Reggie smiled devilishly, "Our fault. Only Luke has a right to her."
"What's on your mind, Gie?", said Indy.
"We'll stay low until everything returns to normal," Beth explained.
"If you keep persisting, Luke won't listen to you anyway. We'll have to address it with our sister-in-law," Beth explained.
"I hate to say it, but Beth has a point. It's the only option we have," Indy remarked.
"Fine, but I won't remain quiet for long," Reggie responded.
**
Months passed. My relationship with Luke had gotten worse. I mistook it for the last day of suffering. I never understood him. He cares about me, at the same time, he's a Beast. His temper never lessened.
He finds pleasure in punishing me. I'm a slave to his rage.
He satisfied his inner needs and looked sorry at one time. Then he left me and came home intoxicated. What's going on in your mind, Luke? Why are you doing this to me?!
On the soft side, he shields me from people who wish to vent their rage on me.
And, Delores, with her in-laws, crushed me in twinge words day by day. What did I do wrong? Why are they so bitter to me?
My mind and body are torn apart. Somehow, I still have the strength to live my life.
I stared at myself in the mirror, I'm the good girl they trod on!
I blot away my tears. Not anymore – NOT ANYMORE! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! TIME TO SHOW THEM MY REBELLIOUS SIDE. I AM NO LONGER THEIR SLAVE! I AM A WOMAN. THEY MUST RESPECT ME!
KEEP IN MIND, YOU HAVE THE SAME POWER AS THEM!
I put on my navy-blue dress and decked my neck with a moon-shaped diamond necklace. The last touch, untangling my hair backward.
IT'S SHOW TIME!
"Do you need help, mother-in-law?", I stood straight behind Delores.
"You look different", said Beth.
Their eyes were on me.
"I'm Delores's daughter-in-law; I have to look elegant like her," I explained.
"Wow! Sarah, I appreciate your boldness", said Delores.
"I got it from you, mother-in-law," I explained.
"I'll tell you what, I'm like, talking to a scaredy-cat," Delores added.
I chuckled. "I don't fear you, I respect you as the eldest."
"Unfortunately, all of you took advantage of my kindness. Don't forget, Delores, I have the same power as you!", I said.
"HOW DARE YOU CALL HER BY NAME!", said Reggie.
"That's what our name is for, Reggie," I explained.
"SHUT UP!", Delores breathed heavily, as if she wanted to snuff me out.
Reggie got closer to me."Does your body ache for my whip? Do you want it again?"
I laughed, "I do, I loved to watch my husband strangle you, even Delores was scared to death of him. Do you want it to happen again?"
"YOU!", Beth and Indy caught her before she grabbed me.
"My dear mother-in-law, from now onwards, I'll show you who I am!", I said.
"ENOUGH SARAH! YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR LINE!", said Indy
"Just like you, Indy", I said.
"Sarah! You don't know who I am, you better not! Or you'll regret going against me", said Delores.
"I know you, Dee", I said.
"Oops! I forgot I came here to help my dear mother-in-law, not to create a fight," I explained.
"If you give me some housework, I will gladly do it", I said.
"Your job is to get out of here and out of my sight!" exclaimed Delores.
"That's harsh! Anyway, if it makes you happy, why not? I'll see you in a few hours, my lovely mother-in-law," I said.
What a great feeling! I'll never let those people step on me again! Me VS Them!
"You glowed, Ma'am! What's the good news?", Ruth came out of Delores' room, holding the grubby bed sheet.
"The good news is... I'm back to myself", I said.
"I'm not following...", she looked puzzled.
"My true self that I'd been hiding, the one you saw now," I explained.
"I feel bad burying it for them," I confessed.
"I'm happy to see you, ma'am", said Ruth.
"To be honest, I was concerned about you. I'm glad you rose", said Ruth.
"I'm so relieved, Ruth", I said.
(Ladies POV)
"Look what I'm going to do to you!" Dee murmured under my breath as Sarah left the kitchen.
"Should let me whack her!" Reggie exclaimed,
"No, Reggie! That's a foolish way to gain revenge; you know what will happen if you whack her," Dee remarked.
"You almost die, we will find another way", said Indy.
"I regret she became my daughter-in-law", Dee said.
"You chose poorly. We are searching for a docile woman, not the one who is against us!", said Indy.
"Didn't you learn anything about her?", asked Beth.
"You know how much we've learned about her. Even you say she's a good girl!" Dee exclaimed.
"That's what people told me!", said Beth.
"She can't just step on us. We are the elders, she must stay on our feet!", Dee said.
(The horn of a car as it enters through the large gate.)
"I know who's going to teach her a lesson," Dee smirked.
"I wonder who that guy is", said Beth.
"You know him, Beth. We all know him", Dee said.
"We'll enjoy a spectacular scene!", Dee said.
The ladies smirked evilly.
"There is one more thing you must do before we execute our plan," said Dee.
"Me?", said Reggie
Delores tapped her foot on the floor.
"What?! I can't do that!", said Reggie.
"We don't have much time, or our plan will fall through!", Dee added.
"I can't!", said Reggie
"Gie, our sister-in-law has given you permission. Don't pass up this excellent opportunity!" Beth said.
"You have been waiting for this moment, don't spoil it!", said Indy.
"Quick!", Dee said.
"I'll do it!", said Reggie.
"I'm Starving!", Luke walked in and sat down in the dining room. She hobbles while holding the food in her hands.
When she placed them on the table, "Mom, come join me", said Luke.
"I'm full. If you need anything, I'll be in the living room", Dee said.
"Did he notice?", asked Indy.
"No", Dee said.
"How did he notice? He's engaged with his phone", said Beth.
"We'll wait till he's done eating", Dee said
Luke melted on the couch after finishing his lunch, his eyes fixed on his phone and the water cup in his other hand.
"Ahh... ouch", Dee
"Are you okay?", asked Reggie.
"I'm all right", Dee said.
"All right?! Your feet are bleeding! You're hurt!" exclaimed Beth.
"Be extra cautious with her, she's not what we thought," Indy advised.
"She's ruthless, see what she has done!" exclaimed Beth.
"Did her parents ever teach her to respect her elders?!" exclaimed Reggie.
"Please, don't say that, Sarah is a good girl," Dee said.
"She's new here, it takes time to adapt," Dee said.
"We also treated her terribly," Dee remarked.
"After what she's done, you still defending her?!", said Reggie.
Luke listened intently to the entire conversation. He set his cup on the table. He walked over to where the elders were sitting.
"What's going on?" Luke swooped in. He looked at his mother, and at his aunt.
"Nothing, son". He pressed his son's shoulder.
He turned to his aunts. "I won't ask you twice."
"Nothing...", said Delores.
"Stop it mom!", he cut her words.
"Your mother is right, it's just a woman's thing", said Reggie.
"Not a big deal, sometimes young girls make mistakes", said Beth.
"Do you want to tell the truth or should I ask her by myself?", Luke forced them to speak.
He mounted the steps, then Dee grabbed his upper arm.
"Wait! Son, I'll tell you everything", said Delores.
"Sarah..., she's too much..., she argued with us, and..." she pointed to her injured leg.
"Mom, why are your feet swollen?!", he knelt down, caressed his mother's leg,
"Sarah did! She trod on your mother's toes", Reggie remarked.
"We didn't say anything to her, we just gave her some advice", said Indy.
"This is what we got from the advice we gave!", said Beth.
His temper sparked.
"We were really nice to her, but she acts otherwise," Reggie added.
"Are you two fighting?" Dee asked, a gentle expression on her face.
"No", said Luke.
"Oh, so why is she behaving that way?" Delores inquired.
"We thought you two had a fight, and that's what caused her behavior today," Delores speculated.
"It's her true nature, a secret her parents never revealed to us!" exclaimed Reggie.
"Perhaps Sarah wants to take revenge on us for what we did to her," Beth speculated.
"Luke, you have to teach her to be a better woman. She's a young girl, her emotions are unstable. She needs guidance," Delores stated.
"She desperately needs it. As a husband, you must be able to embrace her and control her for the better," Reggie remarked.
"Leave it to me!", before he reached her,
Reggie grabbed him, "Not now, you have to get back to the office."
"You can advise her once you get back from the office" Delores remarked.
"With a fresh mind, not when you're in outraged mode", said Reggie.
He yanked his hand from his aunt's grasp and climbed into his car.
(Sarah's POV )
As I finished dressing, I opened the door to find Luke, who had just returned from work. He led me back in. His eyes glowed with rage, his throat straining and muscles taut as he slammed the door behind him.
"Did I do something wrong?", I asked him.
"You've been doing everything wrong since you came into my life!" he exclaimed.
"Excuse me?!", I said.
"I did nothing but be a good girl to everyone! The only thing wrong is your family!", I said.
"OH… MY FAMILY?! They were good to you from day one!", he said.
"You mean good as they lashed me? or blamed me for the problems they caused?" I queried.
He looked away and back to face me, "Or you argued with them and REPAY MY MOM BY TREAD ON HER FEET!", his voice rising.
"Who told you that?! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, LUKE!", I was shaken by his charge.
"HOW DID SHE GET HURT?! She accomplished it by herself?" exclaimed Luke.
"Nothing is impossible when it comes to your mother", I exclaimed.
"Don't believe all she says, Luke; SHE PLANNED IT ALL," I said.
"APOLOGIZE TO HER AND KISS HER FEET", he said.
"KISS HER FEET?! SHE'S NOT A GOD! SHE'S JUST SOME F***** HUMAN BEING!", I said.
"SARAH!" he exclaimed.
"I WON'T APOLOGIZE FOR THE MISTAKE I DIDN'T COMMIT!", I said.
"Then I'll have to teach you," he said in a fit of rage. He gripped my collar and threw me against the wall. My back hit the wall hard, I stood frozen as the pain traveled up my spine.
I yelled. "They got back at me by feeding you false facts! See how nasty they are!"
"You should know, Luke, I never hurt your mom. I defended myself" I said.
"OPEN YOUR EYES! SEE THE TRUTH!", I raised my voice.
He slapped me and grasped me. I started crying.
"Are you expecting me to believe you? AN OUTSIDER THAN MY FAMILY, WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME SINCE I EXISTED! HUH?!", pain pulsed over my scalp.
"There are times when you have to believe an outsider," I explained.
"I regret being one of this family, I REGRET BEING YOUR WIFE!", I said.
"You think I don't regret being your husband?! I REGRETTED THIS MARRIAGE EVER SINCE I SAW YOU!" he exclaimed.
"You and your family! ARE F***** BASTARD!", I shouted.
He slapped me again and shoved me till my body collided with a cupboard and I crashed.
"LIARS, YOU SHOULD REGRET BEING HER SON, THEIR NEPHEW! YOU SHOULD REGRET BEING BORN INTO THE ABRAMS!", I said.
He banged my head against the wall. The world around me turned black, I floated away with an ache.
Luke stormed out with the lies they jammed in.