Two weeks has passed since the time Ahneeka got discharged from the hospital.
Today was a day marked on the calendar. She was finally moving to Lawrence's house. Not as if she had a choice to protest it.
Her father had awoken her, just like he always did the other days she had lived like a prisoner in their home, the only difference this time was that she wasn't awoken with the taped record of her name being called by countless newscasters blaring at her ears as an alarm.
This time, it was the jingles of bells calling for the arrival of a new bride. Apparently, he had changed the alarm that day.
Waking, she had gotten a wedding dress thrown at her.
"That's the final thing I'm doing for you Ahneeka. From today, you'd cease to be my daughter. Lawrence will decide a date for your wedding and I'd decide if I'd be in attendance or not. I've done enough for you already, finding a wealthy husband for you after your promiscuity"
" But I don't want to marry him father". Ahneeka had protested with no emotions in her voice. She was saying that for saying sake. It had become like music to her father's ears and she knew regardless of how many times she would repeat the same words to him, whether in tears, pleading or with threats to end her life, nothing would touch the stone cold heart her father had already used in making that decision on her behalf.
Every media house was still speaking about her even though it had been weeks since the news of her promiscuity broke the internet. The netizens were all speaking about her betrayal and tryst and it was amazing to know that most of them didn't even bother to mention the other person in the tape with her. They had all been fixated on her, knowing everything about her and all because to them, she deserved to be crucified. The red pill preachers made this so.
Some slut-shamed her, some expressed disappointment in her as if they had known each other before or were even acquaintances and worse was how most commenters were all speaking as if they knew her personally or on a personal level to be able to tell the sort of person she had been with their condescending cruel comments.
Perhaps marrying Lawrence and becoming his eighteenth bride was truly,like father had said the solution to her problem.
Lawrence was a morally lacking public person himself but because of his wealth ,the public paid little or no attention at all to all his ills and misdeeds.
Flocking with such a personality might salvage her already damaged reputation and this had been what had put her in check for the time she was chained at her room.
"I'll drive you to the location ma'am"
"Ma'am? She's nothing of such in this family anymore" Ahneeka's mother chirped in in return, immediately one of her Father's men had walked up to her soliciting to drive her.
She knew immediately from the tone of her voice that something was off and what her father had told her earlier somehow true, she had believed he was joking with such playful threats then.
She looked forward to notice three moreen standing by the side of the driver and by their sides were luggages, numerous of them,some hers,some looking new.
She noticed that none of the maids nor nannies were waiting for her, meaning she was going alone,with all he luggages,all the boxes. Father was truly disowning her.
"Are you selling me off to Lawrence Martinelli?" She asked turning to face her father who stood behind her, by his wife's side.
" It should be husband to you from now on,Ahneeka. I am merely giving you a second chance at living. Don't fumble it this time around because there's no one for you to run back to if you do"
" Second chance? This is the third chance you're giving her at living" her mother added and her husband exchanged a glance with her.
"You do not just wake one up throwing a wedding dress to their face. A father does not send his daughter off with all her luggages under the guise of marriage. You are literally selling me off to him. Do you seriously think I'd sit back and watch you do that. You can disown me all you want but don't expect me to obey you with this repayment you're trying to do with me" Ahneeka protested vehemently, the reality of things dawning on her.
" Do you think that would change anything?"
" If you don't let me alone, I'll kill myself or run away from you all or lest still I'll continue being a promiscuous personality and bring shame and embarrassment to this family on the media!!!"
" Ahneeeekaaaa!!!" Her father screamed, his ears bristling like a lid of a boiling pot.
"I told you I won't marry him. I wasn't vocal enough before but I won't watch myself get sold to him! I won't marry Lawrence Martinelli!!"
" This isn't a request Ahneeka. Get that! It isn't a request" He shouted.
" I raised you for more than two decades without asking for anything in return. I raised you as if you were my own daughter. You're marrying Lawrence Martinelli, whether you like it or not. Period!! There will be no buts nor excuses!"
" And I said no!!! Don't you see? I'm grateful to you father for raising m. Both you and mother" she said and bowed to them.
" And since you both started raising me,I've always done everything you asked of me, cheating for Cassie at school? Writing exams for her? Giving up results for her? I've done numerous things you both asked me to do but now? I'm sorry but I won't do what you're asking me to do!" She replied back with every once of courage she could muster answering back to him.
"Ahneeka...."
"I get it. You two raised me but that doesn't mean I'd have to sacrifice everything just to please the both of you all the time. Why does it always have to be my own life getting ruined because I want to show gratitude to the family that raised me? You have another daughter. Why does it always have to be me? I've done everything you asked of me in the past, this is the first time I'm rejecting to do what I want asked to. Can't you just leave me be this once? Why does it always have to be me to make the sacrifices?"
" It wouldn't have been you if you hadn't disgraced the family the way you did. Now everyone is seeing this household as the home of whores and an emasculated father!! It's all your fault!" Her mother shouted.
" It's not my fault!!!!" Ahneeka shouted, a piece of the rage in her heart slipping through but she managed to keep it in check before she would spill things she was unlikely to.
It was better to be seen as the cheating woman than the women who's husband cheated on her. Sadly,the roasting she would get from netizens wouldn't be easy for her to thug.
"Don't raise your voice at my wife young woman, never forget your place in this household!!!" Her father's gaze hardened towards her and she hid her clenched fist behind her back.
Why did it always have to be her making the sacrifices. Why did it always to be her and no one else. The alone girl in the world with no family, the media disgraced girl. The woman from the broken marriage.
Why did it always have to be her.