CHAPTER 2: Pretense

With the meal in hand, she headed straight to Linda's room. Knocking softly, she heard a faint voice granting her entry. Upon seeing her on the bed, eyes red and puffy, she gently placed the food beside her. "Linda, I brought you something to eat. Please, try to eat," Upon seeing who entered, she sneered and inquired, "What are you doing here?" "Oh, come on, Linda. I brought you something to eat," Natasha responded. Linda chuckled and retorted, "I don't need your food. You can take it back." Natasha replied sweetly, "Dear, your engagement is just a few days away. If you keep behaving like this and staying out late at night, how do you expect us to face the Wilson?" She glared at the person in front of her and uttered, "Get out of my room." "By the way, Caroline called," Natasha mentioned. She scoffed and nodded curtly, her expression growing cold. Natasha struggled to interpret her reaction. Wanting to ease the tension, she broached the subject of Linda's engagement. "I'll talk to your father about your engagement with the Wilson," she suggested gently, her voice filled with sarcasm "But why the reluctance to marry Robert? He's always been caring..." "Enough, stop acting like you really care Natasha" she interjected, cutting her off. "I want to be alone," she asserted, turning away. "But what about your food? Won't you eat it?" her stepmother persisted. "I don't want your bloody food! Get out of my room this instant," she replied, her voice dripping with cold anger and disdain. Startled and afraid by Linda's demeanor, she hastily exited the room. Upon encountering her step daughter earlier, she retreated to her room to discuss the engagement with her husband. Upon entering, she encountered her husband emerging from the bathroom, towel in hand, drying his hair. She calmly addressed him "Brandy, what are your plans regarding the engagement? The Wilson's aren't ones we should trifle with" "Linda is set to marry Robert Wilson, and there's no changing that decision." Replied Brandy. "Linda is not willing to consent to the marriage. What are your plans regarding this? "What's wrong with you, Natasha?" he asked. "The marriage isn't up for discussion. Do you realize how many girls are willing to marry into the Wilson family, yet here's one fool wanting to throw away that opportunity?’’ Natasha responded, "Why can't Emily marry Robert?" He looked shocked and asked if he heard her correctly. "What did you just say? Did I hear you correctly?" Why can't Emily marry Robert instead of Linda? She asked again It's clear; Linda doesn't want to marry Robert and won't allow Emily marry him. Emily fits better into the Wilson family than Linda, She'll be beneficial to us, our business and..." "Enough woman! Brandy said, his voice cold and harsh. "I have nothing more to add. My decision stands, and that's final." "Brandy," Natasha called, "Linda is adamant about not marrying Robert. Would you consider disowning her if she continues to resist following our wishes? Since she's uninterested, why not let Emily marry him? It's a win-win situation for us." She said "I should allow Emily instead of Linda? Are you drunk? What nonsense are you saying?" he replied. "Why don't you want her to marry him instead of Linda? Or is it because of…’’ ‘’Because of what?’’ he cut her shot ‘’You must be out of your mind woman. It’s late now, you need to rest, we’ll discuss this when you’re thinking clearly tomorrow’’ he said. The next day, as the family gathered for breakfast, Linda descended the stairs. Upon seeing her, Natasha called out, "Oh, Linda, you're awake? Come, have a seat. Let me serve you breakfast." Linda scoffed at Natasha's pretense and replied with a curt "Thanks, it's not needed." About to walk past, her father called out, "Have you lost your manners to greet?" Annoyed and on the verge of walking away, Linda heard her father's stern tone. "Linda?" he called out loudly. " "Have you lost your mind? I'm still your father, and I deserve respect!" His voice dripped with anger and coldness. In a bold retort, Linda shot back, "You lost the right and respect to be called my father the day you decided to sell me out." "Brandy's displeasure was evident as he retorted, "You ungrateful child! I am doing you a favor by arranging this marriage into the Park family, and here you are behaving like a fool!" Natasha quickly intervened, urging her husband, "Darling, just give her some time to come around." Then, she turned to Linda and continued, "Robert is an outstanding man. You'll be happy with him. In fact, you should be grateful your father secured such a good marriage for you. Many girls would jump at this opportunity." Linda sneered inwardly and scoffed. She couldn't believe Natasha's words. Everyone in the city knew Robert to be a playboy, and she was shocked by Natasha's endorsement of him. Brandy then warned Linda, "You better behave yourself and not push my patience. And I'm sure you wouldn't want anything to happen to your so-called mother, would you? This marriage will happen, and there's nothing you or anyone can do to stop it." Linda glared hatefully at her father. "Shameless old man!" she muttered to herself. She couldn't believe how her so-called family was behaving. The thought of her father selling her for his own selfishness was bad enough. Selling daughters seemed reasonable to them. And the fact that her father was willing to use her mother as leverage was despicable. If she didn't know where he had hidden her mother, she wouldn't be in this situation—or would she? Confused, annoyed, and hurt by her so-called family, Linda decided to leave their midst. As she was leaving, lost in thoughts, Linda was snapped back to reality by a phone call Spotting the caller ID, she quickly answered, "Hello, Vick." Victor Lawrence sounded hurried and panicked as he spoke, "Linda, our design drafts that we submitted have all been rejected." "What?" she exclaimed, halting abruptly in her tracks. "Vick, hold on a moment. Let me get you straight" she said attempting to catch her breath. Once composed, she asked, "You were saying?" Victor Lawrence repeated, "All our drafts have been rejected, Linda!" "Tell me exactly what happened," she demanded. "I heard that the selection results for the exhibition design drafts have been sent to the headquarters, and our design drafts are not included," Victor explained. Linda remained composed upon hearing Victor's news and asked, "Are you certain about the accuracy of this information?" Victor assured her, saying, "It was my younger sister who called me secretly, informing me about it." "Alright," she responded firmly. "I’ll get back to you soon." With that, she ended the call. She opted to search for her father and found him engrossed in reviewing files in his study, pushing the door open and ignoring the secretary. "Are the jewelry exhibition selection results out?" Linda inquired as soon as she entered Brandy's study. Brandy, upon seeing her, showed no surprise and replied, "It seems your informant was correct." Brandy wasn't surprised by his response; she had always viewed Brandy as biased towards Robert, believing everything he did was right. "Blame your useless self for being dumb and stupid. You can't even keep a man. The nerve of you to come and question me?" Brandy retorted, glaring at Linda. "Didn't Robert inform you that he's part of the key decision-makers for the final selection at Hybrid Company?" Brandy countered. Linda couldn't help but burst into laughter, leaving her father to ask, "What's so funny?" "I see, you're stupid. You're one useless child, and fortunately, Emily isn't as stupid as you," Brandy sneered. "Oh, really?" Linda raised an eyebrow. "Guess you'll have to rely on her from now on." Filled with disdain and anger, Brandy said, "You're just as stupid and useless as your dumb mother! Now you're threatening me?" He laughed, his laughter filled with surprise. "Anything you say, father," she replied, dripping with sarcasm. "Let me just remind you, your eyesight is failing with age, and as an employee, I thought I'd do you a favor by reminding you." "You ungrateful child!" Brandy shouted, struggling to catch his breath. "Chill, old man. I've said my piece. And yeah, I've got to go," she winked and smirked at her father before leaving his office. "You ungrateful child! I shouldn't have spared your life!" he shouted, his voice filled with hatred and anger. Ignoring his yelling, she encountered Emily on her way out. ‘’Here comes the golden child,’’ she remarked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Attempting to walk past her, Emily muttered ‘’bitch’’ under her breath. Linda chuckled and turned towards her saying, ‘’I heard you’’’. ‘’But why did you have to say it so quietly? Are you afraid of me?’’ her voice tinged with mockery. Through clenched teeth, Emily retorted, ‘’you…’’ Linda cut her off saying, ‘’save your words for another time.’’ Emily raised her hand to slap Linda, her face filled with hatred, Linda swiftly caught her hand mid-air and slapped her, glaring intensely. ‘’Don’t you fucking dare!’’ her voice cold, which sent down shivers to Emily. ‘’Who the hell do you think you are to have such arrogance?’’ Emily’s face frozen in shock, and disbelief at Linda’s actions. Linda glared at her with a mixture of hatred and disgust before turning and walking away, leaving Emily.