Wedding Proposal

Gabriella arrived home in the morning looking so exhausted and chaotic. Her lips were dry and chapped, her skin pale from the heavy rain, and her swollen eyes weren’t an exception to her dead look.

She pressed down the doorknob with all of her might and entered the house.

She was welcomed by a full house staring back at her with contempt.

Gabriella sniffles her tears at the sight of Olive.

“Father, you won’t believe what happened last—-“

“What a wretched little sl*t you are!” She was cut short by her stepmother.

“What? How could you say that to me?”

SLAP—-

A resounding slap landed on her face and she fell to the cold floor.

Olive’s mocking laugh can be heard in the room.

Gabriella was beyond shocked when she saw her father standing proud above her with hate in his eyes. He had just slapped her.

“When they said you didn’t come home last night, I didn’t believe it but now you come back this morning with excuses?” Her father yelled at her.

“Olive ….” She tried again but Olive was quick to talk;

“Dad I feel so ashamed about my sister’s waywardness. I can’t believe she slept at a man’s house only to come this morning in disguise so we can take pity on her” Olive commented with a sly look. Her devilish pretense betrayed nothing of the evil inside of her.

Gabriella crawled to hold her father’s feet with hot tears streaming down her face “It’s all lies trust me, Dad…”

“Do not call me dad as if you have the right to it! Talk to me formally foolish girl!”

Immediately, Gabriella rephrased her words not minding the pain that came with the correction “Father, I caught Olive in bed with my mate yesterday and she was proud about it. Please be considerate and investigate this matter “ she pleaded.

Grace Edward, the stepmother hurried forward and slapped Gabriella across the face.

“A Mate? How dare you weave lies after doing such a shameful act? As if the like of you can get a mate”

“I’ve had enough of your bullshit Gabriella! The deal I made with your mother was to keep you under my roof until you’re mature enough to be on your own” Mr.Edward said.

Gabriella felt a pang of pain coupled with happiness; it hurt her heart so much to be getting abandoned over a misunderstanding, despite her effort to prove herself worthy, and a little happiness because she’d finally be free from her toxic family.

With that clarification from her father, she stood up with trembling hands “Are you chasing me out, father?” She questioned.

“No, you’re getting married!” He said.

Olive’s mouth curved with a smile as she enjoyed her sister’s miserable state.

“What?!” Her mouth twitched in shock.

“You will be marrying Mr.Luther in place of your sister” Her stepmother added.

“What? The scary and dangerous Mr.Luther?”

“You forgot the rich part and he’s powerful,” Her father said.

“Then why can’t Olive get married to him? Why me? If power and wealth are what you want then your lovely daughter is suitable for it” she yelled at the top of her voice.

“Wow, so now you’re showing your true color. When did you develop the nerve to speak back to your father? You witch” she raised her hand to slap her again but this time, she was quick to stop her hand mid-air.

Her eyes blazing with fury.

“Everyone knows about Mr.Luther! He’s an old monster who married 56 wives and still counting. Not to mention his cruel ways with women so I refuse to have such fate!” She countered.

“I will teach you a lesson you’ll never forget,” Her father said, dragging her away into the bedroom.

Helen scoffed with hands akimbo and Olive started shedding tears out of the blue.

“Mom! If she refuses to get married then I will have to marry that old man.” She cried.

“What’s her usefulness anyway? Don’t worry my dear, she will have no choice but to agree. I am your father’s true mate after all”

“If only Father had met you first before getting married to a woman that’s not his mate, that rubbish wouldn’t have been born” Olive clenched her fist in anger.

>INSIDE<

Mr.Edward pushed Gabriella to the floor to threaten her.

“You must marry Mr.Luther if you want to live. What have you done for me anyway than ruining my life since the day you were born!”

“Father please take it easy on me, I have settled with the claim that Mom died and your business crashed back then because of me but you can’t do this to me” she pleaded on her knees.

“If you don’t agree to this marriage, you will never see your mother again” he declared.

There goes a moment of silence, at that moment she can hear the faintest sound from far away and the sound of blood pumping through her veins.

“What do you mean father? My mom is dead right?”

“I lied to you! She hit her head from the accident when you were five and since I couldn’t cope with her anymore, I kept her away”

“Father! How could you keep such a thing from me for 17 years? She’s the woman you loved and got married to, how could you do that to her?”

“Save your cries for the reunion. If you know that you want to see her again, start preparing yourself for Mr.Luther” He said and walked out of the room with a face devoid of emotion.