Duke De Luca

CHAPTER 2

"PAIN"

🌹~IRIDA'S POV~🌹

To the Millers,

As a result of the continuous fall behind in your rent with two years of nonpayment, your housing will be repossessed within the next 60 days if there is still a failure to pay up what is owed.
Failure to comply would attract the attention of the appropriate authorities.

I stared at the letter, my eyes scanning through the words before my gaze moved to the people crowding the small space I called my room.

My stepfather Mark looked sober today, he stood at the doorway with hands tucked in his pockets, his wife Karen stood closer to my mattress with a mean glint in her eye and her long blonde hair pulled up in a bun while their daughter Lily was also present, her jaws moved, teeth working heavily on the gum she had in her mouth as she blew on in and made smacking noises disturbing the quiet I had that morning.

"So?" I asked not sure why the letter was currently in my hold when it was supposed to be with Mark and his wife while they debated on how to pay the rent, being homeless wasn't something I wanted to add to my predicaments.

"Daddy said you have to pay your part of the rent." Lily smacked her gum again staring me down as she spoke, "After all, you live here."

"I don't have any money."

"I don't care." It was his wife Karen who spoke this time and she had her nose turned up at me, "As long as you live here-"

"Is Lilly paying her half of the rent too?"

"She's my daughter." Mark snorted leaving the doorway and stepping into the room.

"I am family too."

There was an eerie silence that followed my statement and their gazes lingered on me in puzzlement like I had just said the most bizarre thing ever and a feeling of dejection settled within me making me wish that I had kept my mouth shut, "I am sorry about that I-"

"I will give you till tomorrow to come up with your part of the money."

"How much is it?"

"$15,000."

"That's a lot! Its outrageous! It's not even worth it, how did it even get up to that amount! I only spend nights here, I don't eat here or get to use amenities all the time. There's not even a single light bulb in my room!" I couldn't help but raise my voice, my hands moving waving around the room in an attempt to show why it shouldn't cost me that much.

It wasn't like Lily's decorated princess room with all the pinks and whites, the electricity, the air conditioner, the bathroom with the bathtub.

My room was formally a storage room, stuffy and tight, with paint peeled off the walls, my mattress on the floor and just one window, I had no electricity here apart from one working socket, and each time I put on the ceiling fan, I put it off immediately for fear that it'd rotate and fall on my head with the sharp blades chopping at my skin.

"Don't talk back at me bitch!" His eyes widened in anger and I moved away a bit as he took threatening steps toward me, "Cough out the money before tomorrow or I throw you out!"

"Or we can just send her to plead with the landlord on her behalf."

My skin crawled at Karen's request and I dropped the letter immediately wrapping my hands around my stomach.

"No, please," I begged knowing what the man's lecherous gaze and his disgusting touches felt like and my insides coiled in irritation.

The first time I was sent there, he touched me, brushing his hands over the edges of my skirt and making a remark on how he didn't like me exposing my slim dark legs and then he proceeded to kiss my forehead in a way that I knew was wrong.

I was fourteen and no one believed me, not Mark, not Karen, and not Lily. I had told my best friend Irene but she also said I was just being paranoid because men don't desire girls like me.

She had also made the exact statement when her boyfriend in high school tried to hit on me in the empty locker room right after dunking a bowl of ice cream on me at the cafeteria claiming that I was too dark.

And I had to be mute, the way I was mute at work.

Every time I went to the landlord against my will, he was inappropriate and each time, I fought and clawed making sure he didn't go through with his carnal intentions every time I did that, his anger was directed towards my family and I was to blame.

I had gone there last week as Karen had sent me over with a basket of fruits for him and he had tried again which resulted in me scratching at his eyes.

This eviction notice was no surprise.

"Good, come up with it as soon as possible." Lily smiled at me, her bright cheeks raising while she still smacked the gum in her mouth.

They all gave me their final glares before turning around to leave the room.

"This isn't fair." My words weren't meant to be loud but they were and Mark turned around with a raised brow.

"What did you say?"

"You are being unfair and callous!" I stood up from the bed crumpling the letter in my hand and throwing it at him, "Every day, I go out to Slave to pay up your debt while you spend your money on beer and getting your family pretty things! You promised Mother that you would take care of me but you are doing the exact opposite! Have you no shame-"

My words were cut off with a sudden blow to my mouth, it all happened so fast and I fell to the bed crossing my bandaged hands over my face as he threw his hits at me while his wife and child stood watching.

"Miserable pathetic bitch!" He growled gripping my hair, "You should have died with your mother!"

He pushed me away and stormed out of the room along with his family and I lay there hugging my knees to my chest.

You should have stayed mute Irinda.

My eyes welled in tears knowing if my mother was alive, this would never have happened.

I would have lived like a princess and would be cared for by her, I'd go to college like my other mates, get to make friends and even date.

I just wanted to stay in my room and cry all day long but I couldn't as I had to go for my date with Irene.

____________

Poor Irida😕

Vote and comment❤️