A BAD NEWS

~ A YEAR LATER ~

   Gina peered into the mirror. Her eyes were sunken and pale. Her face was gloomy. She tried to pull a fake smile but failed.

   It had been a year of torment and sufferings in her new home. She was no longer Gina Washington, but now Gina Salvador.

  That change of name had caused a change in her destiny. Her beloved husband, Jace Salvador, has never shown her an ounce of love or affection. 

  They don't even sleep in the same room as husband and wife. She yawned tiredly and moved away from the mirror. She pulled out a cream-coloured dress. She wore it and walked out of the room. So many things have happened already within the space of a year.

   As the days went by, Gina longed for his love and affection, but she never got any. Rather, she watched Christine and Jace cuddle and smooch each other in every space in the house.

    Jace and Christine were sitting in the living room when she walked past them. They were eating apples from each other's hands like lovebirds.

     Her nose twitched in disdain as she silently walked past them. Christine released a high-pitched chuckle that flickered into her ears. Her chuckles sounded like mockery. Her stomach grumbled nosily.

  She felt edgy. She suddenly remembered that she hadn't had breakfast.

  The mansion was quiet unlike before. Jace had sacked almost half of the maids.

   Lady Deborah was supervising the preparation of the breakfast with three maids.

"Ah! Gina, are you up already?" She exclaimed.

   Gina managed to give a weak smile. She took a glassful of water.

"How was your night?" Deborah asked and stroked her hair gently.

  "Great".

   "What are you making for breakfast?" Gina asked, taking a peek into the steaming pot.

" Your favorite", Lady Deborah beamed.

  The maids stirred the food and turned down the cooker. Gina was served her own meal.

    She decided to have her meal in the kitchen.

   Lady Deborah cracked a hard joke that made everyone burst into laughter. The whole room resonated with life and joy. A sweet smile replaced the gloom that was once on her face.

" Gina, do you need more?" Lady Deborah inquired.

  Gina refused with a wave of her head.

     The maid dished out the meal on large plates. They placed them on carts and began to take them out.

" Have they called?" Lady Deborah placed her hands on her shoulders.

    Gina swallowed hard and tightened her grip around her eating fork. She was talking about her father and brothers. She hasn't received a call from them. She placed several calls to them, but all returned futile. She was dead worried.

   A concerned look etched on Lady Deborah's face as she waited for a reply.

"I guess they forgot about me",Gina buzzed sadly. She forced a smile on her face, but it came out weak and sad.

   Lady Deborah felt her heart shatter. Tears welled up at the corner of her eyes as she looked at her.

   Gina took another bite from her plate. She couldn't get it down her throat. She lost her appetite. She jumped from the chair and spewed out the meal into the sink.

  She rinsed her mouth with water. Her face looked pale and weary as she turned to Lady Deborah.

   "Come on" Lady Deborah stretched her hands towards her. They began to walk out of the kitchen together.

   " There she is" Christine's tiny voice echoed behind them.

" Ignore her, Gina" Lady Deborah mumbled to her and wrapped her fingers strongly around her wrist.

" Stop right there" Christine ordered. Her voice made Gina stop moving at once.

  Lady Deborah shut her eyes and rubbed her temples. 

" You can go on"She whispered to Gina and slowly released her hands.

   She turned around and faced Christine. 

" Do you need something, ma'am?" Lady Deborah asked, pulling a big smile on her face.

" Yes" Christine replied with a sneer, "But not from you".

  Gina's steps faltered when Christine called her name, "Gina".

  It sounded smooth and soft, but it made her heart throb.

  She slowly turned around.

  Christine smirked wickedly and placed her hands across her chest, "Come with me".

   Gina felt her palms become sweaty. She rubbed them against her clothes.

" I think you are forgetting your duties lately..." She grimaced, taking slow strides towards her. Her stare was cheeky. Gina lowered her gaze.

" Have you forgotten your duty as a wife?" Christine scowled.

"Duty?! What duty are you talking about? " Gina queried.

"Come with me then" Christine smirked and walked away while brushing her shoulders lightly against hers.

  Gina shut her eyes and folded her fist. She trailed behind her.

  Christine walked to the dining room. Jace was there staring into his phone. Christine rubbed his chest slowly and gave him a small kiss on his lips.

  Gina cringed and looked away.

" Why are you standing over there?" Christine bellowed.

  Jace turned around. His countenance fell when he saw Gina.

   He has been avoiding her. They have barely seen each other since their marriage. Gina flashed him an annoyed look and walked in Christine's direction.

" What do you want from me, Christine?" She inquired with hurt in her tone.

" Haven't you done enough already? You have my husband... What more do you want?" Gina released a tiny streak of tears.

  Jace's ears twitched when she referred to him as her husband. His lips curled in a grin as he peered into her face.

 Initially, he used to feel pity for her, but now he has lost that feeling. He has nothing for her. Now, he sees her as nothing.

" Husband?!" Christine chuckled and clapped her hands high in the air.

" Gina, Aren't you forgetting something here?".

" If he is your husband, shouldn't you be serving his meal right now? " Christine said with a sarcastic smile at the edge of her lips.

   Gina swallowed hard and gaped at Jace. He maintained a cold, bland look. His brows furrowed together.

    Gina let her gaze travel down to the table. She picked up the big dishing spoon and began to serve him. She felt a big lump in her throat as she filled up his plate with food.

   Christine had a broad smirk on her face as she served her as well.

    Jace rose up, he had a call. He returned shortly after ending the call. He sat down and began to eat.

"I loved the look on her face" Christine trilled excitedly with a dreamy look. Gina had already left for her room.

    " You shouldn't have done that" Jace gruffed lowly and took a small gulp.

"Done what?" Christine raved harshly and threw her spoon.

" I was just reminding her... She seemed to have forgotten her duties as a wife", Christine said, with a deep eye roll.

"A wife?" Jace stood up in rage.

  His eyes changed color," My marriage to her was only a deal, Christine... We are not real husband and wife ".

 Christine's lips contorted in a hideous smirk,"Then what are you?".

"We are...." Jace swallowed hard before uttering the last word with so much disdain written all over his face,"Nothing".

  Christine rose up to her feet, she wrapped her hands around his body and laid her head on his chest. She could hear his heart race slowly.

 She mumbled, "I'm sorry".

••

Gina held her phone close to her ear. A worried and pensive look was on her face as she paced about her room. She was getting worried. She hasn't received a call from home since her marriage.

 She knew they sought ways to do away with her, especially her father and, of course, Vincent. They saw her as a burden.

  But her ears arched to hear their voices. The call ended with no response. She tried again and it failed.

  She drew a sharp breath and tossed the phone on the bed. She decided to go to Lady Deborah's since she was feeling bored.

  Just as she walked out of her room, she met him in the doorway. Their gazes met but he broke it as usual.

  She scoffed. He looked away.

"Can I see my father?" She asked softly as he was about to walk past her.

  He stopped in his tracks and turned to her. He was now facing her. He had his gaze on her.

  She looked into his eyes. It was stoic and icy. She watched his lips slowly curve into a smirk as he mouthed "No, you can't".

  Her chest tightened. This was the first request she had made since their marriage, and he turned it down.

  Her shoulders sagged. Her throat became dry.

"Why?" She asked but soon began to regret ever asking. His eyes turned dark, and he glared hard at her.

" Because I said so", he replied in a hard tone.

  Her whole body shook as she struggled to hold his gaze.

" Have you ever done something for me as your wife?" She asked bitterly with her head cocked right.

" Wife?" Jace scoffed and dug his hands into his pocket. He sniffled and pushed his chest out.

" Do you hate me this much?" She continued in bitterness.

 " Can't you make a day of my life fun? Why are you making my life a misery?" Her voice cracked in pain.

" Gina !!!" He yelled at her, casting a somber glare at her. He shifted his eyes to the left.

   Gina felt an uptight in her stomach when he yelled at her. Her heart raced quickly, making breathing difficult for her.

  He gazed at the flower vase on the table at the side of the wall.

" Keep your emotions in check, woman", he said in a profound voice.

" I told you, Gina", he concluded cold-heartedly, giving her a death glare.

  She was tired of crying. Tears had become her daily dose and she was tired already. She chuckled," You told me... Jace, you are making my life a living hell."

" You never told me that I would live in hell...".

" I don't want your love, body or money, Jace... Just let me live freely... I have stayed in this house for a year. I want to go out.... I want to be free" She broke down in tears.

 Jace's brows knitted together, he narrowed his eyes and looked at her with a straight face.

" You are not stepping an inch out of this house."

" Why?".

" Are you afraid of the media?" She retorted, finding new courage.

  Jace was tongue-tied. His eyes narrowed. He couldn't utter another word, and he just left.

   Gina fell back on the wall. She slide down to the ground, letting her emotions take over.

 Tiny drops of tears fell off her eyes, wetting her cheek.

   She heard the faint sound of her ringtone. She jumped to her feet and plodded into her room with wet teary eyes.

 She ransacked through the place for her phone. It kept ringing incessantly.

 It could be her brothers or even her father. She thrashed everywhere and finally found the phone tucked carelessly at the edge of the bed.

  She grabbed it hurriedly and swiped green.

 "Gina ",a huge voice called from the other end.

  Her stomach did a quick flip. Her eyes watered the more. This time it wasn't a sad one but for joy. She was hearing his voice again for the first time in a year.

"Gina?!" He called her again. She nodded her head as though he was there with her.

" Fa... Father", She called faintly.

  She fell back on the bed soaking herself with tears.

"Father, How are you doing? " She chuckled shakily.

"Fine Gina...." She could sense traces of tears in his voice.

"Father", She called to him again.

  She heard a low snivel sound from the other end.

"Father.... Are you okay? " She questioned him with concern and wiped the tears going down her cheek.

"Gina.... Lincoln... " He sputtered.

  "Lincoln?!".

 Her face turned deadpan. 

"Is Lincoln okay? " She fretted and rose from the bed.

   "Lincoln is.... is..."

"Father, please tell me what is wrong with Lincoln?" She raised her voice.

" Gina, Lincoln is.... is... is dead," he finally blurted.

  Her heart stopped beating momentarily.