Chapter four

Ava’s POV

“We will be having a few guests, get everything in order” Aunt Portia’s velvet voice was back, and gone was the sluggishness that she followed in her drunk state.

By getting everything in order, she simply meant making sure everyone had the right place at dinner for a change, taking care of the cooking and cleaning up after, and putting everything in its correct places on their plate until the meal time rolled around.

I worked tirelessly in the kitchen and took care to make sure every piece of food looked perfect.

Mac came into the kitchen and they both monitored me, He and Aunt Portia.

I was uncomfortable under their gaze, so I tried to ignore it by focusing my attention on putting together a perfect bowl of rice for Aunt Portia. My hands were trembling, and my fingers slipped slightly causing the new plate I had picked to break apart into pieces instead of being properly folded.

I felt tears forming in my eyes, but no one seemed to notice.

Aunt Portia saved me from further torture by pulling her disgusting mate away.

“Come on darling let’s go” She had told him.

Darling? I almost scoffed, he looked like some sort of beast with all that unkempt beard and fur, but I did what I could to hide my disdain behind a polite yet slight nod.

When I was done with the food, Aunt Portia did not come to inspect it as I expected, instead it was Mac.

He was still in his scruffy clothes and I avoided looking at him.

“What? you can't look at me anymore?” he taunted but I stood at the farthest end of the kitchen where I could easily run out if he tried anything stupid.

I said nothing

“Answer me!” he yelled.

“No sir,” I replied with an airy tone and moved towards the sink to wash my dishes.

He was watching me like a hawk as I rinsed off the broken plates, “I know you're avoiding me” he said. I stopped my actions but continued like I had not heard him at all.

“Stop ignoring me” he added, and this time my movements halted. I turned around only to face him.

He was standing close to me, towering over me in fact, and I felt tiny beneath his large size. His body looked like a hulking giant compared to me.

“You are a pretty girl, if you let me, I can help you. Your aunt will stop maltreating you, I can talk to her about it, she listens to me “ He still reeked of cigarettes and cheap alcohol and when he tried to touch the strand of hair that was sticking to my face, I moved backward with a jerk.

His expression darkened, “Are you afraid? Is that why you won't let me near you? You must know how much I want to make love to you, to have sex with you, don't deny it. If your aunt won't allow me to do that then maybe we should try again...” He tried to touch me again.

But I saw red. I was disgusted at how he could say those words casually to me, of how he thought of me as some easy, desperate, sad, lonely girl.

“Don’t touch me!” I hissed through clenched teeth, my jaw clenched and unclenched, and so did my fist.

It was just the fury that was running through me but I knew I was really no match for him.

He laughed harshly, “If we try again, I will give you everything you want, I promise, just please let me touch you.”

I shook my head wildly, backing away more until my back hit the sink.

I was trapped now, l and I couldn't think of a plan to escape without giving myself away.

He smirked, “You know, I'm very good at sex too…” I swallowed hard. He took another step forward, “So is she” he gestured to Aunt Portia who had walked into the kitchen with a disapproving frown on her face.

“What is going on here?” Her cold voice cut through the tension in the room. She eyed Mac as he stepped toward me. “What are you doing, touching my niece? Do you not see how fragile she looks?!” she shouted angrily.

She said fragile like it meant ugly, like I was sick and again like it was communicable.

“I wasn't touching her sweetie, only giving her a piece of advice after the stunt she pulled that almost cost our relationship and also letting her know that we would take our bond vows soon” he lied easily.

I thought Aunt Portia would see through his pretty lies, I thought she was going to slap him or spit in his face and call him a terrible liar but none of that happened.

My stomach churned, I wanted to throw up.

His pathetic lies seemed to win Aunt Portia over because she jumped like a schoolgirl in glee before throwing her hands over his neck and pulling him into a passionate kiss. I backed against the wall again as his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her tight against him as though he were trying to hold her there forever.

Aunt Portia broke away first with a big grin on her face, “This is wonderful!” she squealed and kissed Mac again.

The excitement spread through her face making her look twice as young, for a moment it felt like looking at Avery and it was so creepy that it made me cringe.

When Mac left after that, Aunt Portia grabbed my arm roughly.

“Looj here bitch, I don't know what you are up to but you are going to stay away from my man and

you're going to start behaving yourself! You hear me?” she growled in my face. It sent chills down my spine and she glared, “Do you understand me?!” I nodded rapidly, she smiled and let go of my arm “Good. Now, get back to work”

“I am done,” I muttered to her.

“Go lock yourself in your room. I'll handle it from here, the guests myself. I don't want them to deal with that ugly face of yours ”She shivered, making me wonder how terrible I looked “And you better never speak about this again” she warned. “Or else, I will be having words about your funeral. Understand?” she added.

I nodded again, still not meeting her eyes, “Yes ma’am”

Of course, she had a reputation to maintain, the caring sister who had taken in two of her brother’s children, including the weird one that was an abomination

that nobody really liked. But it's no wonder why nobody talked badly about Aunt Portia. They feared offending her. After all, who would dare to cross a woman who has been blessed with such good fortune and looks?

I hurriedly exited the kitchen, knowing full well that Aunt Portia's anger could burn hotter than any flames and I didn't want to be on the receiving end of it.

My room was small, and filled with old toys, books, and clothes, there weren't many belongings in the room. A bed with white sheets sat pushed against the far wall, next to the window. A nightstand with a lamp and a mirror sat across the bed.

The walls were plain lacking colours, just like my life.

There used to be pictures of me, Dad, Mom, and Avery but now they rested in my drawers, far away from where I could see them. I didn't want to be reminded of what I had lost and didn't deserve. The house was empty and quiet without them here. I missed them all so much.

After locking the door of my bedroom behind me I sat on my bed and buried my face in my knees.

All my dreams of living happily and in the comfort and safety of my parent's household had been destroyed.

I cried bitterly and my chest tightened painfully. This was the worst thing that had ever happened to me, not only had I lost what once was a precious memory of me, but I now faced the most dreaded part of my life.

The boisterous voices of the guests echoed through the house and I could imagine them in their fancy clothes laughing and talking about everything including the bond vows. It made me even sicker. It made me want to puke.

They were so happy, while I was stuck here, alone. It was impossible to forget the feeling that you woke up and the pain that followed.

It's funny how one mistake can cause us so much hurt.

I could imagine Aunt Portia introducing Avery who would smile in her blonde glory to the guests as her niece, the one she was related to by blood. I knew I would have to act as though I was alright with it.

As long as I pretended to enjoy everything, and pretend I was fine, I had some semblance of hope that this nightmare would end, that this would all be worth it. That I wouldn't have to suffer for long.

Maybe I was dreaming too much, reading too many novels, thinking too much, and not enough of the real world around me.

In reality, nothing was okay.

Nothing was fine.

Not one single thing.