[Dear Readers,
The next few chapters will be narrated in Liza's point of view.]
Liza : 12 years old
"Dad, Mom I'm home".I can hear unfamiliar voices from my parents bedroom.
"Dad?"
What I saw traumatized my soft heart. There he was, my beloved father, cheating on my mom with another woman. I run away from the nauseating sight. Although I didn't understand what dad and that woman were doing, I knew it was wrong. I hide myself under the bed and cry silently covering my mouth.
I must have fallen asleep crying because when I woke up , I found myself tucked away on my bed. Mom usually did that everytime I fell asleep. She was my everything.
My mom left her family and all her riches for my dad, all in the name of love. My dad was an orphan boy that my grandfather took pity on and he grew up used working as a gardener at my grandfathers house. Later my mom fell in love with him. My proud grandfather was against their love and threatened to kill my dad. Finally they had to elope, since my mother's family was against their marriage. They struggled for a few years to make the ends meet and then my mom got pregnant with me. After my birth, good fortune favoured my dad's business and the sales skyrocketed. When I was four years old, my grandmother came to visit us. My grandfather was on his death bed and wanted to see his loving daughter. Up until her visit , I thought I didn't have any relatives. Thus the family got reunited again.
I look at the clock beside my desk. It's 7pm. I walk towards the drawing room. Dad and mom, were in the kitchen, cooking dinner.
"Ouch!! Damn it!!", screams my father, cutting his pinky while chopping the vegetables.
I see Mom running towards him. "Honey, come here. I'll do rest of the work." says my mom while putting on a bandage over dad's wound.
No Maa . He's not the man you once loved. He's changed. My mom loved my dad, like he was her life, her everything. How could I possibly say this to her? I don't think she will be able to handle the truth about that vile man.
"Liza, you woke up. Come have dinner dear." mom says chopping the vegetables.
"Let me help you Maa."
"Well, you are full of surprises today. Helping me out and everything." Mom smile.
"Sometimes, when life demands you to change, you will have to oblige." I tell her in a serious tone.
" Small mouth, big words. I feel like my baby's become a whole new person. Where is all this philosophy coming from huh? ", mom asks me looking surprised.
"I'm hungry mom. Let's eat."
"Liza, how was school?", dad asks. I did not respond to his question instead I replied, "I came home early today", while glaring at him angrily.
His voice got shaky, "You did?".
I responded, "I saw everything".
"What did you see?", my mom ask confused.
I give my dad a death stare and suddenly he started sweating and got all panicky.
"Honey are you okay? Is the food too spicy", asks mom while pouring a glass of water.
I wanted to shout at him. I wanted to hit him. I wanted to expose him but the thought of my mom prevented me from doing so. Therefore I decided to remain silent . But something changed that day. My love for my dad. It got shattered. I no longer have a dad. I have only my mom . My dad died the very moment, he cheated on her.
That night I cried myself to sleep, clutching onto my pillow, making sure I didn't make any noise. Mom was blindly trusting my dad while he was cheating on her, behind her back. I felt sorry for her. I felt like I was betraying her by hiding the truth. I wanted to let her know but I was scared of the consequences.
That day I made a promise to myself. I'll always protect my mom even if it meant that I would have to sacrifice my own life.