JUST LIKE OLD TIMES

Ivy was in so much pain that she couldn't move, she remembered receiving this type of treatment from Lucy many years ago. "Maybe there really is something wrong with me," she thought to herself.

Covered in bruises and blood, Ivy was unable to move from the floor where Victor had dragged her to. She kept crying until she fell asleep and for many days, Victor didn't step foot in the house.

As the weeks went by, Victor began spending more time at home but he spent most of it hitting Ivy. She was beaten for the flimsiest of reasons and sometimes for no reason at all.

In time, Ivy became Victor's personal punching bag, she told herself that it was all her fault, things would have been different if she had given him a child but she disappointed him and became worthless to him.

Ivy's marriage to Victor was almost two years old but nothing had changed, she had practically become the maid who warmed the master's bed because Victor no longer treated her as a wife.

One morning, Ivy was cleaning the house when she got the biggest shock of her life. There was a knock on the door, she thought it was one of Victor’s friends since he was at home so she quickly opened the door. The person that stood in front of her was none other than Abigail.

"What are you doing in my house?" Ivy quickly asked Abigail. Before Ivy could get all the words out, Abigail slapped her so hard that she staggered backward.

Before Ivy could react, Victor quickly came out of the room asking, "why is there so much noise in my house, Ivy?"

Ivy wanted to complain but Abigail beat her to it as she quickly ran into Victor's arms and started crying while accusing Ivy of preventing her from entering the house.

Ivy tried to explain but Victor quickly walked up to her and slapped her on the same spot on her cheeks. Tears quickly rushed out of Ivy's eyes as she stared at both of them without understanding what was happening.

'You evil witch," he roared, "it's bad enough that you are too useless to bear children and now you want to harm the mother of my unborn child."

Ivy stared at the both of them in shock, unable to utter any words.

Victor then asked Abigail, "where is your luggage? I asked you to move in with me so we can better care for our child that's on the way."

Abigail frowned and said, "I already told you, I’ll do that only on the condition that you divorce Ivy and get married to me."

"You have my word, Aby," Victor assured. "I've already prepared the divorce papers, Ivy will sign them tomorrow, and then we can get married."

Still in shock, Ivy kept watching the both of them talking about her like she wasn't present. When Ivy finally regained her senses, she immediately went on her knees and held onto Victor's right leg while sobbing loudly, "please don't divorce me, you are all I have. I beg you, please give me another chance."

Irritated, Victor kicked her and freed his leg as she fell backward, "why won't I divorce you? I should have realized you were bad news right from the start. You killed your mother because she decided to bring you into this world, so why would a person like you ever be able to conceive?

You couldn't even have mercy on me. I told you about my background so you are aware that I want to quickly give my father a grandchild so he can make me his heir, but you ruined my chances and wasted two years of my life. Now I understand why you were born as a slave and that is what you deserve to be for the rest of your life."

Abigail smiled and said, "don't worry Ivy, Victor won't send you away even after the divorce. You will live here and serve me as my slave like you were always meant to be. It would be just like old times."

Ivy sat by the door as they both went into the bedroom, she now understood why Victor had kicked her out to the guest room. As she heard their laughter from the room, she thought that life was too cruel to her, it would have been better if she was not born at all.

Each time she had a little chance at happiness, it was always easily snatched away. As she cried until she had no tears left, she slowly began to lose her will to live.

Later in the night, Abigail came out of the room and noticed Ivy still sitting by the door.

She walked up to her and gloatingly asked, "how does it feel Ivy?"

Ivy just stared at her without replying, she then continued, "a worthless thing like you dared to ruin my family and tear my parents apart. I will make sure you stay miserable for the rest of your life. As long as there is something in this world that can make you happy, I will make sure to snatch it away and never let you have it, I promise you."

Ivy still stared at her without any reaction. Aby smiled again and said "oh poor Ivy! Look at how pathetic you are. I'm surely looking forward to having you at my beck and call once more for the rest of my life."

In the days that followed, Ivy signed the divorce papers under Victor's coercion. Just like Aby had said, she was once again reduced to the position of a slave.

She watched Victor and Abigail show off their love in front of her and taunt her for being barren.

Aby did not even give her any time to rest, she kept calling her and asking her to do everything she could think of. Each time she delayed responding, she received a slap or a kick for being too slow. Sometimes from Victor and other times from Aby.

One morning, after Victor left for work, Aby called Ivy and said to her, "I know today would have been your second marriage anniversary with Victor if he had not divorced you but don't worry, I still have you in mind, you will get a special gift from me today."

Ivy didn't know what Aby was up to, she just nodded and went back to her chores, she already had bruises on her face and all over her body so she told herself that she will do whatever she could to avoid Aby's trouble.

Surprisingly, Aby avoided Ivy for most of the day. Later in the evening when she heard Victor drive in, she called out to Ivy to get her a cup of water.

Ivy hurriedly brought the water but to her surprise, Aby poured the water on the floor and threw herself to the ground while screaming as if she were in pain.

At that moment, Victor walked into the house, seeing the pregnant Aby on the floor and Ivy standing above her, he ran to Aby’s side to help her up.

Aby looked up at Ivy with tears in her eyes and asked, "why Ivy? Why must you be so cruel? I know you hate me but what has my innocent child done to you? Forget about me but couldn't you think about Victor?

He has been so nice to you, you couldn't even give him a child yet you tried to kill his only unborn child."

She looked up at Victor and said, "if anything happens to my child then I don't want to live anymore."