EPISODE 4
Arya groaned as she sat up on her bed. She didn't sleep early from thinking about the next step to take.
"I can't take anymore loans.... I just finished paying one" She ran her hands through her inky black hair and screamed, burying her face in her bed.
"I can't go back home. I can't ask Emma too since she lives with her parents, what do I do now, I have only few...."
The sound of her phone buzzing interrupted her. It was her Landlord, she debated on whether she should answer the phone or not, hoping to ask for more time in tears, she answered the phone.
"Mr Peace, please give me more time. I really don't have anywhere to go. I know my time here has been due four months ago, just one more month and I'll pay everything. You know my situation" Arya pleaded.
" Huh? You don't know that someone paid for you?" Mr Peace said over the phone.
" What? Paid? For me? How? When?" Arya asked, almost simultaneously.
" Yesterday night, someone wired me your payment for the last four months and for six months later.You come from a rich home, why didn't you pay up sooner. Anyway, that's all. Enjoy your time at Peace Apartments" p
Arya was still dumbfounded, she didn't believe what she just heard. " Did Dad pay my rent? No way, right? I'm sure he didn't...then who did?" Arya talked to herself and decided there was one way to find out; to go back to her house where she grew up.
*****
She gripped her bag tightly and nodded her head, reaffirming herself that she was confident to go into that house. The house of those that made the life of her and her mother miserable, the house of those who she wanted nothing to do with.
Arya was at the Hill's house to see the only person that was nice to her throughout her stay there; Grandpa Lin, and to ask her Dad if he paid for her. She had already made it clear that she didn't need their money so she didn't like accepting any thing from her family.
"I'll only see Grandpa and come out of there" She walked towards the door and rang the doorbell.
"Welcome ma'am. It's been a while" The maid of the Hill's house said with a smile, opening the door wide for Arya to come in.
"Argh... I told you not to call me that, it's not like I'm your employer also I don't live here. I'm Arya, just call me that" Arya walked in and looked around. The memories of her in that house never left her, she closed her eyes and told herself to not get shaken.
"You must be here to see Master Lin. But he's not around today. He went for his hospital appointment" The maid said, cutting Arya off her thoughts.
"Really? Uhm.. my dad...Is he around?"
" No, he's not. But Madam Katherine is in. Should I call her down?" The maid asked.
" No... I'll just talk to him over the phone. Uhm, can you make sure Grandpa takes his medications well and eats well?"
" That's not for you to worry about. I'll take care of my own father" Katherine;her step-mom said as she walked down the staircase, majestically. Katherine hated that her own father loved Arya more than his real granddaughter; Anna. He had Alzheimer's disease but he still doesn't forget her name.
"Don't act like you care about this family. My Dad isn't your Grandfather since I'm not your mother, so don't call him Grandfather. Whether he uses his medicine or not is my problem, okay?"
" I lived here since I was young, what do you expect me to call him? I was only going to say hi to him and leave, I didn't come for trouble" Arya said indifferently and turned to leave.
"What did you want to talk about with my husband? I'll tell him"
" I'll talk to him later" Arya said without looking back, she knew that Katherine would mock her if she knew she wasn't doing well on her own.
"Whatever,you know he'll always tell me everything Let's have a chat. I'll bring you tea" Katherine said and went out of the room before Arya.
Arya chuckled. "Since when do we chat? What do you want from me now? "
" I have a proposal. Since my husband is such a coward to tell you, I thought I should do it myself. Have a sit, I'll bring you tea" Katherine turned to leave but Arya stopped her.
"I'm good. Say what you want to say, I'm in a hurry"
" Well then" Katherine went to the table and took a brown file from it, she checked if it was the right one before bringing it to Arya.
"Here.."
"What's this?" Arya collected it without checking what's inside it.
"You're too jumpy, why not check the content first" Katherine sat down, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
Arya reluctantly opened the file, she knew nothing good would be in there but she decided to check the content. She brought out the white paper inside it and read. The first word that she read put her off.
"Marriage contract?" Arya scoffed.
"Seriously? I'm not Anna, your daughter. Why would you give me a marriage contract?"
"I'm well aware that you're not my daughter, that's why you're holding that marriage contract"
" Okay, you're saying you want to marry me off to some guy while your daughter gets to fall in love and marry a guy of her choice? As you said, you're well aware that I'm not your daughter, so you have no right to marry me off" Arya put the contract on the table and was about to stand up.
"You're not my daughter but my husband is your father. I let you live here and brought you up.....
"Don't even say that . Brought me up? Let me live here? You made my life hell! How dare you come up with this lousy contract and try to act like you own me!" Arya yelled angrily.
"I'm just trying to make life easier for you. Get married to his family and you'll enjoy a lifetime of wealth, you don't have to end up like your mother" Katherine smiled wickedly.
Arya was hurt as she mentioned her mother, that was her weakness. She was silent for a while before she talked back.
"Marry your daughter off, so she doesn't end up like you! You with an unfaithful husband that got another woman pregnant!"
WHACK! Katherine slapped Arya immediately.
"How dare you talk about me like that! Your foolish mother was our... my maid! She slept with my husband when he was drunk and got herself a baby! So don't you ever address me like that. Also, who told you that you're the only one! It's your Dad's order, why did you think I let my husband keep you! For this! So you could marry someone who can strengthen the business. If you have any conscience... All the while you've lived here, all the food you ate here, your school fees, all the money spent on you.. you'll do what I say for your Dad's company!"
Arya sighed and sat down, she wished they just got rid of her before she was born, being an illegitimate daughter was such a hard deal for her.
"This is the only thing we've ever asked of you in this house, if you have any conscience, you'd sign that marriage contract. Shouldn't you be happy, you'd be a wife to one of the famous men in the city" Katherine tried to convince her.
"I can't do it. Wealth and popularity? I don't need all of that." Arya said and stood up from the cushion.
"Before we started this conversation, I told you that I have a proposal, something that's sure to make you sign the paper" Katherine said and Arya stopped in her tracks.
"I'll tell you where your mother is and you said you wanted to know more about her, I know someone who can tell you that" This was Arya's weakness, a card that Katherine has always held and won with.
"You told me my mother was dead! You told me you don't know any of her family members!" She yelled as he eyes welled up with tears.
Katherine smiled at the fact that Arya was getting affected by the mention of her mother.
"Yes, you're right. Your mother is dead! But as a responsible daughter, shouldn't you visit her grave, give her some flowers? Know her name for the first time?It must be so lonely for her, even her other family aside from you doesn't know where her grave is.
"Where is it? Tell me! Who's that other family member?"
" Calm down, do you think I'll tell you if you don't sign that contract? Here.. sign the contract and I'll tell you everything you want to know" Katherine offered her a pen.
" How should I believe you? I can't believe you!"
" Fine, let's do it like this. The contract is in two parts.... One is to go on a date with the other party seven times in an attempt to knowing each other and the other is the marriage contract that both of you will sign. Sign the first one then I'll tell you whatever you want to know"
Arya thought long and hard about it before collecting the pen slowly from Katherine.
"You made the perfect decision. For yourself and For your Dad"
Arya dropped the pen on the table and gave Katherine the signed contract.
"Now, where is my mum buried? And who's that person that knows my mum?"
"Your mum was married at the time to a man. I told him where your Mum is buried, both of you can visit her and pay your respects. Here is his phone number, after all his wife was your mother" Katherine gave the small piece of paper to Arya.
"How did you get to know him?" Arya asked, suspicious of Katherine's smile.
"Argh... Are you doubting me? I had to find something, also I don't think I need to keep where your mum was buried from you any longer. I knew your mum was married because there was a great fight regarding your birth, he was sure he was your real father, so I just looked for him. That's all I know, you've signed the paper, it's your choice if you want to meet him or not" Katherine said and gave a sinister smile before leaving.
She had fulfilled her mission, also she made Arya doubt the truth behind her birth, Katherine didn't care anyways, as long as her own daughter ; Anna was married to the richest of the men.