The Griefing Daughter

Rose's POV

I just stood there, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. My wrist still hurt. Richard grip was intentionally so tight, so I could feel the pain for talking back at him like that. He probably thought I was being a new person so he had to level up his game. What a calculative villian I married.

The Staff were still whispering. People still stood, shocked on what had just happened. I bet they didn't see the whole thing. They must have misinterpreted it. That I slapped my own husband when he was just being so kind and looking out for me.

Suddenly the head lawyer, Mr Harrison, a scum bag who betrayed my father and I. He walked closer to us, his pot belly way too big today, probably full of greed that's why it grew so big. I could feel the heavy judgemental gaze of Mr Harrison as he walked closer.

He stopped just inches from us. His eyes fixed on me. "Rose, Your father's death isn't an excuse to hit your husband!" he barked. "Are you the only one grieving? You can see your husband was torn apart from your father's death. He has been crying, even when Mr Hawthorne's own daughter didn't even shed a single tear!"

I took two steps back from Richard. Leaving him on his knees and walking toward Harrison. "Are you sad about my father's death?" I asked bluntly.

He stood frozen at my confidence. I was sure he had never even seen me in this light. I was always a shy girl hiding in the shadow of her father of her husband. "Are you speaking to me in that tune?" he barked.

This was the right time to learn from my enemies. I curved my lip in a smirk and then the act came....

"Thud!"

I fell on the floor once. Everybody heaved in shock. "I just lost my only parent, my dad......my lovely dad!" I cried out. Mr Harrison was shocked to the extent I was so sure his bones had frozen.

I stepped up my acting and lay flat on the floor. I started rolling from side to side on the cold marble floor. Screaming and crying real wet tears that even made Richard stand up and quit his acting.

"You want me to sign my dad's will, I mean he was just buried two hours ago. Can't you people let me grief my late father!" I kept yelling at the top of my lungs.

The whole room was dead silent. Just my voice echoed. People were probably confused on what the fuck was going on right now. Suddenly I stopped rolling.

And then, I got up to my feet. Dusting off the dirt that clung to my silk gown. "I just cried, Mr.......whatever your name is. Now can you tell from my cries, I was really grieving my father?" I mocked. "You see wet tears in my cheek right, that is pure evidence. But let me tell you something. I whispered, leaning in his ear.Not everything you see on first glance is the whole truth."

"You are listening to this? Forgive her Sir, she is not in her right mind." Richard cut in, as he tried to reclaim his role as a protective husband.

I didn't flinch. I stood tall, my hair messy, sticking to my damp cheeks. "Richard is right about one thing Sir, I am not in my right mind. I now see everyone for who they truly are." I hissed.

I turned toward the stairs, about to take my leave. Then I remembered something. With a deliberate, slow motion, I tilted my head back to everyone.

"Dearest lawyers.....come back next week, I will sign them next week. Let me mourn my father first. Don't be greedy." To be honest, I couldn't sign those papers just yet. Because they were fake, Richard had already teamed up with my dad's lawyers by this time. That was how they took all my dad's wealth from me, bit by bit. They strategically left me penniless. I won't be a victim for the second time.

I clicked my heels toward the stairs, leaving everyone in frightening silence. I am sure they all wondered what exactly had possessed me. I could remember clearly around this time in my previous life, Richard had spread the news that my dad's death had made me insane. At least I should be grateful I came back in time without feeling drugged.

I looked at my wrist. It was already a mess of red colour. Richard had really bruised me in his act, more than ever I need to be ten times smarter than him now. His villain nature was definitely evolving, I should evolve too.

Finally the silence had broke down the stairs. The workers and others were already gossiping loudly. I should start making plans to fire everyone here, before they attack me or worse, kill me.

I walked into my father's room and slumped on his leather chair. The room smelled like old paper and antioxidant. It had been probably wiped clean by the maids. For some reason, I couldn't even cry. I stood up and walked back to the door, I bolted it shut. Not wanting anyone coming in here, this would be my safe space for now.

I sighed heavily. Honestly I was so scared, all that drama I did downstairs I had no choice. I wasn't ready, I wasn't prepared. The hatred that burned in my heart just made me act, I just had to do something, to show them I wasn't that girl anymore. I leaned on the door and slid down slumping on the floor, like a frail leaf falling from a tree as bottled tears finally broke out.

"Daddy! Daddy... I am so scared! I am so scared daddy.... please come back...come back to me..... I am sorry..."

I wailed, and cried loudly on the floor. Banging the cold marble floor with my hands, like it was responsible for my pains. The whole cold girl act from downstairs had crumbled into a little girl who was just scared.

"I want....my daddy back!"

"Give me.....my father back God....pleasee I am scared!" I yelled.

"What exactly was I fighting for if I didn't even have my baby anymore?" I asked loudly.

"I have no family, I have no one........give me back my father!" my cries echoed in my dad's room, my mourning gown soaked with my salty tears.

My face probably red and swollen, my body shook so bad I could feel an intense pain cracking from my bones.

I recalled my past. The moment Katherine stabbed me with that dagger. She didn't just stab me once. She stabbed me again. And then again. And then again.......