Chapter 7

IVY'S POV

*One week later*

“No!” I screamed. “What do you think you're doing?”

I lunged toward Lisa, but I was already too late.

My mother's photograph crumbled into ashes before my eyes.

It had been one week since Adrian locked me in the basement.

And apparently, Lisa had decided that wasn't punishment enough.

"Why would you do this?" I screamed as I threw a slap across her face.

"You stupid bitch!" she screamed. "You never learn your lesson."

Enough was enough. If Lisa was going to play dirty, so would I.

I pulled her hair and grabbed the collar of her dress, ripping it off.

After days of surviving on nothing but bread and water, I barely had enough energy left to fight back.

"You are a piece of shit, Lisa," I said. "Always have been. Always will be."

Furious, she threw a punch at me, and tiny droplets of blood started to stain the white fur carpet beneath me. I was bleeding.

This stupid bitch just made me bleed. Out of anger, I threw her a punch. She grabbed my hair, and we both fell to the ground.

It all happened so fast. One minute I was on top of Lisa, the next minute I felt my back hit against the wall as Adrian threw me off her.

"She's insane! She attacked me for no reason!" Lisa yelled.

Adrian motioned towards me, his expression hard. He was furious. Was he going to lock me up again?

"You have to believe me, Adrian," I screamed. "She burnt my mother's photograph."

"Is this what this is about?" he asked. "A stupid photograph?"

It wasn't a stupid photograph. It was the only thing reminding me of my mother. The only thing keeping me sane in this hell hole.

"It's not a stupid photograph," I said, with tears in my eyes.

"You really are one crazy daughter of a bitch," he said. "I'll have you locked up in that basement if you don't stop whining your mouth."

I nodded in silence, trying my hardest not to provoke him any further, but every single thing I did seemed to piss off Adrian. He pulled me by my hair, his fists tightening against my scalp.

"Let me go!" I screamed and pushed against him, but he didn't budge. This man was three times my size; I was merely a speck of dust in his presence.

I pushed against him even harder, trying to release myself from his grip as he led me back to the basement.

He shoved me back in, My head had hit the floor hard enough that the room spun. I couldn't remember the last thing I saw or heard, but one thing was certain: the only memory I had was the door slamming shut, and then everywhere went dark.

*A few hours later*

The sound of rats squeaking in the corner woke me up.

How long had I been out for?

I made my way to my bed, ignoring the sharp pain at the side of my head. I needed to get out of here. My stomach grumbled, and I winced in pain as I laid my hands on top of it.

This was the final straw. My mum had been cut off all her medications, and I was going to die in a creepy basement, all because of my stupid step-sister.

I wiped the tear that formed in my eyes with the back of my hand, and that's when I heard the door unlock.

Too weak to get up, I saw Lisa standing at the doorway instead of Adrian.

"You're here to kill me, aren't you?" I asked as I rolled my eyes at her. "You've won. Might as well finish me off now that you have the chance."

"If I wanted you dead, I would have done that a long time ago," Lisa stated. "I brought food,"

I let out a tiny laugh.

Even if her presence was infuriating, I still needed to eat. I gathered my strength to get off the bed, my hands reaching for the plate, and Lisa moved it away suddenly.

A loud laugh escaped her throat, and she turned the plate upside down, the food landing on the floor.

"Oops," she said. "That was an accident. I guess you'll have to eat it from the floor then."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I screamed.

She let out a chuckle. "I'm simply marking my territory," she said. She pointed a finger at my forehead, tapping it hard with every word. "KNOW—YOUR—FUCKING—PLACE."

"No, you should know your place," I said. "You're the woman he couldn't marry."

Her face fumes with anger. "What did you just say to me?"

"You heard me," I said. "You're a pick me, trying your hardest to make a man choose you when you've clearly not been chosen."

I knew I had hit a nerve, as she swallowed hard.

"You know one thing about you, Elaine?" she asked. "You never learn."

I stared at her, giving her my 'you must be crazy' look.

"Well, you're right," I said. "I am not weak."

"Oh, you really think so? Let's see how much of that energy you have," she said as she turned to leave.

"And one more thing: He'll never choose you. He's mine. And I'll make sure you suffer until the day you die.”