I never again felt like a member of this family after my mother passed away.
"I don't think your father will ever listen to you, so you should never tell him about this."
I'm not sure how long I can put up with this kind of abuse. They are abusing me.
"I know you won't let me give you another blow, Violet."
Because of what they were doing to me, I was barely hanging on to my life and was on the verge of killing myself. Although they were not my family, I yet thought of them as such. I mistakenly believed that things would be the same after I had accepted them.
"Don't think about Violet so much, Mom. Let's get going."
My step-sister Midzy said, "Come on, Dad is waiting for us."
Yes, a stepdaughter.
That wasn't as unexpected as I had first anticipated it would be when we welcomed them into our family.
My stepmother, Ilena, poked my forehead with her pointing finger and she said, "Imprint in your brain that you are not related to us; you are so lucky that you still live here."
I didn't cry as I heard my room's door close; instead, I gave it some thought. I did nothing but comply with their instructions. Despite having a large staff of maids, they ordered me to clean and wash each item of clothes by hand.
When my cracked phone rang, I was still looking at the floor because I was in so much pain throughout my body, including my scalp, from Auntie Ilena's pulling. When I finally managed to stand up and saw that it was Dad who was calling, I immediately broke down in tears because the LCD of my phone had already developed a black dot due to Midzy's hard stumping.
In a much colder voice, he said, "Hello Violet, your mom told me that you're still in bed. Is everything okay?"
Dad changed after Mom passed away. In contrast to before, he barely even spoke to me. He claims to care about me, but his behavior belies this claim. I'm not sure what to say to him, but for some reason I hate him.
"Yes, I'm good. Have a good day, Dad."
"I'll bring you delicious stuff, all right. Just let the maids know if you need anything."
"M'kay."
I ended up sobbing while picking up the broken perfume that Mom gave me; it was made by Midzy; she kept telling her mother that it was from my boyfriend, and her mom thought it was, so Ilena broke it in front of me. At this point, I was too restrained to say that I wasn't fine and that I was broken inside.
The last thing I treasured and was clinging to is now broken.
"Ah--"
I sliced my finger on the glass I was picking, and I rapidly drank the blood that was dripping from it. Although it was a terrible idea, I had to fix this and cover it up. Otherwise, I won't have the least motivation to continue living.
-----
The following day,
Ilena rubbed my father's arm and whispered, "Dear, please reconsider. Midzy is much older than Violet. She has a lot to prove in her academic record."
Dad abruptly said that he was going to arrange for me to get married to some notorious millionaire as we were eating breakfast at the dining room table. Trillionaire? Whatever.
"No," he replied, "that's the future I'll give my child; it was decided."
Dad made a chilly remark, "Please know your level, Ilena."
Mindzy continued, appearing like a child pleading with her parents to provide for her wants, "But Daddy, Violet doesn't look too happy about the task you've given her, but I'll gladly take her task for you."
I wasn't even paying attention to them because I was more concerned with eating and thinking that it would be a wise choice for me to leave this house as well.
My stepmother was signaling to me with her large, wide eyes that appeared to be about to spring out as she stared at me; my father was looking at me, skeptical. "I humbly accept your offer, Father."
He didn't even look at me as he continued, "Very well then, the wedding will take place in a month and you'll meet him at the wedding reception."
It hurts me even though I understand that he only wants things to happen so he can concentrate on his new family. Mom and I used to discuss dating men when I grew older. When I was younger, he rejected the notion and disliked the prospect of me getting married young, but now he was only giving me away.
I walked up to him and said, "I'll just excuse myself, Father, thanks for the food."
Midzy, however, compelled me to sit down once more by tightly gripping my palm, forcing her nails into my skin, and cutting my hand. I was unable to respond appropriately because everyone was staring at me.
She said, "Because you're willing to embrace the mission your father has given you to finish."
And as I was listening to her, I had a nasty feeling about this.
She still held my hand, her nails digging into my flesh, stinging, "I was wondering if we could have a slumber party. To celebrate her youth one last time before Violet's wedding, if it's okay."
I grinned as my father turned to face me.
I said to her, "Yes, that would be great. Thank you for being a thoughtful sister."
I brushed my hand off of hers.
As she faced her so-called parents, she smirked and smiled madly, saying, "Anything for you, Sissy."
I again turned away from them and ascended the steps.
Perhaps an arranged marriage is not such a bad idea after all, I thought as I examined my hand, which was slightly bleeding.
After that, I was forced to turn and smacked the wall.
She punched me with her hands and shouted, "You think you're so good. Why did you disregard Mom when she told you, you shouldn't accept that offer? I should be the one to be married!"
Midzy would have attacked me, but I restrained her with the slightest bloodstain on my hand.
I pushed her as hard as I could and let her fall hard, saying, "Why should I listen to her? And the word came out from both of you that I'm not a part of this family, so I will be accepting "MY FATHER'S" offer only!" She glared at me.
I then said, "Deserved."