Manipulation

Jocelyn let out a soft sigh as she watches Arissa from the couch. Her friend has been seated on that spot days after her union and only stood up to use the restroom.

Today is the fourth day morning and she has to exist here today else, her parents might get offended and start searching for Adele out in every corner and that would be an additional problem for Arissa.

"Arissa," Jocelyn called Arissa's name softly as she stood beside her and dropped her hand on Arissa's shoulder with warmth, "We can't risk your parents searching for her,"

Arissa did not turn to her but just fixed her eyes on Adele as usual. One would think that she is sad - yes she is sad but in those brown eyes of hers were also devious plans, she's arranging.

She would come back for every one of them who has hurt Adele and that would be starting with her parents and then, every one of the thugs no matter where they are or who they are.

She must find them.

She raised her eyes down to Adele's stomach and let out a low sigh. Her stomach is now deflated and back to normal.

She has been praying and waiting for a sign. A short sign that a miracle would occur in her sister's case within days and shorten her coma length.

Any little sign. She went a sign - anything. Anything that would assure her that Adele's case would become a miracle but none came forth.

"You have a commercial tomorrow," she said turning her head to Jocelyn.

"No," Jocelyn replied moving her fingers through Arissa's hair.

"You canceled it again?" Arissa inquired with a raise on her left brow.

Jocelyn smiled lightly as if to brighten Arissa, "Don't worry about those commercials. When you become comfortable with leaving your whatever house without inquiry, I would take a break and go back to work," Jocelyn said with certainty.

She doesn't know how but she believes everything would go back to a place in a short while.

Arissa chuckled with mockery upon hearing, Jocelyn's speech, "I don't need no one permission to leave that to use when I get there," she affirmed, "I just need to leave when I want to,"

"This is a business marriage and not of love Arissa," Jocelyn said lowly as if not to use facts to pierce Arissa's heart, "And there are also all possibilities that you would be under strict supervision, whereas, they do not know you have a sister at the hospital,"

"I have to be leaving now," Arissa said brushing Jocelyn's words away. There was no possible way they would cage her in and again, her parents would not dare add such a bargain, her groom's mother already said she can work so it's the same as still having her freedom.

At least, around the country.

....

After clothing herself in her normal dress code preference - a black top and a stylish long blazer over it. The top was short so it showed a small hint of her tummy.

And adding to the outfit was black pant, a toe-pointed heel, and a mini black handbag. Her copper-brown hair was straightened and let to slick down behind her back with the middle-parted framing her face on each part.

In all, she looked effortlessly beautiful as she channeled her inner CEO with her all-black outfit.

She walked down the staircase and to the living room and the faces she sighted from the staircase made her face scrunch up as if an unpleasant smell hit her nostrils.

"We thought you would never come," her father stated the moment she drooped her leg off the last stair. He can't explain the gladness in his heart for the fact that everything is running as smoothly as planned even with Adele's effort to mess it up.

Arissa said nothing and just put on the sunshade she was holding and walked like she hasn't been spoken to.

"Why are you dressed as one going for a funeral?" her mother's annoying voice spoke up the moment she walked past them.

Still, Arissa ignored them further and walked closer to the door. These scumbags would always be greedy.

There was still no maid around so the place was deserted and she was still wondering why are parents are standing there in the living room as if they had wanted to welcome her back when her father spoke up

"We are doing this for your future Arissa. We care, we do care about you both," he said straightly, and the way his voice sounded genius made Arissa halt in her steps.

Is her father kidding right now? What game is he trying to play or what does he mean?

"Is there another help you want from me, Mr. Lincoln?" she asked him as she turned around and took her sunshade off.

Mr. Lincoln's face drained of all blood as he heard how Arissa addressed him and also for some unknown reasons, "Arissa we,"

"Would you go straight to the point, Mr. Lincoln? " Arissa interrupted her father. She already knows what he wants to talk about because the look in her mother's eyes already gave him away.

Mr. Lincoln cleared his throat with a warning, he do not like the way she dresses him, and telling her to change it would be a waste of time.

"What were you doing in a club the night before your wedding?" Mr. Lincoln asked before his wife could because his wife's approach would only aggravate Arissa's countenance.

Arissa's smirk increased on her beautiful face as she now walked back to the couch and sat down more like a taunt to her parents, "I thought we would skip that Mr. Lincoln. It's been days and we have already sealed the agreements, haven't we."

"Don't answer my questions with questions Arissa"

"How old do you think I am?" Arissa asked with a click of her tongue, "I'm sure you do not even know my age but one thing is sure, I'm not nine years old,"

Her father was rendered speechless while her mother reddened with annoyance. Her mother's lips parted to speak up but Arissa beat her to it, "The best advice I can give you both is not to mess with me any longer or underestimate me because I can't promise to not bite back."

Arissa said with a soft but cold voice and with a dramatic light bow that was mocking, she step out of the house. Her plan would surely not fail because she just needs to organize them all and certainly, with a little drop of her parent's manipulation in her, every step would go smoothly.