Chapter 76

Chapter 76
Dominique's POV
Red clouded my vision with each step I took out of the bar. Despite the large ma's of sweaty bodies that tried desperately to cling on to me, I successfully dodged them all. How I'd been able to do that, I had no idea. Perhaps it was the deep frown that had made my lips it's new abode, or the fistrd hands by my side. They stood limply by my side throughout my walk to the exit, but I guess from my body movement, the bar’s patrons knew better than to shove into me. Even if they had, just the slightest body movement was all it would have taken to tick me off. If I couldn't get over what had just happened like a normal human being by grieving, then perhaps violence would actually be the way.

My anger didn't subside even after I'd exited the bar. If anything, I became more aware of my predicament. Memories of what had just happened replayed in my mind and I groaned.

Was I stupid? How could I have done such a thing? Like that wasn't embarrassing enough, I just had to moan out her name. Out loud too.

Shielding my eyes from the torturous rays of the sun, I ducked till I was in my vehicle. My engine revved to life the moment I started the black Mercedes. Without wasting any more time, I pulled onto the road, with one destination in mind; the hospital.

I got to the hospital in record time and headed to one of the wards on the second floor. I'd been here a couple of times, so it was easy to find my way.

“Hey, Aunt Olivia.” I greeted, pushing open the door to let myself. “How are you?”

“Dominique?” It sounded more of a question than anything else, almost like she wasn't expecting me here. “Is that really you?”

“Yes, aunt.” I smiled before sitting down. Only when I was seated did I realize I'd just made the biggest mistake. I hadn't grabbed anything for her on my way here. “I came to see how you're doing.”

“Without any chocolates?” She chimed and I chuckled. “I knew you would forget, but I trust Florence. She would never.”

My smile disappeared immediately. Even in her absence, I was still plagued with her presence.

“Where is she?” My aunt's voice broke through my thoughts. “Did she come with you? I'd really love to see her.”

“No.” I let out abruptly. A little too abruptly if you asked me. “She's not here with me”

“Why?” Aunt Olivia sat up. I watched as she peered and tilted her head, trying to see if she could get a good look at the door. “ Are you trying to prank me? Where is Florence?”

“Don't ever mention her name!” I yelled and she flinched. “I don't ever want to hear her name again.”

“What?” She looked genuinely shocked. “What do you mean? Did something happen?”

“She's a slut aunt.” I spat, with nothing but pure venom in my throat. “And a wretched gold digger too. I don't ever want to hear you call her name.”

Florence's POV

“You can do this.” I muttered to myself. I inhaled deeply, exhaling some air from my lungs. They were currently burning up, but I couldn't do a lot for them except inhaling more fresh air, and so I did. “ You can do this. Just a little more and you'll be done.”

Lies. They were all lies from the pit of hell.

But what was I supposed to do? When I spoke of my chores being little, it actually helped me finish up faster. Even though faster sometimes translated into four or five hours later. Sometimes, it ran into the next day even.

I eyed the big bucket of clothes wearily. I'd been washing for the past hour now, and yet, it didn't look like I'd moved a muscle. Speaking of muscles, my body hurt so much that I could feel my bones crackle and bulge underneath my skin. If my knees decided to buckle right now, I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe if they did, I would finally get the rest and comfort I finally deserved. But seeing where I was, I doubted that could ever be possible. Even in a million years, I would still be stuck living a miserable life under these roofs.

What was I expecting? I muttered underneath my breath. In a family that hated me, was I really expecting some love and care, even when I'd done a huge sacrifice to prevent my father from being taken? Definitely not. I only thought in my absence, maybe they would realize just how valuable I was to them and how they should have treated me better.

Instead, I'd gotten something entirely different. I should have known I'd just walked into my own torture room when my step mother had asked me to stay. As stupid as it was, a tiny part of me had thought that they had realized their mistake and turned a new leaf. Even if it was only a tiny percent of their entire evil level.

“What do you think you're doing?” Someone's loud shrill pulled me out of my thoughts. Even without turning around to see who it was, I could already tell the outcome; it was going to end with me getting into trouble. “Are you dead?!”

I said nothing as the war raged behind me. If I was being honest, I was tired, too tired to even respond to whoever was calling out to me.

“Florence!” Someone's hands wrapped tightly against my arms. I yelped as their grip on my arm tightened. Like that wasn't enough torture, they spun me till I was face to face with the monster none other than Jenny. “Did you not hear me calling out to you?”

“I…” I was stuck between lying and telling her the truth. No matter which option I went with, the same end was inevitable. “Actually….”

The rest of my words got stuck in the back of my throat as Jenny's palm came colliding with my left cheek. My eyes widened as pain spread through my cheek and face. I blinked, and tears blurred my vision, the salty liquid on the verge of cascading down my cheeks.

“You insolent brat!” I could still hear Jenny's angry tone through the buzzing in my ears. “How dare you? What do you think you're doing lazing around over this minor task? Don't you know you have more work to do?”

“I was going to get to it.” I muttered. My voice was barely a whisper, so I doubted she could hear me. “ I was only catching my breath…”

“Catching your breath?” She scoffed. A string of laughter followed up her scoff and I felt my heart break into a million more pieces. “Now who gave you the right to do that?”

“What's going on here?” I groaned at the second voice that joined us. If I was doubting it earlier, this was all the confirmation I needed. I had officially been moved from frying pan to fire. “Jenny dear, what's going on? Why are you yelling? Who's gotten you so riled up?”

“Her.” Jenny's perfectly manicured finger dug into my side and I winced. I hadn't had so much as a morsel of food, so her jabbing at my empty stomach did nothing but send tendrils of pain around my body. “This bloody bastard thinks she's okay to just be lazy all day.”

“I'm not being lazy.” I sniffed. “ I've been working since I got up.”

“Work?” My stepmother cackled, her hazel eyes radiating nothing but pure evil. “You call this work? Trust me darling, you've barely started. I've got more for you.”

I pressed my eyes shut, I couldn't cry. Not now. Not in front of them.

“Oh, mother, she's crying.” The mockery in her tone didn't go unnoticed and it made my stomach churn. How could they be so heartless? Were they even humans at all? Did they even have feelings? “Look, she's crying like a little baby.”

“When you're done, you should sweep up the kitchen again.” Jenny's mother interrupted. “You can literally use the dust in here to make a sand painting of me. Fix it.”

“I already did.” I mumbled. “ I've mopped, swept and cleaned everywhere necessary. I did that before washing and…”

“Do it again.” Jenny interrupted her mother. “And not just once, twice.”

“But…”

“Don't you dare.” My stepmom interrupted. “When you're done with that, I want you to trim the bushes in the garden. I want them spotless.”

“I already did…”

“You're going to rewash all of these.” The tears were threatening to pour out at this time. “All of them and more. I've got some clothes, I'll go and get them more.”

”Jenny dear, there are more piles on my bed for her to wash too and…”

The sound of the doorbell ringing in the living room cut her short. With how things were going I wasn't exactly sure how to feel. I didn't want to be in their presence, but the last thing I wanted was for a visitor to see me with red eyes and a runny nose.

“Go on.” Jenny's mum dismissed me. “Go see who it is.”

And I did. Without wasting so much as a second, I waddled towards the living room door. The moment I got there, I yanked the door open, just to reveal…

“You.” The sight in front of me was all I needed to finally break down. Even with the number of tears that cascaded down my cheeks, it didn't stop me from recognizing who it was. “What are you doing here?”