Four

It's been more than two weeks since the incident and her father was likely to come back home in the evening. Although she received several punishments from her stepsister and stepmom, Audrey kept on with her life awaiting the day her father would be back.

She was never let out of the mansion since that night. Her workload doubled and she didn't even have time for herself.

One day, she was busy cutting the flowers in the back garden when she heard the familiar voice, filled with warmth.

“ Audrey…?"

Audrey looked up to see her father, smiling faintly at her. She was extremely happy as she ran to her father for a big hug, tears flowing freely from her cheek.

“ Sweetheart, is everything alright?" Her father asked, sounding worried at her tears.

Audrey wanted to tell her father everything but then how will she start? Her stepmother had threatened to kill her if she ever uttered anything to him.

With a forced smile, she shook her head. “ I am fine, dad. I just missed you so much."

Her father patted her head gently before leading her inside the house. As they got inside, her stepmom came to meet them with her fake smile.

“ Oh dear! I told you not to go to the garden. Why don't you obey me?" She chipped, staring at Audrey sadly.

Audrey squeezed out a smile yet her heart was heavy. She knew there was nothing she could do about it.

Just as her father was led away by her stepmom, Annie went close to Audrey and whispered in her ears.

“ I wonder how dad would feel when he knew his cherished daughter was just some tarnished slut who had a one night stand with a beggar…"

Audrey's heart skipped a beat at Annie's words. How did Annie know about her escape?

“ You-"

Annie let out a series of mocked laughter, walking briskly into the house while Audrey looked ahead with her face getting pale.

***

It's been another two weeks since her father came back. Audrey had been living a normal life since then, trying to forget everything that had happened to her. But last week, she started feeling feverish.

She was also weak, throwing up and looked pale. She even had to stop working because of all these.

Her father could no longer stand it, so he asked her to go for a check up in order to know what was happening to her.

Audrey decided to do just that since she was on medication and nothing was happening. But what she didn't expect was the outcome of the test.

Her hands shook slightly, tears streaming down. She didn't even know how she got home but there she was, facing her angry father and her gloating stepmother.

Audrey reluctantly showed him the result of her check up which broke his heart. She was three weeks gone.

She was pregnant and carrying a baby of someone who she knew nothing about.

A total stranger!

Her heart broke seeing her father this way, she had just managed to hurt her dad deeply. He was the only one who ever cared about her.

"How could you? How could you do this to me Audrey!" He yelled, while Audrey sat on the floor, crying and pleading at the same time.

What was she pleading for exactly? Was it for her foolishness?

"Who is responsible for your pregnancy? Who the hell did this to my little girl," her dad said and her cries only increased the more.

What could Audrey tell him? That she had sex with a stranger? Or she was raped? Something she should have told him long ago.

Even if she decided to tell him the truth, his condition would only worsen. Her father would think he's the cause of her predicament.

"I am sorry," That was the only thing Audrey could say to him.

"You don't know? How could you say this to me?" Her dad asked, and she stared at him, only to see a trail of tears dropping from his eyes.

Her heart shattered into pieces, cursing her worthless life.

This was the punishment she deserved for hurting her dad. She should have been dead. Her father was the only one who showed her love when everyone hated her. How could she have done this to him?

“ I told you, honey. I complained to you that she hardly stays in the house, especially at night but you didn't listen to me," Her stepmother said, her eyes filled with feigned concern.

Audrey stared at her stepmother as she painted her black before her father. Wasn't she the one who made her work part-time just so she could save money for her college? It was the same stepmother who threatened to kill her if she mentioned anything to her father.

"Audrey," her dad paused and he sighed.

"I'll ask you again, Who the hell got you pregnant?" He said the words one after the other so she could hear him clearly.

"I am sorry," Audrey whimpered. She couldn't tell her dad the truth, she just couldn't.

"How could you do..." Her dad trailed off as he held his chest, breathing heavily.

"Dad! Dad!" She yelled as she ran to him, holding him tightly to herself.

“ Honey!" Her stepmom screamed, rushing to hold him too.

This was what Audrey was trying to avoid. Her father was asthmatic and she didn't want him to have another attack.

"Get away from me!" Her dad yelled, breathing heavily. Audrey was helpless but couldn't leave her father.

Just then, Annie walked into the room.

Audrey knew she was upstairs overhearing everything they were saying. By now, her father was already struggling to breathe properly. He was having a hard time breathing.

"Inhaler, where's the inhaler?" Audrey yelled in tears as she quickly stood up, looking for the inhaler.

But Annie rushed to her and pushed her away.

"Get lost! You good for nothing imbecile, you don't deserve my dad as yours," Annie yelled, but Audrey wasn't in for her drama.

"Call the ambulance!" Audrey yelled as she was still looking for his inhaler.

Annie took her phone and she immediately called the ambulance. Thankfully Audrey saw the inhaler and took it to her father.

But he collected the inhaler and he threw it away.

"Dad!" Audrey called painfully.

"Get away from me! I don't ever want to see you!"He said, breathing heavily.

Audrey immediately fell on her knees, crying seriously.

"What the hell have I done?" She cried, while Annie took the inhaler and she gave it to her dad who took it, and he inhaled it.

Few minutes later, her father was back on his feet, but he still had that weak expression on his face.

Not too long, the ambulance came and they took him with them alongside her stepmother. But just as Audrey was about to go with them, Annie and her stepmother blocked her way.

"Where do you think you're going?" Annie asked, but Audrey said nothing.

"Do you think dad wants to see you after what you just did? He fell sick because of you and you still want to kill him finally?" Annie said and Audrey furrowed her brows.

"What the hell are you saying?" She asked, crying.

"You don't actually get my point? You're not needed here. Your presence would only worsen dad's condition, so please leave! Go far away so no one would see you, that's what you need to do!" Annie yelled and she pushed her aside.

"Mark my words Audrey, if I see you anywhere close to father, I'll kill you!" She said, glaring at her.

Audrey knew Annie and her mother were capable of doing despicable things. She knew Annie meant every word she said. Annie's words to her two weeks ago made her clenched her fist tightly.

“ Annie, did you- did you plan what happened that night?" Audrey asked, halting Annie's movement.

With a smirk, Annie turned to look at Audrey spitefully. “ I just made you who you are supposed to be. A trash!"

" You are so evil, Annie. What did I do to you to deserve this?” Audrey asked, biting back her tears.

She let out a mocking laugh. “ I hate you, Audrey. I hate the fact that you are the one dad loves more."

Audrey clenched her fist tightly. What had she hoped to hear? It was as clear as crystal the hatred those two harbored toward her.

" Leave and never come back or else you would be the reason Dad dies!”

Audrey let out a gasp." What do you mean, Annie?”

Instead of giving Audrey a reply, Annie let out a smirk before driving off, leaving Audrey alone in the house.

Audrey ruffled her hair as she tried to process everything she'd just said. Does that mean Audrey planned what happened that night?

And her father?

“ No… I can't let anything happen to dad”

With that thought, Audrey went to her room. She took some clothes, then broke her savings and took all the money she had in it.

Then she stared around one more time, with tears in her eyes.

"I will come back for you, dad. By then, I would be someone you'll be proud of. Just hang in there," Audrey said painfully.

With tears dripping from her eyes, she left with pains in her heart.