005

RAVEN

When I was thrown at the back of a car, I thought that was it for me until I was thrown to my father’s feet. That should have been my first guess.

My father owned a construction company, the biggest in the city and he basically ran the city with men to his service. He worked closely with thugs all ready to do his bidding anytime he called.

I was found in a heartbeat but they wanted me to believe they searched everywhere for Julia and didn’t find her. There was something else no one was telling me, I knew it. Months back Julia and her mother wouldn’t stop talking about how she was about to marry into that family, she went dress shopping and did everything just to run away?

I screamed at my father telling him where Julia was but he wasn’t listening or chose to ignore me. They locked me up in the basement ignoring my banging and screaming. I had never felt such coldness from my father before.

He had always been cold, distant all my life and never really treated me like I was his daughter but that moment broke the bar. I whispered a final plea before he shut the door and he just gave me a long cold stare before slamming the door in my face.

That was when I knew there was no changing my fate, there was no running for me. I was going to get married.

I couldn’t stop weeping, every bone in my body ached. Everything Carl said to me came flooding in without a pause, the smug look on Julia's face, the aching in my chest. It was non-ending. I prayed to die because the pain I felt was unbearable but nothing came. I folded my hands in a tight fist hitting my chest hard multiple times but that did nothing. I crawled around the cold dark basement trying to find anything sharp that could take me out of my misery.

There was nothing.

***

I was like a walking statue as I stood in front of him in that empty church. Every life inside of me had been wrung out, I couldn’t feel anything. Standing in a dress that wasn’t meant for me and a veil over my face hidden behind a face full of makeup. Helena stood guard and made sure the makeup artist covered every bruise my face was covered in.

When Julia burst through the door putting on that act, I didn’t move. I couldn’t bring myself to. It felt like I was watching an out-of-body experience because mentally I wasn’t standing in that church, I was gone. Far gone.

The acting was terrible, it made no sense how anyone with a brain could buy that. But I guess no one had one.

“So who is standing in front of me?” he ripped the veil that covered my face in one swipe and I just stared him right in the eyes not muttering a little as a word.

That was the first time I noticed his face. The word that came to my head as I stared at him.

Evil

He had dark eyes that stared right into mine like he was reaching for my soul. I didn’t back down and look away. I didn’t want him to feel the fear creeping into my chest.

“Did you just trick me into marrying someone else?” His voice thundered

“No not at all Mr Blackwood” My father tried to speak but was immediately cut off. I have watched my father give orders and never take them, so watching how his once cold eyes filled with what looked like fear just made me wonder.

Who the hell was this man?

“You brought someone else thinking I wouldn’t notice! I would fucking ruin you” he shot

“She is also my daughter. I didn’t want to come with stories when we couldn’t find Julia-”

“She convinced my father to go ahead with the marriage just so she could take my place, she has always been jealous of me going after everything I have” Julia jumped in before my father could say anything else

“That’s enough Julia” Father warned

He ran my hand through my hair like he was frustrated.

I felt the anger surging through him as he turned to look at me again. He slowly walked towards me with a dangerous look in his eyes, my brain screamed at me to take steps back but my legs didn’t move and I stood glued to the floor.

“How dare you trick me!” He spat in my face and I didn’t say a word yet again and that seemed to send him over the edge even more.

“You are going to fucking regret this!” He threatened through his gritted teeth, glaring me right in the eye then stormed out of the church ramming his shoulder into me as he walked past.

“Why would you come in here?” Father turned to Julia

“You just watched her take my place” she sniffled her nonexistent tears

“Look how she made my dress ugly” She fought to hold back her smile

“That’s enough, we will talk when we get home” he told her

“Come with me Miss” A man stepped approached me then stepped aside for me to walk ahead

“What are you waiting for? Go” Father said through his teeth

I gave him a long look staring at the face of the man who was supposed to be my father. A sharp pang hit my heart and tears threatened to fall but I tightened my teeth together fighting it back.

“Don’t ever think of running away, this is your duty to this family” he said as I walked past him

Duty?

My eyes met with Julia and she had a full mocking smile plastered on her face.

“Happy married life” she mouthed

Over the years I have fought back the hatred I harboured for my wretched family but as I walked out of that church I let go of everything. I had no reason to hold back.

I hated them with everything in me.