TARA'S POV
I paced around in the bedroom, anger coursing through my veins. Somehow, I appreciated it was anger and not sadness. Yes, Derek and his useless mistress didn't deserve my sadness.
For so long I had stayed with the Marison family. Derek and I knew each other back in high school, and met again years later after college. He was sweet and caring, and even though his so-called family had showed they hated my guts, I still stayed with Derek because I loved him.
We dated for three years, and were married for two years. At such a young age, Derek and I had been together through thick and think like a matured couple. But none of that had meaning to Derek now as he let his goddamn first love take all of our love away. Sure, let's divorce.
Had it been an hour or ten that I'd been in my room pacing around like a mad woman, I couldn't tell.
The door knob twisted and someone walked in. My back was facing the door so I could only guess Derek had stepped in.
"You can't change my mind, Derek." I made my voice loud as it could get. A sinister laughter followed.
Turning towards the entrance, I was standing face to face with the damn bitch herself! Wasn't she half dead on the bed just earlier?
"I always thought it would be difficult to seduce Derek again, but somehow you made it all easy. He doesn't even feel an ounce of love for you, making things too easy for me." She walked majestically as if she owned the house.
I struggled to keep my head raised high as he spat out the words I'd been afraid to hear. Derek never loved me. If he did, none of this would have been happening.
"All of this will finally be mine." She laughed again. "I've been longing for this kind of mansion for so long. It's no offense, dear. It's just a game, and you've lost."
I shook my head in disappointment. Why was I letting this fool speak to me like that?
"You're right, it's a game. But if you think I've lost, you can go right ahead and call yourself a clown."
I stepped closer to her, my fist now a ball of fury. "Now, get the hell out of here before you'll regret it." I stared right down at her, then brought my gaze to meet hers. "Aren't you supposed to be weak from almost losing that child? From the critical shortage of blood?"
She flinched.
"Or was it all a lie to tie foolish Derek down?" I added. Suddenly, she wasn't smiling again. "You had better been careful around me, you moron. The game has not yet ended, okay? Now get out." I said, watching her scurrying off.
"Yea, this isn't game over yet." I mutter to myself. "I will make the best of this situation."
***
"I will not accept this. No matter how hard I try to think about it. It just doesn't make any sense!" My dad roared out, slamming his fist on the table in anger.
Ever since I had come back home, my dad had been fuming with rage at the Marison family. No matter how I try to calm him down, he still wouldn't get over the divorce.
We had all settled on the dining table; my step brothers, Mike and Tom, their wives, Ali and Queen, my step mom, Rebecca, then my dad and I.
"Dad, please calm down." I started to say. "I want you to be careful. You know how your blood pressure rises once you're this angry. I promise you though, I'm fine." I lied. I wasn't fine at all.
"Oh my love," my step mother said, "don't beat yourself up too much. Tara knew just how his family was and went ahead to marry him anyway."
I wanted to reply but I held my tongue. Somehow, she had been right anyway.
"So what? Is this your way of telling her you told her so?" My dad cut them off, and the air was once again silent. I smiled in satisfaction, glad that at least he loved me. After a while, he went on.
"I have called you all today because I have an announcement to make." He said. "I called you all because of a grand change I'm about to make in the family's business."
"Okay sir," now, Mike took it as his cue to talk. "I accept your decision, sir." He turned to his wife and she returned his smile.
The announcement was probably who would head the family business. Mike had been managing it for a while now, but dad had said it was only temporary.
My dad grunted at Mike's statement, then went on. "I know you must have all been working your very best. Especially you, Mike. Being the head, you have been trying all your best to please me and manage the company well."
My fork dug into a ball of potato and I stuffed it into my mouth. For some reason, I was always hungry now.
"However, I have made my decision already. Tara?" He called out, hitting me with the sudden realization that my name was Tara.
I blinked, "Yes, daddy?"
"I want you to take over the company." He announced in a clear and straightforward manner.
For a moment, everywhere was silent and everyone stopped eating, including me. Then, an outburst of roars started.
"What? That is nonsense, sir! I am your first child. Why would you give the position to this bastard?" Mike said.
"Dad, what about me? If Mike is incompetent, why did you skip me and jump over to Tara here!" Tom spat out.
"My love, I won't take this. These are our children, and you would give out this important position to your mistress's child!" My step mother's cry was the loudest.
"Silence, all of you!" My dad commanded. "Do you all think that because I am old, I must be stupid as well? I have been taking notes, studying you all. And Tara has been the best among you. Mind you, Rebecca, Celine, may her soul rest in peace, was not my mistress but my lover. And the mother of my child, Tara Aniston."
I felt elated as he spoke so proudly of my mother. But still, I was shocked. He wanted me to become the family CEO?
"But it's unfair dad, I just don't think that--" Queen was saying but dad cut her off.
"Would you hold your tongue, woman? I am talking to my kids here." He said at once and she obeyed. Tom patted her on the shoulder.
"But dad, I have worked hard. I won't let you give it all away to some spoilt brat who failed in her marriage and comes rushing home to her poor dad with an unwanted baby!" Mike spat out.
Unwanted baby? That was what forced out my rage. I got up boiling already. "What is wrong with you people? All this while, I have looked up to you like my big brothers. Like my own mother. But why do you keep treating me like this!"
Tom squeezed his face. "You are not suitable for this position. Not while I'm here."
"What makes you think so?" I challenged back. Everything I'd ever wanted was to belong into a home, a family. That was what I had hoped when I got married to Derek as well. But aside from my dad and Ella, no one else loved me. "Because I'm pregnant?"
"Whatever you say, my darling. If you think you are up for this, then say yes." My dad said through all the raging voices.
It didn't take me long to consider. I will treat my baby right, give this child everything it deserves and more! And then prove to everyone that I will no longer be a dirty rag they can stomp their dirty feet on!
I turned to my dad with a determined face. "Yes, daddy. I accept."