Chapter 8 Family Confrontations
919 Words
Lauren remained calm despite the thick atmosphere around her. Their glaring eyes weren't new to her but this time, it stirred up a strong annoyance inside that made her want to yell.
"Say something!" Leia screamed again, coming closer to her face. The anger on her face was a bit puzzling for Lauren but when she remembered why she would be so interested in her marriage affairs, she sighed.
Her marriage to Jayden wasn't even supposed to be a love one. Love was a bonus. It was originally an arranged marriage that was brought up by her birth mother.
She must've seen something in Jayden and felt he was the best for her and since Lauren fell in love with him, she was happy with the arrangements.
Charles only earned William's respect thanks to the respect they had for his late wife and Leia, his step wife managed to benefit from it too.
Of course, it was only normal for her step mother to be worried for her own status and selfish gains. That was the kind of person she was anyways. She was a woman who didn't hesitate to come into her father's house a few weeks after her mother died and even worse, she came with a full grown teenager!
Her stepsister, Ollie, was only younger than her by a year!
Looking at them now, Lauren was disgusted. She couldn't stand this family and she didn't want to be a part of it. The proof of their affair always glared her in the eye and she could only imagine how hurt her mother would have been if she had found out the truth before her demise.
"And?" Lauren asked, finding her voice to finally speak after trying to get rid of all the annoyance. "Is he man that can't be divorced just because of the status he has-"
"Can you hear yourself speak? You're nothing before that man and yet you choose to let him go? For whatever reason-" Leia scoffed.
"I'm sure it wouldn't mean much to you seeing as you too are guilty of it."
Leia was taken aback by her response. She had always hated her sharp tongue. It was like a whip of judgement.
"Unlike you, I'll not base my existence on a man. No amount of Botox or beauty salon can fix the blemish and wrinkles on your face. Ageing is a natural cause, step mother. Are you afraid, hmm? Afraid that he'll cheat on you the same way he cheated on my mother with you-"
"Shut up," Leia's voice didn't hold as much fright as her eyes did but Lauren was pleased with it anyways. She was shaken and it was obvious the woman had entered such thoughts.
"I just how my new step siblings wouldn't be any older than Ollie-"
"Lauren, don't speak to your stepmother that way-"
"Maybe if you've given him children, he wouldn't be looking outside!" Oliie chipped in where she stood. "She has no respect, dad, we've seen this all before."
Children? Lauren was lucky not to have borne any child with him. It would have only complicated things and her plans to leave. Even worse, what if the i***t tried to fight for custody?
"Everyone knows how handsome Jayden is, coupled with his intelligence and status, any woman would be smart enough to try and hold him down with a baby," she advised, spewing nonsense with such confidence, Lauren wasn't sure where she got the boldness from.
"Clearly, Jayden's affair with his secretary is only because you have failed, sister. Take responsibility and don't try to run. The engagement shouldn't have been you in the first place-"
"Bwahaha!" Lauren laughed, holding her stomach as she leaned forward. She startled her audience, leaving their jaws hanging loose as they stared at her with irritation.
"OhmyGod! I see you've been taking some lessons from your mother. The only reason why you get to go around with a status is because my mother made a friendship with Jayden's mother. You wouldn't have scored the chance. The only thing your mother ever scored was-"
"That's enough, Lauren!" Her father interrupted.
"She really thought she could've had a chance with this?" Lauren rolled her eyes. "Don't ever for a second think you're lucky. The only you ever got was because of your mother here. What? You thought of seducing Jayden, didn't you?"
The guilty look on her face confirmed Lauren's accusations. She couldn't hide it.
"I don't know whether to feel sorry for you or just not bother," Lauren shook her head. "If you continue down that part, you'll only be a shameless harlot, chasing after married men, wrecking their marriages like your mother did-"
"That's enough for you!" Ollie reached out and tried to grab Lauren's hair with seething teeth. Her ears were already leaking from the lecture and the insults, she couldn't take any more-
But Lauren quickly grabbed her wrist with a force, sending her to her knees. Her eyes were glaring and unkind, the wickedness she had endured from them now rose to the surface.
"Ahhh!" Ollie screamed and fell to her knees. Leia was quick to rush to her and Lauren let her go, watching the two act and look so pitiful was annoying. They were only putting up this act because--
Her cheek stung from a heavy slap and her thoughts reset. Her eyes opened wide as she stared at her father who was seething with anger.
"I said, stop this at once!”
- Writer
