The Bargain Novel – “Why do you hate me so much, what did I ever do to you.” Rachael was past caring. She had lost everything, her freedom, Maxwell, and she knew there was no way she could stop this marriage. But her stepmother ignored her. “Is there anything else you want to tell her?” Roslyn asked, turning back to her husband. “I cannot stand the sight of her.” He cleared his throat. “A doctor will come to examine you tomorrow, they want a pure and chaste bride.”
“Sit.” He said. “I called you all here for an important issue.” “Does she have to be here?” Her step-mother said, and both her daughter’s faces mirrored their mother’s disapproval. They hated sharing the same space with Racheal. “I suspect you saw the news on television before I got back.” Her father continued, ignoring the interruption. He looked around the room, first at Claire, Celia and then Racheal. “I have promised my daughter in marriage to that President’s only son. “Although I refrained from naming any one of you in particular, ideally that daughter should be you, Claire.” He said looking directly at Claire who squirmed beneath his gaze. “You are my first child.” “No. My daughter cannot do that.” Racheal’s step-mother said fiercely, moving away from her husband. “And why is that?” He asked. Racheal realised he was playing games.
Her father liked to act the democrat, giving everyone an option, a chance to share an opinion but will in the end do things the way he originally planned. “You know the upcoming marriage is just a sham. They need a hostage to keep, an important hostage so that our country behaves. We lost the war.” Her step mother said. “We did not lose. We sued for peace.” “There’s no difference. They need a hostage because they see us as weak, Roni.” “I am not stupid.” Her father said, and she saw a flash of anger in his eyes. “And you will not tell me how to manage my country Roslyn.” Her stepmother glared at him, then slowly bowed her head and kept quiet. “You will marry the president’s son Racheal.” He said, suddenly turning to her.
From her experience so far she should not have been surprised, but she was regardless. Did they hate her so much? They literally just said the other country needed a hostage decorated as a wife, and they were now choosing her instead of the eldest daughter. Claire and Celia saw the look on her face and began to giggle. “Don’t look so distraught. It is more than an honour to do this for your family.” Roslyn Rana said. “Then why would you want to deprive your daughters of such honour?” Racheal found herself saying before she could stop. Roslyn marched across the room and smacked her hard across her cheek. “You will never speak to me in that manner.” She said, looking at her with utter disgust. “Why shouldn’t I?” Racheal asked with watering eyes as her cheek stung. “What else is there to lose?” Roslyn smacked her again, this time her diamond ring cut through Racheal’s skin. Her father only said. “We cannot give them a bride with a ruined face Roslyn.”
“Nothing a little bit of make-up cannot cover.” Her stepmother hissed. “Why do you hate me so much, what did I ever do to you.” Rachael was past caring. She had lost everything, her freedom, Maxwell, and she knew there was no way she could stop this marriage. But her stepmother ignored her. “Is there anything else you want to tell her?” Roslyn asked, turning back to her husband. “I cannot stand the sight of her.” He cleared his throat. “A doctor will come examine you tomorrow, they want a pure and chaste bride.” Roni Rana said. Her stepmother returned her gaze to Racheal with a sneer. ~ She had been maltreated for years. Roselyn would hit her violently, and sometimes when she felt unsatisfied, she instructed one of the guards to hit Racheal while she watched. The doctor hurried away, completely forgetting to take her bag in her haste to exit the room.
Racheal could not blame her, she felt sorry. Her stepmother had a way of reducing a person to an idiot. Racheal turned to steal a glance at her and caught her staring back at her. The hate in her step-mother’s eyes made her shrink. “You passed the examination.” Roslyn said. “What?” “The doctor said you still had your hymen intact.” Her stepmother said pacing the room. “What?” Racheal found herself saying again. “Your father was so proud. I think there is nothing to be proud about, there are many ways to get your pleasures without penetrative intercourse. A hymen does not make you a saint.” Roslyn continued. She finally stopped walking and stood beside her bed again. “You should know those other ways.” Racheal wanted to say but instead said “How could you?” “How could I what?” “You violated me. I was unconscious, I did not give anyone consent to touch me or examine me.” Racheal felt angry and hurt. “I gave them consent.
I am your step-mother.” “I am an adult.” Racheal practically screamed. “Only I can give consent about my body.” Her step mother laughed darkly. “Like you give consent to be confined here and the other things i do to you?” She laughed again, this time she sounded genuinely amused. “You should know things do not work that way here.” “You are evil.” Her stepmother did not get angry or try to hit her. She still looked amused. Racheal felt pain deep in her chest. Why did she have to go through so much humiliation. Everyday her step-mother found more ways to make her feel less human. She was debased every day, the next time worse than the last. Her father said and did nothing to protect her, she had absolutely no one to protect or save her, not even Maxwell anymore. She terribly missed her mother at that moment. “You won’t even show me my mother’s grave.”
She felt tears fall from her eyes as she looked at Roslyn. “And you think I would do that after your little act just now?” Roslyn scoffed and began walking away. “Rest, you will need your strength in the coming days.” She said over her shoulder as she exited the room. Racheal collapsed back to her bed in tears. This became her life since Roslyn stepped into their world. Tears and pain. She had always technically been in their lives though. From what Racheal learned, Roslyn became her father’s mistress a few years after he got married to her mother. They had Claire together, while Racheal’s mother had difficulty getting pregnant. And they had Celia a few months after Racheal was born. Her mother was ignorant of all this, till her father began climbing high in the political ladder. The rumors became too big to ignore by the time he became vice president.
Her mother went out to clear her head after confronting her father one day and never came back. Her father announced she had been found a few months later, dead. And he married Roslyn, Racheal was only five years old. ~ On the morning of her wedding, her face looked flawless as she sat waiting in a thick white lace wedding dress. She noticed her maid scurrying away, and looked up at the door. Her father stood, beaming with pride at her. This was the first time he had ever stepped foot in her room or even suite in the eighteen years they had lived in the presidential palace, first as a vice president and then a president. She wanted to hate him, she resented him a little even, but she could not hate him. As much as she wanted to, as much as she thought she should, she just couldn’t. He was father, he was also the only living reminder of the pleasant parts of her childhood. “You look radiant.” He said moving close to her. “Stand up so I can see you.”
Racheal obeyed quietly. “The only thing missing is a smile.” He said looking at her. She remained silent and did not attempt a smile. She couldn’t have succeeded even if she had tried. Her face felt stiff. “With this attitude she would have the whole country asking unpleasant questions.” Roslyn said walking in. Her daughters followed in tow. They were dressed elegantly. Roslyn in a gold dress, her daughters in peach coloured dresses. “Smile.” She barked. Racheal bowed in greeting but did not smile, could not smile. She ignored her step mother’s glare and returned to her seat. Her room door flung open and she heard the thick leather boots, thumping loudly on the floor. She looked up at the officer who had just come in and was now whispering in her father’s ear. She immediately thought of Maxwell, and wondered where he was.
She had not set eyes on him since that day they broke up, and he no longer stood with her personal guards outside her room or even suite. “It’s time.” Her father announced. She stood up and wove her hand into his. As he led her out of the room, she wondered and even hoped Maxwell would save her. If he changed his mind now, there was still time to save her. Maybe he would find some backup and charge in like they did in the movies and rescue her. The thought sounded silly, but that was all she had left, hope. She stood beside her father, waiting outside the heavy church doors. Her life was about to change in a few minutes, she would be someone’s wife, a man she had never met, and a political hostage. Her heart was breaking and her eyes burned with tears. She sniffed quickly to hold the flood back. “Don’t you dare cry now.” Her father fiercely whispered. Racheal nodded. The heavy wooden doors swung open inward, with a light sigh.
A few seconds into the walk, as they nodded to everyone at the edge of the aisle, she began to hear the whispers. SHE IS THE DAUGHTER THEY ARE ALWAYS KEEPING AWAY. MY GOD, SHE IS A VISION. LOOK AT ALL THAT THICK GOLDEN CURLS. She had never paid attention to the enemy country’s news so she did not know their president’s son. In the last few days, she feared he might be old and ugly, but drawing closer to him now, she realised he was not. He was very tall, almost too tall. He had flawless olive skin, dark hair and blue eyes. He seemed to be looking at her with surprise too. Pleasant surprise. He stepped forward and nodded at her father, before taking her hand in his. She could not help but shiver at his touch. He furrowed his eyebrows and then smiled at her. For the first time in days, Racheal smiled genuinely, back at him.
That brief exchange though did not stop her from glancing at the door, again and again as he read his vows. Even now, when it seemed hopeless, she wished Maxwell would charge in and save her from marrying this stranger, no matter how kind he looked. And then she saw him. Maxwell stood at the door, handsome as ever, neatly dressed in his uniform. He scanned the church and his gaze rested on a spot, a little too long that Racheal turned to look too. She saw Celia, who winked at him and to Racheal’s horror Maxwell blushed, smiled and then quickly found a seat at the back. “Miss Rana” She heard the male voice as if from very far away. She turned and saw her soon to be husband looking at her with a little confusion on his face. Her throat felt clogged with tears so she could not risk speaking. “The priest is waiting.” She turned to the priest and could only manage to nod in apology. Maxwell had betrayed her.