Rage

His sole attention was on them, until, he fell into temptation and birthed Malia with another woman, a woman she had never laid eyes on or heard of. He had also refused to spill who the woman was and eventually, she had to share the love and attention with an unwanted child and now, a new burden was added into the family. A new peculiar burden.

She was raging inwardly, but she only surppressed her disdain for her step daughter because of his presence. She didn't want to share him, but now she had to and she had no say in it whatsoever.

"I refuse to live in the same house with that thing, who knows what she is and she most possibly killed her mother in that fire, because if she didn't then how did she survive the fire?" Lovessa implied with a strong point, even his resolve shook for a split second, but when he looked back at her innocent eyes staring into his, he shook the doubts away.

"We'll find out what happened from her later, for now, she needs to rest and eat." Andrew intoned.

"Later? When she's already killed us all? Will you be asking her questions when we're dead?" Lovessa argued, unable to accept living with the strange child.

"That's enough, Lovessa, you're being paranoid and unreasonable." Andrew warned while Dabria watched in confusion as the argument intensified, but she somehow realized it was because of her and from that moment onwards, she realized she was different from the others. She felt alienated.

"No, you're being paranoid and unreasonable by risking our lives and the life of your daughter for that strange child!" Lovessa yelled.

Andrew's jaws ticked but he maintained his composure as he said "Daughters."

"What?"

"I have two daughters Lovessa." He corrected and she scoffed.

"You would have had only one if you had learned to control yourself." Lovessa snapped.

"But I have two, so learn to live with it. I've made my decision, Dabria stays whether you like it or not." Andrew said with a finality in his words.

"Her mother had a very good reason to hide her from the world and I assure you, it wasn't a good one." Lovessa remarked, her voice low but heavy with caution.

"Her mother hid her from people like you because humans are the real monsters." Andrew remarked and with that said, he carried the little girl as he walked past Lovessa, leaving her dumbfounded and fuming with anger.

Andrew opened the door to Malia's small room and he gently lowered Dabria to sit on the bed while he crouched in front of her.

Andrew gave her a warm smile as he began "Dabria, everything is fine, just get some rest and eat, you will be sharing Malia's room with her from now on, right Malia?"

"Yesss." Malia exclaimed in excitement as she hugged Dabria and they both giggled in delight.

"How old are you, Dabria?" Andrew asked.

She lifted five fingers on the right and three fingers on the left as she said "Eight."

"You are the same age as Malia, you both will get along well, I'll bring something for you to eat, make yourself at home." Andrew said before exiting their room.

"Was that your Mama?" Dabria asked.

Malia shook her head "Not my real Mother, she's my stepmother. Father said my mother is dead." Malia said.

"She doesn't like me." Dabria muttered under her breath, the light in her eyes going dull as she spoke.

Malia's grin widened "She doesn't like me either." She said and they both giggled.

"She only likes her daughter, Elara. She's my big step sister and she doesn't like me too." Malia said nonchalantly as she shrugged her shoulders.

In the middle of their conversation, the door suddenly swung open as Andrew walked in with a plate of food in one hand.

At the sight of it, Dabria's stomach grumbled involuntarily and the girls both giggled.

"You both should share." Andrew said as he gave them the food. They ate hungrily and afterwards, played in their room for hours and soon, night fell.

As the night came, Andrew went to their room only to find them still playing vigorously .

"Thats enough, it's time to go to bed." Andrew said as he ushered them into bed after giving them a wash.

"Goodnight Papa." Malia whispered and he kissed her on the forehead. Going over to Dabria's side, she bid him goodnight as well and he gave her a kiss on the forehead too after he tucked them both in bed and bid them goodnight. The girls snuggled close to each other as they closed their eyes to sleep and he smiled at the sight before leaving.

Immediately he came out of their room, he found Lovessa standing by the door. Her face was twisted with a grimace as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Pray we survive the night and she doesn't bring her curse upon this family." She spouted out.

"That's enough." Andrew said as he walked past her only to come face to face with his older daughter, Elara.

"Why aren't you asleep?" He asked.

"I'm scared, Father. I can't sleep." She said with a shaky voice.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Andrew asked as he approached the terrified girl.

"No, I'm scared of the girl." Elara whispered as she clutched on to her mother.

"Do you see what you've done, Andrew? Now our family can't sleep in peace because of that curse you've brought home." Lovessa spat out.

"That's enough! You're the one spewing fallacies in the child's head." He snapped at her.

Turning to face Elara, he said with assurance "There's nothing to be afraid of, Elara. Dabria won't hurt anyone, she's only different."

Andrew glanced at Lovessa before taking Elara to her room.

Lovessa stood frozen, she was irritated and raging inwardly. The two unexpected presence had stolen the attention from her and her daughter, Elara. They had invaded her family and now, she swore they would never know peace.