Chapter 2

I couldn't save myself

Nora

My dad encouraged me to say something, but I just held out my hand to say hello. Erik just raises an eyebrow in amazement. Sure, he wasn’t expecting this. Then, he left me there, he didn’t take my hand. I put it down and my face turned red from embarrassment. I knew that everyone does that when greeting someone, I don’t know why Erik took it wrong. “Okay, Charles, I agree. I’m sure you’ll keep an eye on her until I come to collect her.” That was the first time I heard his voice. And to my little self, it sounded like thunder had fallen in the middle of the house. My dad smiled even brighter, “you don’t have to worry, Erik. Nora will be ready for you when the time comes.” I turned to see my dad since those words did not make sense in my head.

“I hope so Charles, I’ll keep an eye anyway.” He nodded his head, then turned around and left the office. I was left with my mouth open looking at his back. And with a bad feeling. Until I’m ready for what? I looked again at my dad, who didn’t take his eyes off the door where Erik came out. “Dad, who was that man? And what was that strange talk?” My dad patted my head and replied. “When it’s time, my love, you will know. In the meantime, why don’t you go back to the party? There are still many things to do.” I nodded my head because, to be honest, the party was one of the things that were on my head at the time. So I turned around and ran away.

If I had known what awaited me, I would have gone very far. Or if not, mentally prepared as much as possible for everything to come. Sometimes I wonder why my dad did this to me? I can’t find a good or reasonable answer. All I can think of are agreements, investments, power. Everything but love. I was a naive girl, thinking that my family loved me.

The day they told me I had to marry him, I was devastated. There was no power in the world to stop it. Because Erik was a man you wouldn’t want to be on his black list. According to my dad, he was not like us in the sense that he had no usual business background. But very dangerous ones. Then I found out that he was a criminal, a mobster. He and his family had come to the United States from Venezuela. They had a fearsome reputation there and now, here. I also learned later that my dad had made a pact with the devil himself, and I was part of the transaction. I don’t know why I was involved in all this.

From that day on, my relationship with my parents went south. Despite how much they wanted to convince me of all the good things that would happen to me, I couldn’t see what they were seeing. That everything was for my good and that I was the most benefited person for having such a powerful man protecting me. Lies, they just wanted to justify their greed. I hated them so much that I even got sick. But the worst thing was not only that. What made me not speak to them again, was when I discovered that Erik had not just one, but several affairs. I was planning to break my relationship with him for good, thinking that I was going to leave his house. I had already made my plan, and I wanted to go home with my parents. I was sure they would understand.

Then, I talked to my father and told him everything that had happened. But him, on the other hand, flatly refused. I was insulted because he called me crazy. “How could you think such a stupid thing? You already have a house. I don’t want to hear anything more about that. Do you hear me, Nora?”

My parents didn’t want me with them anymore. Besides, my mother just told me that I would become accustomed to the pain over time. All that soon wouldn’t hurt as much. “The solution to that is to turn your face away from the matter.” She said. That’s when my resentment towards them grew. And nothing has changed over time. They chose him. All about him, and his businesses.

They pushed me aside, reduced me to being an accessory for him. I was nothing more. But then, I realised one thing, I had no one on my side. Not only that, but they left me alone, they abandoned me. The meaning of family, they didn’t know it. Unfortunately, I have to see them when I am forced to attend any meeting or event. Or when my parents and Erik meet at their house to talk about their things. He always forces me to attend. The few times I have refused, I did very badly.

I remember one time when both of my cheeks swelled after he slapped me. He also gave me a severe headache by grabbing my hair and dragging me around the house straight to my room to get change. The violence he displayed towards me was not limited to those times. It always happens whenever I refuse to touch him, or when I simply ignore him. I have been locked in the basement a few times by him. An entire week at one time. He said he was teaching me a lesson about respect and obedience.