After my mother died, I never once again considered myself a part of this family.
"You should never tell your father about this, and I don't think he'll ever listen to you."
I don’t know how long I will endure this kind of mistreatment.
They are doing it to me.
"I know you won't let me give you another blow, Briella."
I was barely holding on to my life, so close to taking it myself because of what they were doing to me.
I considered them as a family, but they were not like that to me.
I accepted them wholeheartedly and I thought they would be the same, but I was wrong.
"Come on Mom, let's go! Forget that piece of shit."
Selma's catching her breath as she was looking at Briella.
"Come on, Dad is waiting for us." Amara, my stepsister, spoke up with annoyance in her voice.
Yes, stepsister. Her attitude wasn't as surprising as I thought it was before accepting them into our family.
"Imprint in your brain that you are not related to us. You are so lucky that you still live here." My stepmother, Selma, said while poking my head with her fingers in every space she said in that sentence.
And as I heard the door of my room close, I didn't cry but rather thought of it well.
I did nothing but follow all their orders.
We had a bunch of maids but still let me do the cleaning and even wash every piece of clothing by hand.
I couldn't stand because of the extreme pain in my body, including my scalp, because Selma tweaked me, and as I tried to stand up, and as I successfully did, I saw the caller, and it was Dad, and I started crying as its LCD already had a black dot because of the hard stumping made by Amara.
"Hello Briella, your mom told me that you're still in bed."
"Is everything alright?" He asked me in a much colder tone.
When Mom died, Dad changed. He barely even talked to me, not like before.
He says that he cares for me, but this is contrary to the action he shows.
I don’t know what to say to him, but I resent him for some inexplicable reason.
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Enjoy your day, Dad."
"Hmm, okay you too. Just tell the maids there if you need anything. I'll bring you good stuff, okay?"
"M'kay."
I was too restrained at this point to say that I wasn't fine and that I was broken inside, so I ended up crying myself out while picking up the broken perfume that Mom gave me; it was made by Amara; she kept telling me that it was from my boyfriend, and her mom thought it was, so Selma broke it in front of me.
It was the last thing I cherished and was holding onto, but now it's broken.
"Ah--"
I quickly sucked the blood dripping from my finger because I was cut by the glass I was picking.
It was such a counterproductive idea, but I needed to fix this and hide it.
Otherwise, I will not have the slightest reason to go on with life.
-----
The next day,
"Dear, please reconsider. Amara is much older than Briella. She has a lot to prove in her academic record." Selma said as she stroked my father's arm.
We are now sitting at the dining table, and we are in the middle of breakfast when Dad suddenly said that he was planning to set me up for marriage with some infamous billionaire. Trillionaire? Whatever! I couldn't care less.
"No, it was decided, and that's the future I will bestow upon my child!"
"Please know your level, Selma." My dad made a cold remark.
"But Daddy, Briella doesn't look too happy about the task you've given her, but I'll gladly take her task for you," Amara said, looking like a child begging her parents to feed her needs.
I didn't even mind them as I was more focused on eating and thinking it would be a great decision too so that I could get out of this house as well.
"I humbly accept your offer, father."
My father was staring at me, unconvinced, and my stepmother was staring at me as well, signaling me with her big rounded eyes that seemed to be about to pop out.
"Very well then, the wedding will take place in a month and you'll meet him at the wedding reception." He said, not even looking at me.
I know he just wants this to happen so that he can focus on his new family, but it pains me.
Mom and I used to talk about growing up and dating a man.
He was then opposed to the thought and didn't like the idea of me being married at a young age, but now he was just giving me away.
"I'll just excuse myself, father, thanks for the food," I said to him and stood up.
But Amara stopped me by holding my hand tight, making her nails dig into my skin, making some cuts on my hand, but I couldn't react properly because they were all looking at me and I was forced to sit down again.
"Because you're willing to accept the task your father has assigned you to complete," she explained and I had a bad feeling about this as I was listening to her.
"I was wondering if we could have a slumber party. To celebrate her youth one last time before Briella's wedding, if it's okay. " She asked, and she was still holding my hand, and her nails were buried in my skin, and it stings.
Dad was looking at me, and I smiled.
"Yes, that would be great. Thank you for being thoughtful, sister. " I said to her as I let go of her hand.
"Anything for you, Sissy?" She said, smirking and smiling like a lunatic as she faced her so-called parents.
I turned my back to them once again and went up the stairs.
As I looked at my hand, which bled slightly, I thought, maybe an arranged marriage is not a bad idea after all.
Then I was turned by force and made to hit the wall.
"You think you're so good. Why did you ignore Mom when she said you shouldn't accept that offer? I should be the one to get married!" She yelled angrily as she smacked me with her hands.
Amara would have beaten me, but I held her hand with my hand that had the slightest tint of blood.
"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!" I said and pushed her as hard as I could and let her fall hard.
She was glaring at me.
Then I smiled at her, "Deserved."
