Regret..

Melissa

I walk into the house, it hasn't changed much, it's still warm. Alice takes me by the hand.

- "I cleaned your room," she starts. "Tyler can take you tomorrow to buy some accessories and redecorate it to your liking."

- "Okay," I tell her even though I know I'm not even going to go near him during my time here.

- "you must be tired. You can get changed, take a nice bath and join us in the dining room," she tells me.

I nod and head to the second floor. I walk into my old room and lock the door. It's so big that I had my little living room in it. There are only 4 rooms on this level: my room, Tyler's room as big as mine, the bathroom we share and a very large living room. I undress and take the towel placed on the bed then head for the shower. As soon as I finish, I quickly go back to my room to avoid running into a certain person. I put on a long loose dress then head back to the dining room.

- "You're here darling, come and sit down. I have prepared your favorite dish", she says to me with a wide smile.

I smile back at her and move closer to the table. She has prepared some shepherd's pie.

- "tell me everything. What was it like for you in LA? What about school?" she asks.

- "Everything is going well for me; I finished my degree. I was doing a final internship that I finished last week. I'm going to start my graduate degree next semester."

- "I'm so proud of you, beautiful. Your parents would be too," she said emotionally.

- "Thank you," I reply, trying not to cry.

I miss my mom and dad so much.

- "no tears tonight"

We continue to eat, she tries to make small talk with everyone, but Isaac is uncharacteristically quiet and Tyler in front of me ignores me, it's a little tense.

- "Are you in a couple?" she asks me after a while.

What I least want to talk about right now is my love life. I feel eyes on me, but I am too cowardly to lift my head.

- "no," I simply reply.

- "oh, that's great," she says a little too cheerfully. "As soon as these bruises go away, you won't be single for long, I'll make sure of that."

I'm sure she's just saying that to piss off her son because if there's one thing, she wants more than anything else in the world, it's to have me as a daughter-in-law.

We finish eating, I help my godmother clear the table and then I go to bed knowing already that the next few days will be horrible.

I wake up late the next day, I didn't set an alarm clock. I take my shower, put on a little summer dress and put on make-up to cover my bruises. The result is not bad. But I have to buy some lingerie because I have none to wear because of fucking Tyler. When I go downstairs, the later and his father sitting at the dining table. No sign of Alice. Both of them turn around as I arrive.

- "Good morning," I greet.

- "good morning sweetie," Isaac replies. "Slept well?"

- "yes. Thanks for asking."

Tyler looks at me from head to toe and I know he disapproves my outfit, but I don't care.

I make myself a bowl of cereal that Alice definitely bought for me. I sit down at the end of the table.

As soon as I finish eating, I clean the bowl and head out of the kitchen.

- "Sit down Melissa, we have some questions for you," Isaac says.

I take my chair and listen to them.

- "what were you doing in that bar?", Tyler asks

- "I was studying", I answer him

- "and you couldn't think of any other place to do it", he asks not too convinced of my answer

- "How did you get mugged?", asks Isaac

- I was walking home when two men surrounded me. I tried to run away and that's when they started hitting me".

- "Did they tell you anything," Tyler asks.

- "I don't know. I can't remember. It happened really fast. They just insulted me. They were speaking Spanish, Portuguese, I don't know."

They look at each other and I think they know who did this to me.

- "did you tell anyone about your connection to us?", asks Isaac

- "no", I answer quickly. "Maybe a friend"

- "you don't leave here anymore, unaccompanied and without telling me", Tyler tells me. "Is that understood?"

- "I don't need your permission, Tyler, to go anywhere I want", I tell him as I get up and leave the room.

I quickly go up to my room but before I can close the door Tyler opens it and closes it behind him and grabs me by the hair.

- "butterfly, what kind of behavior is that? Have you fucking forgotten where the hell you are?" he asks with a satisfied smile.

- "Fuck you, Tyler. I'm not afraid of you anymore and if you think I'm going to be your lapdog you're sadly mistaken".

- "I'd be willing to bet otherwise", he says.

He lowers his eyes to my neck and sees the collar I'm wearing.

- "Look at this. Do you think you have the right to wear this ring when you're just a fucking slut", he says and pulls on the necklace.

He had given me the engagement ring just before he found me in bed with another man. He had saved up all the money he had earned to buy it for me so that everyone would know I was his. I have tears in my eyes.

- "tell me Mel, how many times have you fucked your boyfriend with that ring around your neck?"

I don't answer him and do my best not to give him the pleasure of seeing me cry over his harsh words.

- "you're just a little bitch. Unfortunately for you, it's going to stop from now on," he tells me without hiding his anger. "Everyone here knows who you are and believe me, no one is even going to dwell on a bitch like you. I'm going to ask you now one last time, did you fucking understand what I said downstairs?"

I end up nodding just to get him to go away. He seems satisfied with my answer and releases my hair. He puts the necklace between my breasts after putting back the engagement ring he had removed.

- "One more thing," he throws out when he gets to the door. "If I ever see you talking to anyone, you're signing their death warrant and yours too for that matter."

He walks out of the room, and I collapse on the floor doing my best not to cry loudly.

To read the following chapter download iStory reading app: Book name is Regret and author name is Yacin-Nd