Wedding for Revenge

Chapter 1 – Funeral

It’s the middle of June and it’s a nice hot sunny day. Suddenly the sky became dark within a matter of seconds and it started to rain. People began to run to safe places to escape from getting wet. Some got into their cars and others ran towards the church. By the time rain started to get heavier everyone except for the three standing in front of the freshly covered grave. It seemed as if nature itself was crying with them mixing their tears with its water.  

Mrs. Alice Walker stood holding hands of her two kids in front of her husband’s grave. The heavy rain washed away her tears. She stood there with her five year old daughter Alinta and two year old son Toby. Everyone who came for the funeral left Alice and her kids alone in the graveyard. Alice came back from her trance when her son started to cry pulling her black dress. She walked back with her kids to the car. She stopped the car in front of a huge gate which leads to a luxurious mansion. A guard came and opened the gate for her and she drove the car inside the gate. 

Both the kids ran inside the mansion as soon as the car stopped. Alice leaned back on the seat and closed her eyes. Everything is going to change and it’s not going to be easy. She became all alone within a few hours. She had a very happy family till yesterday. Last night, Alice and her husband were sitting in the living room after putting the kids to bed, when her husband Thomas Walker received a call which made him tense. Alice tried to ask her husband about the call but he was so worried that he left the mansion at once. Few hours later, Alice received a call from the hospital informing that her husband was being admitted due to a cardiac arrest. She rushed to the hospital leaving her kids behind after informing the maids to take care of them.

When she reached the hospital, doctors were attending Thomas. When they came out, they didn’t have good news for Alice. They allowed her to meet her husband before his soul leaves his body. She went inside the emergency room where her husband lay with an oxygen mask. Wires were attached to his body and a monitor showed fluctuations in his heart beat. Alice went near his bed with trembling legs. 

“Thomas, what happened that brought you here in this bed?” She asked, holding his hands.

He slowly opened his eyes and a tear fell from his eyes when he saw his wife. She wiped the tear and kissed his cheek.

“I am sorry Alice. I failed to recognize the real face of the people around me. I never knew that they were forging my signature to take everything from me. They didn’t leave anything for you or our kids.” Thomas said with a sob.

“Who are you talking about?” Alice asked.

“Tessa and her husband John Lee.” Thomas said.

“Your sister and her husband?” Alice asked and Thomas nodded in agreement.

“So, they came back and acted sweetly just to snatch everything from you.” Thomas agreed with Alice.

“Alice, I am really sorry that I couldn’t save anything for you and our kids. I am leaving you to struggle with our kids. Please forgive me. But I promise, our kids will get what they deserve when they come of age. I have taken some shares and bonds in their names which they can sell when they become major. I also bought a house in your name in Australia. It was always your dream to have your family house back and so I bought it from your brother’s wife. She wanted to sell it after your brother’s death. She and the kids moved back to her country, the Philippines. The papers are safely kept in my secret locker in our room. Just make sure to take the papers before you are forced to leave the mansion. Don’t let them know that I have left something for our kids.” Thomas said in a tired voice. 

“Thomas, have they taken the mansion too?” Alice asked. 

“Yes, and I am sure they won’t wait long after my death to kick you and our kids out of the mansion. The key to your family house is with your friend Catherine Taylor.” Thomas said.

“Thomas, you mean that I and the kids should move back to Australia. How can I leave the US where I have spent the best seven years of my life with you?” Alice cried.

“Alice, it will be really hard if you stay back in this country. Tessa and John won’t let you live peacefully. Don’t let them know where you are going. You will get a bank pass book in the locker. I have started an account in your name and have been saving. There will be enough money for you to start something new.” Thomas said. 

“Thomas, don’t think about leaving us. You will revive and we will start from scratch. Please don’t leave us alone.” Alice cried.

“I will always be with you Alice.” Thomas said and kissed her hand and then fell silent. The monitor showed a line indicating that the heart has stopped beating. 

Alice came out of her thoughts and went inside the mansion. While climbing up the steps to the mansion she decided to get all her valuable things and leave as soon as possible, but got frozen on the spot when she saw Tessa and John sitting on the sofa in the living room. A bag is kept near them. She noticed the diamond necklace Tessa was wearing. It’s the necklace that Thomas gifted her on their last anniversary. 

“What are you both doing here? Are you not satisfied after killing my husband? Get out of my mansion.” Alice shouted at them. Hearing her words Tessa and John began to laugh.

“Your mansion! Now it’s ours and you are the one who should go out. We will give you just half an hour to pack your clothes and leave.” Tessa said with a cunning smile.

“Tessa, Thomas was your brother. How could you do this to his wife and children?” Alice cried.

“He was not my brother. He was a bastard who got my father’s name just because he was legal. My mother and I never got the recognition just because that w***e who gave birth to him refused to divorce my father. Because of your husband, I never got the love and care of my father. I will never forgive him and you will have to suffer because you married him.” Tessa spitted.

“Your mother was the w***e who seduced her boss and gave birth to an illegal child like you. But still my father in law and mother in law accepted you and gave you your shares. Now I doubt that you killed them. Two years back, you were the one who planned their car accident. Am I right Tessa?” Alice said panting.

“Both you and your husband are really fools. You never recognized the truth in these two years.” Tessa laughed.

“You have taken everything Tessa. Please leave my jewelry for me and my kids. How will I live without anything?” Alice begged.

“No Alice, I won’t give you a penny. You and your kids have to suffer as I did in the past. Just go and pack only yours and your kid’s clothes. I will give you just half an hour. Don’t waste your time.” Tessa ordered. Alice looked around to find her kids. 

“I am not that cruel to speak in front of such small kids. I have sent them to the kitchen to have something. Let them enjoy their food. It will be the last time they will be getting something good to eat. Now go and pack your bags.” Tessa pointed towards the stairs. 

Alice walked helplessly to the stairs but stopped when felt as if someone was following her. She turned around and was shocked to see men following her.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“They are my workers, Alice.” Tessa said.

“Why are they coming behind me?” Alice asked.

“Because I ordered them to follow you. They will keep an eye on you while you pack. You can’t take anything except your clothes and essentials. I doubt you still have some valuable possessions with you.” Tessa smiled wickedly. 

Alice turned back and climbed the stairs. Tears fell down her cheeks. She first went to the kid’s room and packed their dresses and toys. She had to hurry and she was given just half an hour. The two men were watching her closely. In Alinda’s wardrobe, there is a box with her ornaments. Alice took a teddy from the toy basket with other toys and purposely dropped it in front of the wardrobe. After packing the toys, Alice went to the wardrobe and took the teddy from the ground and then secretly sneaked the ornaments from the box inside the teddy and packed the teddy along with the clothes. Tessa’s men thought that it’s just a teddy bear and didn’t say anything.  Alice was sure that Tessa won’t refuse her to take the toys as she doesn’t have any kids. After packing everything in two bags, Alice went to her room and the two men followed her. 

Alice started to pack her things and when she tried to pack her husband’s clothes, Tessa’s men didn’t allow her. Alice silently packed all her clothes and some photo albums of her family. After finishing the packing, she took a pair of clothes and went to the washroom. The two men followed her and she turned around and said.

“I want to use the washroom. I have to change this dress as I am back from the funeral.” The men agreed. 

Alice locked the door as soon as she stepped inside the washroom. She had taken a full sleeve shirt and capris which had hidden pockets inside the pants. Alice has always wondered why Thomas had built a hidden locker inside the washroom. Except for Thomas and Alice, Thomas’s parents were the only ones who knew about the locker. Alice went and tapped one of the wall tiles and it slid open revealing a locker. She pressed the code and opened it. Inside the locker she found the documents of the shares and bonds Thomas had told her along with the bank passbook. She also got two bundles of currency and a box consisting of some jewelry. She recognized the jewelry of her mother in law. She wondered when her mother in law kept these here. She got a note from inside the jewelry box.

“Alice, I am keeping this box inside this locker because I am afraid that someone is behind our property. If something happens to me, give this box to my Alinda as a gift from her granny.” 

After reading the note, a tear fell from her eyes. She had lost all those who loved her. Now she has to live for her little ones and for that she has to take the belongings of this locker secretly without being caught. She checked the locker again and found the documents of her family house in Australia. She first changed her clothes and then kept all the things from the locker in the hidden pockets inside her shirt and pants. She emptied the jewelry box and carefully deposited the ornaments inside her pocket. 

After freshening up she went out and took the two bags she had packed her belongings. Alice gathered seven years of her life in the mansion in just four bags. The two men helped her to carry the bags down the stairs. She saw the chief accountant of her husband’s company in the living room talking with Tessa and John. He was standing as if in front of his boss. Alice heard his words from the stairs.

“I have confirmed that Mr. Thomas Walker had opened an account in his wife’s name two years back. The account is an independent account and so we can’t operate it in any way.” 

Alice stopped in her tracks thinking of a way to get away from Tessa as soon as possible. She hurried to the hall and called out her kid’s name. 

“Alinda, Toby come on let’s go.” Hearing her calling the kids, Tessa directed her men to close the door to the kitchen.

“You wanted me to leave the mansion as soon as possible, then why are you not allowing my kids to come to me?” Alice asked helplessly.

“Oh, I just got to know about the bank account in your name that Thomas opened two years back. I want you to transfer whatever is in the account to my account.” Alice pretended to be shocked to hear the news.

“I don’t know anything about any bank accounts. Thomas had never told me about that.” 

“Alice, don’t dare lie to me.” Tessa said.

“Ma’am, I think Mrs. Walker is telling the truth. No transactions are done using the account till now.” The accountant said.

“Do you know the account number and the bank Mr. Mathew?” Tessa asked the accountant.

“Yes ma’am.” He replied.

“It’s just 2.00 and there is time for bank transactions. Take Alice with you to the bank and transfer all the money in that account to mine.” Tessa said.

“I won’t do that Tessa. It’s the only saving that my kids have. I won’t give you that.” Alice said sternly. 

“What will you do with the money if you won’t have your kids with you? It won’t be that hard to finish two little ones.” Alice stood startled hearing her words.