Four.......Theresa Colson

Flashback........Riley's POV

I had just finished preparing breakfast, but before doing so I had run a bath for my dad and then told him when it was ready. But he didn't use it, instead, he told Theresa to use it which angered me.

There were a lot of things that he would do that would anger me, and they would all have Theresa in the middle of it somehow. But I particularly hated when I would do something for him and it would benefit Theresa.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't know Theresa all too well, and whatever I don't know, I don't hate or fear. But something about her just doesn't settle with me.

I decided to check up on my dad and tell him that breakfast was ready. I went upstairs, but as I passed Daphne's room, I heard someone talking in a hushed tone.

Me being me, I went back and peeked through the space that was between the slightly ajar door and the door frame and I saw Theresa, her back was turned to me so she couldn't see me.

She was on the phone, but she was loud enough for me to hear.

"Yes, I know what to do, you don't have to be calling me every time........Hey, I decided to marry him because of you so don't come telling me what to do, 'cause I know."

"I am going to clear his account.", she continued. "And take all the money I can.....fine, fine all the money that's there so stop calling before someone starts suspecting me.", she said and hung up.

Anger consumed me and I entered and slammed the door shut. She turned to look at me shock evident on her face.

"You...you..bitch!!", I shouted, not caring whether anyone heard my foul choice of words.

"You lied to my dad, you lied that you loved him when all you are is a gold digger!!"

"R..Riley what are you talking about I..."

"Don't just think of denying it 'cause I heard your whole conversation and I know it was my dad you were talking about, about clearing his account. I swear he's gonna know about this.", I said and stormed off to his room as she called me back.

I entered and the room was empty, I didn't hear any sound so he wasn't in the shower. He wasn't here.

I quickly ran downstairs and as I entered the kitchen I saw Theresa sitting with him standing by her side, rubbing her shoulder. She looked at me.

She was crying!!!

I immediately knew she would have told him something else. I met my dad's cold stare with mine as he left her and headed towards me.

"Dad don't believe anything she has......"

Before I could finish, he slapped me. The feeling was strange to me as my vision blurred with tears.

I looked at him with a hand on my now numb cheek.

"How dare you use such words, how dare you call her something like that, in my house? Who taught you such!!", he shouted.

"Huh? Who did? She is helping you, willing to be a mother for you and all you do is insult her till the extent she starts crying.", he said.

"Dad what's wrong?", I heard Caleb ask behind me.

"Yeah mum what happened? ", Daphne asked.

"What happened was that your sister here insulted and made Theresa feel bad. Someone who is just being a mother to her.", my dad said and I looked at Theresa with the hardest glare I could, the tear threatening to drop any second.

"That's the thing, she would never be a mother, no matter how she tries. She will never be.", I shouted and as the tear dropped I wiped it off.

"My real mum is dead and no one can ever replace her, not especially you, Theresa.", I spat and I ran towards the door pushing past Caleb and Daphne.

I left the house and headed to the one true person who understood me, Brayden.

Present Day

I was woken by the ringtone of my phone. My head immediately started throbbing. I wanted to check who it was when I sneezed and fell back to the bed. An action I immediately regretted as the throbbing in my head now spread.

Moving only my hand, I reached for the phone and checked the ID caller. Theresa.

I groaned and declined the call. Why the hell was she calling? Another sneeze escaped my mouth and I felt tired. Too tired to even stand up.

I looked to my side. Ansel wasn't there, but the part of the bed was rough as usual, meaning he slept there.

After a while as my eyelids started dropping into sleep. My phone rang again and I groaned.

I took the phone, she was the one calling.

"What?", my voice came out sounding croaked.

"Riley is that you...."

"Who else would be with my phone? What do you want?", I asked wanting to end the call as soon as possible.

"Why does your voice sound like that, are you sick?", she asked.

"Look I don't have time for your fake sympathy or whatever, so just get to the point.", I said and ended with another sneeze.

"Okay, I was thinking of coming over, to visit. You know, say hi.", she said.

"Well don't.", I hissed and hung up.

Deciding I was too tired for any of her drama, I switched off my phone and closed my eyes. Now the headache was too much, I couldn't even be able to sleep anymore. All thanks to Theresa.

My hand went to my neck and I flinched a bit at the hotness. I was down with a fever.

The door opened, but I didn't move, it would be Ansel. The curtains were drawn open and I squinted my eyes tighter at the intensity of the light.

"Ansel, please close the curtains, I am too tired right now.", I groaned and a soft hand touched my neck.

"God. You're burning hot. You must be ill.", he said.

"You think.", I said

"W..well, just lay here. I was about to tell you that Theresa wants to come over.", he said.

"Can you tell her we're unavailable or something? I'm not in the mood to see her or..."

"That's alright. You should get a bath. I'll run one for you. Try to get some rest."

"What do you think I'm doing.", I said and closed my eyes.

The room became silent and I took it as if he had gone or something. Later I heard his voice again.

"You should take this, it's Advil, to reduce the headache.", he said and I looked at him. He was sitting by my side, with a tablet and a glass of water in his hand.

I sat up very slowly and took the medicine. I wanted to lay back down when he stopped me.

"Hey, you should go have your bath now. There's water for you.", he said and with that stood up. He was about to leave when I called him back.

"Yes. You need something, should Cecilia come to help you with something?", he asked and I shook my head ever so slightly.

"Thank you.", I said.

"Oh..uh... you're welcome.", he said and left the room as I got ready to bathe.

It has been a day since I was sick and now I was feeling better. Ansel had helped me a lot that day and I was kinda feeling bad I actually stopped arguing with him.

Since that day we had been having short and calm conversations. I felt bad that ever since I had married him, he had been kind and I just decided to find flaws in everything that he did, even though some were for me.

Now, it was Saturday and Ansel had told me at dinner yesterday that Theresa was coming today and I wasn't prepared to see her.

I was in my room when I heard a knock on the door, it opened and in came CJ.

"Is anything wrong, CJ?", I asked.

"Oh no ma'am.", she said and I rolled my eyes at the word ma'am.

"It's just, the young master has asked for your presence. There is a visitor downstairs, for you he said.", she said.

"Oh.", I said immediately knowing it was Theresa. "Tell him I'll be down soon.". I said.

"Okay, ma'am.", she said and graciously left, closing the door slowly.

So I got ready. I stood up and smoothened my blue sundress, slipped on my flats and took my phone. All set and I went downstairs.

I was met with a sight of Ansel and Theresa.

"You sure couldn't wait could ya.", I said, bitterness lacing my tone as I sat down next to Ansel.

"Riley, I'm glad you agreed to see me.", she said and I looked down to her hands as she was fiddling with her bag handle.

"I bet you are.", I said sarcastically.

"So... uh Theresa what would you like to take?", Ansel asked.

"Just a drink, an orange juice if you have some. My doctor says I should be taking lots of fruity things.", she said.

"So what, you're dying now.", I said.

"No Riley, I'm fine you don't have to worry.", she said.

"Didn't say I was.", I said.

"Uh Riley could you get her a juice.", Ansel said.

"Oh I don't think so I might just end up doing something to it, and I'm sure I won't regret it.", I said playing with my nails before looking at her with a hard glare so she got my point.

Now I know I might sound like a bitch but it's the least she deserves. She is a gold digger, the one my dad had the misfortune of meeting, she's the reason my family's bankrupt now.

"Oh, well I will.", Ansel said, he squeezed my knee a bit and I looked at him, something about him was calming, so I decided to calm down and also because I felt he was telling me not to kill her while he's gone.

He stood and left and I noticed, with my peripheral vision, Theresa fidgeting.

It irritated me so I decided to ask, "What is it?"

"Um...I...I need..", she said and at this, I laughed.

"Wow! As if the millions you took from my dad weren't enough. I knew it, what else would you come to visit for if not money.", I said.

"No...I...."

"Don't think I'm my naïve dad, who would lend you and even borrow just to give you money he doesn't have. So just know it won't work.", I said.

"No it's really serious this time.", she said.

"Oh so those times you took from my dad, they weren't serious ones, so what'd you do with them?", I asked.

"There's nothing left.", she said and looked down at her bag

"You know I actually thought, you were smart and stocked the money somewhere just to divorce my dad later on when it would be enough.", I spat and she said nothing.

I stood up. "Well I guess you're not, so get out.", I said and her head shot up to look at me. "Yeah, you heard me. As I said, I'm not as naïve as my dad and I won't let you squander my or Ansel's hard-earned money. So get out.", I said.

She stood up. "I know you hate me Riley, but please all I'm asking for is another chance.", she pleaded, but I could see past that, I wasn't stupid.

Since I couldn't stop her from clearing my dad's account, I'm gonna stop her from doing the same to Ansel.

"Another chance for what, to do what you did to my dad to Ansel and me. You are nothing but a snake. I'm sorry, but in this case, it's not going to be like father like daughter.", I said.

I saw Ansel coming with the juice in a saucer in his hands, but he stopped in his tracks.

"Ansel you can drink the orange juice, Theresa's not gonna be drinking it.", I said while looking at her.

"Why?", he asked.

"Because she's leaving. Now.", I said now glaring at her.

"But...."

"No don't worry Ansel.", she said cutting him off. "Riley is right. I'm leaving now. Sorry for giving you the trouble.", she said and left before Ansel could say any other thing.

When she left he dropped the juice. "What was that about, why did you treat her badly?", he asked.

"And who told you I did?", I asked back.

"No one, her expression did.", he said.

"I just treated her how she's meant to be treated.", I said.

"Well it wasn't fair treatment, plus whatever she has done can't you just..."

"Don't you dare say forgive.", I said, my tone higher. "It's because of her I'm stuck here in the first place. In a loveless marriage. When I'm meant to be out there searching for the one true person I love, who loves me back.", I shouted and something flashed through his eyes.

Hurt. I know I should feel guilty, but it's nothing compared to the hurt I feel.

Vote, Comment, Share

The Sparkling Authoress

Mis-A

❤️