Chapter 1
Angela Mikail's life had always been hard ever since she could remember. After her mother remarried, hell has begun. Her new husband turned out to be abusive, especially after losing his job as a lawyer at a financial firm.
He was an alcoholic and he gambles their money. Her mother works for them. Whenever she couldn't give her money, she would beat their mother. And later things got escalated, he would turn to beat her and her younger brother, Ethan.
Their mother would often tell them, she loves her husband. Even to the extent that she can't defend her children from being harmed by her husband.
Oftentimes, she went to school with bruises and wounds. Some black eyes and swollen mouth. This is hell she often thought.
Years passed and she was already nineteen when their mother finally decided to leave her husband. Strangely, three days after that decision, Mother was gone.
Their stepdad told them she leave without them. She never believes it even for once. Their mom is not that kind of person. But her things are gone as well, leaving her and her brother in this hell.
She started to work for them but every time, he would take her money. She spared some by hiding it in the floorboard of her room.
He never noticed. Her brother Ethan turned twelve that year. And he began, beating them twice, especially when he was drunk.
She was saving until she had enough to find a place of their own. If not for her brother she would have left. Sometimes, when he was too drunk, he put them at gunpoint.
Her belief that her mother never left them comes stronger. One day her stepdad forgot to lock the room he used to share with her mother. She entered to clean it as it already smells of alcohol and puke and whatever.
She saw something underneath the bed that caught her attention. She ducked a little, to see what is down there. There was a luggage bag. She pulled it and was shocked at what she saw. Her mother's things are all here. And she saw a necklace with a heart pendant amongst them.
Her mother never leaves that necklace. Says it's a remembrance of a very dear friend. It was given to her when she was still young. And here it is. She took the necklace to keep it. She forgets to clean and just leaves the room as it is.
Something must have happened to her mother. But she got nothing to prove it. She was terrified even to think that their stepdad, did her mom.
She would one day find answers, perhaps never. What's important now is Ethan. She has to remove him from this hell.
Her stepdad starts noticing her beauty. She grew to be a beautiful brunette with matching striking blue eyes.
Sometimes he would twirl her hair on his finger. Or look at her with desire. Angela flinch with disgust as she thought of it.
She looks innocent but she's not that innocent. She have a boyfriend when she turned twenty and when she turned twenty-one, she had her first sex with him.
Her boyfriend did everything to turn her on. She was turned on but he complained she was frigid. She just lay there as he touch her, finger fuck her, eat her pussy, but she couldn't feel any pleasure. She couldn't bring herself to moan. But since her boyfriend is so eager to fuck her, he did not give a damn if she's pleasured or not. All he wanted is released.
It happened twice after that he no longer attempted to do so. But they are still dating. He shows her, she was his love girl. Sometimes she could feel that he is cold towards her. She does not understand.
She willed herself to be numb. Even if she's hurting, thinking that he might be seeing another girl. Her focus is on Ethan.
Her drunk stepdad came into her room one night, thinking she was sleeping. He pulled the sheets out of her and caress her legs. She moved fast, away from him, and pulled the knife she hid beneath the pillow. Pointed at him without fear. She knew she will win against him since he is too drunk even to stand straight.
He was about to attack her again when they heard someone outside banging their door. Her stepdad angrily went to the door.
"Who the fuck are you? " he asked in an angry drunken voice behind the door.
"Fuck it, Mac! Open this friggin' door or I'll fucking kick it open!"
Mac, Angela's stepdad trembles upon hearing the owner of the voice. He swallowed hard. Before opening the door.
From her room, Angela was peeking. Looking at what is happening outside. Four men went inside the house. Two are wearing dark suits, while the other one who sat on the couch, was wearing a tight black long sleeve.
From where she was, she could see, the impressive build of the men. Aside from their height, she could almost see that they are also strong-built. Those who were used to working out in the gym. The two men in suits are standing guard, eyes outside, they are bigger than the one on the couch.
What caught Angela's attention is the man in a hoodie. He seems out of place, and his face was covered both by the hoodie and a dark face mask. She couldn't even see his eyes. He was standing behind the man on the couch.
The man in the hoodie seems to catch her gazing at him, as he suddenly looked towards her direction. She couldn't move back into her room. Something about him that causes a magnetic reaction from her. She just stood there like a fucking statue.
"Mac, the boss wanted the money you borrowed. The boss had been patient waiting for you to pay your dues. But you keep on coming up with excuses. And now he's done. He is giving you only two days. Or he'll have your sorry ass buried."
He quit thinking. "please, tell your boss, my stepdaughter will pay for everything.." he plead to him.
Angela stepped in when he heard that.
"I'm not paying anything you owe them. It is not my fucking responsibility" she shouted at Mac.
"Watch that fucking mouth, lass" he warned.
" no, I'm not! You gamble all our money! now you want me to pay? That's not happening!!!!" she shouted angrily at him.
He lost his patience. He raised a hand in her. But it never reached her face.
The man wearing a black hoodie was in time to catch Mac's hand. Mac was astounded. The man in the hoodie twists his hand and places it behind Mac's back.
"Don't show us violence here, man. We don't hit women" said the man on the couch. Only the man in the hoodie releases Mac's hand.
Angela stood there shaky. This is the first time someone stood for her. She wants to thank him but had chosen to shut her mouth.
The man in the hoodie returns behind the man on the couch.
He stands and speaks "Two days, Mac. And the boss will bury you alive! He will wait in Hades" It was a cold warning. And from what Angela could feel in their presence, they are used to killing.
These are big-time men who care little about other's life. All they care is doubling the dirty money they have.
They left and that's when Angela saw that there were other bodyguards outside their house.
They were devils brought to earth to corrupt the soul of anyone who dares play with them. They are power and money.
While we, she thought, are the victims who fall prey to their dirty games.
Upon closing the door. Her stepfather faces her. And as expected, his hand found her face. He slap her several times. Too hard she thought she lost teeth. Her lips are bleeding and swollen.
She lost her balance and fell to the floor. As he wasn't contented yet, he kick her brutally, her air was almost lost. She thought she would pass out. But it didn't happen. He staggered back, and fell to the floor, face down.
Behind him was his younger brother Ethan, who was holding a pan. He used it to hit Mac.
Angela stood immediately though weak and took the pan from her brother and hug his shaking body.
This is the life they have. Abused by the man who should have been a father to them. Instead, he brought hell to them. And life is a living hell.
Her thought is to get away as soon as possible. This man intends them no good. And she feels it, like a deja vu.
