THE STRANGER FROM BALI

CHAPTER 2: THE STRANGER FROM BALI

SLAP.

The strong slap fell on Raquel’s cheeks, while she was sitting opposite to her parents. It came from her father who was enrage, but in spite of the pain she bear, Raquel remain stoic as if it didn’t just hurt her.

She was used to this. This was nothing new for her.

“It was just a simple request, yet you are still useless!” The older Roswell was impatient, he was scowling at her. “You had been married to David for months, yet you couldn’t even get some money from him! If you needed to kneel, kneel and beg! Do everything, you useless piece of junk!” Her father said in annoyance. “The only good thing about you is that you are married to a rich man, so fucking go back to your house and be a fucking wife!”

“Yes, Pa.” Raquel quietly stood up.

She was about to leave, when somebody hold her arms. It was her mother. She knew that hell would continue for her.

“Understand your father, after all you owe us for where you are now, Raquel.”

She wanted to vomit in disgust. She wanted to shove her away, but she remain there motionless.

She owe nothing to no one. Raquel isn’t indebted to anybody. She wanted to scream her frustration and misery, but she remain prim, her anger and grudge buried, because she knew how much this two person in front of her would only made her suffer more.

All she needed to do was listen, fucking listen and get some money from David.

Earlier said than done.

‘Get money from your rich husband. Beg for him. Seduce him, if you needed to. Kneel, if that is what he ask and needs.’  Hearing them over and over again, Raquel soon find herself hating more and more the man named David.

David Smith, the rich husband who broke her until she was battered.

“I will, Mom.” Was all she said, before she found herself hailing a cab, and crying herself at the back of the taxi.

“Where to, Madame?”

“At the Smith residence, please.”

There’s no use crying now.

**

When they arrived at home, Raquel was greeted with silence. The lady of the house was gone and her sister was who knows where. Perhaps, her and her husband are both together all along. After all, they are the one who are suppose to get married.

She bitterly smile.

Taking a deep breathe, she sat at the edge of their bed.

She won’t seduce him, but she can do things.

She was just tired getting hit by her father. She hated it. Raquel hated the fact that she was helpless here. Tears streamed on her eyes.

That’s when the door of her room—their room was pushed open. It was David, who blew out an irritated breathe upon seeing her crying.

“What?”

“I—” When she lifted her head, she was stopped upon seeing that he wasn’t alone.

On his arms clings Grace, who was eyeing her as if she were a dirt on her soles.

“If it wasn’t my gold digger sister.” Her words were like venom.

She gritted her teeth.

“Just say what you need.” He was eyeing her mockingly. “You need money, right?”

Raquel gulp down the shame.

“Yes, I needed money.”

“Oh c’mon, are you really going to give her some?” Grace scrunched her nose. “Who knows what kind of things she is going to use your money for.”

“Shh, I’ll handle it, baby.” Their display of affection made her disgusted.

But she needed to gulp down her pride. It was for her. It was for her parents to leave her alone for some time.

“Well, got yourself some dime, bitch, but you should know that you must pay the price.” He spat out, before leaving the room with her sister.

Raquel shut down her eyes tightly. Genuine tears fell from her orbs. Shakily moving to grab a cheque and write down an amount that won’t bother David, but would make her parents happy.

**

When she gave the cheque to his father, she was relieved upon seeing that greedy look on his eyes.

“I should go.” Raquel stood up. “David would look for me, and I needed to return quick.”

“Yes, take care of him.” Her father smiled, pleas. “Follow his whims, and do everything to make him satisfied, dear.”

He sounded sweet, sugar-coated words that were like poison, and it made her wanted to vomit. It was if he had not just slap and force Raquel to beg for money.

She only nodded her head.

“Raquel.”

She turn to look at her mother.

“Yes, ma?”

She knew what was coming.

“I think it’s my turn to ask now, right?” Her voice was soft, she was almost affectionate, but Raquel knew the nature of her mother. “I’ve saw some expensive things on your house when I visited last week, why don’t you sell some and buy me some bags that I was trying to get my hands on? I was hoping that you could grant my request, dear.”

The searing pain from her hold made her arms throb. Seeing how her mother would react if she dare say no, she was force to only nodded her head.

“I’ll do what I can, Ma.”

Her face instantly erupted with glee.

“Oh my god! Thank you, Raq!”

When she went outside, Raquel was weary. Meeting her parents took a toll on her, what more if they knew that they should ask Grace for money and caprices, because it seems like her husband fancy her more than his wife.

She was not bitter, because she loves David. All she felt was hate, that unending loathsome that was eating her alive.

Then out of nowhere, a car pulled beside her.

Raquel hastened her steps, that’s when a soft baritone yet familiar voice call for her name.

“Raquel?”

She felt her heart dropped for a second. She couldn’t go wrong.

“Raquel.”

Glued, she slowly turned to face the car, and unconsciously stepping behind to see the man she never knew she would ever run again.

Eliot. It was Eliot Duke.

“I was right, it was you.” Eliot’s smile broaden.

He quickly stop the engine of his car and meet her outside. While Raquel was lost, Eliot seems pleas. As if he was happy to see her. He was in delight, while she was still in shocked.

“Hey, are you alright? Did I scare you?” A frown made its way to his face.

The Raquel in front of him looks wary, and… somewhat scared.

“What are you doing here?” That was the first thing she said.

Raquel looks terrified

“Did I do something to scare you?” Eliot couldn’t help, but ask.

For some reason he was worried.

“Can I drive you?” No. “To your home, I mean.”

No, it wasn’t right.

Them, meeting there wasn’t right from the very beginning.

“No.” Raquel reprimanded herself.

She couldn’t get involved to Eliot, but she won’t deny the fact that meeting him now had stirred something inside her chest.

Eliot lips parted in surprise at her straightforward answer. He was not expecting that, but he manage to pulled himself together. The night they shared came back crumbling into pieces. She wasn’t happy to see him. Perhaps, Raquel did not enjoy it the way he did.

“I’m sorry, if I just approach you.” His words were empty, his voice lost its glee. “I’ll get going now. Take care of yourself, Ms. Roswell—.”

“It’s Mrs. Smith.” Raquel was blunt.

“Oh…” If he was surprise earlier, Eliot was more than stunned.

When he turned his back, he felt funny.

“Mrs…” He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief, while Raquel watched him leave.

She watched him walk away until he was gone, and that’s when the mask she wore crumbled, leaving the frail Raquel and her heart who also mourn and yearns for that stranger.

“Eliot…”