Chapter 1- The Other Family

Natalie's POV

My gaze has been on only one object for the past hour. The object in which my father now lives. The only family I have. The one who had been there for me my whole life.

Not that I don't have a mother, but I don't have one who is responsible. She's never the type to care. If she did, she would be here, mourning the death of her beloved husband or at least to comfort me.

My heart was heavy, chilled with grief but no matter how badly it ached, the tears wouldn't fall.

I was supposed to be crying my heart out, but the tears refused to fall despite it brimming at the brink of my eyes. My back stiffened definitely from the different gazes at my back.

I couldn't bear to face the lots of people here to mourn the death of my beloved, I feared the sympathy I would see on their faces.

I couldn't run off to anyone, not my grandparents…not my mother and not my cousins. I'm sure they would still see me as a plague.

What did I do to deserve those cold attentions? They wouldn't be here if not that my father was a man of virtue.

My brain which had been forged up for some while now finally rebooted, he wouldn't be buried unless his wife was here.

I clenched my jaw tightly as a muscle twitched near my temple. I exhaled sharply through my nose, fist curling at one side. My patience wore thin at that moment, behind my eyes, held a brewing storm,not loud but dangerous.

I turned slowly, ready to burst out.

But just then, I saw her making a grand entrance. She was dressed in a half-knee black gown, a red shoe, a well painted lip and neatly done hair, up as a ponytail.

I know her for being that lavish….however,I felt my eyes sting at the sight of everything. From her entrance to the hand wrapped clearly around her tiny waist.

Her heels clicked as she walked closer, garnering people's attention. At the back of the seemingly couple was a girl who raised her head with pride. She had this hard glare directed at me.

I couldn't explain what was going on in my head.

There was my mother.

Walking into the funeral hall with another man, how much they look like a perfect family if not so. I shook my head to dismiss the thought.

I didn't know what came over me, I walked closer as she did also. Then I stopped a few feet away from them.

None of the spectators were grieving my father, they were now watching her.

“Who the hell is that?” I asked, screaming at the top of my lungs.

I stared at the man once again, he was a tall, sharp-faced man in a tailored navy suit.

Mitchell scoffed at my words, “Is that what your father taught you? Rude brat. I don't know what this might look like, but I must tell you now. This is your new father and right behind us is your sister.”

Father?

Sister?

What were those? I couldn't help but smile,how I wished I didn't hear those words. She must be joking right? She wouldn't be that cruel to bring a man to her husband's funeral as her new husband and daughter.

I never knew I had a sister.

No!

It's too much to take.

I had the urge to hold her hand and enquire for more, but before I could even think of doing so, she had already pulled her hand to the other side.

I looked behind her, the girl had a striking resemblance to her and the man. Obviously this had been going on behind my father's back.

Gasps rippled through the small crowd like wind through dry leaves.

The man's stance beside her became confident, he even had the gut to smile at me. I turned to the various people.

“Can you all hear that? I can proudly say to you all that she killed my father. She is responsible for the death of my father. We have you arrest her. Grandpa holds her and throw her in jail.”

My words were heartbreaking, I felt like I was running mad. Where did those words come from?

I was about to run off to meet my paternal grandfather, but before I could even move,I felt my arm being pulled.

“Will you stop ranting in respect of your father? If you knew what your father did, you would be even more disgusted.”

There is no word of hers that I'm going to believe.

“If you have an ounce of self respect left, you would have honored him before he's buried.”

I snatched my arm away from her gripping hold. “Grandpa, why aren't you reacting to this? Aunts and Uncles, you shouldn't stand still like this.”

My voice came off as being solemn. Honestly I wasn't expecting that reaction from everyone present.

“You all should hurl insults at her. Please do so.”

The man stepped forward. “There’s no need for a scene—”

“Stay out of it,” I snapped. “You’re nobody.”

He smiled coldly. “I’m her husband.”

I was finally faced with their pitiful stares and glances. None of them could say a word.

The next thing I heard was the sound of chuckle from my side. I bit my lip bitterly as I knew it was from Mitchell. I couldn't bear to call her my mother.

“Hehehe, my darling,” she forcefully grabbed my cheek and made me turn to her. I closed my eyes to avoid meeting my eyes with hers. “Everyone here knows, at least his family does.”

That hour..that minutes..that second, I knew my whole world had crumbled up.

They knew? I was the only one in the dark, did my father know about it as well?

I never grew up in a happy home.

No! I won't take it. If they will, I won't.

I slapped her hands away from my cheek and fled in my heels

Eyes bored into mine from all directions.

My cheeks burned. Her heart pounded.

Unfortunately before I could even vanish from everyone's presence,I heard her awful voice once again. I just felt my leg come to a halt.

“Don’t embarrass me again.”

My hands balled into fists.

“You’ll do exactly as I say,” she whispered coldly, “starting with the man you’ll marry tomorrow.”

The words shattered in my head like glass.

I stumbled back, facing her and searching her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve arranged everything. The ceremony is tomorrow morning. Wear something decent.”

“You’re insane.”

Her smile was vicious. “No. I’m cleaning up your mess. You want to keep the house? The money your father left you? You’ll marry who I tell you to marry.”

I laughed short, breathless. “You can’t do this.”

“Sweetheart, I’ve already done it.”

My breath stopped. My thoughts scattered like broken glass. She wasn't finished ruining my life...she just started