Chapter Two

After what felt like hours, I force myself to get off the floor and walk to my room to pack my things. I had to pack before Glinda’s words became reality. She would throw me out of the house, that, I was certain of. And if I didn’t prepare now, I’d be on the street with nothing but the clothes on my back. I reach for the suitcase on the top shelf, but the pain in my injured hand made my grip weak. I stretched onto my tippy toes, wobbling on the edge of the stool I’d dragged inside .The suitcase slipped from my reach. My balance gave out.

The stool tipped.

And suddenly, I was falling.

The impact stole the breath from my lungs, leaving me sprawled on the cold marble floor.I just lie there looking up to the chandelier in my walk in closet. My chest rose and fell in shallow bursts, but my body refused to move. The tears came silently, streaming down the sides of my face into my hair. I didn’t even notice at first. My mind was too numb to catch up.

I lie on the cold floor, the cold a welcome change for my throbbing hand. I hear footsteps coming towards me but I don't bother to look up to see who it is.

“Oh, mia”. It's Natalie, one of the maids. The only one who was ever truly concerned about me after my dad died, the rest had flocked to Glinda and Christabel to kiss their ass in order to keep their jobs. To be honest I didn't blame them, it was survival after all but it still stung nonetheless.

“ What happened to you child, why are you on the ground, what happened to your wrist”. She asks tearfully as she pulls me into her lap. I say nothing and just bury my head in her chest.

“It's okay, it's okay, everything will be okay”. She says as she rocks me back and forth. I let myself lay there for a while, to think. When in ready to trust my voice I sit up.

“ I need to pack, Mat”. I said, my voice low.

“You need to go to the hospital Selina not to pack, where's Chase “. She asked looking around.

“He's with his new fiancee”. I say bitterly

“What new fiancee, what in the world are you talking about”.

“ Christabel….. Christabel's pregnant for chase, they are the ones getting married in two weeks not me” .

Natalie let's out a string of curses in her native tongue. The words come out fast and sharp, I may not understand what she's saying but I agree .

“ Like mother like daughter, that viper finally showed her fangs but Sel you can't leave in this condition , you're hurt, you wouldn't get far“.

I smile

“ I don't really have a choice in this matter, Nat. She wants me gone by tomorrow or she will call the cops”. I tell her everything that happened in the study, Chase and Christabel's confession, my inheritance, the ultimatum Glinda had given me. The more I speak, the colour in Natalie's face drains . Realization dawns on herher

She gets up and locks my room door and shuts the door to the closet. She looks around the room.

“ Selina are there any cameras in your closet”.

“No, why would there be”. I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion.

“ Look, you can't run away from this Sel. Even if you do, Glinda will never truly let you go. She doesn't like loose ends”.

“What do you mean, loose ends”.

“Your father's death was not natural”. Natalie whispers.

“Of course it was natural he died of a heart attack in his sleep , we all saw the autopsy result”.

“A week before he died he wanted to revise his will, I heard rumors that he wanted to cut Glinda off, that same week he dies of a heart attack. Something's fishy. I just can't tell what it is”.

“Why…. Why are you telling me this now, why didn't you say something earlier to the police or anyone!!”

“ You need to stay back and fight, running will get you nothing. At least with Damien's money and connections you would have a chance to right all the wrongs that wicked woman has done”.

I look at Natalie shocked, I could not believe what I was hearing. If she knew all along, why tell me now. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.This was Glinda’s plan all along. Dad's death. Christabel's pregnancy. Cutting off my inheritance. This was to back me up a wall so I had no choice . She never intended to marry her daughter to the Brooklyn devil. It was me all along