my bittersweet lover

Episode three

"Lock her up !!" said she after coming to the scene. I felt a sudden push from behind that led me to sprawl on the hard cold floor. Four hands were immediately laid painfully upon my flesh, dragging me to the dark room where everyone dreaded.

It was believed that that was where my aunt's husband, Martin had his last breath. He was conserved till his burial since his culture and traditions did not allow his body to be taken to the morgue one dared to enter since then, that's exactly where I was thrown.

"For shame! shame! such audacity! Look at this thing, how dare you raise your voice on my first son? You are just as ill-mannered as your mother was ...." I could not hear the rest that came out of her mouth before she banged the door shut. The sound of the keys could be heard dangling from side to side as she went. Of course, she had locked me in.

The room was quite spacious, cold, empty, dark, and gloomy. It resembled a pit, only that it was well furnished like the rest of the mansion. It had thick curtains and, a nicely made king-sized bed, with beautiful bedding to accompany it. That was probably where he was laid. It had a beautiful but dusty chandelier that hung on the ceiling. If I stayed here long enough I would not know whether it was daytime or night, no sense of time.

I could not help but have countless rhetorical questions running through my mind with the feelings and hurt emotions that followed. Why was I always suffering, always accused, forever condemned? No one listened to me. No one loved me.

Stacy, Brayden's sister was very selfish, and insolent but was still respected. Her beauty, pink, rosy cheeks, curly hair, her well-curved body delighted anyone who cared to look at her. Brayden, committed no fault, regardless of what he did. His dirty language, temper that was over the top seemed to bother no one. He only cared for himself and his family. He always got whatever he wanted. He had his father's wealth and power.

I, on the other hand, was always termed as naughty, troublesome, bad luck, ugly, name it; from morning to evening. My head still ached from the fall I had earlier. The cold did me no justice, having stayed there for hours, while I sat down there, on the cold floor, leaning on the icy walls. Fear would not let me get an inch close to the warm-looking bed, beckoning me from afar.

I never knew a day like this would come, where my life would flip like this within a short period. If anyone had told me things would have been like this, I would never have believed it. I could recall the days that Mum tucked me into bed and blushed me with a goodnight kiss on my forehead each night. My dad would read me bedtime stories, now and then when he came early from work.

My life had been Normal back then, just like every other child out there. I loved how Mom and Dad cared for each other. My only dream at that time was to find a man who would treat me just like Dad treated Mom. Our family was not the most wealthy out there, but I'm sure it was the happiest. We had just enough for all that we needed, and that was just fine by me.

My dad was a businessman in one of the companies around town while my mom was just a teacher at one of the local Primary schools which was not very far from home.

Life was just smooth for us, just simple and happy. "Lina baby, u know mommy and daddy love you so much right? we will always be there for you, mommy's princess gotta be happy always." she'd always remind me." .. if mommy bought you a baby brother, how would you feel? "

" I'd love it, mom, when's he coming? I would love to meet him. "was my enthusiastic reply, and she would hug me passionately and say, "Patience little one ." Damn, I was a really happy kid back then. I did not realize when I drifted to sleep but was woken up by a loud bang as the door flew open. it took me some time to digest what was happening since my eyes could not see clearly through the overwhelming light that focused on my face. "

" wow, look at her, she could even sleep huh? I thought the ghosts would have carried you with them by now."

Too bad, it was Brayden. He just had to focus his torch right on my face, did he ever get tired of torturing me?

"Get up, go prepare us food. Dinner won't cook itself now, will it? " said he.

I had not had anything to eat since morning, aside from the two expired slices set aside for me as breakfast. My stomach rumbled, I had little energy left. I could barely stand on my feet.

"what's that drama about? oh, you can't walk now? oh poor thing, should I carry you? see where you are? That's where you belong, you have not seen anything yet."

Brayden went on as he laughed at me sarcastically obviously enjoying seeing me in my worn-out state. I was grateful that he had not pushed me again, at least. I tried my best not to make a sound, it irritated him.

while I struggled to gather the remaining strength I had to keep walking straight, I made my way to the kitchen, after a long climbing of stairs to the main house.

"will you wipe those tears and make yourself useful!!, my darlings and I are hungry!"

That was my aunt who was comfortably seated on the big comfy-looking sofa enjoying a novella movie with her daughter and son who joined them then. I had not realized I had been crying all this while until she mentioned it.