Filed to story: Dumped by Scumbag Adored by Billionaire
Anabelle didn’t say anything, the truth was gnawing at her heart and slapping her right in the face. She had taken the Father’s idea of marriage in the spur of the moment even though she knew the man was pulling her leg.
At that time, it had seemed the only possible means of getting Julie out of the engagement with her cousin. She was just envious of the title bestowed on Isabella – Julie’s fiancée. It was totally unfair. Why does she have to get all the men?
“And let’s face it. Are you even ready to leave your father for the rest of your life? And yes I know you won’t live with your father for eternity…” Isabella could already tell what was on her mind, “But then, this suddenly? Did you consider how he would feel about this marriage thing?”
The guilt clawed deep into her chest, Anabelle almost felt like suffocating. She hasn’t thought about her dad’s feelings? Would he accept his baby girl leaving just suddenly? She had just thought that as her father, the man would be happy and respect whatever her decision was.
“And your future? Would you give up your dreams for marriage?” Isabella raised her voice as if to carve sense deep inside her head,” Anabelle, there’s a whole big world to explore out there without being in the confinement of marriage for Christ’s sake,”
As if that was not enough, Isabella stepped over and placed both hands on Annabelle’s head, focusing her eyes on hers announcing,
“Love is blind, but don’t let it make you plain stupid,”
Reina’s point of view:
Niles said it was time to leave and heck I wanted to go home too. This place was too suffocating, which intensified each time I stared at Angela’s large frame on the display stand.
“That could have been me,” That was the thought in my head. She had died in my place, and what pained me the most was the fact she died in the hands of a criminal – a criminal that wasn’t worth a quarter of her life.
I searched around the church for my kids. They were a bunch of trouble but I liked it that way because their troubles have been a source of distraction to me lately. Honestly, with his good behavior, I had thought Neon would change Allen and Ailee, but what the twins did was to influence him instead – confirms the fact that bad behaviors rub off faster on a person quicker than the good counterpart.
Suddenly my thoughts changed direction to Jennifer, I wondered how she was doing in that mental asylum. Perhaps, when all of this is over, I would take Neon to meet her – she was still his mother anyway. Don’t mind my kind-heartedness, I’m quite sensitive to the word “mother” lately.
It wouldn’t surprise me if I become a tireless advocate for the care of mothers. Angela’s death taught me a big lesson and now, I’ve figured out my life mission. I’m going to help every parent and child – it wasn’t just restricted to the mothers, fathers too – out there who’ve fallen out with one another.
The family was a big deal, a good family produced better kids which in turn produced better citizens for the society and country. Broken homes were a big deal, it weighed more heavily on the kids- parents should not just know that fact?- they should feel it as if it were their own pain.
And then, to the illegitimate ones, I want a society where they’re accepted and recognized, where they’re not ostracized for being the result of an illicit relationship – which wasn’t the case often. Rape was real.
The idea seemed unachievable in my head but I knew it was possible. I had the money, resources, and power. It was time to make that change. The world being a better place starts from the family. But then, if the family is divided, what then happens to the world? And no child should suffer for the crimes of the parents. Society should not shackle nor exploit those innocent souls, they deserve love too.
“Thank you,” Kim appeared out of nowhere, startling me although I didn’t show it. Our relationship after my mother’s death was so so. We only worked together because of the burial and she must have perceived we would go back to the no-talking terms after today.
“You don’t need to thank me,” I told her straightforwardly, “I didn’t do it for you,”
“I know, but you still deserve to be thanked. I would never have done this all by myself. You might not have known, but you were a source of strength towards me during this bad time,”
I could already imagine how hard it was for her to say those words to me. I mean, we’re talking about the proud Kim here; the Kim who couldn’t stand the sight of me and treated me like garbage.
“I have a question for you,”
She turned to me with a mix of wonder and curiousness which wasn’t expected. I mean this was the longest normal conversation we’ve ever held when we were not organizing Angela’s burial.
“What is it?”
“Those years, you mistreated me, did it make you happy? Seeing me at my lowest point, how did it feel like?” I couldn’t help but ask. I’ve always wondered how much joy bullies derived from abusing their victim.
“Is not the joy,” Kim said to my astonishment.
My brow raised at that comment to which she explained,
“Is the power that comes with it. Yes, maltreating you then made me happy but the greater happiness was the power that came with it. Seeing you below me, made me feel powerful like you were meant to be there and would always remain there – you proved me wrong by being the woman you are today
“So what’s my point? Most times I didn’t beat nor maltreat you because I wanted to have a good laugh at your misery, I just craved dominance – like God-level kind of glory. I wanted you to squirm and tremble at the sight of me. I called you scumbag – amongst the many others – because I wanted you to be one so I could prove that I was greater, better, and more competent than you.
“But then power comes with its curse. No matter what you did, I craved to bring you down because I was insatiable. To be honest, you might not have realized it but you saved me by sending me away to Africa. I was slowly turning into a monster I couldn’t recognize,” Kim turned to me, took my hand with this rare kindness in her eyes, saying, “Thank you for saving me, Reina,”
I took a deep breath, beginning to comprehend the load of information I just downloaded. To think that I always thought of myself as inferior when I was Maria when it had been psychological manipulation all this time.
“Fine, if you say so,” I said, checking my time and still searching around for those kids. I’ll kill them once I get my hands on them.
“You should get Tommy to come around sometimes,” I announced and watched confusion grow on her face.
“My kids never got to know Angela, I would not deny them the opportunity of knowing their nephew too,” I said to Kim, taking my leave before she could respond. Just like I said, the sins of the father should not be visited upon the children anymore – Tommy is ignorant and innocent of all things.
I resumed my work of finding the kids and in no time located Neon with a stranger, probably his latest target – they are a terror. My kids were the most questionable when on good behavior – you should never trust them.
“Excuse me, gentleman,” I faked a smile to the startled young man after I caught Neon who had attempted to slip away as soon as he laid eyes on me – yes, he’s been corrupted that much by Allen and Allen.
“Now, lead me to the others,”
I commanded Neon amid the questioning look from the young man. Catching one of the triple troubles means catching all of them.
The third point of view:
Everyone knew Isabella had a great talent for slapping everyone and anyone on the face, so by the time she was done with advising her good cousin, Anabelle wished the earth could open up and swallow her. However, she stubbornly didn’t go down without a fight.
“So then what?” Anabelle jutted out her chin unyieldingly, “Let’s say you’re right in all of this, does it solve our problem then? At the end of the day, you’re still engaged to Julie!”
There was an expression of pain on her face as she went on, “Do you know?how difficult it is to watch you being happy with the love of your life while I sit around hopelessly?”
“Anabelle, I understand your pain but that -“
“No, you don’t feel a thing! You don’t understand my pain! You don’t even understand anything because you don’t?feel it?!” Anabelle yelled at her cousin, then laughed sardonically, “Of course, why would you? You’re the great Isabella after all?”
Isabella pulled back her hand, the comment had cut right through her and her eyes spat fire as she breathed, “That’s a stereotypical accusation,” She nodded her head bitterly, “You think that because I seem to excel at everything that I’m Miss perfect incapable of emotion?”
Liquid fire burned through her vein as she stared her cousin straight in the eyes saying, “In case you don’t know, I’m not that perfect as you think, I just have confidence. So if you have a problem with your self-esteem, go solve it and don’t use me as an excuse,”
“Also,” Isabella continued, “You think there’s not a day that goes by without me thinking about how to break the annulment? Do you think I’m so selfish and insatiable that I enjoy having my boyfriend and that annoying jerk at the same time?” she referred to Julie and then laughed mockingly, “Heck, do you think this is some sort of game or?I practice polygamy?”