Two

Every thing had completely changed in my life, since that night I became a different person.

I had woken up in the middle of the night, my body had been left unconscious at the top of the stairs for hours I didn't know.

My head hurt, and every where felt so sore. My vision blurred as I gathered the torn pieces of my dress around me as if they would completely cover my naked body, I held on to the wall of the hallway and bit on my lower lip as I pulled myself up.

It was so painful that the tears I was trying so hard to stop fell down my oval face. I whimpered like a wounded dog when I tried walking back to the attic.

A small sob escaped my lips and I turned my head, my eyes pinning on the door that led to my father's bed room.

Am completely sure that he heard everything, but he didn't care, he has never cared.

The lump in my throat grew bigger, I sobbed quietly yet painfully while making to my way to the attic with much difficulty.

That night I lost all the trust I had in my father and slowly without noticing I kept drifting away from my original self.

Years passed but nothing seemed to change, my father still didn't care, I would scream and cry until no sound could escape from my lush lips anymore.

I lost interest in any form of relationship that I had, had with my father.

Soon I started to believe that the Dad I had known and loved had died with my mother.

The one that existed now, I didn't have any idea on who he really was.

He seemed so happy with his new family while I had yearned for a bit of his attention, for some protection but he was never there.

His new family was all that mattered to him, it felt like he never noticed anything about me, and why would he pay attention to a maid.

What had I done that he betrayed me like this?

Why did he hurt me like this, I always thought of him as my protector but as reality kicked in I realised I was so alone.

I soon realized that these were all silly dreams, it would be better to stay away from him and every thing that connected to him.

With time I lost the value of life, I hated my self so much, my body and everything about me had turned dirty.

No matter how hard I tried to clean up nothing changed, the scars on me always reminded me of reality and the demons surrounding me

They reminded me of the darkness that I was living with every single day of my life.

The night mares turned worse, and I became afraid of sleeping, my eating habits had turned worse and soon I was losing weight.

Pain became my sanctuary, my only peace. I hid a knife under my pillow and every time I felt that suffocating pain I would create a cut my arm or thigh and sleep while watching my own blood flow.

It had a way to send the demons away and drift my mind away from all those memories

Two years passed and I had just turned sixteen, it had been a while since I last saw that man. I thought it ended, he had finally lost interest in me but I was wrong.

I would have been happy but nothing seemed to change in my expression. I had all reasons to be happy but it was so hard to see beyond that pain.

One day, one of my step sisters started talking to me. I never replied, because I didn't know what to say and neither was I interested in having a conversation with her.

I didn't even know their names and none of them took time to notice me all this while then why now.

It wasn't hard to realize that this girl was trying to befriend me and I always did my best to stay away but the girl continued to get closer to me.

Her name was Lana, I heard father say it but sincerely I didn't want to know her name. I didn't have any relationship with these people so why was she talking to me.

I continued to figure out ways to avoid Lana, I had no time for friendships and trust in fact I didn't want to be betrayed again.

As I went to pick up the vegetables from the garden the next morning, I saw that black car again.

My emerald eyes locked with Arthur's through the car window, as he kept checking me out.

A shiver rushed down my spine when I noticed the thirsty look in his eyes, his lips stretched into an evil smile and I shuddered.

I had stilled in my movements, and my body was shaking so violently. The basket I was holding slipped out my grip due to my hands shaking so badly.

I turned on my heel and ran up stairs to the attic, locking the door behind me, I backed away from it.

It was becoming so hard to breath, my heart thudded and anxiety swirled around me.

A knock came on my door and I bit back a scream while taking a step back, I paled in fear.

My heart dropped to my stomach and sweat trickled down my spine, my leaf green eyes turning glossy.

He was back.

He was going to hurt me again.

I didn't know what to do or where to run to, it was now that I felt like the walls of the attic were closing in on me.

"Ella..." I heard my father's voice for the first time in years.

And I desperately shook my head, my lips trembled. My heart wrenched and I felt numb.

" Ella open this door right now " my father's voice was louder this time with no hint of patience in it but coldness and anger.

No... I didn't trust him, am sure he was here for that demon. He was going to take me back to him, I can't open that door.

The door was kicked open almost falling off it's hinges and I jumped back with a scream, closing my eyes

Tears ran down my face faster than I had expected them to and my chest hurt so much.

"Let's talk "

I shivered and my eyes flew open. I caught sight of my father who was standing in the door way through my blurred vision.

I wondered, after all these years, why was he so interested in talking to me now. It must be because of Arthur.

His sienna brown eyes looked everywhere but not at me and his short dark hair was unkempt.

I turned my eyes away, and slid down the wall. I didn't know what to feel anymore.

I wrapped my arms around myself like a baby yearning for warmth.

Anger, Sadness or disgust.

What exact feeling should I hold against this man?

" Arthur asked for your hand in marriage " I heard his deep voice laced with a bit of bitterness.

My teary eyes turned into slits as I kept them pinned on him. Sweat beaded my forehead and Terror flashed through my eyes.

I felt so cold, more tears shone in my eyes. I lowered my gaze to the dirty cream carpet I was sitting on, my eyelashes trembled in the process.

"And I have no choice but to agree " I whispered with a shaking voice as the lump in my throat grew bigger.

" Yes "

I felt my whole world crash right in front of me and I lifted my eyes again giving my father a dirty look, every single bit of respect that I still had for him vanished in to thin air instantly.

"Since you have already decided on that, then why are you here Mr. Vizziello ?" I couldn't stop my self from asking with all bitterness, tears kept running down my cheeks.

I think I saw my father inwardly wince but then it disappeared instantly, his eyes stared at me for while and then he turned around and walked out of my room leaving me alone.

A bitter smile laced my lips, I just couldn't believe that he saw my sorry state but didn't have any emotion in his eyes.

Even if it was pity, I would know that he still took me as his daughter but apparently I was nothing to him.

Again he betrayed me .