CHAPTER 29

Because now Jonathan was married and lived with his wife, I knew what previously happened won't happen again. That's one of the reasons. The other one was that now I was so aware of people that I knew if he dared to repeat it again, he wouldn't survive it. I don't want to clarify my statement. It's exactly what you think it is.

My sister-in-law, Maria, was so excited to see me. In my calculations, I'd live with them for a maximum of 3 months. I hoped that by that time, I'd be getting another job since I was looking. So, she was very okay and welcoming. We weren't as close, but we were comfortable. We'd talk about our mutual love of street food and rom coms from the 2000s. I didn't forget about the trauma I went through because of her husband but I didn't tell her that. They looked so happy and in love, and I care less if both of them were faking it for their personal gains.

Because both of them had jobs, I helped much with house chores. I'd clean the house, make meals, handle trash and things like that. I didn't want her to think that I was just a bag of meat living in their apartment for free.

She seemed to enjoy the food I made, and I enjoyed feeding them. She was a great Catholic as I said before. She loved people, especially kids, and she practiced kindness. Before she married Jonathan, she gifted me with jewelry and a card which inside, she had expressed how excited she was to gain another sister. Well, let's just say, that was the biggest lie ever written.

…

Christmas 2022.

We had decided to celebrate it with her family. She had a huge family which meant it was going to be a huge event and most importantly, lots of food. That's what excited me the most. At exactly 9 am, we were on the road heading to the countryside where the Christmas celebration was taking place. I had my earphones on and gave them room to talk about what they wanted to.

We arrived and everybody was happy to see us. I guess she had also told them about me, and they were all excited to officially meet me. In the midst of all those greetings and stuff, I felt eyes on me, but they weren't eyes of fury or jealousy, they were eyes of lust. Maria had 3 brothers, and they were a number of men at the place too, but that stare came from the man who contributed to the birth of my sister-in-law, aka, her dad. 

When our eyes met, I thought he'd look away, but his gaze was locked on every inch of my body. Point to note; he's a married man with 5 grown children and a wife who's like an angel. So, why was he looking at me like I was ice-cream in a cone on a hot day of summer? Well, I had nobody to ask except myself. 

He had read the room and realized that he wouldn't get a chance to be with me alone, so he made sure to stand just so close to me whenever he had a chance. He'd try to hold my plate when I was getting food, and I wondered why nobody even noticed how he was all over me. 

Celebrations went on. Everyone got a gift, me included, thanks to Maria's mom. When things were winding down, I excused myself to go to the ladies room. It was in another hallway, away from the party room. I took my time freshening up and walked out. To my utmost surprise, I met Maria's dad right outside the washroom door.

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