Defying Him

Chapter Nine: A Girl Who Poison Her Abusive Boyfriend

I am stirring the chicken riggies I made when Brayden returns home with two basketballs in his hands and a duffel bag with straps hooked around his arm.

"Something smells like dad's riggies." He beams upon arrival.

Brayden is a fan of dad chicken riggies. He had always savored his portion and takes additional two plates anytime he comes home.

"Surprise." I festively announced as he set the stuff he had in possession around his hands and began browsing through the duffel bag until he found his phone.

Seeing he was distracted, I went back to work, garnishing dinner with some cheese when I heard him mention the name I had been trying to push away from my mind an hour ago, as I had been broken since morning, nuzzled on the couch and watching two sad movies. I wrote to Chloe and bored myself to tears. It wasn't until the past hour that I showered and began preparing dinner to distract the thought of Myles from my head. And it sort of worked until now that Brayden invited him over to dinner.

My body stiffens. Brayden merrily jogs to the kitchen behind me and kisses my cheek.

"Damn! And you made a lot. You're a lifesaver."

Smiling small at his excitement, I watch him stalk down the hall to his bedroom.

He informs over his voice that he will take a brief shower before dinner is ready. But dinner is ready. I just have to arrange the table and everything will be set.

When I am alone in the room, my hands clench the edge of the worktop while I take calming breaths.

Maybe I don't have to make it any worse than it already is.

I will just get a plate of dinner for myself and eat in my bedroom. I don't have to be around him.

Then a knock comes up, and knowing who is standing on the other side of the door, my heart picks up at an abnormal pace.

Get it together, says a voice inside my head. Maybe he had long gotten over the memories you're still dwelling on. What if his reaction in the garden was just a momentary irresistible impulse caused by being alone with a weird girl who's throwing herself at him? What if he had gone back to his fiancee as he had made that noticeable twice when he held me?

When I compose myself, I open the door and am greeted by the girl named with a weather term and the man who claimed it was hard to let me go.

Autumn is smiling innocently, but behind it was undoubtedly poison. My insides twisted at the thought that she might admit what I did. Although she didn't look ill anymore, she still wasn't pretty. She needed the help of heavy makeup to make an appearance. Her hair is made in small waves and tumbles over her shoulders. While I stare at her, I hope for a place where she puts enough effort into fixing her personality as she did with her face.

Briefly, my eyes went to Myles. He is standing next to her. His eyes were never still. They avoided my direction by any means.

"Myles said you made an East Coast recipe for dinner." She fruity said, and this time when I looked over at him, his eyes locked on mine like a magnet.

Of course, he would invite her. What was I thinking?

I open the door further, inviting them in.

When they made themselves at home in my brother's living room, I made myself busy arranging the table. Most of the time, my skin lying to me. I assume Myles is watching, but anytime I look over at him, he is watching a fashion show on tv or listening to Autumn ramble about her work.

It was one thing she said that spiked my stomach. I felt sick, and almost drop the cups I was carrying. Her utterance was about their future, as they had probably planned when they were alone. She talked about having a lot of daughters and the brand of clothes the children will wear.

"But we will need a surrogate to carry the pregnancy." She told him. Her fingers are in his hair, and her legs are over his thighs.

He didn't oppose her. He just smiled at her in agreement.

I couldn't help interfering, for I heard the conversion, and it was killing me. She will never get the answers that she deserves since Myles has to turn into a puppet.

"You cannot carry the pregnancy?" I asked.

My question was unexpected. They both blink in my direction with slight confusion on their faces, and I suddenly feel timid.

"You weren't very quiet," I mumbled. I doubt they heard.

"I can. I just can't afford to lose the balance of my body. Right, baby?" Her fingers stroked Myles's face. He smiles and nods at her.

Asshole.

The following minutes were a nightmare in its wake. I watch with open eyes as they kiss, touch, and laugh. My heart couldn't take it anymore. I hurry to the laundry room and lock it behind me. Resting against the door with my eyes screw shut while I try to count my inhalation until I heard Brayden calling my name.

There is a sink in the room. I wash my face with cold water and dry it with my shirt before returning to the dining area.

"For first, thank you for this food, Cali," Brayden said and pull out a chair for me while I hesitate across the room as his attention falls back to Myles. "I had gushed about this recipe for two years to the boys. When you have this, you would too."

"We will see." Myles simply said, as my brother squeezes his shoulder.

"Cali?" Brayden urges when I remain in my position.

"Come take a seat, Calista. Is not like you poison the food and you're thinking twice about it." Autumn smirked, and I tensed.

The b***h is going to sell me out.

Myles whispered something to her, and her eyes rolled. "I saw this show on Netflix where a girl wanted to get rid of her abusive boyfriend. She poisons his favorite thanksgiving feast, which he didn't eat because they ended up taking it to the whole town and everyone fell ill. Including herself, given she couldn't get rid of it on time, she had to eat along with everyone not to look suspicious. And the funny part is that the boyfriend didn't have the pie. It was a pie, I think." Her face scrunched thoughtfully. "God, karma is fun." She clicks her tongue in the most nauseating manner ever.

I hate her. I wonder what Myles finds interesting about her. That is worthier than me.

"He wasn't a good person, he was abusive." I nervously mumbled, holding her entertained stare.

"But she had no right to poison him." She countered.

"He probably deserved it."

"That's what she told herself. But who paid the price?" Her lips pulled back into a snarl.

I hate her.

Brayden and Myles were oblivious to where the debate was going but I, on the other hand, am restless with what could be spilled.

Brayden laughs awkwardly as the aura of the room has changed. There is a tension in the air now.

"I will take the first bite, then." He offered and took a seat at the end of the table when Autumn wouldn't stop glaring at me.

As Brayden moans at the taste, I announce my tiredness as an excuse to skip dinner.

"Come on, Cali." He implored.

"I am not feeling good. But save some for me." I smile, and he nods.

While I walked away, I heard Autumn complaining, "She's always moody around me."

Brayden apologizes, saying, "She's having a tough time."

Tough time my foot. I just happen to hate many people right now.