The Prince's Abused Mate
The Prince’s Abused Mate – Chapter 28

I get out of bed to the buzzing of my phone, I have text messages from Sophie and Happy, wishing me a happy birthday, I smile and get to my feet. It’s a school day today and I don’t do anything special for my birthday really, except blow out two cakes, one made by Lulu and the other by Happy.

I take my time in the shower, to clean every part of my body, when I’m done, I go to the closet. I pick out a pair of jeans, a white shirt and a black cardigan I recently got. I quickly do my simple make-up and go out of the room.

” Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you,” My little sister is singing for me as I descend the stairs, in her hands is a vanilla cake and there are candles on it. Behind her are Richard, Lisa, Alice, and Veronica, I widen my eyes, this has never happened since mom died. They are smiling but the only genuine smile is that of Veronica and Lulu.

” Happy Birthday, Sister!” Lulu exclaims, I smile and blow out the candle on the cake. The maid takes it away,

” One minute, don’t leave!” she runs to her room quickly.

Veronica hugs me and wishes me well, she caresses my hair lovingly ” Happy birthday, Amara,”

” Thank you, I thought you were supposed to leave,” I say, remembering what she told me a few nights ago during the party.

” I wanted to be here for your birthday, I’ll leave in a few minutes,” She informs me. The others wish me a Happy birthday just as Lulu comes back. She gives me a present, it’s a charm bracelet. I look at her with raised eyebrows and she smiles proudly,

” I’ve been saving up for a year,” She beams. I thank her as she put it on my wrist and wave goodbye but just as I reach the door, Waylen walks in proudly like he owns the place. He smiles at me, It’s 8 am and I can see his pupils are already dilating, I’m sure this man is a drug user even though he cleans up well.

” I heard it’s your birthday today, Happy birthday,” He says, handing me a small red box. My family gathers around us as I reluctantly take and open it, they are car keys.

” That’s thoughtful of you, Mr. Vince,” Says veronica, her eyes looking doubtful. I swallow not knowing what to do, just like Ricky, this man gives me the creeps.

” Ma’am the car is ready and we are already late by ten minutes,” A short middle-aged man says to Veronica. She nods and k****s Richard goodbye before turning to us.

” Bye guys, see you in a week,” With that, she leaves the house, the man following behind her.

” Let’s see your car!” Lulu who doesn’t seem to realize the tension drags me outside. It’s a black Ferrari car. It looks shiny and new. I don’t know what to say, why would he gift me a car? I hand him the car keys back

” Sorry, I can’t take this, Mr. Vince,” I say seriously. I’m not even a good driver anyway. He squints his eyes and shakes his head

” Call me Waylen,” He says. I glance over at the twins, they don’t look too pleased. He looks at Richard, as if giving him a signal, I watch as the man gets on one knee, removing what I guess to be a ring

” Amara Adamson, will you marry me?” He asks, I’m shocked. I glance at Richard is smiling at us, the twins look nonchalant.

” No, are you crazy, I’m seventeen,” I exclaimed, running a hand through my hair.

” And I’m thirty, I already asked for your father’s permission and he accepted,” He informs me, I gape looking at Richard, is this man crazy? he approaches us.

” This is an alliance that will help save the company from bankruptcy,” He says, looking me straight into the eyes. The audacity.

I inhale, refusing to cry in front of them again ” No, You’re not doing that to me,” I say firmly. Walyne gets up and grabs my arm roughly.

” Do you know who I am? I’m a rogue lord and the only hope for your father’s company,” he all but growls, I get out of his grip and look him into his eyes.

” I don’t care about you or his company,” I say without flinching, I don’t know where the confidence is coming from but I like it. The rogue lord is glaring at me with his might but I don’t flinch or back down, he suddenly smiles and looks at Richard

” This will be fun,” He turns to go to his car and stop, without turning to say,

” I chose you and invested so much money in your father’s company. He practically sold you to me, ask them,” He says as he gets into his Benz. The car leaves the driveway and I face my so-called family. The twins look aware of this, they are even smiling. Looking at their new Rolex watch.

” Finally, you were a use to us,” It’s Lisa who snickers, I gulp, glaring at them.

” Why?” My voice is croaked.

” You would have gotten married sooner or later, it’s just sooner,” Richard sighs, not giving a damn.

” I don’t deserve this, I didn’t kill her,” His body goes rigid and I see him clench his fist but I don’t care about his anger.

” You had no right to take your anger out on me, none of you did,” There is a silence as I speak. People grieve differently, at first I thought it was their way of coping but later I realize it was more than that.

” I loved mum so much and she loved me and you had no right to treat me the way you did,” I exclaim, at this point, tears are flowing down my cheeks and I don’t wipe them. I’m angry, betrayed and so so disappointed. How can they sell me to that man?

” Well, what’s done is done, you will go with him and do as he pleases with you,” Lisa says. I slowly turn to face her, asking a question I’ve been wanting to.

” Why did you always hate me, Lisa?” She has hated me from the beginning. She suddenly looks affronted by that question. Coming closer to me, she grabs a fistful of my hair, I let out a hiss in pain and use my strength to push her off me. She staggers and shoves me back into the car.

” You took my mother from me, death didn’t, you always had her love and attention… Always! I hate you and I started resenting her because of you?!” Lisa is crying now. I admit that Mum gave me the most attention only because they didn’t want to play with me no matter how much I asked or follow them around. But she has loved them and was there for them… Always.

I look at each one of them, I hadn’t even realized that Lulu is there, she has tears in her eyes. Not wanting to talk about it any further, I turn on my heel and walk away but remember to say something. I stop and take a deep breath.

” I’m not marrying that man, and no one will force me, If you do, I’ll have no choice but to report this, I know for a fact they will charge or even banish you, you disgust me, Richard. I’ll pack my things when am back and leave this house,” I say, my voice being smooth and firm. I’ve made up my mind about leaving this house. As I walk, I feel someone hug my waist, my little sister is sobbing, asking me not to leave her but I have to. I can’t continue to take all their insults and abuse, I don’t deserve the bad treatment they subjected me to over the years.

I force a smile and wipe the tears off her face ” It’s fine, I’ll always visit you, baby,” I coo but she continues to cry and shake her head. I’m already late for class but I still comfort my sister. I take her back to her room and give her a pain killer because her head hurts due to crying too much. I descend the stairs, and replace Richard and Alice, they are quiet, and worried, I walk past them but his voice cuts me.

” I will give Walyne back his money,” says Richard and is that regret I sense? Is it because I threaten to report him to the council. As if reading my mind, he continues to say,

” I can’t do that, we were wrong to want to marry you off, I’ll cancel all further business transactions with him,” His voice is sincere, I don’t say anything, instead just open the door. I walk to school very slowly. A few minutes later I reach my school. I open the door to enter the hallway, I’m showered with wildflower petals over my head, and a bunch of people screaming,

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMARA,” To say I’m shocked is an understatement, no one has ever cared for my birthday in this school before, now this? Ballons in the hallway and a big sign that says Happy birthday besty.

Sophie runs up to me, hugging me tightly I feel my bones will break, Happy does the same as well and I look around at everyone, they are smiling and waving at me.

Brian to my surprise brings me a cake, I close my eyes and make one wish, that I should replace my mate, and I pray It’s Ahyan.

Once again a dozen people clap as I blow the candles,

” Thanks, everyone,” I say, I wasn’t expecting this but ever since I started speaking up for myself, I notice they are not mean as they were and respect that I don’t let them treat me like s**t anymore plus, I have a feeling Prince Ahyan and Sophie have a lot to do with it as well.

Sophie is smiling lovingly at me, tears in her eyes

” My baby is all grown up,” she hugs me again. I peck her lips and everyone erupts in cheers, she looks surprised but squeals and jumps, Happy widens his eyes and I shrug,

” I’ve always wanted to k**s a girl,” I tap his shoulder as I walk away, Sophie throws an arm around me as I walk to physics class.

A few people wish me a good birthday or ask how am celebrating but Sophie says we are having a small celebration at a certain Diner not far from campus in the evening.

I don’t even comment, knowing she already had it planned.

My eyes search for Prince Ahyan but I don’t see him anywhere, or his friends.

I only see Debra wearing an evil smirk as she whispers something to Nat. The girl gasps and looks at me in shock.

” Ignore the b***h,” Sneers Sophie, glaring at Debra and her friends. The bell sounds just as the Trio was walking toward us. Debra smiles and turns to walk into one of the classes

” What was that about?” I ask, worriedly, lately, she has stopped giving me trouble but I didn’t like the expression on her face earlier.

Sophie and I part as she has Art this period, I enter the class, and to my surprise, there’s only one person, the crown Prince of the werewolf, Theodore Altamonte. He stands up and walks toward me, wearing a gentle smile on his face.