5. GOOD DAY AHEAD

My heart has been beating faster so badly about how I could contact my father. I haven't been able to reach him since last Christmas Eve. I was allowed to visit him when I pleaded with Mrs. John in her room.

Christmas was around the corner, and I knew if I didn't act fast, I wouldn't be allowed to see my father, as promised by Marvin's father, 'Mr. Patrick', after my wedding to his son. 

He briefly invited me and my father to a room in the church before we left for his mansion. The room was vacant, and only a table and chair occupied the four-walled space of the room. He maintained perfect silence for a few seconds before he conveyed the message to us.

"Mr. George, I am so excited today as you and your beloved daughter have fulfilled your part of the contract. From now on we are family, and I also promise to fulfill my part." Mr. Patrick said.

My father and I were looking at him with deadly eyes. I could hear my adrenaline urging me to kick him so badly and flee the scene, away from the hardship I was about to face.

My father was the only one that responded to his horrible short speech.

"Alright, Mr. Patrick, thank you. We look forward to seeing that," Mr. George said.

The eyelids of my father's two eyes were blinking continuously as I looked up directly at his socket. I could see that his eyeball was unstable whenever Mr. Patrick uttered any words.

"Maria, you are going to a place where you will be treated like a queen and not like a princess, and don't worry about your father. You will be allowed to visit your beloved father every Christmas Eve, but on the condition that you will be accompanied by three of my trusted men. I don't want you both planning what I wouldn't like for me and my son." Mr. Patrick said.

After the conversation, he took my hand and left my father in the room. We saw Marvin behind the door as we stepped out. He had overheard everything we said and hugged his father affectionately to show him gratitude for having his back.

He handed me a gold neck chain as a wedding gift, but I rejected it and threw the goddamn thing on the poor floor of the church.

It has been a year today, and I haven't seen or heard from my father.

I woke up with a beautiful plan this morning to meet Mrs. Hannah and make sure to finish up whatever she gives me on time. She shouldn't be as bad as her husband and son, and I used what my mother used to tell me. She said to survive in the jungle I must be prepared to face anything that comes my way.

Before I can conquer the enemy outside, I must conquer the one indoors.

I threw my pillow to one side and hurriedly stood up from my soft bed. Max was beside me on the bed.

"Max, come on, boy, today is a beautiful morning." 

He barked at me, acknowledging the call to wake him up. I quickly approached my cupboard. I opened it widely to put on the best short gown for the chores. I went straight to my door adjacent to my cupboard.

We walked slowly towards the mansion's hall, and I noticed the gardener, 'Mr Fred', coming straight at us. Mr. Fred is a 40-year-old short man. He had loved Max a lot ever since he had saved his life.

Max had helped him when he was about to fall from a tree he was cutting in the garden. Max saw the tree that was about to fall on him, so he kept on barking so loudly non-stop, till he was able to see it, and he quickly jumped away from the direction. 

He gasped immediately. The tree landed on a free space in the garden. He walked straight to Max and kissed and rubbed his hand on his head softly.

"You are a good boy, Max," Mr. Fred said.

As she walked into the sitting room, she could see the cleaner, 'Mrs. Sharon'.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sharon, How was your night? Maria asked.

She was so surprised, and she couldn't respond for a few seconds because she hadn't been greeting her ever since she got married to Marvin. She's always unhappy, but why is she so happy right now?

"Good morning, Miss Maria; it was great." Mrs. Sharon said.

She sounded so different and determined that she quickly picked up the broom she sighted beside Mrs. Sharon and started cleaning every corner of the house, following in her footsteps gradually.

She wanted to restrain her from doing the chores, but she insisted on doing them. 

Marvin woke up to find the whole house so clean and sparkling like a glass. He went outside in his white pajamas. He saw Maria assisting the worker at the stable, tending to the horses. He was shocked and angry at the same time.

His mind was restless, his revenge plans weren't working on her; she had found happiness in what he called punishment, punishment in what he referred to as enjoyment.

He took a right turn back inside the mansion, hitting everything he saw. He set his eyes on a vast flower and threw it on the marble-tiled floor, which broke into pieces, and he had a cut on his left leg from the broken pieces on the floor. 

Blood escaped from his leg gradually, leaving the wounded part open. Jane went as fast as she could when she heard the disturbing noise. On getting there, she saw the floor covered with Marvin's blood trailing him as he walked around the whole house.

He ignored the pain he was feeling outside, but he was focused on the very deep pain coming from the depths of his heart, his heart filled with anger that could consume the whole mansion.

He ignored the assistant and approached Jane, who tried to offer him the first aid kit she wanted to help him with.

Maria was so excited to see Max chase after the running horse on the field; he was so fast that he nearly ran past the fastest horse in the mansion.

Mr. Diego, a 42-year-old, was so surprised to see Maria and Max approaching him at the stable for the first time, but he willingly showed her how he operates in the stable and how to mount the horse easily. She's a very smart and intelligent lady that learns things faster when taught.