Clouded Love

DEFEAT.

I couldn't believe it, the stinging pain on my face made me believe though. My own father, my only family left in this world didn't believe me, he didn't believe his own daughter, his only biological child. The tears only kept coming, the look on his face showed he was unapologetic for his actions. I looked at my step mom's face and she was grinning from ear to ear, how could my dad not see that?!........he believed her instead of me.

"Dad......, how could you?!" my voice came out croaky but I wouldn't stop, the slap did hurt but not as much as his distrust in me.

"You've become a nuisance Elaine, why don't you just stop all your childish attitudes and mature already......!!, you're 21 for Pete sake not 6 years old. Why can't you just realise that Kate and Helen are part of our family. This would be my last warning, the next time you try to destroy this family I will personally kick you out of my house!!!" he was yelling at this point, my dad never yelled at me before not to talk of hitting me.

My step-mom did this, she and her damn daughter...,they turned my father against me. I thought I could endure the shame and humiliation I go through everyday in this house but now I realize I couldn't, not when my dad always sides with them. I stared at my dad one last time before I ran up to my room slamming the door behind me. I took out my duffel bags and suitcase and began to pack all my belongings. All the while I was crying my eyes out, I didn't want to leave dad that's why I attended college here in New York. My dream was to study wildlife management in Africa because of their varsity in animals but I let it go so as to stay here with dad. After my mom died 5 years ago my dad became miserable, she died in an accident on her way back from my dad's office, at first we thought it was an accident but after investigation by the police we found out that her car was tampered with by someone who wanted to kill her but till now no one has been arrested for the crime and the police stopped the investigation years ago.

My dad grieved my mom's death for a long time, he wouldn't eat or even go to work, I was sixteen then but I understood what he was going through. I stayed with him must of the time so he had a shoulder to cry on, I didn't spend my free time with friends or going out to movies or parties I was always at my dad's side. He started to get better after a year or so, he took his position back in his company and worked harder, he dedicated his time to working and taking care of me as well. One day I got back from school to meet a lady with my dad, she introduced herself as Kate and that she worked in my dad's company, From thereon I started to see her often around the house until the bomb was dropped on me.........., Dad was marrying her!!!. At first I wanted to protest and refuse the marriage but I realised dad was really into her, he was really happy when she was around and that made me happy as well. After their marriage I saw the wolf beneath the sheep clothing, Kate was a nightmare she brought all sort of rules to frustrate the me, I couldn't leave without permission from her, my car was seized and I had to take the bus every time I went out, I had to study 5 hours a day after I got back from school and when dad was out on business trips she made me do all the house chores. When I confronted dad about it, he ignored me and told me whatever she did was for my own good. A year into their marriage things took a turn for the worst when her daughter moved in with us after a huge fight with her father over her spending habits, I thought dad would take a hint and refuse her moving in but boy........ was I wrong. She moved in with us and became her mum's little minion, she joined her mum in making my life miserable, she was only a year older than me but she got everything I wasn't supposed to have at my 'age'. Dad bought her a car and even doubled her allowances while I got nothing from him. My first car was given to me as a gift from my boyfriend on my graduation from highschool and it was way better than hers which only made her furious and hate me more, I've lived my life ignoring their insults and adjusted to them shaming me in front of my dad or my friends. But I couldn't do it anymore not even for a second, this had to end even if it meant breaking the promise I made to my mum. As I was packing my stuff, I heard my room door;