Bed of Nails

Chapter 52

Let the drama begin.

I let him drag me along with him. I'm going to let him do what he wants for a few more minutes. Fergus opened the door, and we kept standing in the distance to welcome them. He kept holding my hand tight in his. I covered my neck with my other hand. I can't let anyone see that ugly mark. The first person I saw when the door opened was my father. My mood became sour looking at his face. 

"Erick," he said, overjoyed. I'm so used to seeing his stoic expression that this overjoyed one was making me uneasy. Erick gave him a firm nod. His green orbs found me, and there it was. He smiled at me, and I looked away. If I could, I would avoid him for the rest of my life. Only if I could. Lilly and Sabrina were by his side. I could see them when the doors were wide open. My mood became slightly better looking at their faces. "Grace'' Sabrina came running to me when her eyes found mine. Like always, she jumped on me. My eyes widened when she did that. My steps stumbled back words, and my back was pressed to a firm chest. He held me from the back, stopping me from falling. She hugged me tightly. I felt thankful for him at that moment, or else we both would have ended up on the floor. But I was not going to show him my appreciation. He deserves my coldness. Instead, I decided to concentrate on my little sister. A huge smile formed on my lips. She is becoming taller day by day. Now she reaches into my chest. A big smile formed on my face, and I rested my chin on her head and hugged her back with the same amount of affection. She is the only one whom I love unconditionally. Next, I hugged my stepmother. 

"How have you been, dear?" she asked while making soothing circles on my back. She was never my mother, and she never tried to be one. But she has always tried to be my friend, and I have let her into the high walls I have built around me. 

"I'm good. How are you?" I asked after breaking the hug. 

"I'm good, and you are looking gorgeous," she said while moving her eyes all over me. I thanked her. My dad was looking at me, but I didn't utter a word of greeting. He kept looking at me, but I ignored his presence. 

"Erick" Sabrina went and hugged him. He smiled down at her, and that was a genuine smile. Back then, when she was a toddler, I used to take her to his house to play. 

"I'm so happy that both of you are getting married," she said excitedly. 

"Kiddo, you have grown up so much," he said, then patted her back. 

"Soon I will be as tall as you." She grinned at him. He smiled in amusement. Sabrina had the power to make even a stone smile. 

"Let's go inside". I took Sabrina's hand and took both my mother and daughter inside. Erick and Dad followed us inside. We all walked into the living room. It was warm inside, hiding us from New York's chilly nights. We all settled in. 

"Why don't you give them a tour of the house?" Erick asked me with a tight smile on his lips. He wants me to show them the house. Is he kidding me? I lost myself in this house five times this morning. A dry chuckle left my mouth. 

"You want me to show them your bedroom and then the dining area because this is the only place I have seen until now?" I taunted with a tight smile on my lips. Imitating his action. His jaw clenched when I said that. I glared at him. I could feel my father's and Lily's eyes on me when I said that. I remember him asking me to behave in front of my father. I will listen to him. My father's approval doesn't matter to me anymore. The old Grace who did it was dead a long time ago. 

"Let me complete my sentence, doll," he said with a tight smile on his face. The last part put a bitter taste in my mouth. It brought those pasts in front of my eyes, but I blinked them away. I hate his endearment. 

"With Furgus. He will show you the house until I discuss important matters with your father," he said while looking me straight in the eye. As if he were warning me. He wanted me to play the role of his cute little obedient fiancee. I rolled my eyes. 

"Good thing, because I'm least interested in your important matters," I said while finger-quoting the word important. I didn't even want to be here. 

"Just please keep me off your list of topics of discussion. I don't want two people who care nothing about me to discuss me," I said with a sarcastic smile on my face and then stood up. I called Farguse and asked us to show the house. He looked at his master, Erick, first for his approval. He nodded at him with his jaw still clenched. His eyes were burning holes in my body. 

"Let's go," I said to Sabrina and Lily. Sabrina was the first to stand up to follow me. I grabbed a glass of refreshment from the helper and started walking away from them. I didn't turn back to look at him. Fergus walked quickly forward to lead the way. I walked without any care. Sabrina came forward and grabbed my hand. I smiled, looking down at her. We followed Fergus. He showed us around. This house is so huge. There was a big, enormous pool with a glass garden attached to it. He next showed us a mini-theatre and then a gaming room. Gym and other amenities that were present in the house. Nothing was making me excited, as, on the other hand, Lilly and Sabrina liked the house. It was not giving me a homely feeling but a show of the money. It was not a home; it was a house, which he bought with his billions of dollars. I'm sure I'm going to get lost here. I just want people to find me if that happens. 

"Are you ok?" Lily asked me when we were coming back to the living room. 

"I'm trying to be," I said with a tight smile on my face. 

"Don't be so hopeless. One day everything will be the way you always wanted it to be," she said while squeezing my arm, giving me hope. 

"I wish I could be like this, hopefully," I said with a sad smile on my face. She was always a positive thinker. But my everyday begins with negative thoughts. 

"One day you will be, and I will pray that day comes soon," she said while moving her hand on my back. One day. I don't know if that day will be the last day of my life. The hope of ending this miserable life. They stopped talking, noticing our presence. It seemed like some heated conversation was going on. Dad's face was pissed. It looked like he was trying to control his anger. We're as relaxed as Erick looked. Lilly sat beside him, putting her hand on his back as if trying to relax him. He smiled at her and then at Sabrina, who was sitting beside his mother. I sigh and then sit at a distance from Erick. He eyed the distance between us with glaring eyes. His cold blue eyes didn't appreciate that I was not acting like his obedient fiancee. 

"Dinner is ready to be served,'' he told him. His eyes steady on him waiting for his command. 

"Thank god! I'm hungry. Let's go," Sabrina said, standing up. 

"Sabrina," Lilly said, stopping her. Her face turned red. We all chuckled. 

"I'm hungry too. Let's go.'' I said to support her. We all stood up. Fergus showed them the way. I followed them, but before I could enter, Erick took hold of my hand and pulled me to the side. My face grimaced in annoyance.

Now what does he want from me?

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