Bait

"How dare you speak to your step mother that way??" I heard dad's voice and turned in shock to see him staring at me with a disapproving look on his face. How long has he been standing there and how much has he listened??

"Dad.." I called out in surprise but he didn't look at me the way he used to. Instead, he gave me a very disappointed look.

"I never expected those words to come out of the mouth of you of all people. She's family... your step mom but you're treating her with such harsh words. What did she ever do to you?"

I noticed the smug smile on Amara's face when dad questioned me with such disappointment. The tides are already turning in her favour and I can't let that haopen.

"Dad, it isn't what you think it is. I.."

"It isn't what I think it is? I'm not deaf, I heard everything clearly. What's going on between the both of you? I've noticed that you've both been at each other's throats for a while now. This has to stop."

"Dad you don't understand.. I was just so angry that she was meddling in my business."

"What??" Amara wanted to talk but I was faster.

"Andrew has been cheating on me." I uttered. Dad stared at me in surprise.

"What did you just say?"

I picked up one of the pictures on the floor and showed it to him. "He had been acting weird since the day he came back from Miami so I asked someone tail him. He's been having affairs with numerous women." I narrated.

I noticed how dad's eyes suddenly grew dark. "Where's that bastard!!" He growled out and aimed to head to Andrew's former room but I stopped him.

"What now?? Isn't this enough evidence to divorce that animal and send him back to the garbage he came from?" He asked angrily as he waved the picture at my face like I hadn't seen it before.

This is the first time I'm seeing dad this angry and if care isn't taken, he might actually kill Andrew. I really didn't care about that, Andrew can die for all I care. He is worthless.

The only thing that worries me was his blood pressure. He can't afford to be this stimulated as it might cause health issues.

"Dad.. dad.." I called as I turned him to face me.

"I have already thrown him out so there's no need to worry." I muttered and that calmed him down a little.

"What about the divorce? Has he signed the divorce papers?" He asked.

"Not yet. I'll send them to him. I haven't prepared one yet but I will." I answered.

"Don't worry about that. I already have one in my study. I'll send it to him myself after you've put in your signature." He said and I nodded in compliance even though I was surprised he already has one.

"So what does Andrew's infidelity have to do with your harsh words to Amara?" He asked.

"She was trying to convince me to reconcile with him after everything I had just found out and I found that incomprehensible." I complained bitterly.

"Why would you do that even after knowing what he did to her?" His question was directed at Amara. She opened her mouth but couldn't utter any word.

"Dad. I can't help but think that her encouragement to reconcile is ill-intentioned. She's a woman like me and she should be able to understand my pain the most since afterall, she's my 'step mother' " I said, laying more emphasis on the step mother part.

"Why would you interfere in such a private matter. Catherine is an adult. She had a good reason for the decision she made amd I thought you of all people would support her. You're married to this family, not Andrew's so act like it!!" He reprimanded and Amara nodded her head as she shivered at her spot.

"Now, Catherine.. come with me. You need to sign the divorce documents as quickly as possible." He said as he left for his study while I followed closely behind him.

I turned back only to see the betrayal and heartbreak written all over Amara's face as she stared at the scattered photos on the floor. Now she can feel how I felt when I learnt about their betrayal. Karma's a bitch.

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▪︎¤▪︎Later that day▪︎¤▪︎

I walked out of the closet, claded in my pajamas and a towel wrapped around my wet hair. I opened the window amd stood in front of it. I breathed out in ecstasy as the night breeze touched my face.

Now that Andrew was gone, I finally had peace of mind. I wasn't sleeping with the fear of Andrew suddenly barging in so I didn't bother to shut my door like before.

Now that he was gone, Amara was alone so part of her plans are thwarted for just the moment. I know she's never going to stop her plans. She's too greedy to do so.

And now, I bet she's really angry for the humiliation I put her through earlier today and she would be planning to pay me back for what I did. To know her next plans, I decided to watch her through the surveillance cameras in the house.

I couldn't find her in her room so I checked the other cameras only to find her in the kitchen, acting sneakily with a glass of milk in her hand. I suddenly

realized that Amara was drugging the milk, and the memory of my father's death in my previous life came rushing back. I couldn’t let history repeat itself!

I quickly stood up from my bed and rushed to the kitchen. As I neared the kitchen door, I slowed down, peeking through the slightly ajar door to observe Amara's actions.

She seemed to have completed the drugging and was about to leave when; "What are you doing?" I asked as I pushed the door open, making my presence known.

Amara was startled by my sudden voice. She turned around with a look of panic and embarrassment.

"I was just preparing your father's milk for him." She said as she pointed at the cup of milk on the counter.

I snorted, when I noticed her trembling. I stared at the cup of milk on the counter quietly and an idea suddenly popped in my head. I decided to use myself as bait to expose her true nature.

I grabbed the cup and downed all of its contents in one go. "What are you doing?" Amara asked in surprise.

"Dad doesn't really need this. How about you send it to me instead. I'm always craving for milk in the night." As expected, Amara agreed eagerly to my request but I could sense the extreme malice in her expression.

I went back unto my room and rushed into the toilet. I tried to vomit the liquid I had just ingested but I was only able to expel half of it.

Fiona heard me gagging and rushed in to take care of me. "You shouldn't have drank that milk in the first place. What if she had put in something deadly?" She asked in concern.

I didn't care about that. I knew that only if I truly fell ill, my father be likely to wake up from whatever spell Amara had casted on him. I asked Fiona to keep Nicholas in the dark and thankfully, she agreed to my request. I

sighed with relief, knowing I would have to put on a good show with Amara.