You can have him

    Chapter 2: You can have him

    For the umpteenth time, Alissa reread his messages. She had tried to contact him to no avail. Nothing made sense.

    Cindy Reynolds, her sister, was awake now. Alissa felt tears of happiness fill her eyes; she had been praying non-stop for Cindy to wake up. Without even thinking about what would happen to her marriage with Shane.

    Unfortunately, when Cindy woke up, her first words were to bash her and paint her black. As always.

    She tried to decipher what he meant.

    "Cindy said I tried to kill her? I knew she was a bitch, but not this cruel?" Alissa gritted her teeth and sighed, her face ripped with anger like never before.

    All through their childhood, Alissa had borne with Cindy's lies, torments, and bullying. But she never thought she would go so far as to accuse her of manslaughter.

    The worst part was Shane believed her.

    "Why does that surprise me, Shane? You loved her first, and in your eyes, she would always be pure and innocent," Alissa seethed. She leaned in to blow the candle when her neck was held and pushed into the pie she had made. Alissa lifted her head, the colorful content of the pie coating her face. She glared at the perpetrator.

    It was her mother-in-law, Ayem Randall, the bane of her marriage with Shane. The middle-aged woman stood there, hands on her hips, breathing fire like a dragon. Ayem always did her make-up excessively and her hair, styled like a nest on her head, was her fashion statement.

    Immediately, Alissa stood up and lowered her head in respect. She let out, wiping the pie with a tissue, "Mother, you___"

    "Stop!" Ayem yelled, her nose flaring and holding up her hand. "Alissa, stop. I hate lies!" she spat angrily.

    "I didn't even say anything," Alissa began to defend herself, her voice calm and steady. Ayem loved to paint her in a bad light.

    "Yes, but everything coming out from that trash hole you call a mouth is rotten and deceitful," she barked, shaking her head in disappointment. "What should I expect from someone who is adopted, huh? You can't act like a high-class woman because you are classless from the streets!" Ayem's words dripped with disdain.

    "Mom, please, what is this about?" Alissa asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

    "Stop calling me mom, you evil child," Ayem said, her voice laced with venom. "Who knows who your parents are? Maybe serial killers and psychopaths like you."

    "It's enough, mother. You don't get to come into my house and insult me for no reason," Alissa said firmly, her eyes narrowing.

    "No reason?" Ayem's voice rose in anger.

    Ayem raised her hand, ramming it into Alisa's face with a loud BANG.

    "No reason?" she went on, her face contorted with rage. "You tried to kill your sister on the day you knew her boyfriend was going to propose to her. No wonder you were so elated when you were asked to stand in."

    "I wasn't happy. I agree that I love Shane, and everyone is aware, but killing someone, especially my sister, for it is impossible. You know me," Alissa pleaded, her eyes searching Ayem's face for understanding.

    Alissa never wished to marry Shane because she knew he loved Cindy. She was only forced to because the unity of both powerful families will make them more powerful.

    "I don't know. I never did. I don't even know who your parents were. Who knows, the apple might not fall far from the tree?" Ayem sneered, her suspicion evident. She stared at Alissa, as if trying to decipher her roots.

    "I didn't attempt to kill Cindy. She is making all this up," Alissa tried to reason with her mother-in-law.

    Kicking into a laughter fit, Ayem spat, her words dripping with disdain. "Why would she? Please don't say it's because she wants to spoil your marriage because this can't be considered a marriage. It is a settlement because, you know, Shane's heart belongs only to Cindy. And she would always be his love,"

    "I didn't kill Cindy," Alissa insisted, her voice trembling. She wanted to scream it out of lungs until someone heard her.

    "Of course, you will say that. I am just so angry at Cindy. That lady has a heart of gold; she begged Shane not to press charges. If not, he would have handcuffed you to your end himself. You vicious bitch," Ayem hissed, her eyes narrowing.

    "I didn't__" Alissa began, but Ayem cut her off.

    "Don't waste your breath." She looked at the food on the table and sneered, "You can't win my son by his stomach; that proverb doesn't work for you. Having a good heart is a start." Ayem's words were laced with contempt. Alissa felt the daggers being pierced into her heart, she had spent hours on those dishes to perfect them.

    For him.

    She continued, "Pack me the food so I can eat at home. I won't let it go to waste," her tone commanding and dismissive.

    "Okay," Alissa replied, her voice barely above a whisper. In the end, she could only cower.

    ###

    After the confrontation with her mother-in-law, Ayem, Alisa knew she needed to get away from the tense situation. Feeling shaken and with a stinging cheek from Ayem's slap, Alisa decided to go to the hospital to check on her sister, Cindy.

    When Alisa arrived at the hospital, she hurried to Cindy's room, her heart racing. As she approached the door, she took a deep breath, trying to compose herself before facing her sister. Alisa knocked softly and then entered the room.

    The scene in front of her was spilling with over the top sweetness. Shane was feeding Cindy so affectionately, his eyes dazzling with love. Alissa felt like she had been slapped already.

    They were too immersed to notice her presence.

    Next, Shane wiped the corners of Cindy's lips so softly, like he was afraid to injure her. He sweetly, caressed her chin and she kissed his palm. Her always on called tears, filling her eyes, "I missed you Shane."

    "Me too," he replied in a gruff voice.

    Shane leaned in and he kissed her passionately. The loud sounds of their kiss echoing in the room.

    Their kiss reminded Alissa of how he kissed her yesterday, she felt like her heart was being stripped with each passing moment. Shane was more passionate with Cindy.

    After all, they were in love.

    She was only a substitute for her sister.

    Sniffing, Alissa fiercely wiped her tears away. She cleared her throat to grab their attention.

    Shane turned and his eyes grew red and face darkened upon seeing Alissa, "What are you doing here?"

    As if on cue, Cindy started to shake, her breathing became heavy, she grabbed onto his shirt, her eyes darting in fear "Please Shane, ask her to leave. She is here to kill me again. Please."

    "Alissa!" He thundered, causing Alissa to shake and the documents in her grip fell to the floor.

    At the moment, Cindy looked so frightened. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her face grew red. If Alissa did not know better, she might have fallen for her tricks.

    Then and there, Alissa decided everything she had endured all through her life. She won't be bullied anymore.

    She scoffed, "You are such a great actress, sister. I should be afraid of you instead."

    "Alissa, get out!"

    "Why? I didn't try to kill this bitch, and she lied in my name the second she woke up. Me who was responsible for cleaning her all through her coma. Me who followed up with her documents to ensure she got her insurance. I tried to kill her? And worst of all, you believe her, Shane. You deserve each other."

    "Alissa, you should be ashamed of yourself for spewing so many lies. Instead of being thankful that she didn't press charges. Ungrateful bitch! I can't believe I even came close to you. You disgust me."

    "And you both disgust me! You can have him, sister, I am sick of this."

    Shawn's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the divorce papers in his hand. "What is this, Alisa?" he asked, his voice trembling.

    "It would be Miss Reynolds to you soon," she replied, her voice devoid of emotion. "I'm done with you, and I'm done with this farce of a marriage."

    Shawn was taken aback by the coldness in her tone. This was the same woman who had once spoken to him with such love and affection. What had happened to her?

    "I thought you loved me," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

    Alisa scoffed, her expression disdainful. "Cindy is back, and you think I'd stay with you? You want to have your cake and eat it too? Never."

    A glint of excitement flashed in Cindy's eyes at the sight of the papers, her lips curled up into a smile.

    "Fine Alissa, hand me a pen."