Chapter 40 40. Resentment!
Saintilia’s POV
After that day, Emilio didn’t visit for a while. Bus something shifted between me and Tina. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but there was a fragile, quiet tension in the atmosphere between us since then. It was subtle, yet significant enough. Although we had never been particularly close, our relationship was based on genuine respect and mutual understanding.
I tried to comprehend her intricate personality and had mostly managed to avoid disagreements, mainly because I found her unpredictable temper difficult to handle. Tina was a complex individual wrapped in mystery. She rarely gave clear answers, preferred to be alone, and had limited patience. Traits that was disturbing to me. I knew nothing about her past before she moved in with me following Jonas's death.
We never talked about her background during the few times we interacted. I was fifteen years younger than her, but I often felt I was more mature than she was. I valued her daily presence and the comfort of having someone close by, yet Tina was never satisfied with my gratitude. She constantly expected me to thank her, believing she was making great sacrifices in her life to take care of me.
The reality was quite different from what was perceived. Tina did not contribute to household chores or responsibilities. All the necessary tasks, including cooking, cleaning, laundry, fetching water, tending the garden, and selling at the market, were solely my responsibility, and I did these to ensure our survival. Tina relied on me for all errands and household duties, often taking my efforts for granted.
Our relationship resembled that of a servant and her demanding employer. I was aware, without doubt, that Tina did not care for me, and the most selfish person I knew. In every significant aspect, I acted as the primary adult in our household, despite being compelled to express gratitude to the woman who was, in reality, dependent on me.
She maintained that she was Jonas's younger sister, yet Jonas never mentioned her during his lifetime. Tina asserted that we had met when I was younger, a statement that puzzled me because I have a prolific memory. I could not recall any such meeting. Her sudden appearance always puzzled me and never questioned her intentions; I was dealing with too much to ask until it became clear that she wasn’t what she claimed to be. I accepted her into my home, not because I trusted her, but because of an unspoken, deep-rooted longing driven by the grief and confusion following Jonas’s death.
In the beginning, Tina presented herself as an unexpected, yet deeply reassuring, figure of support. She expressed that she was driven by a deep sense of responsibility and made a firm promise to remain by my side until I reached the age of eighteen or got married. Back then, I was utterly vulnerable, reeling from loss and uncertainty, and I was strangely comforted by her presence.
As time passed, our relationship did not improve or change for the better. However, after Emilio began frequenting our home, a sense of bitterness and resentment started to develop in her, directed specifically at me. I was not aware why and tried hard to understand what she expected from me and whether she had made some secret agreement with Emilio. Whatever arrangement or deal they made together, it seemed to have changed her view of me in ways I could not comprehend, creating a distance that was difficult to bridge.
Tina's resentment was becoming undeniable, a fact so clear that even Adeline picked up on the sudden chill between us. I kept thinking intensely about why she was so hostile towards me. Was it just because she was jealous of Emilio's attention to me, which was barely; or was there something more profound, and sinister behind her attitude? Maybe I was overanalyzing her guarded behavior.
Emilio’s visits became more frequent and her interactions with him were now noticeably warmer. Her mood brightened and shone like a newly dawned day. Emilio became a frequent visitor, always arriving with fresh produce and occasionally delightful treats he thought we might like. His conversations with Tina were longer and more genuinely engaging, even though he stubbornly insisted that the sole purpose of his visits was to win me over. His actual approach seemed to contradict his stated goal; it would have made far more sense to me if he had paid more attention to me, rather than to Tina.
While she wasn't overly friendly, we had at least achieved a mutual understanding and respect for our boundaries. I didn’t know what Emilio was feeding her mind; her demeanor made me wonder if I had entirely misunderstood Tina’s character all along. Her frequent, sharp glances in my direction, often followed by an impatient eye roll, carried a clear, unspoken message of resentment.
In this humble abode since Father’s passing, I willingly took up the heavy responsibility of tending to our small vegetable farm and the bustling chicken coop that provided us with sustenance and trade. Our yard was surrounded by bountiful trees like mango, coconut, breadfruit, and avocado in such abundance that we never lacked food. Here in the village, we were far from destitute. Still, her persistent resentment clung to her like a second skin, leaving me baffled and deeply hurt by the sheer lack of appreciation for all the tireless labor I poured into our survival.
In the depths of my mind, I kept searching for the cause of her lingering displeasure. Memories flooded back, returning to the time she and Adeline found me. She wept because I was hurt and watched over me during the agonizing days of my recovery. We were surprisingly on good terms before that dreadful incident. Afterward, I was convinced we were growing closer, and she began to open up to me a little. When did her attitude shift from protective care to this cold annoyance that marred her face whenever she looked at me.
Despite all the tension, I never treated her with disrespect. I avoided her gaze at all costs, hoping to dodge unprovoked confrontation. My temperament led me to recognize her as an unreliable, pitiful soul. Regardless of the turmoil brewing beneath the surface, I was bound to show her respect. The burden of family ties demanded that obedience and formality, no matter how much her behavior grated on my nerves.
The importance of Jonas’s absence weighed heavily on me, leaving me filled with doubt and confusion. I often wondered about my identity and the details of my past. My understanding was limited to incomplete bits of information, I had an uncle named Francois, whom I only heard mentioned briefly. The tragic death of my mother further deepened my sorrow and complicated my history, making it difficult to uncover any clear connection to my roots. And Jonas, gone, Just like that leaving me no trace of who I was and where I belonged.
Continue……….