LIA POV
“Why are you being so stubborn. You're becoming impossible to deal with. I don't understand why you're acting up when my campaigns are just around the corner. I guess it's a man. You're seeing a man right?” he yelled.
My eyes were on the floor. What was I supposed to do or say. I would never put Greg in trouble. My hands massaged my burning cheeks while my I raised my face to slowly survey the environement. I guess he got window of what I was doing as his eyes moved around as well. He must have realized that we were starting to get people's attention so he motioned to me to open the house which I did. When we had gotten in, he looked around my apartment.
“I knew it, a man was here. I can feel his scent all over the place. You even played video games,” he said and let out a sinister laugh.
“What do you want, Mister Pat? I'm sorry for not showing up last night. I was extremely tired so I decided to rest in,” I lied.
“And the video games?” he questioned.
“One of my new female friends from work came over to check up on me and we played games,” I replied. He chuckled then approached me slowly. When he was near, like three feet from me, he held my jaw and brought me close.
“There's one thing I passionately detest and that is lie. Remember how I tortured you when you were in college for lying about that cute little guy, Dave,” he said.
“It wasn't a lie. I truly had nothing to do with Dave. You simply delight in torturing people,” I replied.
“Really?!” he said and gave me another dazing slap. The next minute, I found myself on the sofa. He loosened his belt and climbed onto the sofa.
No! I won't allow it anymore. Whatever energy I have left in me would be to fight Pat Richardson. I'm done satisfying his lustful sexual cravings. Greg's face flashed through my mind when he said, Lia, you're a strong, courageous and beautiful woman. Don't let any man tell you or treat you otherwise. At least, I had one person who believed I was strong. I was always misjudged my entire life. Everyone felt I was too proud because my family was rich or I was simply a sadist.
“I'm not doing this with you today!” I screamed, fighting to get out of his grip. Despite getting older, Pat was becoming stronger.
“Did you think you'll get away with destroying my party file? Do you know the amount of work I put into getting that document, you rascal,” he said, moving his hand to hit me the third time. I stopped him midway and hit him but his groin. He screamed loudly then I got up. The. he grabbed my left leg when I made to run but the doorbell rang.
“Delivery for Miss Lia,” the delivery man said. This was my chance. I should get away fast. I hit his nose with my leg and got out of his grip. Then I raced towards the door, opened it and ran off, leaving the delivery man confused by the doorway. I didn't know where I was running off to nor did I notice that the button of my blouse had rolled off, leaving out a bigger part of my cleavage. I was glad I escaped. Finally, I was standing up for myself. Damn the consequences! I was Don being a sex slave. Pat was an obsessed man. I had become his trophy. My refusal meant he had lost and boy! did he hate losing to anyone. He was a psycho.
I raced into the park and found an empty chair under a tree. The wind was blowing terribly as if marking my big break from the shackles that held me captive in Pat's clutches. I had said No. I had refused him twice. He could do nothing to me at this point because his campaigns were drawing near. He wouldn't want to jeopardize his chances of becoming the next senate president. I was starting to get a hold on how to handle him. My next problem was Fred.
SEVEN YEARS AGO
“Get yourself new toiletries. My girlfriend would be visiting tomorrow so treat her nice,” Fred said after sleeping with me for the sixth time. I threw my bedside lamp at him but he had shut the door before it could reach him.
“Screw you useless man,” I cursed and broke down in tears. “Why did you leave so early mother?”
********
“Hey babe! Meet my little sister, Lia,” he said introducing me. Then he turned to face me, “ my girlfriend, Anna.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” she said, moving her eyes sharply like an eagle, I felt she would swallow me. I could tell at that very minute that she disliked me.
“Sorry, girls. I have to take this call,” Fred said, leaving us in the living room while he strolled into an adjourning room.
“So you're the Lia everyone's been talking about?” she said, raising her hand as a quote and emphasizing my name. “There's nothing special about you though,” she said sipping her juice.
“If you don't mind, I'll take my leave,” I said and stood to leave.
“Why will you do that? From what I heard, Fred said you were formerly this house’s maid before you got lucky so you must be a good cook. Get me something. I’m famished,”_ she ordered. I scoffed which irked her. “Clara, please get Miss Anna something to eat. She's obviously famished,” I called out to the maid in the kitchen and started walking.
“You're more daft than Fred had informed me. I said you should make my meal not any maid. For goodness sake, it shouldn't be hard since you were once one,” she said. She had gotten on my nerves because I didn't know what the hell she wanted from me. I was starting to boil.
“I don't take orders from you. I don't even know you. This is not your house and I am the daughter of this house so if you're uncomfortable with anything here, butt out!” I said but Fred walked in.
“But you take orders from me. The woman wants you to make her meal so beat it,” he said. I glared at him for what seemed like hours and he did the same as if it was a staring contest.
“We have maids to do that. I don't have to prepare a meal for your girlfriend who is obviously rude to me on our first day of meeting,” I said.
“Did you think she had to be nice to you in the first place?”