Corrupt Me, Father

The shattering sound of a mirror came first, then kicking, then throwing, and pounding, all behind the closed door of Seraphina's room.

The second shattering sound cracked, and the third followed.

The door shook badly, looking like it was going to peel off it's hinges despite the perfect chunk of glass.

The poundings echoed through the walls till the door finally burst open.

Three females burst out with it, but in different positions.

Two of them were on top of the third one, but with a similarity; they were all bleeding on the face.

The mean-looking two didn't stop punching the one at the bottom, but the one on the bottom wasn't idle too.

Seraphina.

She knew she couldn't beat her two sisters at the same time, so she targeted Dora—her younger sister.

All of Seraphina's major punches smashed Dora's jaws, but as she punched, her older sister Kimmy was retaliating, blowing her face too.

Two against one.

It had always been like that.

No one liked Seraphina in this house—not even the gardener or the landscaper, not the maids.

In the middle of the chaos, there's a wedding dress lying by their feet, stained with drops of Seraphina's blood—blood from her nose.

Inside her room, lay a mess of shattered mirror.

Vanity table was upside down while the chair was broken.

Black ink covered the bedspread, and the bedside lamp shattered.

It looked like a war happened in there, thanks to her sisters.

"Now that you're getting married, you think you're important? Huh?" Kimmy barked. Her messily-curled updo rounded her cruel face as she slammed another heavy blow to Seraphina's mouth. "Not even close!"

"Dean only wants you because you're pitiful, motherfucker!" Dora spat, spitting out bloody saliva before she punched Seraphina's face too.

Seraphina retaliated, slamming her fist into Dora's nose.

"Fuck!" Dora shrieked, blood trickling out of her nostril.

"You lowly Frump!" Kimmy shot, sending a stinging slap to Seraphina's face. Her nails tore Seraphina's cheek, and Seraphina's big-rimmed glasses flew off her eyes finally.

Her face had more bruises than Kimmy and Dora's. A huge mess.

But she wasn't gonna let it slide.

She spranged up, unfolded her fist and sent it to Kimmy's face.

Smack.

The slap was louder than the one Kimmy gave her.

Kimmy's updo came loose.

"What the—"

"Look, i know y'all hate me, and I've been dealing with it for donkey fucking years!" Seraphina yelled, pointing fingers at the two.

Without her glasses, her eyes were a little blurry, but at least she could still make out their faces.

She picked up the wedding dress.

"You can't just enter my room on my wedding eve and start messing up my wedding dress and expect me to stay still and....and watch.... like.... like..."

She entered stammer mode like she does anytime she talks too much, and the sisters burst into laughter.

"Yes?" Dora grinned at her face. "C'mon continue! Go on, stammerer!"

"She's hard to look at," Kimmy sighed.

"You don't expect me to stay still and watch like a spineless fool!" Seraphina said after inhaling calmly.

"That's exactly what you should have done, cursed child." A crueller voice came from the flight of stairs.

The heads of the three sisters turned in sync to see their parents emerging.

Genevieve and Marley.

They went for a party since noon, and their mood looked like they were just returning from the function.

Just like the mean sisters, they had no pinch of kindness on their faces. Their demeanor was painted deep with callousness and harshness.

Genevieve's readily hot palm flew to Seraphina's face, hitting hard.

Kimmy smiled creepily, folding her arms across her chest.

Dora leaned on the wall, smirking satisfactorily.

Seraphina lurched, gritting as Genevieve looked down at her.

"I repeat," she muttered, darkly. "That's exactly what you should have done. You should have stayed, watch them and let them do whatever they wanted with your wedding dress! You're only getting married because we need Dean for the investment! Finally, you have a use for the family rather than crocheting your ugly jokes. Them ruining your wedding dress was probably their way of congratulating you. You had no right to resist, talk more of picking a fight with them!" Genevieve barked, her chignon pins dancing.

"My crotchets aren't ugly, and they aren't a joke," Seraphina mumbled, boldly looking at Genevieve.

And she instantly received another stinging slap on her face.

This time, it was from her father.

Marley's face squeezed in disgust after the slap. It's as though he was spooked by her existence alone.

Seraphina was still suffering from the sting of the slap when Marley yanked her by her hair and began dragging her downstairs roughly.

"Daddy?" Seraphina gasped, foot slipping dangerously over the polished marble. "Daddy! Dad—"

She had already been thrown out of the house before she could finish.

She landed outside on her knees in the pouring rain at exactly 7PM.

Looking up, she saw all of them standing by the door, staring disgustedly at her.

Marley at the front, Genevieve beside him, Dora and Kimmy behind.

"No...." Seraphina shook her head, realizing she's still with the wedding dress. She clutched it, her body gumming wet with the downpour.

"Have fun spending your wedding eve in the rain." Marley muttered.

"You're gonna start living with Dean from tommorow anyways. There's no point spending the night inside this house tonight." Genevieve stroked her million dollar earring.

"Goodnight, Frump." Dora and Kimmy waved.

"You have the blood injection ready?' Kimmy asked silently.

"Trust me," Dora replied, as the door was thrown shut.

Seraphina stood, shutting her eyes and opening them to see if her sight would get better. Not like it worked, but she liked to try.

The rain threads resembled a complete blur of waterfall.

She held the dress with an hand, and with the other hand, she got a cigar box from the pocket of her maxi skirt and picked one, but unfortunately, there was no lighter to fire it up.

Frustratingly, she threw down the cigar and stepped on it till it became a wet mash, then she turned around, staring at the castle-like mansion, tucked in the middle of a private estate with private road and iron gates..It looked less like a home and more like a warning.

In the heavy rain, ungentle breeze, and dark night, Seraphina stood like a refugee, squeezing her wedding dress in her palms.

Eventually, she pulled out her phone and dialled Dean's line,

Saved as 'Babe'

Three rings, he didn't pick.

She tried the fourth time.

He still didn't pick.

He must be busy with his bachelor's eve. Meanwhile, she couldn't even have a bridal shower for herself.

She looked at the cars at the large glass garage. The garage was electronically locked too, so she won't be able to take her little Lexus.

Resolutely, she dialled her only friend, and she picked in a ring.

"Hey, girl!" Allison's rich voice kissed her phone speakers.

"Lis, can you come get me at the estate? I'm outside, in the rain." Seraphina inhaled in relief.

"Wait...wait, what! Your family locked you out?" Allison's voice rose. "Damn, I know those fuckers are hella mean, but they ain't doing this to you on your wedding eve!"

"Lis, can you please...not ask questions?" Seraphina inhaled again, shaking subtly from cold.

"Be there in a breath!" Allison responded and hung up.

Seraphina trekked to the estate gate with the next five minutes, and that was when she remembered she can't go out of her own freewill.

Everyone has the gate keycard, but she doesn't. They think she doesn't deserve it.

She had always waited for when her parents or sisters were going out so she'd sneak out after them.

It's impossible to go out tonight since no one was going out right now.

She made to redial Allison, but that was when a Bugatti screeched to a rough stop in front of the gate.

Allison jumped out in her bright green suit, gasping when she saw drenched Seraphina.

"Phina!" She rushed to the gate, trying to pull it open.

"It won't open! You know I don't have a card!" Seraphina said from the inside. "I was so disoriented I didn't remember that fact before calling!"

"So what?" Allison scoffed. "Wait, where the hell is your glasses? And is that your wedding dress you're holding? Seriously? They locked you out, they should let you out of the estate and come with me to my place! At least, I can throw you a damn bridal shower. Just the two of us!"

She was already walking to the gate cubicle as she spoke. That cubicle was the gatekeeper's place.

She barged the door open, and the thick man stepped out with hard lines of frown on his face.

"Open the goddamn gate! She's coming with me!" She slammed.