It's Not What It Looks Like (Recently Completed)

Chapter - 11

Colette

When a ray of sunlight falls on my face, I enjoy the warmth of it and turn over to shield the brightness. I have always wondered how nice it would be to sleep like this well into the day uninterrupted. If it was up to me, I will sleep in every day. At that thought, I realize that I haven't been woken up for workout by maids. Immediately, I sit upright and check the time on the bedside clock. It reads a few minutes to 9 and I can't believe my eyes. I have never slept in so late. Even when I was hurt I was wakened up by a maid before the sun was fully up. I didn't know why I should be up so early when I couldn't do any pilates or yoga. But maids were instructed to keep me on my routine nevertheless. But today no one came to wake me up. 

Sitting on the bed, I contemplate what the reason could be for this unexpected levy way Father allowed and decide it simply could be that the trainer couldn't make it for some reason. Could it really be that the pessimistic part of me questioned? But the optimistic part shuts her up by arguing how things are turning up for me. A smile graces my lips at the thought. Finally, I feel the stars are lining up for me. It started with Zach offering to help me and then only yesterday, he informed me that they are very close to finding Lily. I couldn't contain my excitement when I realized that I could see her after all these years.

With a perk in my steps, I freshen up. But that is lost when I see the breakfast set up for me in the coffee table. A chill rises up my spine and I swallow the pooling nervousness in my mouth while I inspect the huge breakfast. Pancakes laced with maple syrup, Spanish omelette, freshly baked croissants, crispy bacon's, glazed doughnuts dusted with sugar and a steaming cup of coffee with cream and sachets of sugar next to it. Just from the amount of sugar on the plate, I know that my pessimistic part was right. The stars are not lining up for me. They are just flickering before fading away like a shooting star.

And my hunch is confirmed when Father walks into my room dressed casually. Father might have used unlawful methods to accumulate wealth but he is diligent in his endeavours. Since the time I could remember, he is up and off to work before sunrise like clockwork. He never missed a day at work and all his evilness comes out to play after the working hours.

Father strolls towards my bed and plucks a particular pillow among half a dozen ones littered on the unmade bed. He unzips the pillowcase like he knows what's inside it. My heart stops when he snatches the phone through which I communicate with Zach. He smirks examining the generic device and gets to work. He pulls out the sim card from its slot and bends it, breaking it into 2 pieces. He pockets the broken chip and drops the phone in the jar of water on the bedside table effectively ending my means of communication with Zach.

Once he is done, he dusts off his hands and walks towards me where I have been frozen in place. He stops so close to me that I feel his breath on my skin as he exhales. His eyes scan my face which I have no doubt is pale. All the blood drained from my face when he destroyed the phone. He lifts his hand and I flinch expecting him to strike me. But, he doesn't and my fear amuses his.

With a chuckle, he says, "You know that I dont like to get my hands dirty"

I dont know what to say to that because it's not true. He has hit me a number of times. But I remain petrified in place as he uses his thumb to touch my jaws.

"As soon as I saw you the first time in that cute little dress holding the hand of the social worker, I was so hard and I had to have you. So I adopted you. Made you my little slave. But you got older, and the cuteness started to wear off. So I decided to fix you."