DID YOU EVER(arranged marriage)

CHAPTER 13

I love night drives.

The streets of Sandbury were always set aglow with bright lights from the tall skyscrapers and vibrant shops. The night life was something to participate in as you'd see teens and young adults flood the streets and the nearest bars and karaoke shops.

I was unfortunate to never experience and enjoy such thrill. My whole life I was always fixed on one thing and one thing only, making my father happy. Even when I was finally free to explore back in college, I always had to be forced to leave my room.

The torment shaped me and when I thought adulting meant liberty, he managed to control that part of my life too.

And there I was, a wife feeling anxious that my husband has brought his mistress home.

I chuckled at how pathetic it sounded in my head and rubbed my temples in exhaustion.

Carl called me earlier stating he'd be back from his mom's wedding on Thursday and I couldn't help but express how much I had genuinely missed him. I ended up ranting on the call about how I either issued myself a death warrant by filling in for his meeting or a hefty praise.

Carl did cheer me up as usual but I couldn't bring myself to tell him about the woman i was going to meet in a few minutes. Biting the insides of my mouth, I stared at the message again and let out a deep breath.

''Are you alright, ma'am?" The cab driver asked me and I smiled. He looked at me through the window and I nodded. His eyes went back to the road and I hang my head on the headrest of the seat.

''Is it that obvious that I'm not okay?" I suddenly asked him with a chuckle and he looked at me once more.

He looked like he'd be in his early 50s with a balding head and grey beard, he had this friendly aura and weird enough even though he was a total stranger I felt comfortable. He looked at me through the window again and began to turn up the radio.

Cool 90s music began, strange enough the music reminded me of my mom and how Roland, my brother and I would come home from school hear good ol' Westlife would fill the halls. I remembered how her dark brown hair would bounce as he swayed to the beat of Uptown girl.

I could recall her laughter, so cheerful like there was no care in the world. She would spin my brother and I around and around till we got tired and all collapsed to the floor in exhaustion. There was so much life when she was around, now that's all a distant memory haunting me, tearing every bit and part of me.

''Its all your fault, they're dead because of you. You should have never been born'' I recalled father saying, I recalled how terrified I was, scared that he'd hit me or do worse. Part of me wished I had treaded to that side with Roland and my mom, part of me thought I'd join them soon enough due to the intense hatred father held towards me.

But he offered me something else, atonement. He called it atonement to my mistakes. I had to give up something so dear to me.

''Ma'am, we're here'' The cab driver alerted me and I noticed I was right in front of the Ramirez mansion.

I paid the fare and he wished me good luck as he drove off.

Sighing deeply, I went through the gates and into the house. I froze at the doorway to look around for any change or human in sight. Luckily I found none and decided to quickly make my way up. The day had been dreadfully long and all I wanted to do was rest. 

Just as I got to the staircase, my name was called and I froze midway. It wasn't the usual deep velvety voice I was expecting but something much lighter, much feminine.

I looked down the stairs and sure enough someone was there. A certain someone with wet bleached blonde hair, a slim petite figure and wore nothing but a bathrobe stared at me with an empty look on her face. She looked weirdly familiar and not familiar at the same time.