Stephanie's POV
I turned around to find Andrew standing there with his smirk. His lustful eyes scanned my body like I was an object. For someone who calls himself my stepbrother, he was no better than a creep trying to hit on me.
I crossed my arms, seeing how his eyes lingered on my chest. "Should I be embarrassed for getting a perfect husband?" I calmly replied, trying to keep my face stern.
Andrew snorted, closing the distance between us. He leaned in close, whispering in my ear, "You look at me like I'm some trash when you married a guy like Cliff Graham. That man sleeps with more women than me, but look at you spreading your legs just because he has money and influence."
"If that's all you needed, I would have paid you every time you spread your legs for me." His hands groped my back, slowly reaching my rear.
I flinched, jerking his hand away. "Touch me again and you will lose your family jewels." I tried to walk away before this guy continued with his creepiness. Even his stare made me feel sick to my stomach.
"Just because I entertain you, you think you have a choice?" I felt a sharp pain in my head as Andrew grabbed my hair, tossing me to the ground.
"You act too arrogant for someone who spreads her legs for anyone with power and money," Andrew spoke, his feet kicking me into the curb. "If you weren't worth money to that old man, I would have had my way with you a long time ago. Let's see how long your so-called husband keeps you around once he is done with you." He squatted in front of me, grabbing onto my hair.
"You will be useless once he disposes of you anyway. Then come begging to me. I might pay you for every use." He mocked as he spit on my face before leaving.
I kept quiet, lying there until he was no longer in sight. I stood up, striding toward the bathroom. The nauseating feeling mixed with pain in my lower abdomen grew stronger with each moment. The tightening sensation in my chest intensified with each step.
My hand reached for the doorknob as I heard my heartbeat pounding, ringing in my ears. My airways slowly tightened, blocking the air. With the last of my energy, I closed the bathroom door behind me with a thud, collapsing onto the floor. The tears I had held back rolled down my cheeks. My chest was squeezed tight by this unexplainable band that tightened with each passing second.
'Someone? Please help me!' I wanted to scream those words out, but my vision blurred, and worst of all, I knew no one in this house cared enough. Rather, they wished I would die.
No, I need to calm down. It's fine, Cathy. You have heard those words. You have seen worse. This is nothing. You are not loose. You never went for someone else's man.
I tried to console myself like I did every time I was in that dark basement all alone. My body curled as if the place was watching me, ready to devour me. I wanted to remind my body that I was no longer fifteen years old, locked in that cold, dark place with silence. This was not the place where day and night couldn't be told apart.
"Stephanie." A concerned voice came with a soft knock on the door. Cliff's tone remained calm, unlike the stillness around me. I wanted to scream out for help, but as if a cactus had grown inside my throat, I couldn't.
"You okay? We can leave if you want." This time his voice was a bit urgent. I could see the knob turning.
"I-... I am fine." With a quivering voice, I finally spoke up. I gulped in a huge amount of air to replenish my lungs.
Breathing exercises. Just like Lexi taught me. I repeated the exercise a few times before finally reaching for the sink to clean up the mess. My makeup was a mess, the mascara running down my cheeks mixed with my tears. My face was painted in a hue of red, and my eyes were swollen. Anyone outside seeing my current state would mean listening to their advice wrapped in poison.
No, that's not what I should be thinking. I washed my face, trying to make myself a bit presentable and hide the fact that I let my emotions take over even after I promised I wouldn't let them. I need to be stronger. One more year, and I will disappear.
I took a deep breath, making sure my heart had fully calmed down before opening the door and walking out. My eyes were still lowered when a shadow towered over me, making me look up.
"Are you okay?" Cliff's voice rang in my ears. The same soft voice that started to make my heart quiver. He stood before me, his dark jet irises staring right into my soul. The way he looked as if he was genuinely concerned about me somehow started melting my walls away. The walls that took years to build began to crumble because of a stranger with only a few interactions.
I avoided his gaze and cleared my thoughts. My thoughts almost took me by surprise. "I am fine," I mumbled under my breath, trying to keep a straight face, which seemed impossible in this man's presence.
There was a moment of awkward silence that made me glance through my peripheral vision. "You cried?" His warm finger grasped my chin, forcing me to look up at him.
Unlike the concern a minute earlier, his expression darkened. A suffocating rage filled his eyes as if he wanted to kill anyone in the vicinity.
"Who was it?"