Chapter 6
Three days later, I found myself back at Alpha Frank’s mansion.
My ALS was worsening by the day. Nill paid me a visit, his eyes filled with concern as he pleaded with me to seek proper medical care. But nothing could sway me from my self–imposed path of atonement.
That very evening, Alpha Frank unexpectedly ordered me to accompany him to a high- end shopping mall to buy shoes for Lisa. As we entered the bustling mall, the bright lights and the chatter of well–dressed shoppers only made me feel more out of place. I trailed behind Alpha Frank in my plain, worn–out dress.
Suddenly, he swept his arm across a display
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table, sending several pairs of expensive shoes crashing to the floor. The store employees gasped in horror, and the other customers turned to stare.
“You can’t even come shopping with me without making a mess,” he growled.
Before I could even process what was happening, he pointed at Lisa, “Go, help Lisa pick out the perfect pair. And if she’s not satisfied, you’ll be cleaning this store from top to bottom.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
I forced myself to walk over to Lisa.
Lisa smirked at me. “Well, look at you. I’m sure you have no idea what looks good“.
She then began to toss shoes at me, one
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after another. “Try this one. No, this is all wrong.”
As I struggled to keep up with her demands, she would occasionally step on my foot, making me wince in pain, and then laugh it off. The other shoppers and the store employees watched with a mix of pity and amusement.
Throughout this ordeal, Alpha Frank watched from a distance.
Finally Lisa decided on a pair of shoes.
I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally.
As we left the store, Alpha Frank handed me the bag with the shoes and said, “Carry these carefully. If you so much as scratch the box, you’ll be paying for them out of your measly
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salary.”
When we finally left the mall, I was left standing on the sidewalk, alone.
Alpha Frank and Lisa had already driven off, leaving me to find my own way back.
I began to make my way home
“Beep – beep!” A speeding car spotted me and blared its horn frantically. But my movements were sluggish.
In that split–second, when death seemed imminent, a strong hand yanked me back to the curb.
I slowly lifted my eyes, I met Alpha Frank’s dark, stormy gaze. “Trying to get yourself killed again?”
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Memories long – buried, like a flood breaking through a dam, rushed back.
Years ago, when the school organized a trip to a countryside manor. I was mesmerized by the magnificent rose garden and excitedly ran in to admire the delicate blooms. But I was careless and got pricked by a rose thorn, stumbling forward, on the verge of falling. Alpha Frank, with lightning – fast reflexes, reached out and pulled me into his arms. In that moment, time seemed to stand still. Our eyes met, and as his face slowly drew closer, our lips met in a tender kiss.
I wondered if Alpha Frank was also swept away by the memories.
He held onto me for a long time, and we just stared at each other.
Suddenly, an angry voice shattered the
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moment.
Lisa had come to pick up Alpha Frank and had witnessed the scene. “What are you two doing?” she screeched.
Alpha Frank jolted back to reality, as if electrocuted. He pushed me away abruptly and turned and walked towards Lisa. “It’s nothing. Let’s go,” he said.
Lisa shot me a venomous look before taking Alpha Frank’s hand and leaving.
I stood there, dazed, lost in the memories.
Late at night, after a long day of toil, I received a message from Lisa on my phone. [Honey, come camping with me in the suburbs on Saturday! We’ll have outdoor
barbecue, it’s going to be so much fun! No refusing!]
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Among the long list of people she tagged, I saw my name and Alpha Frank’s.
I didn’t want to go at first, but Lisa persuaded me repeatedly, saying that Alpha Frank would want me to be there. Helplessly, I had to agree.
On Saturday, I went along with them for the camping trip.
I never expected that Alpha Frank would actually show up. He had always disliked such social events.
A group of us sat around the campsite, enjoying the sizzling barbecue, laughter and joy filling the air. Soon, everyone started clamoring to play a game.
“Come on! Let’s play the number – bomb
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game. The one who guesses the number will get a special’surprise‘!” Alpha Frank went out to answer a work call. I wasn’t good at this game, but I was still dragged into it.
After several rounds of intense guessing, unfortunately, I guessed the number – bomb. The so–called “surprise” was that I had
–
to share a tent with a randomly selected person that night.
My heart sank as I held the card with the punishment written on it.
Lisa’s lips curled into a malicious smile. “Nancy, you’re not afraid, are you? If you are, quit your job as Frank’s nanny, and we’ll call off the punishment.”
I looked at her aggressive face, my fists clenching involuntarily.
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I gritted my teeth and said calmly,
“Fine, I accept.”
At the other end, outside the tent. Just as Alpha Frank finished his call and turned around, he heard Lisa whispering to a stranger.
“You draw the lot later. When that Nancy gets the punishment, you make sure to draw the lot and share a tent with her tonight. She’s such a slut,enjoy her tonight, and I’ll pay you handsomely.”
Alpha Frank’s eyes blazed with anger as he strode into the tent.
Everyone fell silent for a moment when they saw him enter.
Lisa’s face turned as white as a sheet.
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Alpha Frank pretended to be nonchalant, feigning confusion. “Why is everyone so quiet? What’s going on?”
Someone laughed awkwardly and explained, “Nancy guessed the number – bomb. The punishment is to share a tent with a randomly–selected person tonight.”
Alpha Frank looked at Lisa and said sternly, “What kind of ridiculous punishment is this? We’re here to have fun, not to engage in such sleazy things.” Lisa opened her mouth to retort, but when she met Alpha Frank’s icy gaze, her words died in her throat. The others nodded in agreement, and the matter was thus settled.
Lisa, still seething with anger, after driving away a homeless person, made a phone call.
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As soon as Alpha Frank stepped through the front door of his house, before he could even catch his breath, his mother stormed towards him like a hurricane.
“So, you finally decided to come back!” his mother shrieked,
“I ask you, how long do you plan to drag your feet on your marriage to Lisa? You’ve been engaged for ages, and Lisa’s parents keep calling me, threatening to call off the wedding if it doesn’t happen soon.
“Can we postpone the wedding?”
”
His mother jumped up, her finger almost jabbing into his face.
“Don’t think I don’t know what’s on your mind. You’re reluctant to marry Lisa because you’re still hung up on that woman, Nancy!”
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“I’m telling you, you and Nancy have no future together! Don’t even think about it!” With that, she grabbed Alpha Frank’s arm and dragged him, almost like a sack of potatoes, in front of Elena’s framed photo.
Sobbing and wailing, she cried out, “Look at your sister! She died so horribly! She was trying to protect Nancy when she was hit by that car! If Nancy hadn’t panicked and run away recklessly, my daughter wouldn’t have been hit by that speeding vehicle! She wouldn’t have died such a tragic death! She was so young! But because of Nancy, everything is gone! She’s the indirect murderer of your sister. She’ll never be part of our family, not unless I’m dead!”
His mother raged on, her cries growing more hysterical, until she finally collapsed to the ground, clutching Elena’s photo tightly.
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Looking at Elena’s young and innocent face in the photo and his mother, who was on the verge of fainting from grief, Alpha Frank uttered. “I won’t marry Nancy”
But this wasn’t enough to satisfy his mother.
She suddenly scrambled up from the ground, her eyes wide as saucers. “No! Promise me right here, in front of your sister, that you’ll marry Lisa immediately! Say it now!”
“I promise I will marry Lisa immediately.”
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