Chapter one: The pain renewed

"You can never be like Sadie and you will never be, I wish you died in her place".

Every morning I wake up to these cold words ringing in my head and I feel how much hatred was in his voice and the stern looks on his face. He meant every single word he mentioned. 

 Sadie is my big sister, she made life easier growing up in LA without a mother figure but she fitted perfectly well. Her perfect smile, everything about her was perfect. 

 I spent 3 years of my life living in guilt for killing my only favorite human and waking to a reminder of it every morning by my father. No doubt, Sadie is his favorite child.

 Well, let me save you the long dreadful stories. My phone beeped and it was a text from Clara my best friend.

 " I get the fact it's your dad's company, but if you don't get here you'd be out of your job in 15 minutes, you should know better girl."

 But I took a day off to go to the beach to have a peaceful moment with my sister, we went there often and it was nothing but a sweet peace.

 Getting to the office in 25 minutes, knowing fully I would be embarrassed again in front of my dad's workers a thousand times, I should be used to it already. If it makes him feel better then I'm cool.

 Walking into the office, I noticed all the stares and I could feel the tension in the office, now this is so unusual. 

 Walked into my dad's office and I was welcomed by his cold stares which I see every day and it's no big deal by now. 

 " Good morning Dad". I greeted the man who I grew to know as Dad, and even though he asked me to stop all the formalities, most time I feel less than the workers here.

 He quietly picked an envelope from his drawer and placed it on his desk, quietly I picked and waited for him to say something before I opened it.

 The next thing that came out of his mouth was something I never expected.

 "your table has been cleared, you are to pack your things and leave, you are fired". Yes, my dad fired me.

 I wanted to say more but I had to walk away with some dignity, I'm not going to beg him anymore. 

 " And one last thing, when I get back home I wouldn't want to find any of your belongings in my house, take all your filthy things away with you. I've endured enough of you, I don't want to ever lay my eyes on you anywhere around me or my property " he hissed.

 Tears were dropping already, I rushed out of the building and sat in my car to cry before moving, I heard a knock and unlocked the car for Clara. She watched me cry my eyes out and asked me to move in with her since I have nowhere else to go.

 I moved my things into her place since I had an extra key. I feel I had a lot of time to cry myself, which I did.

 *Flashback* 3 years ago

 "are your backs packed, we are going to the beach". Sadie's screamed with so much excitement in her voice.

 She would always tell me that the beach reminds her of Mum, that's the only memory I have too. Our mum died when I was 10, still young but I can clearly remember her face and what she looked like. Sadie looked more like her, her petite and blonde hair. 

 Sadie was 7 years older than me, she knew our parents better and I knew I was mum's favorite, and dad wouldn't even hide the fact he loved Sadie more I thought I was just a child whose imaginations were wild, but I wasn't wrong.

 We were happy and I couldn't even trade those moments with anything else.

 "yes, my packs are packed. Is Dad coming with us?" I asked even though I knew the answer. 

 "Well, you know since Mom passed away, he has been a little bit tough, and going to the beach makes it even harder for him to move on". Sadie always knew him better.

 "It's a good thing you took a day off from work to go with me, I love you big time". I said running down the stairs to give her a big hug.

 She was driving and I asked her to call Dad, which she did. 

 "hey girls, guess you are at the beach already?" he asked with a bitter tone.

 "not yet, we are driving but almost there Dad. " I replied with so much excitement.

 "Dad, it would have been better if you were here and more fun". Sadie said 

 "I have to work and give you both a better life, so drive safe and have fun". He replied

 We both chuckled and I dropped my phone. I saw a dress that caught my attention and I was pointing it to Sadie and she looked at it, the next thing that happened was like a scene from a movie, more like Fast and Furious. 

 I opened my eyes to a room full of lights, for a moment I thought I was in heaven. I stared for a while until my eyes got comfortable around my new environment, I gently sat up and then I saw IV drips on my hands, realizing I was in the hospital I started panicking.

 I looked around and Sadie wasn't next to me or my Dad. I tried to stand up then a nurse walked in to attend to me. I was in a Coma for two weeks and the nurse wouldn't say a word about Sadie.

 My dad walked into the room and I could see his stern face, I'd never seen him this way.

 " you killed my daughter " my dad spoke with so much pain.

 "Dad I don't understand " I just came back to planet Earth and this is the first word I get from my Dad.

 "Sadie is dead and she has been buried, I blame her death on you. You never ended the call and the last thing I heard was you distracting her from driving safely, from your birth I always knew you'd be bad luck" his words sting 

 For a moment I wished I had died in her place, but I am not.

 *Back to present*

I cried my eyes out and took a can of beer from the fridge. 

 "I Ophelia Tony Hermes would pay Tony Hermes in the same way he has paid me all these years, he would feel this pain just the way I did".

 My story has just begun…