Arranged

11

Dominic and I sat in the car outside my childhood home. It wasn't anything great, but it was something my father worked hard to achieve. Driving up, I noticed several rows of dead vines and cringed. Clearly my mother hadn't been able to keep up the crops after Rick died.

I chewed on my lip.

Nothing about the house looked different. Single story, white with tan trim. My mother's new Lexus was parked out of the garage. I tried to push down the rage I felt towards her. I tried to tell myself it wasn't her fault. She was doing what she thought was best for me. Still, seeing the material things they bought with the money that came from selling me to the royals, my blood boiled.

I smoothed my curly hair down and tried to get a grip on myself. All I wanted to see was my childhood home, but all it had become was a nightmare. It was where my father died, where my mother allowed that prick to beat us both, where I was sold.

I hated it.

I didn't want to hate it, but I did.

"Are you alright?" Dominic asked.

I met his amber eyes and shook my head. "I don't think so."

"You don't have to do this right now. I can go get your dress and head to the church."

I considered his offer. As much as I didn't want to go inside, I knew I had to. I owed it to my mother to check on her. I never called when I received the news about Rick. I wondered how mad she was that I didn't show him any respect in death.

"I need to see her."

"Okay," he said and pushed open his car door.

I followed suit, knowing I was supposed to wait for him to open my door. I didn't care. We weren't in the public eye; it was just a farm girl returning home for a couple days. I didn't need the opulence of my royal life.

As we walked up the cement driveway, my mother stepped out of the house. She looked different than I remembered. She was remarkably thin. Her dress hung on her frail frame and her cheek bones were far more pronounced. Her blonde hair was listless and she appeared to be half dead. I was shocked enough to stop dead in my tracks when I saw her. Dominic glanced over at me, confused as to why I stopped.

Then I saw it.

The anger and contempt she held in her eyes.

"Finally decided to show up?" She asked bitterly.

"What happened to you?" I asked.

"You killed him!" She screamed, coming completely unhinged in a flash.

I was caught so off guard by her outrage and hatred towards me, I froze. Dominic positioned himself slightly in front of me, ready for anything.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"I know it was you, Amina! You sent your guards here to kill Rick! How could you do this to me?!"

"I didn't send anyone," I shot back. "As much as I wish I killed that asshole myself, I didn't."

"How can you say that about him? He provided for us! He loved you!"

"Loved me?" I seethed. "Are you out of your fucking mind? You know what he tried to do to me!"

Dominic's attention shot to me for a moment and I realized what I said. I had never told anyone what started my hatred for Rick. My mother found me trying to fight him off. I was lucky enough that he stopped when my mother came in the room.

She scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, Amina. He never would have touched you."

A deep rage burned in my veins. I clenched my fists in an attempt to suppress my anger.