Undercover Heiress

Chapter 4

My breathing became heavy and ragged as the image of what I'd just watched replayed in my head. I slammed my face with my palm, wishing it was all unreal. What did I just watch? Who had done this? And why was it sent to me? It immediately occurred to me that the video was what the gardener and the cook were discussing when I met them in the kitchen. Revenger porn, the gardener had called it. My mother,a strong and powerful woman, reduced to this? How would Dad take this? A cold dread settled in my stomach as I wondered how many more people had seen this. I picked up my phone again, hoping it was all an illusion. The message had vanished, having been set to self-destruct.

A new notification popped on my screen,and then it poured in. My class group chat was on fire. More than half the message tagged me. I clicked it open, devastated to see the same video replayed, my mother, the actor, a public spectacle. All shades of cruel comments were made, I quickly logged off and rushed into YouTube, searching for the video and silently praying that it hadn't made it there yet. The video came up even before I typed in the keywords, and I was shocked by the number of views it already raked in just 20 minutes of its release. My curiosity felt even more intense and I signed into my other social media apps, and I was shocked to my bones as the video had made it to the top of my feed, garnering views and reactions like moths attracted to light.

I tossed my phone away in frustration as tears brimmed in my eyes, cascading down my cheeks uncontrollably. Why did this have to happen now, of all times, in the world? My mind drifted to the comments I'd seen on my class’ group text, and more tears rolled down my cheeks as it dawned on me that I'd automatically signed up for even more drama in the hands of my class bully — Cassian. Cassian was someone who was ever ready to make sure I was never comfortable, someone who had it his life's mission and primary duty to be a thorn in my flesh and torment me as much as he could, and this was just the perfect weapon he needed. This wasn't just any secret about anyone or anything — it was about my own mother, and in extension, my family. We had just been dragged into the mud, and the Cassian, he already had the perfect weapon and I knew he was ready to do anything and everything possible to make sure I remained there without any means of being saved. There was no way I was going to set my foot into that school anymore because with or without Cassian, the little reputation as an extremely bright student had been tainted so badly. My parents' good name is all in the mud. I had no defence to put up for whatever drama was going to emanate from this whole scandal. And with my exams forthcoming, there was no way I could face the school again. I’d already made plans on staying extra hours in school so I could have enough study time, but now, it was a wish upon a star.

A soft knock on the door startled me. I quickly wiped my eyes with the back of my hands as I looked towards the door.

“Who's it?” I asked, trying to steady my voice.

The door knob turned gently, and the maid walked in, bowing curtly. “It's dinner time, ma'am. Your food has been served.”

“I'm not hungry,” I snapped, turning away from her and staring blankly into space.

“Uh.. ma'am? You haven't had anything all day, and the food is getting cold,” the maid pressed on, hesitating at the door. “You're sure you don't want to eat something? We could have something else made for you if you don't like what is served.”

“I said I'm not hungry,” I spun sharply, facing her. “Leave my room! Get out!”

She froze with alight confusion on whether to leave or stay. “Ma'am, I'm really sorry to bother you, but your mother isn't going to be pleased knowing that you had nothing to eat all day,” she said, genuflecting slightly. My eyes became watery again at the mention of my mother, and I sniffed, blinking the tears back. She took a closer look at me, worry written all over her face. “Are you alright, ma'am? Is something wrong?”

“I said GET OUT!” I yelled, the tears flowing freely now. “Leave me alone! Get the hell out of my room and leave me the hell alone!” I said, lifting my bag from the bed and hurling it at her. “Get out, now!!”

“I'm sorry, ma'am,” she flinched, genuflecting quickly and hurrying out of the room and shutting the door firmly behind her. My emotions overwhelmed me, and I fell face flat on the bed, sobbing uncontrollably and bawling my eyes out. It seemed like my world was crumbling before my very eyes, and I felt so helpless as I lay there on the bed. I'd never felt so alone in the world, and I wished now more than ever that there was something I could do to take this whole scandal away, or someone I could talk to, at least.

I got up, stumbling to the bathroom and stripped my shirt off, letting it fall to the floor. I stared at my image in the mirror, which hung on the wall, my eyes reddened, and my face contorted with emotions.

On the edge of the sink, a small blade lay beside the hand wash. My gaze fixed on it, I picked it up. A deep cut, that was the answer I assured myself as the blade tore through my skin into my upper arm. I sighed heavily as I felt the sharpness of the blade searing into my skin and strange comfort from the whole mess. and I pressed the wound hard, watching silently as the blood dripped from the cut. I closed my eyes momentarily, savouring the pain, and I felt the tension that overwhelmed me earlier, gradually fading. I knew this wasn't going to change the way I felt right now, or the way I was going to feel henceforth, but I pressed harder, feeling a sense of relief from the pain that shot through my arm.