“Aren't you a pathetic sight to behold?” She smirked to her face.
Mary smiled “Hello Selena, pregnancy looks good on you” she said wholeheartedly and made to move away but Selena blocked her path. “Does it? I can't say that about you. How many years has it been already? Three years?” She asked in a mocking tone. “What do you want from me Selena?” Mary asked. The subject of her ridicule looked well and happy. Her smile was genuine and healthy, like a new bride who had really married her sweetheart. That was a feeling she had never experienced in her life. After the first few years, she had thought that maybe, he would come around, maybe, he would look at her and long for her but that hadn't happened. She had dyed her hair blonde to look like Selena's, worked out day and night to grow thin like Selena, laughed in that high pitched voice but nothing had changed until that night. That night he had claimed her as his, that night she had surrendered herself to him because he had said he had gotten over Selena. She had believed him, she had trusted him. He had known that after that night, according to the culture of whirthbourge, no man would touch her again, he knew and yet he had taken her. But now, he suddenly had a baby mama, one he had just publicly proposed too. He had deemed it befitting to her that his illicit relationship would be made public. Her company which she had handed over to him as a sign of respect and duty, her honour, her family's name. Who could he? “Are those tears I see in your eyes, Mary? Shouldn't you have some dignity?” Selena mocked her again “Dignity, you say? Where did You keep yours when you decided to sleep with my husband?” Mary asked, her heart almost squeezing the life out of her. “I didn't go to meet your husband, Mary, he came to me. He seemed to prefer the younger sister with the better blood than a sickly like you. Oh wait, does he even know you have just six more months to live?” “I gave up my kidney for you, Selena, I gave you my bone marrow and this is how you repay me? I am sickly because I gave up parts of my body for you and you go ahead to sleep with my husband?” Mary exploded as the tears fell. The hurt and memories begin to set in. She fell to her knees and cried..her soul broken and crushed. She didn't have anything anymore. Her life was finished. “I never asked you for anything, you decided to be Santa so don't you dare blame your misfortunes on me. I wasn't the only one who got a part of you and probably not the last person to get the other parts of you. Your life is one pathetic mess Mary. You are simply an extra body part for us all” Selena concluded looking condensing at her elder sister sprang on the floor in tears. “Why is she on the floor?” A voice asked from behind. Mary didn't need to turn to know who it was. It wasn't a savior or anything. That voice belonged to the one person she hated with every fibre within her bones, her stepmother. “Has the madness finally begun to run in the family now?” She chuckled as she approached Mary “I should have known you would have this all planned out” Mary said feeling defeated. “It wasn't that difficult. His mother would choose a girl with reputable parents anytime to an orphan girl” “My father is still alive” Mary defended “And where is he? He doesn't even remember you are his daughter. You should have seen the way he clapped for joy at the announcement this evening when you pretended to faint” Mary knew she wasn't lying. Her father, how did he change? How did he start hating her this much? “Alfred Anderson has been your sister's crush from childhood, don't you think you were a bit too selfish to want to keep him to yourself?” She asked her voice as cold as ice. “You took away my mother from me, you took my father's heart away from me, you took away my will to live and the one thing I thought I could hold onto, you decided I didn't deserve it. Why? Why are you so cruel?” Selena’s hand slapped her across the face “You will speak to my mother with respect” Karen, her stepmother chuckled. “I have one more chore for you and then I promise, I would let you see your mother, tonight” she proposed “You said that a lot of times already. I don't trust you” Mary cried “Not only are you a worthless wife, you are also a worthless daughter. What would your mother think of you when she hears you had an opportunity to see her but you declined it because you were feeling sad? What a selfish daughter” “What do you want me to do this time?” Mary asked, deciding to take her chance. “Good girl. My daughter has just been announced the wife to Alfred but I'm afraid some of your supporters will not accept her. You must serve her at the dinner party right now, that way, everyone will see you accept her as the new lady of the house.” Karen said with a wide smile “How could you?” Mary started “Do this and you will see your mother tonight or tomorrow morning. I give you my word. Alfred doesn't love you, the company doesn't want you but your mother will always want you. Make your choice wisely” she concluded and walked away with her daughter. Mary shook as tears poured freely from her heart. The face of her mother, battered and almost lifeless appeared in her eyes. She wanted to see her again, at least before she died. Her heart began to hurt her again and she rushed back to the room to search for her purse to take her pills. Scattered on the floor were the limited pills specially prescribed for her. She laughed as more tears rolled down her cheeks, the pain only made her laugh now. Her face was smouldered in mascara but she didn't care anymore. She strolled into the dinner room as the music blasted through the speakers. There were murmurs in the crowd and a waitress ‘accidentally’ bumped into her spilling drinks on her white gown. The crowd laughed. She laughed too, what was she supposed to do? She sniffed and took a plate of chicken platter to Selena who smiled ‘gratefully’ at her. Alfred avoided her eyes. Was it guilt? Was he feeling awful? “Look, Mary, I didn't mean” he started but Selena took a bite of the chicken and suddenly screamed. “She poisoned me”Her head felt like splitting when her breath began to seep into her body.Her jaws felt ten times heavier than usual.She held her head in her hand and gradually lifted herself off the ground. The hand that held her felt sticky and wet.Tears stung her eyes as she realized what it was.Blood!Her eyes adjusted slowly to her environment. She was still inside her house, still in the living room.Karen was holding a vase that was stained with blood while Alfred and her father held her.“You killed my grandchild! You killed my baby!” she was shouting, pointing a finger at her.Mary felt so lightheaded that she pushed herself off the floor.Taking a few staggering steps, her eyes began to spin, and the ground on which she stood felt like a pillow. A sudden force tilted her backward, and falling down seemed like a relief to her.Her father rushed to her and held her before she hit her head on the floor again.“Are you alright?” he asked.Mary stared at him, her mouth too heavy to speak.He
She walked toward the room and saw her mother humming as she sat near the fireplace, knitting her winter sweater. Her favorite Christmas song filled the air, and the cozy room was filled with the aroma of cookies.“Mummy,” she cried.The older woman turned and smiled at her.“Oh, baby, you look so pretty. But why are you crying?” she asked with a wide smile that deepened her cheek dimples.Her eyes sparkled under the neon Christmas lights.Mary shook her head.“I’m okay, Mummy. I’ve just been a bad daughter,” she cried.“Hey, hey, you are never a bad daughter to me. I love you. I carried you in my belly and waited a long nine months to meet you. Don’t you ever think you’re a bad daughter unless I say so,” her mother said, wiping tears from her eyes.“I will always be with you forever,” she said, kissing her forehead.But Mary knew it wasn’t forever.She hugged her tightly when she suddenly felt something wet flung on her face.She blinked slowly, adjusting her eyes to the dim light of
All eyes turned to the table as Selena screamed at the top of her lungs.Poisoned?How?Alfred jumped to his feet, looking confused.He placed a gentle arm around his new, teary wife and yelled for someone to call an ambulance.Mary watched, depression eating deep into her soul.She watched as the man she had devoted her life to bent over another woman—her half-sister—lovingly cupped her in his arms like a baby.He rocked her as she cried… while Mary stood and watched.Where had he been when she had sacrificed her liver for his mother and spent almost a year in the hospital?Where was he when she had her first miscarriage?She had cried alone… clutching her pillow, eating a tub of ice cream alone, while he flew around the country for “impromptu” business deals."How could you? An innocent baby? How could you? You heartless, childless woman!" Alfred yelled.Mary looked at him."I only gave her the food she requested," she said slowly."You knew it was poisoned! Was this your plan all a
“Aren't you a pathetic sight to behold?” She smirked to her face.Mary smiled “Hello Selena, pregnancy looks good on you” she said wholeheartedly and made to move away but Selena blocked her path.“Does it? I can't say that about you. How many years has it been already? Three years?” She asked in a mocking tone.“What do you want from me Selena?” Mary asked.The subject of her ridicule looked well and happy. Her smile was genuine and healthy, like a new bride who had really married her sweetheart.That was a feeling she had never experienced in her life.After the first few years, she had thought that maybe, he would come around, maybe, he would look at her and long for her but that hadn't happened.She had dyed her hair blonde to look like Selena's, worked out day and night to grow thin like Selena, laughed in that high pitched voice but nothing had changed until that night.That night he had claimed her as his, that night she had surrendered herself to him because he had said he ha
The room was filled with guests and flash lights from cameras.Politicians, actors, CEOs, you name it.It was like a whole awards show with paparazzi and the red carpet.Alfred Martel always went out big during his press conferences and this wasn't going to be an exception.Mary smoothened her gown at the rim and took in deep breathes to steady herself.This wasn't time for her to shake or let the depression cloud her eyes She couldn't risk embarrassing Alfred againShe would play the perfect wife.Smile – wave and bow out.No matter what the announcement would be, she wouldn't let the emotions show.Walking out of the bathroom door, she collided with her mother-in-law who looked rather not pleased to see her.Mary bowed to greet but the woman quickly brushed her aside.“Oh don't bother with your useless acknowledgements, I have had better today” she said rudely pushing past her.Mary shook her head, reminding herself that she wasn't going to let anything ruin her composure.“You thi