When Rafael came to Mrs. Tatiana Torres for a job, he didn't know that he would be a part of a little girl's life.
However, he didn't expect that trudging a life with her was so hard. There were times where he wished that he hadn't met her. The regret of it was so thick that he couldn't swallow it. Being with Isabella made his life harder and he wished that he hadn't chosen to stay.
But, there were times where he would cry for those kinds of thoughts. Guilt continuously drowned him whenever he looks at the little baby who didn't wish for him to take a path along with her. She didn't do anything and yet, Rafael sometimes blamed her for his painful path.
It was hard.
"Shut the fuck up!" Tatiana screamed at the crying baby in the crib. Rafael stood behind her, knowing that if he intervened, Isabella would be punished along with him. "You're fucking noisy. Why did I give birth to such a brat!"
It was so hard.
Isabella's eyes were boody red as she screeched, wailing due to the loud noise that her mother continued to emit. Tatiana didn't care though. She glared at Isabella like she was a burden to her.
To Rafael's eyes, Mrs. Torres definitely thought of her only daughter as a burden.
"I wish you were born a boy." Tatiana then whispered, not daring to touch the crying baby. "I wish you were boy because I would have been with my loving husband. If you were a boy then I would have been with my sons. I would have been happy if you weren't in my life. You ruined my life. You ruined mine. I hate this. Fuck."
She looked at the crying baby and laughed bitterly. There was fury in the way she laughed, her hands trembled as though she wanted to touch Isabella.
But not to comfort the crying child but to do something that Rafael was too scared to think about. He hoped that his master would leave Isabella's shitty room that she calls a nursery.
The room was dreary. The wooden floor creaked due to how old it was, there were no windows in the room and the room smelled bad. Isabella's crib was so old that Rafael would sometimes sleep in the nursery room in fear that the crib would collapse.
Then she spat, her anger coming in a full swing. "You ruined me. You ruined me!"
The woman shook the old crib, with tears falling down the woman's cheeks.
Rafael could not bear the sound of Isabella's screech of despair, how the little girl quivered at the loud noise, how the little girl sounded so tired from all of the screams that she had to receive.
Isabella didn't deserve this. She always cried. She always cowered whenever her mother would come into her room and pour all of her frustrations and anger onto her.
Isabella didn't deserve this.
Rafael closed his eyes tightly, desperately trying not to intervene. If he were to intervene, Isabella would be hit and Rafael would be locked up for a week.
If he ever intervened then he won't be able to take care of Isabella. Isn't it funny? Rafael won't be able to take care of Isabella if he ever intervened but right now he's watching her get screamed at.
Rafael may be taking care of Isabella but he could never protect her.
He could never fucking protect her.
He could never protect her from what harms her, from what scares her, and it's painful because everyday because he had to take care of a baby he can't even defend. Everyday, he had to listen to this torturous cries that he can't stop. Everyday, he had to endure the dirty looks of every servants in the mansion.
Everyday was a struggle.
So, could you blame him for saying he's tired? Could you blame him for being overprotective of Isabella? Could you blame him for not wanting to meet Isabella if he ever get to turn back in time?
When he opened his eyes again, he saw Tatiana raising her hand up to hit the baby in the crib but Rafael stepped forward with his heart pounding out of his chest.
His hands were sweating and he was trembling in fear but he can't let the woman hurt Isabella more than what she was already doing.
"Ma'am."
And when the cold, unforgiving eyes turned to him, all Rafael wanted to do was shut up. All he wanted to do was close his mouth, to lower his head like the servant that his is. All he wanted to do was to wither away and hope that he can't hear the poor little girl's cries of pain, of sorrow. All he wanted to do was drown everyone out.
But, he can't.
His duties was to protect Isabella. And if he had to go through the person who hired him to do so then he will do it. He will do it for Isabella.
"Please." He begged with trembling knees. "Please, that's enough."
If he had to go down his knees to beg like an idiot, to plead like a fool, then he will do so. He will kiss the ground and follow whatever devious orders that Mrs. Tatiana Torres demands just so he can protect Isabella.
"P-Please." He stared at those cold eyes and his heart cried at the thought of Isabella seeing it everyday. His heart cried at the thought of Isabella enduring the torturous cycle that she can't even escape from. "That's enough, ma'am."
The woman stared at him for a moment before clicking her tongue in displeasure.
Mrs. Torres cursed under her breath, running her hand through her tousled hair, before walking away without uttering a single word.
Rafael sighed shakily. Relief flooded him like a tidal wave. But, then he remembered why he pleaded her to stop. He looked at Isabella and immediately ran towards her crib.
The man quickly took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. Isabella was crying loudly, her cheeks and eyes were red and she was flailing around. Isabella smelled bad but that was because nobody changed her diapers.
Nobody cares.
Nobody cares about Isabella here. This wasn't her home and it wasn't his.
Rafael's eyes watered as his knees gave in. He slid down while hugging Isabella tightly, muttering sweet, encouraging words that sounded nothing but lies.
Nobody cares.
What if they died here? What if they died here with nobody knowing because nobody cares? Rafael sobbed in the dark room as he cradled Isabella.
Isabella was his only comfort in his life. In this place.
"Please..." Rafael whispered towards the nothingness of the room "Please let Isabella's dad take her. Please. I don't want her to stay here, please, please. Let someone take her away from this place."
He will plead for Isabella's joy and safety.
"Please..."
He will beg and kneel if he has to.
"Please let her be happy. Please don't let her be sad ever again, I'm begging you." He looks at Isabella and his heart broke. Shakily, he raised his hand to wipe her tears, shushing her.
He smiled forcefully, closing his eyes tiredly. "I-It's okay, Bella. You're safe now. N-Nobody will hurt you. I'm here, Bella. Please don't cry anymore. I'm here now."
He will do anything. Anything!
Isabella's sad wails broke his heart. The way she snuggled closer to him as if she wanted to know if he were really there. She held onto him tightly, not wanting to let go.
"Please..."
A loud cry made him suddenly open his eyes.
He wasn't in the dirty room anymore and he couldn't hear Isabella pouring all her sadness out too. He was in a beautiful place, and he was currently in the most comfiest couch.
Isabella made a loud cry of joy as Elois held her teddy bear up in the air and made an airplane sound.
There was a rocking chair near the two and Lucius sat in it with a frown on his face that made him look like a grumpy old man.
"Here." Rafael jumped at the sudden noise and he looked up and saw Anthony holding a mug. He smiled softly at Rafael. "It's hot so be careful."
Groggily, he asked, "What is it?"
Rafael gave him a weird look. "It's coffee. You asked for it, remember?"
Ah. Rafael remembered that he wasn't in that woman's place but in a more safer home. It's now Isabella's home where she can cry all she want and nobody will scream at her because of it.
Relief flooded him immediately and he sighed shakily, smiling at Anthony before accepting the mug.
Anthony hummed in satisfaction before sitting beside him. The two watched Isabella's cheerful screech as she reach for the bear that Elois moved around.
After a while, Rafael spoke up. "I'm sorry I fell asleep."
Anthony chuckled. "It's fine."
"But, it's not." Rafael said calmly, clenching the steaming mug without much care. "I was supposed to take care of her, to watch over her and here I am sleeping—"
"You took care of her when we couldn't." Anthony answered him coolly. "I don't trust you and that makes me a bastard, sure, but I'm thankful."
Anthony looks at Rafael with a gentle smile. "So, it's okay if you take a break every once in a while. Honestly, if you take a break then we can spend a lot of time taking care of Bella without the worry of someone chewing our heads off."
Rafael snorted, sipping his coffee. "I'll never take a break then."
Rafael was relieved that they're finally safe.
Awww, Rafael went through so much. Mrs. Torres is a baddie
What do you guys think?
Hope you guys enjoyed it!
Imma roll away now (.-.)(:I )(˚-˚)( I:)