It was raining heavily when I got off work, but I had no time to wait for the rain to stop. I had to go back in time, or there would be severe punishment waiting for me. Last time I was less than five minutes late, and I was beaten so badly that I nearly couldn't lie down on the bed for a week. I didn't want to experience it again.
When I got home, my clothes were soaked. But I didn't go upstairs to change my clothes. Instead, I walked into the living room directly. Gerardo, Kaylie, and Frida were sitting in the living room.
Gerardo was my uncle, my father's younger brother. After my father died, he became the Alpha of Oneal. Kaylie was his wife, and Frida was their younger daughter.
Seeing me come in, Kaylie immediately questioned me with dissatisfaction, "Where have you been? Don't you know the time?"
I lowered my head. "Sorry. It's raining..."
"Stop finding excuses," Frida interrupted me. "And don't show that face again, like you are wronged. I'm really tired of it."
I stopped saying anything. Frida never liked me. No matter what I said or did, she just didn't like me. And so did Kaylie. If it had been a few years ago, I would have explained that I really didn't intend to. But that would irritate them, and eventually, Gerardo would get mad and beat me. And there was still punishment waiting for me after I got beaten.
So, for years, I had learned not to retort or explain. Silence was the best way to get me out of such circumstances. They would have let me go after the reprimand if I had been lucky.
It seemed that I was lucky this time. They didn't want to keep me there long.
"Go wash the dishes. Since you are late home, you don't deserve to have dinner." Kaylie didn't continue but sent me to the kitchen.
I thanked her and immediately ran into the kitchen. Staying in the living room made me unable to breathe. I didn't have time to think of why Kaylie had been so kind and let me go easily because there were a lot of dishes waiting for me to wash.
They didn't intend to wait for me for dinner at all. They knew when I got off work. Even if I did my best to rush home after work, I could never catch up with the dinner. But every time, they said it was because I hung around after work that I didn't have dinner. I could only eat some bread after I finished all the cleaning.
My clothes were still wet, and I shivered. I was hungry, tired, and cold. I was exhausted, but I knew I could not be able to take a warm bath until I finished all the work.
I began to sing. Every time I felt bad or exhausted, I sang. Singing made me feel good. It pumped me up so that I could hang in there. My mother used to say my voice was kissed by Moon Goddess. She taught me a lot of songs. Her voice was beautiful too, and we always sang together. But after she died, Gerardo and Kaylie didn't like my singing. I got beaten every time they heard me sing. So I rarely sang. But I was too tired to hold on. I couldn't help but sing a song my mother had taught me before. It gave me strength.
"I knew it. You pretend to be innocent, but this is how you hook up others."
I was frightened and turned around. Rangel stood next to the door, staring at me with his wretched smile. He sized me up and down.
I suddenly realized that my t-shirt was semi-transparent because of the rain and stuck on my body. I felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you." I wished Rangel could leave as soon as possible.
But he didn't intend to leave. Instead, he walked toward me.
"I didn't realize you were a big girl now." Rangel was getting closer and closer.
I was scared and didn't know what to do. He was the last one I wanted to meet in the house. He always looked at me with a strange expression, like he was looking at his prey. I got out to work early in the morning and came back late, trying to dodge him. Just now, I didn't see him in the living room. I thought he was out and was relieved. But I didn't expect him to come to the kitchen.
"Would you please excuse me? I still have a lot of work to do." I wanted to step backward, but the sink prevented me.
"Why are you so scared? You will like it." Rangel suddenly reached out his hands and pulled me toward him. He grabbed my wrist so that I couldn't get away. He lowered his head and approached the curl of my neck. I could feel his breath spray on my skin.
My whole body tightened. I used all my strength to try to push him away but failed. He was very strong.
"What are you doing?" It was Frida. I swore that I had never been so glad to see her.
"Mom told you to stay away from her, Rangel. She's a slut." Frida was furious.
Rangel released me reluctantly and turned to Frida with an I-don't-care expression. "Why are you here?" He was annoyed.
"Dad wants Cora to his study."
"Fuck! Now?"
"Yes. Dad said it was urgent."
"You are lucky today." Rangel gave me a ferocious stare and walked out of the kitchen.
I let out a sigh of relief. I had no idea why Gerardo wanted to see me. It was abnormal for him to ask me to go to his study after dinner. But I was still glad that I could get rid of Rangel.
"Mom is right. You are a slut. But you won't be able to seduce anyone soon." Frida glanced at me with disgust and turned around to leave.
I didn't understand what she meant, but I didn't ask. I knew she would not tell me anyway. I just followed her to Gerardo's study.
