Safe Haven

"Celine!" A man's tough voice echoed through the serene atmosphere. 

The wooden table stretched from one side of the room to the other. With three people sitting on the right side, an elderly woman sitting at the center, with a man and woman on either side. 

"What? Did you forget what he did?" The young woman glared at the man. Her eyes were bitter and scorned seeing Adam enter the room. "Leave!" Celine yelled at Adam, grabbing the glass of wine beside her and tossing it at him. Luckily, the glass ended up hitting the floor before it reached, shattering into pieces and spilling all the contents inside it. 

Adam glanced at the shattered glass, his face unhinged by the unwelcoming behavior, he took a step closer to the table, with a polite smile on his face. "Mrs Shen. Mr. Shen. Miss Celine." Adam greeted each one of them with a polite bow and courtesy. 

"How many times do I have to tell you to not call us that?" The old woman didn't hide her disappointment. Her wrinkled face showed clear signs of dissatisfaction as she spared a glance at the man sitting beside her as if hinting at him to do something. 

The man let out a fake cough, "Celine, sit in your damn place." The man coldly ordered, not giving any chance to refute. With much resistance the woman silently sat down at her place, while the man took off his gold watch and started to fold his sleeves up," And Adam, how many times have I told you to use the proper word." The man spoke, getting up from his place. 

Adam remained quiet, already knowing what was coming for him. He quietly stood in his place, while the man walked up to the fireplace and grabbed the poker that was left inside the fire enough for it to turn red. 

"Bernard, serve dinner." The elder woman ordered, ignoring the scene unfolding in the room. Bernard saw the man walking up to Adam with the hot poker in his hand. He was well aware of what was going on, yet with a heavy heart, he stepped to the table and served the two women dinner on their plates. 

The man stood before Adam, and without any warning, he hit him in his calves, causing Adam to involuntarily kneel on the ground. In the area where Adam got hit, the clothes were burned and bits were infused with his skin. 

Adam bit his lower lips to hold back his scream from escaping, he knew that was only going to make it worse for him. 

"Adam, did you forget the rules of our little game now?" The man inquired, as he saw Adam trembling on the floor trying his best to hold in his screams. 

Adam hissed and without another refute, he took off his shirt, kneeling on the ground. His father didn't take long, before raising the poker once again and this time putting directly on his bare back and hitting again and again until the poker had gone cold. 

"Now tell me, what do you call us Adam?" The man questioned again, putting the poker back into the fireplace. 

Adam glanced up at them, the two women who still ate their food with no care of the cruelty going on or the man who stood by the fireplace reheating his weapon. This was the same from the day Adam had entered this hell. It's all the same. 

"Mrs. Shen…" With a quivering voice, he replied. As if it was his way to show they would never have controlled him. His face was pale as if every drop of blood was drained out of his body. 

The elderly woman this time showed a flicker of emotions. "Adam!" The man yelled, about to rush up when the woman stopped him.

"Enough. I heard you got someone you wish to marry Adam. I wonder how she will react when she learns that her husband can't even respect his family. Would a woman trust a man who can't even get along well with his own family?" Every word that came out of that woman's mouth was like venom that stung Adam more than those born from his father. 

"What do you say, Adam? Should we tell your future in-laws your birth and how you are nothing but a bastard born to a lowly prostitute…" The woman continued, knowingly hitting Adam where it hurt him most. 

"Grandma…Father and Aunt." Gulping the last bit of pride and self-respect, he answered. His shoulder slumped in defeat, his eyes lowered to the floor. Once again, he ended up just as their slave.

Nothing of this would happen, if not for that venomous woman. If she didn't exist, none of this would have happened. The red carpet underneath started to feel wobbly, as he lost consciousness of his surroundings and plopped to the ground. 

By the time Adam regained consciousness, he found himself in the familiar setting. He looked around and found himself on his bed with his back facing upwards. 

"You are finally awake?" A familiar petite voice woke and questioned. Wondering if it was who he thought it was, Adam sat up straight. His eyes flickered at the silhouette of the woman standing by the door. Maybe it was because of his injury, he was having hallucinations. Otherwise, how could there be any possible explanation for her being in his room? 

Azalea walked up to the bed frame, watching him all fuzzled. Concerned about his well-being, she put her palm on his forehead to check the temperature. 

At the cold touch of her, Adam couldn't hold himself back. Maybe it was just a dream but just a bit close to that dream was all he wanted at that moment. He grabbed her wrist, and pulled her straight into his arms, nesting his face on her shoulder. The safe haven.