had been left to me to take care of all the problems that had cropped up.

In spite of the fact that I had worked doggedly all day and was currently fatigued and exhausted, I still hadn't been able to counter the problem we were facing but I didn't care about any of that right now.

All the speech and preparation I had made on how I would break the news of what had happened at the company today and the legal issues raised against the company by the occupants of some of our rental apartments as well as my plan to seek a solution from him were extinguished like a lonely spark of fire on a rainy day.

It had been a while since Dad had this expression on his face, he seemed aggravated and I knew it could only spell doom.

Who had offended him this time and what had sparked his fury?

My gaze roamed around searching for clarity on what was going on with a heart full of trepidation.

"Good evening Dad." I greeted lightly, still wondering what had happened.

No reply came forth like I expected, rather Dad stood up and walked over to me.

I had barely opened my mouth when his right hand landed heavily on my face.

My head tilted to the side and my eyes widened in astonishment.

"You bitchy bastard! I never for once thought you to be a thief!" He yelled loudly and I winced in pain, my head throbbing as each word dropped on me like a bombshell.

A thief?

"Dad, what do you mean?" I voiced out in bewilderment, my voice shaky.

"Don't pretend like you have no idea what's going on." Dad snapped briskly, his chest heaving up and down.

"I'm not pretending, I have no idea what's going on."

"You have gotten rather fearless, I have been too lenient on you. I guess that's why you dared to steal from me." He continued.

"Dad I have no idea what you're talking about and if anything is missing in this house, shouldn't you be asking Christy?" I asked, after all, my irresponsible younger sister who shared the same mother as I had stolen on countless occasions.

For most of her misdeeds, I took the fall but I never agreed whenever theft was involved so I expected my Stepfather to believe me.

"Why should he ask me? You are the one who stole and misappropriated the company's funds. Now, you have even resorted to stealing from Dad's safe." Christy yelled in defence.

"Shut up! You have no clue about anything going on in that company so don't you dare lecture me. I stole from Dad's safe? You and I know damn well that isn't true." I spun to face her, chuckling in bewilderment before grabbing my shaky hands to calm my rising anger.

"Dad keeps his money in a safe only he knows the combination too. I'm only always home in time for dinner so how could I have stolen it?"

A sneer graced Christy's lips, "What are you implying? That I stole it?"

She showed a displeased frown and then turned to Dad, her face pleading for him to back her up, "Dad, she still won't admit it. I told you she would be hellbent on denying it."

"Where is my money?" Dad thundered from the side and I jolted backwards in fear, my anger disappearing without a trace.

All that was left was the dread of the known and the knowledge of what Dad could do.

"Dad, I didn't steal that money." I squeaked barely audibly, swallowing past the lump in my throat.

A glance at Christy's satisfied smirk and all the scattered pieces came together.

"Christy, I haven't done anything to you, why are you blaming me for this? I have always silently accepted and covered up for your misdeeds, but not this, I won't be held responsible for this." I lamented, a single tear streaking down my face at the thought that the sister I had pampered all my life and given the best of everything to would do this to me.

Still, I hoped Dad would believe me, after all, I had struggled for years to get in his good graces and had finally earned it a year ago when I had successfully clinched my first deal for the company.

"Lying b***h!" He grabbed a fistful of my hair and rammed my head against the wall.

A loud buzz rang in my ear as my head collided with the wall.

It was happening again, I thought that my years of torment were finally over but I was wrong.

My body was riddled with scars, garnered from years of physical assault, I could still hear young me wailing and begging to be spared.

Despite the years of trauma I was forced to live with, I wasn't mad, each scar on my body, I considered a medal.

Medals of satisfaction and approval I had earned from Dad and I wore them proudly.

However, the proud hill in my heart was slowly crumbling as I held my aching and bruised forehead, a red sticky liquid that could only be my blood gradually dripping down my face from the fresh wound that had opened up.

"Dad, I swear it wasn't me." I tried to plead but he glowered angrily at me, his jaw tight and his veins bulging.

"Christy, why aren't you saying anything?"

"What did you say to Dad?"

"Why are you choosing to blame me for a crime you committed?" I fired successive questions at her grievously.

I realized that on every occasion Dad assaulted me, something triggered him, "Dad never flares up without reason and you know that too well."

Maybe this was just my emotionally deprived self trying to seek solace in the comfort of the maladaptive adjustment of my daydreams, but it was what I believed.

"I don't think she would confess, you should just have her pay you back." Christy chipped in from where she stood, silently watching the show.

My gaze fixed on her, I walked over and grabbed her by her arms, dragging her over to Dad.

"It wasn't me, Christy stole it. She must have gotten involved with those gambling freaks again." I stated firmly.

"Tell the truth now!" I hissed angrily at her, I was done sheltering and covering up for her misdeeds.

"I shouldn't have babied you so much, that was a terrible mistake I wish I could change. You have to learn to be accountable for all of your actions. Now tell the truth so all of this can be resolved."

"Let me go," Christy said and jerked her hands from my hold, the force pushing me backwards a bit.

It took me a while to steady myself but once I did, I fell towards the ground again as Dad's fist connected heavily with my stomach.

The air was sucked out of my lungs as my body rammed heavily on the ground.

"Where is my money?" He panted as blow after blow landed on me and I got a whiff of alcohol, It was faint

Dad wasn't stopping and each hit took me closer to the brink of unconsciousness.

Curling my body, I tried to get into the position I had grown accustomed to, one that resembled a fetus curled up in its Mother's womb.

It let me take the hits better and I would only be hit in places that could be covered up by clothing.

"Honey let her go!" Mom's panicked voice broke into my jumbled thoughts and I breathed out silently in relief.

Mom signified freedom, "Mom help me." I cried out.

"What's going on?" Mom asked, facing Christy rather than Dad.

She knew she couldn't get a word through to him while he was angry.

My head jerked and my ears perked up.

I hoped desperately that she would tell the truth, but I was bound to be disappointed.

Christy would never implicate herself, and neither would she ever take the blame on my behalf like I occasionally did for her.

My little sister was selfish and self-centred.

"Summer stole Dad's money," Christy replied, raising her brows in my direction.

"Mom, please talk to Dad, I didn't do it." I pleaded, my tears falling rapidly.

"Honey, calm down." Mom made a move to touch him.

"Get out of my way woman!" He yelled and pushed her.

I didn't realize the amount of power he had exerted in that push until I saw Mom fall over to the side from the haziness of my vision.

Reflexively, my eyes snapped shut as shards of glass flew everywhere and I felt a burning sting from my shoulder.

The sound of glass breaking zipped loudly like lightning across the sky.

"Mom!" Christy shrieked deafeningly and my eyes shot open to see my mom lying in a pool of blood that was spreading out rapidly.

"Mom." I mouthed imperceptibly as my chest tightened in horror.