breaking the charm

Chapter 12: Clyde's Past

"Mother, Please stop!" Clyde yelled helplessly at his mother. Madame Evangeline pushed Heila to a wall and slapped her face, hard.

"Shut up, Clyde. This piece of trash doesn't even deserve to be your step-sister. She's just lucky to be with us since her mother doesn't know how to take care of herself and got herself dead." Evangeline scoffed and pinched Heila's arm. A cry escaped her lips and Heila rushed out of the house, the doors banged shut. 

"Clyde, do you even know what you're doing right now? You shouldn't be that nice to that witch." Evangeline sipped her tea, and she smiled as she sniffed the sweet smell of rosemary. Clyde slumped onto the couch, his eyes fixated on his mother. 

Ever since Heila's parents split apart, Heila's dad married Clyde's mother. But when Heila's mother got into an accident, she was moved in with Clyde's house, which was a mansion. Evangeline (Clyde's mother's name) was completely against the idea and she always picked on her, and even hitting her when she got the chance. Clyde felt so bad for Heila, but he was always scared to do anything. 

"I just know that you're being cruel." Clyde stood up and started walking out of the main living room (they have many sitting areas). Evangeline laughed and set down her cup. 

"Me? Cruel?" You must be out of your mind, Clyde. Hey! Where are you going?" Evangeline yelled at Clyde, who was walking toward the main doors. The doormen bowed and opened the door. 

"I'm going to find her, and I'm going to bring her back," Clyde responded, without looking back. While he was tying his shoes, he looked back.

"Can I get a dollar?" Clyde shouted. Evangeline stood up and grabbed her purse and walked over, nearly tripping over her 6-inch heels. 

"I can even give you a thousand dollars sweetheart." Evangeline smiled and handed Clyde a wad of hundred-dollar bills. Clyde glared at her and snatched a 5-dollar bill that was in her wallet instead. He pushed the wad of money back into Evangeline's hands. 

"Sir, should I get a car ready for you, or do you want to pick one yourself?" One of the doormen said.

"Get him one of the newest models that we got." Evangeline started.

"No. I can just run there." Clyde pushed through the doormen and started running down the many steps. 

"You must be kidding. Send two bodyguards to follow him. He's not safe right now. GO!" Evangeline roared at the two doormen and they bowed and hurried off. 

Later...

"Let me see your arm," Clyde said to Heila, who was sitting on a bench. She rolled up her sweatshirt and it showed a bright red spot where Evangeline loved to pinch. It was swollen and it started to bleed. He cleaned the spot and wrapped it with some bandages. 

"Thanks. But you should get going." Heila smiled and stood up. A honk was heard behind them. It was a black limo, and the license plate said Evangelines' and Clyde rolled his eyes. Two people with sunglasses and a gun that was in their belt hurried over. 

"Sir, are you alright?" One of the men asked urgently. Clyde narrowed his eyes.

"Of course I'm alright. You don't see me rolling on the floor, beaten up, do you?" Clyde gave him a weird look and he opened one of the doors for Heila. 

The man took out his walkie-talkie and spoke into it. 

"He is okay. We are sending him back to the house now." He secured the talkie back into his belt and motioned the other bodyguards to get into the limo and Clyde got into the car.

Much later...

"Dinner is ready, sweetheart!" Evangeline called, and she sat down in the middle of the long dining table. Clyde tapped Heila to get her attention and she nodded. 

Clyde sat down in his seat and looked at his plate. 

"What is this?" He frowned at the strange food on his plate. 

"That's caviar, sweetheart." Evangeline pushed a plate of normal spaghetti to Heila, who didn't mind eating it. She twirled the saucy noodles with her fork and dug in. Clyde looked at her enviously and looked at the strange balls on his plate. 

"What's wrong honey? Do you not like the food?" Evangeline looked worried and clapped for one of the servants.

"No, I-" 

"Get him something different. NOW!" Evangeline snapped at the servant and the servant looked scared. He whisked the plate of food away and Heila was halfway done with her meal already. 

"Mother-"

"Here, Clyde. Lobster." Evangeline smiled once again and started eating her caviar. Clyde frowned and ate the lobster without complaints. That spaghetti looked good. I didn't want this. He thought. 

When it was time to go to bed, Clyde laid on his bed, staring at his ceiling. 

"I wish I could get out of this nightmare already." He murmured and fell asleep. He never knew that his dream would come true though.