Deadly Charm

Chapter 3: Violet's humiliation

The morning at Aunt Sophia's house all began with scolding and crying. Violet is all too used to this. The old apron was so washed that it was frayed on one side and stuck to Violet's body. The breakfast was filled with perfume, avocado bread, grilled lamb, and a bull of fruit juice each.

Vivian was the first to sit at the table; Aunt Sophia helped Amber to help her brush her teeth. Violet looked at the uniform dress on Vivian's body, secretly wishing. In turn, Vivian didn't like Violet because, even though she tried to dress up and wear a lot of makeup, she still wasn't as beautiful as Violet. Women's envy of the beauty of others is limitless. So Vivian made Violet do everything, including washing her underwear and showering.

"Like it?" Vivian looked at Violet mockingly. "Maybe if you make Mr. Vango happy, he'll send you to school,"

Violet set the dishes on the table and went back into the kitchen. Vivian felt humiliated when Violet didn't even bother to answer her; Vivian said in a loud voice, "Being the little wife of an old man who kills his wife must be happy,"

Every time she argued, Vivian wanted to win for herself; she was arrogant and stubborn. Violet bit her teeth to tell herself not to talk to Vivian. Aunt Sophia grumbled Vivian because she dared to wear eyeliner that she didn't dare to wear, their usual quarrel bouncing again. Vivian always said it would break down if Aunt Sophia did not use it for too long, and she helped her save money. On the other hand, Aunt Sophia said Vivia was a timid girl, but no one pursued her.

"It's better than marrying an old man," Vivian said sneeringly.

But Aunt Sophia let out a long stream of morals that didn't apply to Violet, "You are going to marry a rich, handsome guy in the Dome area. You belong in that area. And it's best not to date anybody out there, or I'll send you to a rich old man with large plots of land for you to plow through,"

Vivian cried out, "I'm just marrying someone I love. Until then, you have no right to forbid me,"

"Okay," Aunt Sophia said. "I'll show you how I got Violet to marry a rich old man. And you'll know whether I have the right or not,"

Amber spoke abruptly, "No, she's not going to get married. She's going to the Dome to work, so you can't force her to get married."

Violet was startled, causing the knife she was holding in her hand to fall to her feet. She watched as the blood flowed off the floor, and her heart froze. Outside, Aunt Sophia asked Amber softly, "Why do you say that, dear son,"

Amber thoroughly enjoyed being called her beloved son by Aunt Sophia. It was Aunt Sophia's secret weapon, not unexpectedly; Amber recounted all the secrets he had only contracted with Violet last night. Aunt Sophia's roar was like a lightning strike at Violet.

"Are you going to work at the Dome?" Aunt Sophia asked.

Violet didn't dare nod; she said, "No, I just don't want Amber to worry,"

"You lied to Amber?" Aunt Sophia asked irritably.

Aunt Sophia looked at Violet suspiciously for a moment before making a decision.

"Aunt Sophia, yes," Violet said miserably. That made Violet's future more uncertain than ever.

"From today onwards, you will be in the house, not going anywhere. In just two weeks, Mr. Vango will take the wedding ceremony; you should get ready to be his wife," Aunt Sophia said grimly.

Vivian grinned at Violet's sadness, as long as Violet wasn't better than her. Uncle Dean kept his face down and ate the food that had been divided on his plate. Amber lowered her face as if he had just committed a bad sin. Violet desperately walked into the kitchen; she watched the butterfly hovering in the flower garden, infinite sadness coming like an erupting volcano.

Before going to work, Aunt Sophia found a large chain and tied Violet's legs tightly to it. With the sound of the car exploding away, Violet slumped to the floor, sobbing. There was the sound of footsteps from above, and Uncle Bean's small figure could only cover a tiny flicker of light coming out of the doorway. Uncle Dean just looked at Violet with sympathetic eyes and got in the car to leave.

After a moment, Violet stood up; she took some of the rice left in the pot and put it in her mouth to chew. That's not enough to make up for the energy all day. Violet was so skinny that the shirt she dressed in was wide baggy. Surprisingly, despite her thin body, Violet's face was still full. That caused her to get a lot of hate from Vivian.

The chain was just enough for her to act in the kitchen and to the front door. Violet couldn't have gone any further; she looked at the smoke-filled houses and the joyful laughter below, her longing for a home that belonged to her. There was a knock on the kitchen door; Violet put her sadness inside and eagerly ran in to open the kitchen window.

Antoni's face appeared, and Violet couldn't stop saying, "Mr. Antoni. Is there a way I can open this lock?"

Violet stood back and held up the leg that Aunt Sophi had locked in front of Mr. Antoni. He sighed, "Did she know?"

Violet nodded embarrassedly, "There's a little trouble."

Antoni doesn't want to expose Violet's lies. He leaned forward to take a good look at Violet's locks. After a moment of watching, he said to Violet, "It's going to take some time,"

Violet was a little upset, "Priest Josep Bucki will come to tell me the news in the next few days, Mr. Antoni,"

Violet's eager and expectant gaze softened Antoni's heart. He promised to finish it as soon as possible. Violet wanted to talk to Mr. Antoni more when there was a sound of a car parked outside the door. Violet winked at Antoni and closed the window.

Aunt Sophia appears with a woman dressed in highly trends. On her head, she wore a hat with fluffy hair, a silk dress with an exceptionally carefully sewn waist, and red high heels that made her look taller and slimmer. Aunt Sophia told Violet, "This is Mr. Vango's housekeeper; she came to check your virginity and get the measurements ready for the wedding dress later this month."

The woman curled her red lips, glanced at Violet, and then couldn't help but sneer, "So skinny; Mr. Vango doesn't like girls like this."

After a moment, she clicked her tongue again, "Her breasts are too small, Mrs. Sophia. I'll tell Mr. Vango again and will reduce the money somewhat."

Violet hated the judgmental look and saw her as a market item to pay for. Not stopping there, Aunt Sophia made Violet sit in a chair in the middle of the dining room, forcing her to lift her faded dress. The woman walked around where Violet sat and said, "I don't smell virgins. If she had gone back and forth with another man, you would only get 3000 wedding coins, Sophia,"

Aunt Sophia's smile hardened a little, but then she warmly wrapped her arms around the woman and whispered, "I assure you she has never had s*x with any man. It's spotless, of course, after receiving the wedding money, I'll be grateful to you,"

As if on purpose, the woman said, "My habit is strange, Mrs. Sophia; I only take money first and then work."

Aunt Sophia's expression was as grey as the sky was about to rain, but she quickly regained her smiling face and took from the leather briefcase about 500 coins and set them in the woman's hand. At this time, the new woman laughed happily. She motioned for Aunt Sophia to close the door, lift Violet's skirt, and follow what she said was a virginity test. Violet wanted to back off and run away, but the chain under her feet made her jerk back. The bruises on her legs were visible, but the two women had no mercy on her. The woman pushed Hana to the cold floor and used a small flashlight to peer at Violet's lower body. Anger and humiliation caused Violet to scream in vain.