My countenance fell hugely while the driver took me back to the mansion. Mama had stabbed me in the heart with a knife I used in fighting for her. I thought I was doing my precious mother some favor by going into a contract marriage of no return.
Oh my God! What a world we live in! The ones we love despise us in return and call us wasters. Had I known mama would sound ungrateful I wouldn't have taken this risk. Just look at me now. Where would I go from here? What would my fate look like? Am I not disgrace to womanhood? I just made a fool of myself and destiny by signing to this contract marriage all in the name of sourcing fund for her medical bills.
My jaw dropped in wrath.
My very mother wrote me off because I went into a contract marriage to generate funds for her treatment. Oh my God. I am so ashamed of myself now. Nobody would see it in any light but in her light. I would be termed wayward, greedy, ambitious and self centered. Wasn't Fanny the richest man in Rio Hondo? I would be seen as a dire-hard greedy girl that went after the wealth of the Fannys without any consideration of the risk of getting married with a mad man.
By the time I got back to the mansion, my eyes had bleached so red that it was so impossible to convince any beholder I have not been in tears.
Salsa was the first to notice me once I alighted from the Ferrari. She ran to me with interrogative, concern looks, asking me all the questions in this world with her whitely, staring eyes.
I had my face in shame, wailed uncontrollably as I made into the mansion. I could perceive Opula and the rest of her sisters and their husbands murmuring among themselves as they be held me in tears.
Once I settled at a spot, masking my teary face with my hands, Salsa and Ella, the chief chef appeared at my side, hounding me with questions about the reason I was all tears at the early hours of the day.
"Did anyone die in your family"? Ella asked while Salsa stroked my hair just to pet me and ensure I perk up firmly enough to give them prompt answer.
That question was just right. I had died in my heart. Mom had murdered me with her words, and I doubted if I would be able to forgive her for piercing my heart with those words. Mama was the least person I expected to blame me about my decisions to go into a contract marriage with the billionaire's mad son. Now I was being faced with the pains and sorrow of being the wife to a mentally deranged man, I expected to be consoled by my mother who was my reason for taking such risk; she had no right to blow hot at me.
Mama just proved to me that indeed in this life nobody was worth your happiness and freedom. I had sacrificed it all for mama and today I was termed the offender; the over ambitious girls.
Ella got tired asking me questions without any response from me. Salsa still stuck around smoothing my hair and helping me wipe warm tears that trickled down my cheeks.
"You just have to perk up, Melissa. Whatever the problem is, you must stay alive and strong for your husband. Only the living must continue the struggle and survive. Fanny wouldn't be happy if he should come out and see you all tears," Salsa said softly, "Meanwhile I overheard him invite your mother to a dinner bouquet, what happened?" Salsa asked, stared into my heavy face. I sniffed and struggled to reply, "She …she wouldn't be coming anymore," I said amidst tears and added, "She just disowned me because I went into a contract marriage with the billionaire's mad son …."
"What!" she exclaimed, gaping at me and tossing head in pity over my dilemma, "Oh my God! What came over her? Did she realize there you are into this marriage because of her? Did she know the pains and disfavor you are going to pass through in this course of this journey with a violent mad man? Why would she pay you back in such manner? Trust me I wouldn't even do this for my mother what you did for her and here you are weeping for a woman whose life you saved on the altar of your happiness…"
I interrupted Salsa with my wailing and sobbing. On her shoulders I laid my head and wept like a bereaved widow. It was evident that I was all alone in this life. It hurt me so much each time I pondered over mama's words and I had come to realize the extent she could go for me if I were in her shoes.
Definitely, mom wouldn't go the length I had gone for her. What a wicked world we lived in! I had subscribed to eternal bliss with a mad man to save her life and now I was getting stabbed in the heart.
"Ha! Ha! No! I will kill you! I will! Ha! You! You!"
That was the usual, disturbing screaming of my mad husband. I hadn't heard his scream since I got in and I thought he had fallen asleep. The screaming continued echoing into the distance and this time, it was as though he was kicking on the door to break it down. I shook with fear and uncertainty, staring at Salsa always and asking her with my gaze if we could check up on him to know what the problem was.
"Ma'am, madam Opula ordered you to check up on your husband right away," one of the servants said to me, bowing. And when I stared at the bar, I saw Opula drinking and smoking.
I gritted my teeth and my lips curled at the thought of her command…