"I'm begging you, don't fire me! What did I do wrong? I'll do anything to make it right," I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. This job was my lifeline, and I had no idea where I'd find another one.
"I'm sorry, Evarister, but we have to let you go for the good of the orphanage," Mrs. Keystone said, her expression firm but sympathetic. I fought back tears as I clutched the termination letter.
"Please, tell me what I did wrong. I'll fix it, I promise. I can't afford to lose this job," I begged, but she remained resolute.
"You're no longer an employee here, effective immediately. Please leave," she said, gesturing towards the door. I was stunned - Mrs. Keystone had always been kind and supportive, but now she seemed distant and cold. I sensed that someone had manipulated her into this decision.
"Tell me the truth, why are you doing this? What's going on?" I pressed, but she evaded my questions.
"If you have issues with the Tarrent family, perhaps you should address them. But please, just leave. We don't want any trouble," she said, her voice firm.
Suddenly, it clicked - Greene's parents must be behind this. I couldn't believe they'd stoop so low. I gathered my belongings and left the office, feeling defeated.
In the staff room, Kelvin asked where I was going. "Home," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. I said a few quick goodbyes to colleagues before boarding a taxi and heading home, my mind reeling with questions and fears.
As the cab came to a stop at my house, I stepped out and paid the driver, my movements heavy with the weight of the day's events. Inside, I found my family gathered in the living room - my sister, her husband, and my parents, all deep in conversation.
My mom looked up as I entered. "What brings you home so early?" she asked, but I just shook my head and kept walking.
"I lost my job," I muttered, not slowing down. I escaped to the solitude of my room, shutting the door behind me. The comments and questions from my family faded into the background as I collapsed onto my bed, feeling drained and defeated.
Life seemed to be piling up against me, and my main priority now was to find a new job - a daunting task, I knew. But I refused to waste my energy on tears and regrets. No use crying over spilled milk, I thought. Instead, I steeled myself for the challenges ahead, determined to move forward.
One thing I knew for sure - I wouldn't let Greene's parents get away with this. They had asked me to keep my distance from their son, and I had respected their wishes. But instead of leaving me alone, they had chosen to use their wealth and power to attack me, trying to destroy my career. That was a step too far, and I was ready to stand up for myself.
Just then, my sister Melody walked into my room, and I sat up, preparing for a confrontation. "So, Eva, mom's been telling me about the shame you're bringing to this family," she began, her tone accusatory.
"Melody, not now," I sighed, my energy reserved for more pressing matters. I got up from the bed, and sat down facing my laptop
"So you've lost your job and still think it's appropriate to bring shame upon our family?" she taunted, her derisive tone ruffling the feathers of my already frayed nerves.
"Leave me alone, Melody," I muttered, my attention fixed on the computer screen before me. "I'm trying to find a new job, and I'm not in the mood for this."
But my sister was relentless, her biting words as sharp as daggers. "You bring nothing but shame to this family, You're comfortable disgracing this family, aren't you? I'm surprised mom and dad haven't disowned you yet, considering all the trouble you've caused." she hissed, her voice filled with a disdainful scorn.
"Enough!" I snapped, the last vestiges of my patience finally dissolving. "I may have lost my job, but that doesn't give you the right to talk to me like this. I'm still your older sister, and just because you got married before me doesn't give you the right to disrespect me. Show some respect."
Melody's eyes narrowed, her anger simmering just below the surface. "Respect?" she spat, her words dripping with vitriol. "You don't deserve my respect. You bring nothing but embarrassment to our family."
"Leave me alone!" I roared, rising from my seat, my patience shattered into a million pieces. "You have no respect for me, and I refuse to tolerate your disrespectful behavior any longer. Get out of my room!" But Melody didn't budge. Instead, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "She hit me!" I was taken aback, confused by her sudden outburst.
My parents and her husband rushed into the room, responding to Melody's cries for help. "Mom, she hit me!" Melody repeated, fake tears streaming down her face and I was stunned. "I was just trying to advise her, and she lashed out at me!" she added, her voice dripping with deceit. I couldn't believe she would stoop to lying about me, manipulating our parents and her husband with her false accusations.
"Why would you resort to physical violence against your sister?" my dad thundered, his face red with anger.
"I didn't hit her!" I protested, my voice rising in frustration. "I only told her to leave my room after she disrespected me." I glared at Melody, seething with anger at her manipulation.
But my parents weren't having it. "Even if she disrespected you, you have no right to shout at her or touch her, especially since she's carrying our grandchild," my mom chastised, her voice shrill. I knew they'd take Melody's side, blind to her deceit.
My dad's words cut deep. "You think you deserve respect? You're nothing but a failure, a walking corpse waiting to be buried." I felt a surge of anger and hurt at his cruel words.
With every ounce of strength I had, I shouted, "Get out of my room!" and grabbed my baseball bat, charging at them. They scurried out, seeking safety from my wrath. I slammed the door shut, locking them out, and leaned against it, my heart racing with emotion.
I let out a anguished cry, "No!" Frustration and despair washed over me as I realized my parents had no empathy for my struggles. Losing my job was bad enough, but now this? Their harsh words cut deep, making me feel like I meant nothing to them.
Melody, their golden child, had always been the favored one - beautiful, married to a wealthy man, and now carrying their grandchild. I, on the other hand, felt like I was living in the shadows, my own beauty hidden behind the struggles of my life. It seemed like the world was conspiring against me, and I couldn't catch a break.
Seething with anger, I grasped the baseball bat tightly and resolved to confront Greene's parents about their role in my dismissal. I strode into my wardrobe and donned a menacing outfit: black trousers, a white shirt, and a black jacket. To complete the look, I applied some intimidating makeup and slipped the baseball bat into my bag, along with a hat. I finished the ensemble with my black boots, exuding a formidable aura.
As I marched through the living room, the atmosphere grew tense, and everyone avoided eye contact. I ignored them and continued out the door, making my way to the garage. There, I found my motorcycle, freed it from its chain, and roared it to life. With my bag and helmet securely in place, I mounted the bike and sped off towards Greene's parents' mansion, driven by a burning desire for confrontation.
Motorcycling was once my passion, but a crash a year ago forced me to hang up my helmet. Now, with my life in chaos, I've lost my fear of risk. I'm speeding through the streets of Nova, weaving past cars and embracing the rush.
With the wind in my hair and the roar of the motorcycle beneath me, I found solace in the danger, my reckless abandon a defiance against the constraints of societal expectations.
In my mind, the city of Nova, a microcosm of Vega itself, was a crowded, buzzing hive of activity, its modernity and growth a testament to the progress of the country. But despite its advancements, the shackles of traditional values clung to my life, its demands and expectations stifling my freedom and happiness.
At 26, I'm still young, but everyone seems to think I'm overdue for marriage. The fact that my younger sister tied the knot only adds to the scrutiny. But I refuse to be bound by these norms. My life has been unconventional, and I won't conform to please others.
Eager to carry out the plan that had been brewing in my mind, I made a strategic detour to a nearby restaurant. There, I picked up a pizza, its cheesy goodness a simple yet crucial component in the scheme that would soon unfold. With the pizza box secured in my bag, I climbed back onto my motorcycle, its engine a throaty purr of anticipation as I set off towards my ultimate destination.
As I rode, my mind wandered to my desire to escape this country, but my empty wallet kept me grounded. For now, I'm stuck here, but as soon as I can afford it, I'll make my exit without looking back.
As I approached the Tarrents' mansion, I brought my motorcycle to a screeching halt, the front wheel skidding to a stop just shy of the property's grand entrance. I quickly donned my cap a disguise as a lowly delivery person and a borrowed ID badge, which I had "acquired" from a restaurant worker and planned to return later. With the pizza in hand, I confidently approached the door and rapped on it, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
A resounding knock echoed through the stillness of the evening, my heart racing with a mixture of nerves and excitement as I waited for the door to open.
As the door swung open, a maid stood before me, her questioning gaze softened by my staged explanation and the ID I brandished. With calculated poise, I stepped into the beautiful living room, my gaze alighting upon the Tarrent family, their faces contorted with confusion.
With a swift motion, I dropped the pizza on the table, and as they began to stir, curiosity imprinted on their faces, I revealed my true intentions. I yanked the baseball bat from my bag, and with a fierce cry, I declared, "I'm ready for you!" as I brandished the bat, my hat tossed aside.