I Want to Come Home
1279 Words
Cressida returned to Richard's home to pack her things and saw his mother waiting at the gate. She and Cressida were never the best of friends, and now that she was divorced with her son, Cressida knew that all hell would descend upon her.
"Where have you been, you filthy ingrate? Didn't Richard inform you that I was at home waiting for you?" The Old Lady nagged.
Cressida forced a smiled and greeted her. "Good afternoon Mother."
"Mother?" Mrs. Lim repeated. "I am not your mother child! Don't ever open your soiled mouth to call me such."
With a sigh, Cressida walked past her and opened the gates. Mrs. Lim had a suitcase and a travel bag lying on the floor, but Cressida offered no assistance.
"Get back here and carry my bags," the old woman yelled, but Cressida never came.
Cressida went straight to their bedroom and began to pack her things. She didn't have much to her name. Just her clothes, and the books her brother occasionally gifted her.
Mrs. Lim walked into the bedroom and found Cressida holding a wedding photo of her and Richard.
"I hear Richard is finally kicking you out. A girl like you was never going to take him to the top," She said scornfully.
Cressida spared her a glance, but decided to ignore her. She set the photo down and finished packing her luggage.
"Melissa is much better than you. I'm so happy that my son came to his senses. You have nothing to offer my son besides trouble. Wretch.”
"Mother that's enough," Cressida snapped, unable to hide the annoyance on her face. "I have given you the maximum respect as my Mother-in-law, and I have tolerated everything you did to me, but not anymore."
Mrs. Lim was stunned, but quickly, a frown ate up her face as she walked up to Cressida and landed a hard slap across her cheek.
"Watch your mouth you worthless trash. Richard isn't here to save you from me anymore."
Cressida gently pressed her palm to her cheek, the sting of the slap hurting like a fresh skin burn.
Mrs. Lim raised a hand to strike her again, but Cressida caught her arm mid swing. They heard a car horn, and realizing that it was her son, Mrs. Lim quickly threw herself to the ground and shouted at the top of her voice. "Help!"
Cressida was dumbfounded as she watched the old woman roll on the floor and cry her heart out. "It hurts," Mrs. Lim sobbed. "You broke my ankle you witch!"
Cressida's heart slammed against her ribcage when she heard Richard's voice echo from the staircase.
"Mother!" he called, running up as fast as he could.
He walked into the bedroom and saw his mother lying on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks as she cried ever so bitterly. "What the hell happened here?" Richard asked, although he was certain there was only one culprit.
"Is that how shameless you've become Cressida? Assaulting my mother because I divorced you?"
Cressida should have felt fear, should have thrown herself at his feet to beg for forgiveness like she always did, but instead, a chuckle rolled out of her lips as she watched Richard help his mother up to her feet.
"You know, you both really deserve each other. I don't believe it was God who paired you two as mother and son, so kudos to the devil for doing such a wonderful job."
"What the hell did you just say?" Richard roared, striking her hard across the face.
Cressida fell to the bed, her head wuzzy from the impact of Richard's heavy arm against her cheek. A tear threatened to drop from her eyes, but she was tired of letting them watch her cry. Tired of letting them think they were some superior being to her.
She muffled her pain and found a way back to her feet.
"Richie, I told you to divorce this woman sooner. She's a monster," Mrs. Lim sniffed, still crying.
Cressida's jaw tightened. She tasted metal on her tongue, and when she brushed a finger across her lip, she felt the sting of a fresh cut. She scoffed, and picked up her bag.
"What do you think you're doing?" Richard frowned, taking a step towards her.
"Leaving," she responded firmly, and brushed past him.
Three years of being married, and not once did Richard ever raise his hands on her. But today, he did so. Cressida tried to keep her chin up as she walked down the stairs, blinking fast to stop the tears that threatened to break free. Her chest was tight, each breath heavier to take than the last, but she refused to crumble.
Not here, not now, but God, the pain burned.
Melissa was seated in the living room, legs crossed and an awful, devilish smile playing on her lips. Cressida froze at the sight of her, unsure of whether to laugh at the madness of what Melissa had done, or break down from the weight of it all.
"It's a shame," Melissa smiled. "Everything you worked so hard for is crumbling down, and all I had to do was say my last name."
Cressida scoffed. "Your last name? Rivera? The name you're pretending to bear?" She asked, but Melissa didn't flinch. Cressida blinked slowly, forcing her tears back. "You were my friend Melissa."
Melissa looked up, her smile still radiant on her lips. "No hard feelings Ellie. Friendship doesn't pay my bills. But marrying Richard, that's the jackpot. Especially with my Father's Ace Empire Contract.”
Cressida shook her head slowly, her lips quivering despite how tightly she pressed them together. "I trusted you. With everything I own, and this is what you give me?"
Melissa stood. She walked casually over to Cressida and leaned in close to her. "Don't hate the player My Love. Hate the game. And you...you were never meant to win."
Cressida took a shaky breath, and grabbed her suitcase. "Enjoy your little victory while it lasts, Melissa. But when your world comes crashing down, I want you to remember that you ignited the fire."
She walked out of the house and stepped out into the streets. It was getting late, and rain poured heavily from the sky. Cressida dragged her bag to a nearby bus stop to take shelter.
She was soaked by the rain, and her body shivered, not just from the cold, but from the weight of her life crashing down. The betrayal, the humiliation, but nothing ached her heart more than how foolish she had been.
She reached for her phone in her purse, her hands trembling as she dialed her emergency contact.
"Hello?" Her brother's calm voice came through the phone. "Cressida, is everything alright?"
Cressida couldn't hold it back anymore. Her tears broke free, her heart aching as she sobbed like a child who'd lost her sweets. "Dante," she whimpered, her voice uneven. "I want to come home."
"What? What's going on? Why are you crying Big Sis? Did someone hurt you?"
"I can't..."she sniffed. "I just can't take it anymore." She choked on her tears, wiping her eyes gently. "Please, I want to come home."
"Where are you?" Dante asked,
She looked around, blinking through the rain. Nothing looked familiar, just strangers passing by under the rain, and the hum of slow packed traffic.
A billboard across the road caught her gaze, and she squinted her eyes to make out what was written on it.
"I'm at Zenith,” she said between sobs. “I think it's a bank.”
"Wait there," said Dante, his voice firm now. "I'm coming to you."
- Writer
