Mated For Revenge

CHAPTER TWO: The Final Straw

I step through the threshold of my in-laws’ house. I wanna retreat into the solitude of Elijah and my bedroom, to release the floodgate of pain and anger I’ve been carrying since the revelation that could either break me or strengthen me. But before I could even make it to the staircase, a voice I hate hearing, especially at this moment, slices through the silence, shattering my fragile resolve.

"Catherine, where do you think you're going?"

I turn to face the source of the intrusion. There, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, is Ruth, her wrinkled hands on her tiny waist, her disapproving gaze piercing through me like icy shards.

"Mama, please," I plead, my voice trembling with emotion. "I just need some time alone."

Ruth's lips curl into a sneer, her eyes narrowing with disdain. "Time alone? And what about your responsibilities? Have you forgotten that you're living under this roof rent-free? The least you could do is fulfill your duties."

Rent-free? I wanna laugh at her, but I’m too exhausted and too respectful of elders to do so.

My hands clench and unclench at my sides, trying my best not to aim my anger towards her. "I'm sorry. I'll cook dinner later tonight, I promise. But please, just let me have this moment."

But Ruth is unmoved, her tone growing more accusatory with each word. "Don't think you can just waltz in and out of here as you please, neglecting your obligations. You're lucky to have a roof over your head, and you will show some gratitude for it."

I attempt to evade Ruth's demands by retreating upstairs. But she isn’t one to be ignored. Just when I’m already a few steps on the stairs, Ruth lunges forward with ferocity, her fingers tangling into my hair with a vice-like grip. A cry of pain tears from my lips as I’m yanked backward, my feet slipping out from under me.

The world spins in a dizzying blur as I tumble backward, my body crashing against the unforgiving stairs. Each impact sends shockwaves of agony rippling through me, my screams drowned out by Ruth's enraged tirade.

But I refuse to surrender. With every ounce of strength I possess, I fight back, clawing desperately at Ruth's hands in a desperate bid for freedom. And then, with a sudden surge of determination, I wrench myself free, sending Ruth stumbling backward onto the wooden floor with a cry of surprise.

Before I could even begin to process my newfound freedom, another unwanted voice thunders through the chaos, freezing me in place. It’s Albert, his round face contorts with fury as he watches the scene before him.

"Catherine!” he bellows. "How dare you hurt my wife?! After all we've done for you, after welcoming you into our family, this is how you repay us?!"

I was and never will be welcome to this family! And everything they’ve done for me is nothing short of diabolical!

I open my mouth to protest, to defend myself against his claim and accusation, but before I could utter a word, a searing pain tears through my abdomen, doubling me over in agony. And then, as I look down in horror, streaks of crimson staining my skirt and my legs, the telltale sign of a life in peril.

My breath hitches in my throat as panic surges through my veins.

"My baby!" I scream as I clutch my still flat belly in terror. "Please... somebody help me!"

Darkness threatens to consume me, I could only watch helplessly as Albert and Ruth’s forms blurr before my eyes, their words fading into the void as the world slips away into unconsciousness.

***

I slowly blink my eyes open and find myself in an unfamiliar room, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling my nostrils. Confusion clouds my mind as I glance around, taking in the pristine white walls and the rhythmic beeping of machines beside my bed.

Before I could fully grasp the gravity of my situation, a familiar figure approaches my bedside. It’s Elijah, his expression drawn with worry as he reaches out to gently take my hand in his.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, his voice thick with emotion. "Mama and papa called me, I had to leave work early."

How am I feeling?! How could he stand there, looking so innocent, when I know the truth of his betrayal?!

My gaze is fixed on his face, my heart pounding with anger and despair. The memory of his infidelity flashes before my eyes, igniting a firestorm of fury within me. I open my mouth to unleash my pent-up rage, to demand answers for his betrayal, but then I remember what happened before passing out. My hand instinctively flows to my belly, the panic rising anew as I search for any sign of life.

"My baby," I whisper, my voice trembling with dread. "How’s our baby, Elijah?"

Elijah's expression darkens, his eyes clouded with sorrow as he hesitates, his silence speaking volumes, confirming my worst fear—the life I’ve carried within me is no more.

Tears well in my eyes as I turn away, unable to bear the weight of my grief.

"No!" I choke out. "Please, no… not my baby!"

The world seems to spin around me as my heart shatters into a million pieces. I cry out in pain, my sobs echoing through the room as Elijah wraps his arms around me.

I haven’t had enough time to mourn my loss when Layla steps into the room, a basket of assorted fruits cradled in her porcelain arms, a facade of concern painted on her features. She approaches me with an apologetic smile, her eyes betraying the truth behind her hollow gestures.

I can see it—the glimmer of satisfaction lurking beneath her mask of sympathy, the silent celebration of my loss hidden behind a veil of feigned compassion!

Despite Layla's attempt at comfort, I couldn't bring myself to accept the embrace, the bitterness of betrayal still fresh on my tongue.

Before I could dwell further on Layla's deceit, the heavy footsteps of Ruth and Albert echo as they too enter the room without a trace of remorse, their expressions devoid of guilt as they survey the scene before them.

Ruth's callousness immediately cuts through the air. She turns to Elijah and insensitively demands a casual wave of her wrinkled hand, “Take Catherine home. Let her heal there.”

Elijah sighs and politely replies, “I can’t”, before citing the doctor's orders as his reason for keeping me here.

Albert, never one to shy away from confrontation, interjects with a cold reminder of their true motives, “But, how about the hospital bills? We’re just worried that you won’t be able to shoulder every financial issue we have all by yourself.”

Then, there’s Layla - the oh-so perfect someone. Tucking her shoulder-length, red hair behind her jeweled ear, wetting her painted lips with the tip of her tongue, before declaring her heroic plan, “Don’t worry about the expenses here. I’ll take care of them.”

Everyone in the room sighs in relief. Except me, my anger boils over at their callousness, my fists clenching with fury.

How could they stand here, so indifferent to my pain, so consumed by their own selfish desires?!

With a voice trembling with rage, I lash out. “Stop all of your b.ullshit!”

Everyone falls silent.

I turn my glare to Ruth and Albert, their faces contorted with surprise as they bear the brunt of my wrath.

"How dare you? You, who claim to be family, have shown me nothing but cruelty and disdain. Your words, your actions—they are a stain on my humanity." My voice trembles with righteous anger as I vent out the years of verbal and physical abuse I’ve endured at their hands.

Ruth attempts to retaliate, but I refuse to let her coz my fury doesn’t end there.

With a steely resolve, I turn to Layla next. She takes a step back at my glare, confusion on her make-up plastered face.

"You. You, who feigned friendship while plotting behind my back. Your pretense disgusts me."

And then, finally, my glare falls on Elijah, who looks extremely anxious and shocked, his dark eyes dilating. “And you, the source of my deepest pain. You, who swore to love and cherish me, only to betray me in the cruelest of ways. Loving you was my greatest mistake, but it is one I am determined to correct. I will not be shackled to a man who brings me so much pain," I proclaim, my voice ringing with defiance. “I want a divorce!”

The atmosphere crackles with a suffocating tightness, each strained breath echoing the seismic shift in the dynamics of our relationships. I stand in the epicenter of my own storm, my heart battered but unbowed, a sense of small victory resonating within me.