Chapter 10(Ana POV)
I spent the rest of the night in my room when Elliot came home I pretended to be a sleep because I didn't want to talk about it. He came in my room tucked me in my blanket and kissed my forehead which is typical guilty Elliot act. I know he feels bad that we couldn't spend the day together but I will tell him tomorrow that I was already tired. He really is like the big brother I never had.
I don't know what to think of Marks proposal... Can we have a relationship... It wouldn't hurt to try... I mean we both owe it to each other because we never knew each other. I will try because when I saw the look on his face I saw that he was truly hurt about the news.
He seems like a good man... I don't know him yet but I will go to dinner because he invited me. I want to meet his family and make sure he is happy... He deserves it. I finally let myself drift to peaceful sleep.
The next day I'm up early, like always, I couldn't sleep. I see Elliot up as well it's only 6am... He looks stressed. He sees me smiles and finally puts his phone down.
"Hey, you ready for some breakfast little cook." Always joking... Every chance he gets.
"Yes, big cook, are you going to help me?" I ask mockingly... Just as he's about to answer his phone rings. He lifts his fingers up to say 1 minute. He opens his phone and listens carefully. His eyes go wide at the news he is given.
He quickly runs to his room and comes running back with a over night bag; he is no longer on the phone either.
"Ana, I'm so sorry I have to go back to Portland the project there is taking a wrong turn and it needs my attention now... I'm so sorry and I promise I will make it up to you as soon as possible." He kisses my cheek and his phone starts to ring again; he runs out the door.
I sigh... It's just me and my thoughts now...
The rest of my day is spent lazily while I listen to music and watched movies..
It's 4:30 so I start to get ready... He expects me there at 6:00.
First, I shower and let the warm water relax me and put me in a good mood. Then, I put on a pair of skinny black jeans with a high waist and a blue silky shirt that I button up and tuck into my jeans and to top it I put on a black blazer with back heals. I tie my hair up in a pony tail and put simple make up on. I grab my bag and leave the house.
I arrive at the address Mark gave me. He has a nice home. It's big with a massive drive way. I get out the car and slowly walk towards their home... Do I want to do this?Am I making the right choice? Before I can change my mind their front door opens and mark is standing there with a beautiful women she looks the same age as Mark if not younger. She has short blond hair that just reach her shoulders and she's tall but she's wearing heels. She has hazel eyes and she has an olive skin colour.
I walk up to then slowly not knowing what to expect... What do I say now... Hey, dad is me! NO!
"Hey" I say quietly looking at them. Mark smiles and gestures for me to come in.
"Hello, Anastasia I hope you are well? Our three angels have been excited to meet you. This is my wife Samantha ." His eyes sparkle when he mentions her, it's adorable, just like Rays used to when he was talking about my mom. I offer a small smile and she reaches her hand out to me. I take it and give her a friendly shake.
"Hello Anastasia it's a pleasure to meet you. Call me Sam and please come in." She says kindly and I smile at her.
"Thank you, please call me Ana. It's Anastasia when I'm in trouble..." I say in a small voice. They both laugh and Mark comments something on remembering that.
We make our way towards the living room... It's massive... Everything is. Sam says she needs to check on dinner and leaves both of us.
We enter the living room and there are three young woman sat on the sofas none of them stand up to great us or even acknowledge us. One has beautiful long blond hair with hazel eyes... She looks like the oldest out of all of them.
"Ana, this is Sofie she's our oldest daughter she is 27... She has started to work at my office with me and she's... Improving." He pauses and watches his daughters reaction... She stays emotionless and stares coldly at me...
"Sofie, I told you about Ana... She's your new... Sister" he says and my and her head snap towards him. Who does he think he is? He can't decide that!
"I'm sorry , it's just that I want you to be a part of the family, Ana, and we have to start from somewhere... I know it's your option if you want to be in our lives or not... But I Want you to try, please" he says with pleading eyes. I slowly nod not looking at him. We slowly move on to another girl which has black hair with green eyes. She's got a fake tan that is too dark for her skin colour but she has her headphones in and she's texting on her phone not acknowledging us. The dress she's wearing is too revealing but she doesn't seem to sighs.
"This is izzy she's 25 and still trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life... She dropped out of college twice and never reached university... But we haven't given up with her yet. She's started training to be a fitness teacher... Lets hope this will last." He says looking at his daughter. I give a nod but I don't even think she knows we're here.
Last but not least we get to the last girl she has a half cast type skin colour and she has hazel eyes too. She looks up at me like she might want to kill me... If only looks could kill I think I would be dead by now...
"Last but not least our youngest daughter, Jess, she is 23 and she is still studying at university." He says looking proudly at her. The girl stands up and kisses her fathers cheek.
"Ow daddy me and Anastasia are going to be great friends" she says with an innocent smile. Mark smiles down at her a kisses her forehead, well she has her daddy wrapped around her little finger.
"Of course you will, sunshine" he says and I physically stiffen and my body goes numb...
I stare for what feels like ages until they notice what has happened. Mom used to call me that... Did she call me that because it was a memory of him... It feels like she was playing with mine and Rays lives... It's almost as though she was joking with us every time she said that name... Was she that cruel did she have no respect for Ray! I'm so mad right now... I finally snap out of it when I notice Mark is holding both my shoulders shaking me.
"Ana... Ana are you okay?" He ask concern dripping from his voice... Why does he care about me so much for? He doesn't even know me.
"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry I just... My mom used to call me that" I say barely above a whisper. Marks eyes go wide and a massive smile crosses his face... He has tears in his eyes and he starts laughing like a mad man... Okay?
"Is he okay" I ask looking around I notice everyone else staring at him like he has gone crazy.
"Mom, what's going on?" Jess asks looking at her dad then at me... She gives me a shit eating glare and walked to her dad and wrapped her arms around him..
"Daddy please come back to us... Stop laughing, please." She begs him.
"Ow sorry Jess, it's just that sunshine was a name we used to call each other... That's why my companies are called Sunshine holdings Inc... We came up with it together and she never forgot it." He says wiping his tears.. Then he sighs.
"Lets just have dinner, okay?" He says calming down.
"I need to use the powder room" I say politely... Sophie jumps to the chance and lets everyone know that she will show me the way. She walks me through a corridor which has millions of family photos everywhere. I do notice that none of the photos are of the girls when they are babies... They are all 3 or 4 years old... What does that mean?
Before I know whats happened I find myself pushed against a wall. Sofie is pushing me against it... Really hard.
"Yeah, that's right bitch... Now listen carefully... You will never, ever, take our dad away from us... We know you are a lying whore who would do anything or money... The day My sisters were adopted I promised my dad as the oldest that I would do anything to protect them... If that means protecting them from you... I will hunt you down and beat you slowly and painfully until you pass out not from your wounds but the pain." Her breathing is heavy and she looks like she's not lying...my brain is processing everything she has just told me. Then she puts her hand around my neck and starts squeezing it, hard. Rays' voice comes to my mind ' I thought you better than that,Annie, show her what you can do!'
I want to twist her other arm behind her so she can automatically let go of my neck... But if I hurt her what would Mark think of me... I don't want him to hate me... I don't even know why I care what he thinks of me! My thoughts finally end when she starts talking again.
"Now you will leave this house, bitch, and you will never ever look back do you understand me... Nod it you can" I forcefully nod... I can barely breathe and I'm gasping for air... My throughout is burning and my vision is getting blurry.
"Hey guys..." Omg it's Jess! She'll help me, right? Suddenly, Sofie lets go of me roughly and I sink to the ground coughing and gasping for air.
"Aww sis you beat me to it... I was going to teach that bitch a lesson but I think you did a much better job than I would have." Jess says with a small pout.
"Aww don't worry sis you can have her if she comes back... You will learn from the best and I will teach you everything you need to know to get rid of bitches" Sofie replies hugging her sister.
I slowly stand, finally managing to control my breathing. Do I have a black belt in karate for nothing... Or a black belt in kick boxing... Did I do them sports for nothing? If I can't use them to protect me the I have wasted my time doing them spots.
"Now, leave and never look back!" Jess shouts. I want to beat her up so bad... My dad thought me better than this! But it's their loss... I didn't want to bother them but Mark insisted. I quickly walk back down the hall; then grab my bag. I open the front door and take a deep breath trying to control the sob that's trying to escape me.
"Ana..." I hear Mark call my name. I turn around with tears in my eyes but I won't let them go. He gasps when he sees me. Do I look that bad? I practically run out the door and jog to my car and instantly leave. As I'm leaving exiting through the gates I look at my review mirror and I see Mark on his knees holding head in his hands. I have tears running down my eyes and I can't control them any more.
I stop at the gates and he looks up tears running through his own eyes. Our eyes lock and he looks at me with pleading eyes; it just makes me cry harder... Sorry Mark I'm no good for you or your family...
Sorry... I put foot down on the gas and drive off... Never looking back again...
I got to Elliot's home about an hour ago and I have been laying on my bed sobbing uncontrollably, this is not me! I don't even know why I feel bad and upset about not getting to know him... I'm the one who didn't want the relationship with him in the first place. But it wasn't his fault I left... It was his family's... Not all of them but I didn't even get to meet his wife properly...
I feel like I owed it to him... To at least try to play happy family. I did try though, it isn't my fault they didn't want me.. Well, Mark did... I could see pain and regret in his eyes...
Emotionally: I'm done.
Mentally: I'm drained.
Spiritually: I feel dead.
Physically: I smile.
I'm going to carry on living life and and smile because no one should feel sorry or sympathy for me. I don't need that.
I finally get up and decide to shower, my throughout is burning because of what they did to me and crying hasn't help edit either.
I strip quickly and glance at my self in the Mirror and gasp. What have they done to me! I can't help but sob harder. Around my neck there are really clear finger prints and its all red and purple. It looks like my neck is going dead or something.
I get into the shower and sob while the water is washing all their dirty marks off me... I feel like nobody wants me any more... I sink to the shower floor and tuck my knees into my chest, creating a ball. I feel so alone.
After I'm all cried out I get up, I leave the shower. I wrap myself protectively with a fluffy towel and I go into my room which is now filled with the suns light. It's morning already. Wow. I must have been in there a while. I know I won't be ale to sleep, so I put on a pair of Nike shorts and a massive jumper that hides my swollen and purple neck a little better.
I take my iPod with me and leave my phone at home. I don't want to be disturbed. I finally leave the house and start running like my life depends on it. I go faster and faster till I can't feel my feet no more, it's been 45 mins on non stop running. I instantly stop when i cant breath anymore and sink to a near by bench. I stare at the view before me, nature. It has a purpose in life, it never goes away.
I watch for another hour blankly and I finally get up and start walking back to Elliot's home. I take my time because my angel really hurts and my legs feel like jello.
Once I'm here I have a quick shower and I wrap my self in a towel and just sit on my bed...
Then I relies that nearly all the phones are ringing in this house. How long have they been ringing for? I get up and open my cell phone first not looking at e ID.
"Hello" I say quietly not knowing what to expect.
"Hello, shit Ana you scared the hell out of us! We have been calling for the last two hours! Are you okay?" Kate's panicked voice comes through.
"Elliot stop ringing your home phone she answered her phone!" Kate shouts again not letting me answer. Then I hear ruffling. Elliot takes the phone off Kate.
"Hey, itty bitty, you okay? We thought something might have happened to you! You weren't answering your calls and I was really close to calling my gay brother to come and see if you were okay!" He explains panicky.
"I'm fine guys really... I went for a run this morning and it took longer than I thought it would" I answer innocently. I don't want anyone to worry about me.
"Are you kidding me Ana we have been trying to call you since six in the morning it's ten now!" Then I notice that something is wrong with her voice.
"Kate are you okay? You don't sound good" I say worried did something happen between Elliot and her? I hope not, Elliot is great for her.
"No, Ana I'm not fine I'm really ill and I need you to do that interview for me... Please. It took me forever to get me a interview with Elliot's gay brother, Christian. It would take me months to reschedule the appointment. Please Ana, do this for me? I would have gone if I could but I can't move my head hurts too much I wouldn't be able to drive down there. Your already in Seattle as well!" she says almost about to cry.
"Okay..." I whisper what could go wrong? He's gay and I'm sure I would have meet him sooner or later.
"You will? OMG! Thank you, ana you are a life saver! The interview is at 11:30 and I will email you the questions." She says in a deep sore voice.
"Sure, Kate I will be waiting for your email. I have to get ready now, so talk to you later" I say flatly I don't want to leave this room but I would do anything for my BFF.
"Ow wait how was your interview?" Asks excitedly with a rough voice. Ow shit I didn't go to an interview...
"We'll Kate it didn't go that well... They were looking for more experienced people" I say quickly...
"Okay never mind you will find somewhere else, see you soon, Steele" She says before I disconnect.
I get up and pick a blue dress that's tight with black heels and bag. I can't be bothered with my look today, I don't care.
I print Kate's questions and straitened my hair. Input make up on to cover my bruise, it doesn't hide it, I put a little make up to cover my eyes, they look black and red. 27 hours with no sleep is not agreeing with me. But I can't find peace to sleep. I leave the house at 11. I should make it no time the office is close to Elliot's home anyway.
I get to the building just in time and look up. Wow. What adventure lies behind these doors lets see...I get out my car and I enter..
OMG! Does this mean that Ana doesn't want Mark in her life anymore? She is also finally meeting Christian again! Let me know what you think ;)
Minnie XxX