Marriage announcement

“Ah!” Eileen, my step-sister screamed out in pain, falling to the floor. Her large eyes were filled with tears as she stared up at me with her lips quivering.

“I'm sorry sister, please don't hit me." She pleaded, tears falling freely from her eyes.

I opened my mouth in surprise, barely able to say a word as I watched Eileen beg.

Don't hit her? What was she talking about? Was she not the one that slapped herself now and fell to the floor? Why was she now begging me not to hit her?

She had called me to the living room claiming she wanted to say something and she does this.

I was about to speak when I heard Richard yell Eileen's name and I finally understood why she did what she did.

She saw Richard coming and decided to slap herself and blame it on me.

“Eileen!" Richard, my boyfriend yells, rushing to us. I was about to explain what had happened but Richard pushed me aside as he reached for Eileen, luckily I was able to steady myself and prevent my fall.

Eileen’s lips curved upward in a mocking smile as she looked at me who was pushed away, the smile being immediately replaced with a look of pain as she continued her crying.

“Please don't blame my sister. I told her that we loved each other and wanted to get married, but she got angry and slapped me. It wasn't her fault at all. After all, you are her boyfriend so she should be angry. It was my fault” Eileen resumes her crying, completely twisting what had happened.

I stared on in shock as she lied to him, anger bubbling within me.

Richard wraps his arm around her as he consoles her, completely disregarding me who was his girlfriend.

I stood by the sidelines silently, being unable to say anything.

“Don’t blame yourself. How can you be wrong?” He asks, still consoling her.

“Ha!" I let out a humorless laugh as I watched the scene before me.

My boyfriend and my sister? Who would have thought?

Eileen took our parents away from me and now she wants to take my boyfriend from me too.

She is getting too greedy.

“Richard, what is the meaning of this?" I finally ask, causing Richard to look at me with a frown on his face.

The doting look that was on his face earlier when he was talking to Eileen was gone and was replaced with a scowl.

I realized that Richard never looked at me the way he looked at Eileen right now. A foreign feeling sank to the bottom of my stomach.

“You are quite bold Ruelle. Do I need to give you an explanation? You hit Eileen and you think you have the right to question me?” He asks coldly and I take a step back.

Richard has never spoken to me this way before, what has gotten into him?

"What?? This wretch slapped my baby?” My stepmom Mrs Athanas said from behind me and my skin blanched.

“Mother!" Eileen cries, pushes off Richard, and runs into her mother's awaiting arms who receives her with a warm smile.

A frown forms on my face as I stare at them.

Would she have held me that way if I was her daughter?

Shaking my head, I rid myself of thoughts that want her to hold me that way.

I just wanted to make money and leave this place, getting married to Richard too was part of my dreams.

“Why are your cheeks red?" Mrs. Athanas asks Eileen and my initial fear is back, my heart racing in my chest. Eileen turns her head and smiles coyly at me before once again resuming her pretense.

"Mother, it wasn't sister's fault. She only got angry and said I snatched Richard. Mother, did I snatch him?" She says sadly, her large doe eyes filled with tears once more as she looks at her feet.

Ha! I must clap for her. Her acting skills are superb, she deserves to be in the acting industry.

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but I closed it immediately not seeing the need to bother.

They wouldn't believe me anyway, if they wanted to believe me they would have asked for my side of the story. But Eileen is always right and I'm the villain.

Mrs Athanas attention turned to me and I waited, expecting the worst from her.

“You slapped her?" She asked and the next second my face turned to the side, my cheek stinging. I could see Eileen looking at me with a smug look, her tongue sticking out from her mouth.

I blew the strands of hair that got loose out of my eyes, my hands clenched by my side.

I slowly raised my eyes to look at Mother, glaring at her.

“You little!" She says angrily, the vein on her forehead popping.

She raised her hands to hit me again but this time she was stopped by Ellen.

“Please, mother. Don't hit her again. I'm fine, I am. I don't want sister to hate me" She says with faux sadness, earning pity from both our mother and Richard.

"Why can't you be more like her.” Mother spat out, and I turned my face away.

“There's is nothing wrong with taking what you love, she's your older sister so naturally she should give up things for you.” She rubs Eileen’s face tenderly, her words making me choke in anger.

Does me being her older sister mean I should give up the man I love too? What about me? Don't I deserve things I love?

All the words I was about to say died in my throat when I saw Gabriel nodding along to them.

He was supposed to take my side.

Everyone's attention goes to the door opening as Mr Athanas walks in, his briefcase in hand.

“Daddy.” Eileen shrieks excitedly she rushes to hug our father who receives her with a warm smile.

When last did he smile at me that way?

“Uncle." “Honey." Richard and Mrs. Athanas greet simultaneously, both receiving nods of acknowledgment from Father.

I stood by the side unsure of what to do, he never acknowledged me so greeting him would be a waste of time.

“You can't even greet your father? You unfilail child!" Mrs Athanas screamed at me causing my father to look in my direction.

“Don't be too mean to sister, she's still angry that Richard chose me over her. “Eileen says, looking over her shoulders to smirk at me.

I wonder how no one sees just how two-faced she is.

“You should get him out of your head, he is your sister's Fiance. “ Dad ordered me and I nodded, biting my lips hard and keeping my gaze on the floor.

What was the point in fighting for a man that doesn't even want you?

“Isn't my sister supposed to be engaged?” I asked them feeling a little bit confused.

It was true. Eileen was already engaged to the blind and crippled son of a business partner and they wouldn't dare break off the engagement in fear of losing their business.

Eileen glared at me furiously when she heard my question, biting her nails.

“Daddy! I don't want to get married to that man. He is blind and crippled and his father didn't give him any property so he is broke too. I love Richard.” She cried out, holding onto our father.

"Don't worry my dear, you don't have to get married to him," Father said reassuring her with a smile on his face. His eyes went to me and he spoke coldly.

“Ruelle, you would be getting married in her place."

What??