Power Moves - Exodus

Chapter 8: The lies of Leila Adams..

There were hundreds of photos upon photos of Leila...at her home. There were photos of her in her Pajamas, photos of her in the kitchen , there was photos of her sleeping in her shanty bedroom. Then there were photos of her aunt, standing over Leila in the kitchen and Leila looking down on the floor visibly shaken. There was a photo of Leila, eating alone in the kitchen floor while her aunt, uncle and their daughter were eating in the lounge. There were photos of Leila carrying all the shopping bags, while the family walked in front eating ice cream. 

Leila stared with embarrassment and humiliation etched upon her face. There were dozen more so photos and Leila didn't have the will to go and look over them. Zach pulled out a paper from under the photos and started reading it out aloud.

"Leila Marie Adams, aged 17, born in a small town, to a young mother and father. Mother and father both teachers...one brother by the name of Dylan Adams..7 years younger..parents deceased in a car accident when Leila was 11 years old, who then proceeded to live with her biological aunt (Margot Roberts), her husband –Henry Roberts and her only daughter by the name of Lydia Roberts....".

Zach paused, staring dangerously at her "..... If I said your aunt didn't give 2 shits about you..that would be an understatement...." He said, raising his eyebrows he continued to read. "... Frankly speaking the aunt seems to have taken Leila in mainly due to the fact that it would mean free labour. By labour here we are mainly dealing with domestic labour.., and free labour in the Roberts family business which at the moment is a Hair salon. However , it is to be noted that Margot Roberts seems to continuously change her nature of business ..the last 2 years it was snack shop, prior to that it was a photo booth and so on and so forth. Also to be noted that , although the subject of this investigation Leila Adams, has suffered severe neglect and abuse at the hands of the Roberts family ...she seems to be fairly mentally balanced ..and blah...blah...blah..." zach finished, throwing the document roughly onto the bed, leaving Leila feeling shocked. What the hell was that.

"wh-...who...wrote th..that.." she asked

"it was a joint venture so to speak..between my private investigator and our clinical psychologist.." zach finished.

"Why..?" she asked him feebly without looking up to him

"It's my money..and how I chose to spend it ..is entirely up to me.."

Leila got angry fuming she aggressively pushed Zach's chest trying to create space between the two of them. "I . Hate. You." She said. Leila gasped as Zach roughly grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him , he put his arms around her back and forced her face to look at him, with his other arm.

"so ..there it is...the real life Cinderella.." he said staring at her in awe. Leila could feel tears falling except these were tears of humiliation. It was enough to live through that life every day..it was even worse to have someone photograph it , document it and shove it in your face. She started crying ..."Just..p..ple..please ..let me go h-h-home..Zach" she said , she wanted to break free of his hold ..but she knew she would be no match for him.

"Home..which home?" he asked aggressively, shaking her "the one...where you are told to eat on the floor?! Or maybe ..the home where you have to work till 4 am cleaning that pathetic excuse of a salon? Or how about the home where you are only allowed to eat leftovers? Tell me WHICH HOME?!" Zach yelled at Leila Shaking her violently..and she shuddered..... 

"And you think WE at royal high school don't know how to treat people ..?" Zach yelled at her, before she knew it, she started sobbing hard.

"wh..wha..what do you want from me..?" Leila asked him weakly

"I told you..didn't I Leila Adams? " Zach said still gripping onto Leila and pushing her body, till it was rubbing on him "that you would come to live with me?..." he said taunting her.