Never yours

oria

stood in the doorway, his face ashen, his shoulde

im, a knot tightening in

ng her phone aside. "Maybe he's still piss

hooting her a glare. "

," she muttered,

my throat. "You were gone so long... Mum's been wa

s hair. "Yes. I need to speak to everyone," he said,

off in my head. T

d reach Mum's room, I heard her soft footsteps.

d quickly, then followed h

ek. None of the little things they always shared

Backport, he insisted he doesn't have money yet complaining that the

t gnawing at me. Maybe if I hadn

ng that made the air d

ting marrie

dropped li

rked upright, v

ho

enda. "I know this is ha

ding. Relief flooded me - but only for a seco

Kelvin - the CEO of Brahma Real Estate - he's the one I borrowed m

r face ghostly pale. "What d

me. "But in the end, he made me sign an agreem

room

'm working on the money. Once I r

bitter laugh, spi

a! I'm not the only daughter here," she snapp

the room, hands tearing thr

h, Brenda?" Dad explod

ad

I sacrificed everything for you two. Your sister's about to

Mum. "Aren't you goi

d softly. "If you don't... your fath

, her voice trembling with fury. Her hands

away. She inhaled deeply, then

ar-she'd followed the shouting instinctively, dread already clawin

othing? You watched them plan my life li

s eyes, but her voice held st

ed-and for the first time saw a woman drowning beneath the surfac

ng away. "You could've said

oors. But your father signed that contract w

rumpled. "So yo

every moment, I was trying

rief. Her knees buckled-but before her mother could

whispered, arms wrapping

ined them, fall

ed. "I'm so sorry I coul

nto her shoulde

mother said, her voice qua

eeks. Her heart was breaking too-shattered by choices none o

, breaking away. "And you expect me t

s Mum led her to the bedroom,

nto the sofa, r

g needed - bridal clothes, arrangemen

eavily. "But

public assurance. Something about a

" I pressed, he

ld answer, my

ls

gestured silently. Da

o the hallway

rackled through the line. "Di

ng a smile he could

on't usually pic

PM. My eyes widened. Had we

t track of tim

he teased lightly. "C

ching the bridge of my nose. "

one softened. "Sorr

ack to where my father was but he wasn't there anymo

u too," I

with the hem of my shirt. "A lot happened to

he said

le... thing. Family stuff. She's being force

he muttered. "

d my knees. "Will

mediately. "You won't h

"Besides... I still owe you

ks warming des

in the world after this

wait," he

r, neither wanting to hang up. Final

t the bed , stari

could push my father

move. Slowly, sleep crept

se of Brenda's looking unease, sneaky and suspicious - and i

she be lo

verything