CHAPTER 6

ARIANA'S POV

You're getting married, Ariana!.

What?. I ask him again. He cannot be serious.

You're getting married, this coming Saturday.

Is this some sick joke, you do know that I'm quite young to get married?.

I look at mom for assurance. She grabs my hand. your father is serious Anna. we have no choice but to do this.

I pull my hand away abruptly and get up. what do you mean, you have no choice?.

Ariana, lower your voice. my father warns.

I point my finger at him, you don't tell me what to do!. Do you think I'm going to heed you?.

like I said you have no choice but to get married. Andrew says sternly.

you aren't my father to tell me what to do!. you were never there for me. you're just a sperm donor.

He gives me a tight slap across my face that I end up falling to the ground. Mom quickly comes to help me but I push her away.

I glare at him and wake up from the ground. you don't have a say in my life, I will not listen to either of you. I'm leaving and never coming back!. I inform the two of them and walk out. I hear my mother shouting for me to stop. I pay no attention to her and walk away.

I get to my room and pack my stuff.

As I open the door to leave my room mom grabs my arm.

Anna, I know that you're angry with me but please listen to me, there's something I need to tell you.

How could you mom?. you of all people, I trusted you the most and this is what you do to me?. I say with tears pouring down my face.

Anna, isn't like that. We had no other alternative than to agree with this marriage. In fact we were compelled to.

Who compelled you?. She pushes me back into my room and locks the door behind her.

Anna, whatever I'm going to tell you stays between us. your father cannot find out that I've told you the truth.

What truth are you talking about?. Are you hiding something from me, mom?.

Anna, I'm not sure how to explain this to you, please don't be mad at me Anna. I did it to protect you.

Mom, what are you protecting me from?.

Anna, I'm not your biological mother. your mother is my younger sister, her name was Ava.

I'm stunned at this revelation. all this while I assumed she was my mother. Now I understand why Tyler and Jessica hate, me cause I'm not their sister.

Then who is my father, if you aren't my mother?.

Anna, your father is Andrew.

I don't understand, could you please explain to me, how my mother had met Andrew. when he was already married to you?.

she sighs and begins to speak. well, your father met Ava when he was attending a business meeting in another city. At that time your father never knew who Ava was. In fact, none of my family had met Andrew. My parents were planning on getting me married to someone else. So I planned to run away from home. I and your father thereafter decided to get married.

I never had any contact with my family after I had gotten married. Your dad was just getting started with his business, so he had to go for a meeting. Andrew was supposed to come back in a weeks time but he didn't. weeks turned into months and months turned into years.

I was starting to get worried about him. I couldn't leave to search for him because I had to look after Tyler and Jessica. I then met Clair, she was a close friend of mine and your mother's. She offered to take care of Tyler and Jessica. I then went to search for Andrew.

That's when I found him with your mother. They supposedly had been living together for a year or so. Andrew however completely forgotten about Me and my children. He started a new life with your mother. I confronted them, Andrew was shocked that Ava was my sister. He told me, he didn't want to have anything to do with me cause, Ava is his true soul mate.

I walked away from there, I was hurt and shattered by what Andrew did to me. your mother stopped me and apologized for coming between me and Andrew. She couldn't stand to see me hurt, so she told your father to come back home with me.

I assured ava it wasn't her fault, she had no idea who Andrew was. Your dad then got mad, he started to beat me up and send me away.

I thereafter came back home to my kids and forgot about your father. three years later, he comes back with a baby in his arms. Ava had died just after giving birth to you. Andrew begged me to take him back. I took him back because of you, you were only a week old. you needed a mother, so I eventually became one for you. I never wanted to tell you this, because I know you will hate me.

Why would I hate you?. you're still my mom.

in fact, it wasn't your fault or my mother's it was his. He ruined both of your lives. I'm grateful that you took me in as your own.

Anna, you will always be mine no matter what anybody says.

Why didn't you tell me that Clair was your friend and not your sister?. I believed she was my aunt.

Well, she was like a sister to me and Ava, She grew up with the two of us. So we're close. Mom's phone buzzes. She answers it and speaks.

Anna. I need to go, something urgent just came up at the office. I'll see you later. she kisses me on my forehead and leaves my room.

I lay on my bed and take in everything that she told me. I wonder what my real mom was like.

was I anything like her?

I'm not sure how I dozed off earlier on. mom is now trying to get me to wake up. Anna, wake up it's time for dinner. My mom shakes me gently.

I'm not hungry mom. I say in a groggy voice. She unexpectedly drags me out of the bed, I end up falling on my butt.

Mom. I say angrily. Anna, you're well aware that I don't take no for an answer. Now come on and let's go have dinner.

Fine. I groan.

The three of us are having dinner in the dining room. I can't stand to be anywhere near this man after everything i've heard. He makes me sick.

Ariana did your mother explain to you why you will be getting married?.

Did he really have to bring that up now? I had forgotten about the whole marriage story. He has now spoilt my mood.