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Chapter 2

Althea crouched to nearest couch as she held up her legs in a fetal position and sobbed.

She cried for all the years she had lost. She cried because she waited for the wrong reasons. She cried because she didn't end her life to prevent all this from happening.

All these years, she had waited, wished and hoped to see her father. She never resented him even when she should've. She had loved him even when she hadn't seen him all her life. She thought that if he was here then everything would be alright but who was she kidding? He was only using her. He never loved her. He never thought about her. He never cared. The thought of it was like a sharp knife slicing through her heart.

Everything was in vain. He sold her even before she could even get the chance to call him father.

How could he be so cruel? To his own daughter? His own flesh and blood.

"Althea" she heard a faint voice. At first she thought that the tiny voice she heard was hers but after paying more attention to it, she realized that it was from the man that was supposed to be her father.

"I didn't mean to do it...I" he trails off.

"Do you know how long I waited for you?" Althea asked raising her face to stare at his "Do you know how long I sat and asked myself if you would ever come for me? Do you know how many sleepless nights I've had without you here? Hell, I always stared outside the window because I thought that somehow you would show up for me. What did I ever do to you?" She whispered softly as he hung his head in humiliation.

"And you show up after eighteen years, not because you wanted me but because I was just a payment for someone's debt. You stayed away from me all these years because you wanted to sell me off"

"You have it all wrong Althea. I never intended to sell you off. I've always loved you even before you were born. I took care of you all because I loved you"

"No" She's cried out "You only took care of me because you wanted me out of your life. How am I supposed to believe that you love me? When you never even tried to visit me, not even once. There's no point crying over spilt milk anyways. You've already done what you did. Eighteen years was enough time to come up with the money in fact you really cared about me but you waited because you didn't. I never thought that that you had it I'm you. Bravo"

Althea stood up and walked back into her bedroom. She forcefully opened her wardrobe and grabbed all her clothes and angrily threw them on the bed. She just can't describe how much she hated her father now.

Her only guess was if her mother wanted this too. Did her mother know? Was she also on board with the whole plan? Maybe if she was here then she would've fought for her but it seems as if her fate had already been decided since the day that she was born.

More tears clouded her vision as she tried to stuff her clothes inside her tiny box. She accidentally cut herself with the zipper of the box but she didn't care. She didn't even notice at all.

"Althea" her aunt called softy but she doesn't respond. She is frantically rummaging her things as quickly as she can.

Tina walks up to her and hold her hands in a bid to still her movements.

She breaks down in tears and her cries became more aggressive. She felt used, unwanted and exploited. This isn't the life she dreamt of. She wanted to be happy and free but now she'll be tied to a mafia all her life.

"Just let me go aunt" she wept. "Please"

Tin felt bad for her little niece. She had never hated her but she had never been so loving to her all these years as well. She only stayed away because she was afraid that she won't be able to handle it when this moment would come.

"Althea"

"You lied to me. You didn't tell me even when I ask." She sniffed as she spoke "I asked you countless times to tell me what happened and why I was here if indeed my father was alive but you kept the truth from me. If you had at least told me then I would've prepared myself for this. I wouldn't be so surprised. Do you have the slightest idea about how I'm feeling right now?" She asked staring at her aunt to answer.

"When the truth can't help someone then sometimes you have to lie Althea. What would've changed if indeed I told you everything? In as much as I hate that this is happening to you right now, I had to keep you safe. Joshua is my brother. Yes, he made a mistake but we're family"

"You talk asif I'm adopted. I'm your niece. Your brother's flesh and blood" Althea yells to her aunt who remained unmoved "He gave birth to me so I'm also part of this family. Or am I not? Why didn't you protect me? We would've both found an alternative..."

Tina shakes her head slowly "There is no alternative Althea. The Costello's are powerful people. They have men scattered across the world. They would find us even if we hid ourselves in a mouse hole. They would sniff us out and when they do, they will kill us in the cruelest way possible. Running was out of the subject otherwise I'm sure your father would've done the same-"

"He's not my father" Althea yells out defensively. "He never was and he never will. I grew up without one and he's not qualified to fill that void. He's a monster. He's going to rot in hell for everything he has done" She whispered with so much venom in her voice. If her words could kill then Joshua would probably die tonight by them.

"Did my mother know?" She asked with a lump on her throat. Since they were spilling secrets tonight then it's best that they answer hers. She needs to know everything that had happened before now.

"My mom, did she know about this?" She asked again when her aunt didn't reply the first question.

"She knew" her aunt breathed out "But she wasn't what you're thinking that she was Althea. You mother never supported your father. She threw a fit when she heard about what he had done and she swore never to let you go through something as crucial as that"

Althea closed her eyes trying to fight back the tears but they just kept on pouring. She couldn't stop no matter how hard she tried .

"When your father broke the news to her, she was heartbroken because she never wanted to give you up but she couldn't do much because she died right after you were born."

"And all these while I never even thought about her. I never tried to get to know what she was like. I spent all my energy trying to know and love the wrong person. I waited for the wrong person. My mother tried to be a hero and I was so foolish that I didn't even ask questions" Althea howled in anger.

"It's all the past now Althea. This is your present now and even if it sucks, there's nothing you can do about it. You're getting married so my advice is that you accept that you cannot change again and face your future head on. You need to be strong Althea. I may not be your favorite person on earth and my love for you may be twisted but you're my niece and I can only imagine what's it's going to be like for you"Tina speaks with a sudden calmness that almost wants her to believe that she's on her side but Althea knows better. She's only but a pawn on the chessboard.

Tina helped Althea with her things and after tucking her in bed, she exits gee bedroom to join her brother in the living room. He stands up the minute she walks in.

"She's not coming out" Tina said in a dismissing voice that makes his face tighten in guilt.

"What were you expecting?" She asked when she saw her brother's sudden reaction "Were you expecting her to run into your arms and hug you after you did all those things to her?"

"Is she alright?" Joshua asks, ignoring Tina's previous remarks.

"Joshua that girl is ruined. She's never going to be alright. Stop asking obvious questions. You and I knew that this was bound to happen so stop acting like you care all of a sudden"

"I care Tina. Althea is my child" He barked

"What's Althea's favourite colour?" Tina asks leaving him dumbfounded.

"What?"

"What's her favourite food?" She asks again and this time he hangs his head in shame.

"That's what I thought" she concludes before walking away to her bedroom, leaving him standing there all alone.

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