Forced to Kneel!

Vanessa stood in the hallway alone and glanced at her foot which were bare in the chilly weather. Her every step felt like she was walking on ice. But Austin didn’t bother about it and didn’t even give her time to wear shoes since her comfort was never his concern! When she was in a daze, she reminisced the incident that happened last week when Isabella Green was about to go out in her sandals in a hurry and how Austin stopped her with never ending patience, his gaze so tender and he squatted in front of her and helped her put on the socks and sneakers to keep her feet warm. He even warned her to take good care of herself and not to get hurt, but that held his hidden concern which was known to her. But He never gave a second thought on how Vanessa was feeling, and it wasn’t new to her now. Still, it hurt her heart every fucking time when he did such things to her. It didn’t matter how hard she tried to not get affected, it always successfully broke a tiny part in her scarred heart. When she was in her thoughts while dragging her weak body to the basement hall, the heavy breeze hit her, and she shivered since she wasn’t even well dressed. Her chest hurt knowing what was coming in her way and what can she do except accepting everything that came in her way? With a sigh, she decided to fight head-on. This time she won’t bend her head and succumb to the demands of the Jones family. A determination flashed in her eyes since it didn’t change the cold heart of her husband even if she was obedient and that was a hard learned fact. So, what was the point in obeying their wilful wishes when her relationship with the Jones family itself was a joke? By the time she reached the basement hall, the members of the Jones family were all present and were eagerly waiting to watch her demise. When she was about to occupy a seat, she heard the head of the Jones family speak in his unwaveringly cruel tone, “did you think you deserve to occupy a seat?” After that, he gave a cold snort, “sinners like you are only allowed to kneel down here.” Hearing his malicious words, her breath hitched, and her body quivered. She glanced at Austin hoping he could help her, but his indifferent gaze had her heart shook in immense pain as if it was cut into numerous pieces. Her breath became labored with the amount of internal struggle she was having, and her high fever wasn’t helping her either. The throbbing headache had increased while the ache in her muscles made her sweat in the chilly climate. There were almost twenty people present in the hall, but there was no one in her aid. Everybody gazed at her with different emotions but none of them had the tiniest bit of concern for her, They all treated her as their demise, a devil who would break hell loose in the Jones family. But what wrong did she do to suffer like this? Wasn’t it unjust for her? They wanted her to kneel down and accept the crime she didn’t even commit? Not even in their dreams! Vanessa rooted there and eyed the old man whose face had wrinkles but the power in his tone and eyes hadn’t vanished yet. With a determination to fight her own battle, her face turned cold, and she uttered a word for word, “I didn’t do anything wrong, and I won’t kneel.” Her strong tone reverberated in the silent hall making the people’s eyes go wide with her outburst. They couldn’t believe their eyes and ears! When did the meek woman, Vanessa Grant have the guts to against the head of the Jones family? Seeing that, the old man’s face turned black in anger. His veins shook in his forehead and he roared while he made a sound with his walking stick which broke the nearby vase and terrified the hell out of everyone present in the hall, “Kneel down, You ungrateful wench.” The sharp shards of glass were scattered across the floor where Vanessa stood still and a few pierced into her skin making her wince in pain but she bit her lips so hard to not make a sound. Although she was scared, she was determined not to show it on her face. Her legs started to bleed as drops of them were falling on the floor slowly and the pain in her body made her extremely uncomfortable while her head was spinning, but she didn’t admit defeat! Seeing the unwavering nerve of Vanessa, the old man was pissed off. His body shook in fury which alerted the attention of Austin, and he held the old man while his gaze sent daggers onto Vanessa. “Vanessa. Kneel and apologize now and I’d let you live in the Jones family.” The old man stated while his tone was extremely firm which made her body tremble. Vanessa nibbled her lips hard to control the pain and held the tears in place to not let them fall down. With her head held high, she squared her shoulders and pushed her chest out, she peeped at the old man without backing off and muttered in an equally strong voice, “I’m not the one responsible for Sister-in-law’s fall. I won’t kneel and apologize for the deeds I haven’t committed.” Seeing the audacity of Vanessa, he announced while viciousness danced in his eyes, “since you don’t know how to accept and repent. I’ll help you learn it.” “Force her to kneel.” The Old Master Jones said while pointing his finger, his face turned brutal as if he was ready to force Vanessa to death if she didn’t admit now! The other members of the Jones family jumped into the conversation and mumbled, “She deserved it. How dare she act like she’s innocent when she killed Isabella’s child?” Another cast a disgusting glance and added, “We should teach this cunning bitch a lesson.” Mia Jones cast a disgusting glance and said in a malicious tone, “Yes, or else who knows what dirty plots she had cooked in her mind to harm the Jones family.” They sneered, “The only bloodline of Master Jones was gone! What a pity!” … Despite all their hateful stares, and their mutters as if she were a clown in the Jones family, she stood tall and didn’t bow her head. Although her insides were bleeding with the harshness of the reality she was facing, she put on a brave façade, but whom did she have to vent it out? No one except herself! Eyeing her pale face with no luster in her eyes while her legs were still bleeding, her mother-in-law, Clara Jones’s heart ached. Since Vanessa Jonerepeatedly said she didn’t do it, her mother-in-law believed her words since she knew what sort of woman Vanessa was and she also knew Vanessa could never do such malicious deeds! With that, Clara couldn’t bear it any longer and decided to save the poor soul. She gathered her courage and added, “Dad, she’s too young to understand all this. Why don’t we let her rest for now and in the meanwhile we can investigate the matter?” After the words left her mouth, the hall turned chilly as if the temperature had suddenly dropped several degrees making them all shiver with the deadly glances from the Old Master Jones, and Clara immediately shut her mouth. Sensing her persuasion in this matter wouldn’t be of any help, she strode to Austin who stood aside with an aloof and indifferent gaze, and whispered, “Austin. Take her to rest for a while. She’s your wife and she’s bleeding. We could discuss this matter another time.” Hearing his mother’s words, his onyx eyes turned pitch black as if they would swallow everything that came his way in those depths without leaving a way to get back. His face turned stoic and he said with contempt, “Wife?” Gazing at Vanessa, he said in a loud tone making everyone in the hall hear him, “I don’t have such a vicious wife.” Listening to his words, Vanessa’s already shattered heart broke even further If that was even possible and her chest felt a panging pain that she became unable to breathe and disbelief was written across her face. She squinted at Austin’s gloomy figure while her lips quivered. Austin came forward to her and poked her chin with his index finger to reach his eye level, his piercing glare had a deep hatred for her, and he didn’t hide it either. Eyeing her pale face, he coldly muttered, “from now on, you only have yourself!” Just by thinking of how his brother’s child ended up in a pool of blood and the reason was ‘his wife’, his blood boiled and he wanted to tear Vanessa into pieces. With one last cold glance at her, he took his mother aside and left since his heart felt uncomfortable when he saw Vanessa. Mia smirked as she saw the pitiful appearance of Vanessa. She was always against Vanessa and now when she got a chance to humiliate Vanessa, could she let it slide? Never! With her clicking heels, Mia strode towards Vanessa and kicked her bleeding leg with her high heels to make her kneel down, but Vanessa held the support of a nearby wall and straightened herself without showing any emotion on her face. Vanessa was beyond determined to not bend her head in front of the Jones family! Seeing that, Mia sneered, “kneel down, Vanessa !” “Don’t act so proud and arrogant! You insolent piece of shit!” Mia spat at Vanessa and kicked her legs again and again. “Grandpa wants you to kneel down. He’s giving you a chance and you don’t even have any respect and was disobeying his order?” She sneered and Vanessa still remained the same. Seeing that, Mia’s insides burned in rage, and she furiously gripped Vanessa’s arm and slapped her hard on the face. With the heavy blow, Vanessa’s lips bled in the corners and her face swelled but she didn’t kneel down! Vanessa rubbed her face with her palm while tears pooled in her eyes. Seizing her movements, Mia held her hair in a tight grip and kicked her knees with full force making her tremble! …