Chapter 3 - FINDING A VOICE

SCARLET'S POV

I felt a hot slap on my face, it was unexpected, so I stumbled and fell. But as soon as I could, I got up and went back on my knees. I didn't know I had done something wrong and that was why I never expected such a reaction from her.

I was still wondering what I might have done wrong when she yelled at me. "Did I give you permission to get up you ingrate?"

She has always been disgusted by my sight and she never tried to hide this hate. No one ever tried to hide this hate, not even the woman that had me in her womb for months.

Immediately after she gave birth to me, she placed the omegas in charge of me and I had to live with them on the servant's quarter right from my very first day on earth. So you see, I never know what life in the mansion felt like except for the numerous occasions when I had to run errands in the mansion just like now.

"Forgive my insolence, ma Patricia" I mumbled.

I saw her leaving and I had erroneously thought that it transcends to discharging me of the punishment from her.

Of course, right? If she was going to leave that only meant I can get up. Why then was she angry when I did or was I supposed to remain on my knees till eternity?

Truly, I find it just so difficult to understand these people I call my own. I don't know how they do their logical calculations and arrive at their decisions. And whenever it appeared to me like I was beginning to understand them, they turn around and transform into something totally different from what I had gotten accustomed to.

My whole life, all I do was try to understand them and live up to their expectations. And doing this is even worse when compared to chasing shadows. They always ended up making me feel like an outcast even when all I tried to do was to love them.

But I am never going to stop, I appreciate all that they have done for me and so I will keep doing even much more to make them see me as an asset and value my place in their lives.

"I leave her to you. Do make sure to give her the right punishment she deserves" my mother said.

I felt shattered as I watch her leave and I turned to my sister and her friend and saw just how happy this instruction made Gina feel. She was just so happy to have me in her mercy and was not decent enough to conceal it.

She hated me more than everyone else even though I have done nothing against her to deserve such revulsion from her.

"Now I have her" Dawn chuckled. She was elated as she walked up to me.

Dawn arrived a year after I was born. She is my younger sister and unlike me, she was everything the beta dreamt of in a daughter. In fact, she was even more. She was beautiful and was only fit for alphas and princes. Even though she tried not to admit it, I know she has a good heart, and deep down somewhere in her heart, she loved me just like a sister should.

The omega that was in charge of me, Mama Ruth, was kind enough to me and she saw that I went to school just like other kids but she could do nothing to ease my pains as even she too had her burdens.

She sent me to the same school as Dawn and even though I was a year older than her, we were in the same class because I did not start school together with my peers because of my slow growth and frailness.

The school I attended was for the children of the high and mighty and if it had not been under the management of the alpha which meant that I never had to pay for anything, I know that there was no way mama Ruth would have been able to afford such school for me since she received no extra penny from my parents to cater for me.

The children of the omegas do not attend the same school because of its high rate, but Mama Ruth felt that since I have lost in other things, I should benefit from schooling as children of the same social status as myself.

"I am sorry, Dawn," I pleaded in the hope that she would take pity on me and ask me to get up.

But instead of replying, she burst into re-echoing laughter and when she was done laughing, she said. "I am the one that should be sorry here. I am the one that had been made to put up with you all my life even when it was the most demeaning thing to ever happen to me"

I would have loved to admit that she was right, but no, she has never suffered as a result of me. I am the one that was made to always clean up after her and even though I was her elder sister, I was taught never to question her authority. And all through my childhood, I never saw anything wrong with this arrangement until I began to understand life better.

But then, it was better I never did because I would not want to remember what my mother made me pass through on the very first day I had dared to put up a challenge against Dawn. Believe me, that day was hell.

"But sis..."

Before I could complete my statement, Gina had already landed a thunderous slap on my face which sent me scampering blindly on the floor.

I didn't see her coming. The last I checked, she was sitting on the chair far from where I was kneeling. I was still trying to regain consciousness when Gina dragged me from where I was on the floor and forced me to go back on my knees.

"Knee down you fool, who asked you to lie down?" Gina yelled.

"Have mercy on her, Gina, you know she is not strong" Dawn said in a mocking tone.

"Of course, she is not strong, and do you know I had almost forgotten that?" Gina replied and they started to laugh.

My legs were already weak and I was feeling numb on my knees. I could not kneel for long and I was already dizzy and feeling nauseated. If care is not taken, I might faint soon.

Dawn turned to me and said. "Since you are this weak why are you living among us? What are you doing among the strong? You should be in the forest with ants because that is where you belong"

Her words hurt me really bad. I can get used to the hostilities from others but not from my sister who I love so much. I expect the same emotion from her. I want her to love me as much as I love her.

I cannot live with the pain that I was feeling because of her. My heart was bleeding as I hear her utter those hurtful words. Maybe she was right. No, not maybe, I am a weakling and was not supposed to dwell among the strong.

"Don't bother yourself, Dawn, leave her to me, I will deal with her myself" Gina said.

I smirked. Gina was threatening to deal with me. A girl that I was way older than. What right does she have to say such?

However, I tried to hide just how furious I was. All I wanted was to get to Gina and tear Gina apart and then send her remains to her parents but for Dawn. She was Dawn's friend and I know that doing that would hurt Dawn which is something that I will never do intentionally.

But no, I have no chance against Gina. I am a weakling remember? So I can't face Gina even if I wanted to. I sulked at my predicament.

"Just with one finger, I am going to destroy you. No, I don't even need to lift a finger, I will turn you to shreds by just the word of my mouth" she grinned.

I looked at her, feeling irritated by her person and she looked back at me scornfully.

"And what do you want to do? Imbecile, that is what you are, you are an imbecile" she said.

I don't how I did it or what made me do it but I rose to my feet and charged at her.

She never expected such a reaction from me and so she was in the least prepared for what came for her. I had never stood up to her before and she believed I would not even do that now.

I screamed as I grabbed her by the throat and tried to strangle her. I don't care if she dies or what would happen to me after this but I would make sure I gave her a dose of her own bitter pills.

She screamed in shock and tried to pull me away from her body but could not. She rotated and dragged me away from her body and flung me so hard on the floor.

I fell and tried to open my eyes but I could not see anything. Everywhere was dark and I could only detect some tiny sparkling stars. I tried to get up immediately and charge towards her again but I could barely lift my body as I wanted to.

Even though it was almost impossible for me to do what I wanted, I was resilient and persistent.

At last, I was able to drag myself up from the floor and made to go for Gina with all the hate in me.

I think I was still running towards her when I heard one of them say. "Are you sure she is still alive, Gina?"

"What difference does that make? it is not like you have ever wanted her" the other reply.

Hearing their voices made me realize that I have fainted.