Chapter 140 BYE BYE EVIL WITCH
AMARA’S POINT OF VIEW.
“No!” The sound of my stepmother’s banshee-like screech jolts me from mt daydream and forces me to look in the direction it came from.
“You’re being difficult.” My dad said, and I saw Caroline stomping down the stairs like a petulant child, her face red as she clutched onto a chest filled to the brim with jewels. The damn thing was so full that some of the jewels spilled on the floor, and almost made her trip on it.
“Difficult?! Me?!” She screeched again, forcing me to place my hands on my ears at the ear-splitting feel of her voice. “You’re the one betraying me. Who the hell do you even think you are?!”
Seriously, must she screech so loudly???
Damn.
“This isn’t betrayal, Caroline, it’s the smartest thing to do, and I should never have let my existence spoil for such a long time. This is what's best for both of us.” My dad said, his tone calm and careful, almost like he was worried she would do something disastrous to either herself or him… hell, all of us!
I crouched low against the couch and hid so I could spy on them. Neither of them knew I was home. I told them I would not come home tonight and would be at Sloane’s instead. But I realised she wasn’t home, so I let Ace drive me back instead.
“You mean to tell me all these years we’ve spent together mean absolutely nothing to you?! We have been married for twenty-five years! How dare you do this to me, Benard?” She screeched again, the sound coming from her throat would be enough to shatter glass.
“My name isn’t even..” My dad said, exasperated, before he shook his head, his fingers digging into the spot between his eyes. “You know what, never mind. Just know I’ve made my decision. I suggest you make do with it.”
“You expect me to accept your divorce papers?! I’ll never take it, I swear on everything in me, I fucking won’t.” She said, dropping her chest and walking closer to my dad. My breath hitched as I pulled my phone out, flipped the camera open, and hit record.
For some reason, my instincts drive me to do it; I didn’t understand why, but I knew I had to be cautious.
“Come on, Benard…..we can be a happy family.” She pleased, her twinge in her eyes turning desperate as she rubbed on his arms. Her bony hands were on display, something she never did when I was around. Caroline has done enough plastic surgery to look even younger than me, but her hands always reveal her ageing secrets to the world.
And she hated it.
“Again, Caroline, that is not even my name.” My dad said, releasing himself from her hold. “I already told you, this is what we have to do to be smart. I am not happy in this marriage; I never was. And now, it's time we went our separate ways.”
“This is because of that brat, Amara, right?” She spat, letting her hands drop from his as her voice dripped with anger and malice. “I knew she would be trouble. If you’d just let me kill him years ago, this would not be happening. Your mind would not be so corrupted, and I would still have my husband.”
Fear washed over me as her confession struck me straight in the heart. She wanted to… kill me?
No wonder Dad never let me eat in his absence. Hell, my food, water, clothes, snacks… everything would come singlehandedly from him when I was in this house. And he would be the one to hand them over to me himself.
I hadn’t understood the reason then. Hell, I hated him for it, because I thought he was telling me I would never be a part of his family, that I would always be a stranger to him and his wife and son.
Guilt dug into my chest, as my lips curled in a sad pout. I can’t believe I spent so long resenting him for protecting me from her,
“How dare you bring this up again?!” My dad said, his voice suddenly raised as he yelled down at her. “You tried to do it once before, but luckily for me, I was able to stop you. And you swore never to bring this up again. You still dare….” He started, but stopped and let out an exhale. “Caroline, this is over. Pack your things and get the hell out of my house.”
He said, and moved to turn away when all of a sudden, she clutched onto him again. I could see her nails digging into his arms, but my dad didn’t appear affected. “I won’t go away quietly. I’ll ruin you for all you've got. I’ll take all the money, the properties….everything!”
“You can have them all, Caroline. I don’t give a damn, not anymore. You have cost me my happiness for long enough. It’s time I got rid of your evil ass.”
”If you leave me, Benard.” She said, calling a name that wasn’t even my dad’s in the first place. “I will lie. I’ll tell the world that you’re a rapist. That you raped me, and forced me to conceive our son. I won't stop till I’m sure your reputation is ruined, you’re separated from that brat, Amara, a nd your stupid childhood love. And you’re behind Bard all your damn life.” She vowed, and for the first time, I was thankful I pulled my phone to record.
Instantly, I flipped on the autosave button and made sure to share the video as it recorded to Seraphina and Sloane. If anything happened to my phone, I wanted a safe second and third copy.
“Caroline, " my dad called, his voice low in warning as he descended the two steps he’d climbed. “You will do no such thing.”
“Try me, Benard. I dare you.” She said, a victory smirk on her face.
A few seconds that felt like minutes passed between them, and all of a sudden, my father started laughing…the sound felt like it was liberating for him.
“Why the hell are you fucking laughing?” She asked, her tone confused. “What the hell's funny?!”
“You can do your worst, Caroline, I’m done with you.” My dad said, walking till he stopped in front of her. “I have suffered two decades and a half with you, in misery, pain, and torture. All I wanted was to be with the one woman I love, to have her in my arms forever. But I was such a coward. Years ago, I caved. I let my parents force me into marrying you, but now, I am the head of this family.
And I have decided, I no longer want you to be part of it.”
“How could you separate yourself from our son, Benard?”
“Our son?” My dad scoffed. “You mean the boy you had with my driver, you whore.” I could see her eyes widen at the revelation, as her mouth hung open.
“You knew….? How did….?” She started, but shook her head. “I do not know what you mean, Benard.”
“His fucking name is Benard, not me!” My dad yelled and turned to walk away.
All of a sudden, Caroline pulled out a long silver object. My eyes widened in horror and fear as I stared at her. My fingers dialled 911 instantly, even as my hands trembled out of fear of what could happen.
“I’d rather make the world think you’re a murderer than let you leave me. “ Next thing I knew, Caroline stabbed herself in the neck, and instantly, her body fell to the floor with a sick thud as her blood splashed from the open wound.