Finally out.

After two years in captivity while the real criminal collected award, Margaret was finally free.

“Don’t let me see your face here again,” The warden hissed, not bothering to look up.

Margaret Clinton said nothing; she simply turned and walked out while two wardens escorted her through the prison gates.

The harsh sunlight hit her first, Margaret squinted against the brightness.

Two years of gray walls and artificial light made the sun feel distant and new.

Then a shrill voice cut out through the silence.

“My baby is out!!!" Odette wailed, rushing forward with open arms.

Margaret forced a smile like it might crack her face. "How are you, Mum?" The words tasted like ash but she said it anyway.

"I was never fine without you" Odette said, "But now that I'm seeing you… I'm well again"

Margaret forced another smile. She knew that was a lie. Odette never came to visit her in the prison for the past two years, she knew all this joviality was farce so she wouldn't fall for it.

Odette linked her arms through Margret's and steered her toward the waiting Bentley. "I've arranged a family dinner at the most expensive hotel. You deserve a big meal."

They stopped before the Bentley, the window rolled down before Odette could pull the handle for Margaret, revealing a sophisticated celebrity with a sharp face.

Her eyes briefly scanned Margaret before scoffing. "Two years in prison and you look as if you've lost ten years of your life."

Margaret's throat tightened. Two years after taking the fall for him and this was the greeting she got?

Odette pulled Margaret's hand again and opened the door, "Don't be mean to your sister yet, Bianca," She scolded. "At least respect her this once"

Margaret slowly entered the car and sat beside Bianca, whose face formed an irritating scowl. "Mum, she stinks," Bianca cried, making Margaret's jaw clench. Two years of cold showed in prison soap and this was the greeting she got.

Bianca's pink Friday nails and Cartier bracelet were new and expensive, while she, who'd willingly agreed to serve prison terms in her stead, was still wearing those from two years ago. Cheap, and worn out.

But she held herself back. Not now.

The Bentley accelerated and exited the prison gates. Margaret wound down the window to draw in the fresh air of freedom, tears stung her eyes.

She was trialed and sentenced to two years' imprisonment after Bianca hit an old woman by mistake, but the old woman survived.

For two years, she was beaten by wardens, starved and battered by inmates. She scrubbed toilets and washed inmates' underwear all for a crime she never committed.

Now, it's been two years. Margaret wasn't sure whether she should be happy ,because the reaction she got from Bianca was different from her expectations.

The Bentley finally pulled up at the Clinton's house at Vineyard Estate.

Odette rushed quickly to open the door for Margaret, smiling at her more beautifully than expecting. Margaret wondered wonder if the woman really meant all these or….thiscom…back home, Marg," Bella, Bianca's quiet but dangerous twin, sister greeted, receiving her inside with a smile.

She forced a smile and was led to what used to be the store, but now her room. Margar,et fewas lt bad, but didn't protest. What's the point?

At first, she had a long, warm bath filled with tears of victory and happiness.

Every night at prison was chaos, mosquito bites, cold days and nights, finally sheAfterward

Afterward, they drove to the hotel for a family dinner and as the waiter poured wine into the glasses, Margaret realized her family's attitude was a little bit out of the ordinary.

Odette never smiled at her for free. Bella and Bianca were cartoonishly nice, and she wasn't used to it, so were most things, which she couldn't understand yet.

"Margaret" Odette set down her glass. "We have wonderful news"

Margaret waited for the calm before the storm…

"You'll marry Emmanuel Andre Quinn" Odette dropped smoothly. "He needs a wife to claim his position as a CEO"

Margaret shot to her feet "You promised me a job, not a husband!"

Bella dropped her cutlery too, "No, Marg. It's really not what you're thinking. Emmanuel's Mum wants him to get married if he wants to lead M&SONS. So you'll just marry him to get the company and…"

"I was imprisoned for two years, so Bianca could win an Oscar," Margaret reminded them. "This wasn't what y'all promised me"

"Stop shouting, did you want to ruin her life now?" Odette pulled her hand. "A paparazzi could be lurking around"

She banged her hand on the table angrily. "I don't care!!. I was your slave all my life. I refuse to do it again! So get me a better job like you promised so I can move out"

Odette stood up and slapped Margaret; all the smile and sophistication faded into malice. "Serving me and my kids for a hundred years wouldn't make up for what your foolish mother did to me! You should be grateful that you're going to be the wife of a rich man even though it's just for a day"

The slap landed so hard that Margaret's vision blurred for a second, reminding her that the reason why she agreed to take the blame was to pay for her mother's sin. Two years was never enough.

'For my mother's sin' Margaret thought. Then she agreed. "I'll only be his wife on the wedding day"

"Now you're talking" Odette smirked. "Emmanuel would compensate you handsomely if you don't mess up"

The next two days were spent preparing her for the marriage.

Margaret had given them her word that this would be the last. 'One last time,' Margaret told herself. 'Help them this time and get the fuck off!' She thought as Bianca adorned her face with make-up.

She didn't meet Emmanuel until the wedding day. Odette said he was too busy to meet beforehand.

The ceremony was brief and cold. No guests cheered or presented any gifts. Gaga Quinn was the happiest. "You've made me happy by bringing such a sweet girl as your wife. Now, I believe you'll lead the company well."

After the handover, Emmanuel and Margaret arrived at his home, he didn't even spare her a glance. "The ceremony has ended, you can go back to wherever they keep you"

Margaret frowned, wondering if he was joking or not. She swallowed, "You haven't paid for the marriage standing in. My stepmom said…"

"Why should I pay for borrowing my girlfriend's sister?" he snapped. "I guess they made all that up to get you to agree to this"

Her heart seized. "Girlfriend's… sister?"

Emmanuel's lips curved into a smirk. "Oh and one more thing," He leaned against the car, blocking her path. "Your mother already collected the payment from me. Every cent, so wether you like it or not.. you're now my wife!"

Margaret's blood ran cold.

Emmanuel's smile didn't even reach his eyes. "Welcome to the family, Mrs Quinn"

Margaret’s heart stopped. “My stepmother has already collected the money?”

Emmanuel laughed hysterically, “Face them, not me”

Margaret’s knee buckled, she hit the ground before she could stop herself. Emmanuel chuckled and walked into the house.

Her hands were shaking as she fumbled with her phone and dialed Bianca, but there was no response, and the same went for Odette and Bella.

She sat there in the wedding dress, feeling like a fool and remembering everything Bella said to her in the past.

She wasn’t as hostile as her mum and sister, always quiet and never seem to have any business with Margaret.

“No. I must get my money,” She sprang to her feet and ran after Emmanuel into the house.

The living room was deserted, but his suit was tossed on the couch.

She gulped hard and made her way upstairs, trying to find his room. Then she heard a giggle and a familiar voice. “I told you things would be easier. Margaret is very foolish”

Emmanuel’s voice seconded. “You have to see her face when I was telling her you’re my girlfriend. Did she really think she could be my wife?”

They both laughed, each echo of the laughter hitting like a slap.

This was true; she bolted through the room where the voices were coming from; pushed open the door, and the sight emptied her completely.

Bella was in his bed, Emanuel’s hand in her hair both of them mocking her.

Margaret’s breath caught in her. She wanted to close her eyes and look away, but the shock nailed her feet to the floor.

Bella laughed “All thanks to mum, I wouldn’t have thought of using her this easily”

Margaret’s leg trembled, grabbing the wall for support.

Bella giggled again and resumed her strokes, not aware of the frozen Margaret on the doorway. Her muscles screamed at her to run, but she couldn’t move.

For a moment, she felt like the third wheel, too shocked to react until the two of them changed positions and he got on top of her.

Even though Bella saw her when she turned, she ignored and continued her shameful act until Margaret couldn’t take it anymore.

“No..” she breathed. “No…” she gasped again. “No!!!!” Margaret finally yelled and Emmanuel stopped.

“Bella… How could you?” Margaret gasped again, tears welled up in her eyes. “I trusted you”

Bella giggled through her heavy breathing. “Trust is not in my dictionary sis”

Emmanuel was also breathing heavily, “What did you want?” he demanded.

Tears choked Margaret’s throat, and she was unable to speak for a while; then she remembered she had come back. “I… I came to ask for my payment. We have an agreement, Bella”

“Agreement?” Bella sneered. “Why should I waste precious money on paying you just to stand at the altar?”

“But I… I tried to please you” Margaret cried. “I tried my best to act natural even when Bianca hissed at me!”

Bella got up and grabbed a cup of water from the bedside… “Aw, don’t blame me. Blame your silly brain that kept obeying us as a repayment of some long dead debt”

Margaret turned to Emmanuel in a daze, “You knew that what I did deserved to be paid for! You also promised me!”

Emmanuel sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. “You annoy me to the core,” he bent over, pulling the drawer out to draw out a bale of dollars.

Margaret thought it was for her until Emmanuel picked out two 50-dollar bills and handed them to Margaret. “That should be enough to get you off my neck”

Margaret felt punched in the chest. The bills fluttered down landing at her feet like garbage.

“Did you really want to be my wife?” Emmanuel snickered. “Not even in my dreams will I think of having anything to do with an ex convict”

Her soul cracked.

She was really an outcast, a slave, and a mere tool in her stepfamily’s hands, and now, they’re using her for outsiders.

She realized that all this while trying to please her family was just her own delusion.

She never mattered to them, they only wanted to use her while she clung to the belief that she owed them.

She turned to leave. But she stopped before stepping out and looked at Emmanuel. “Remember the whole world knew me as your wife, not Bella?”

Then she left without picking his money, more tears dropping from her eyes.

“I hate you, Natasha Royce,” she cussed her mother, the woman she had never seen before, saw bitterly. ‘I hate you so much that it hurts me that I hate you’ she cried again, stepping out of the warm house on a cold night. ‘If you hadn’t abandoned me to these wolves… perhaps life would be better’

She was too hollowed out, shattered, broken, and defeated to care whether she was wearing a cardigan or not.

She flagged a cab with trembling hands, and glanced at her tear stained face and white-turned-brown wedding dress, but said nothing.

“Here,” the kind-hearted driver finally offered her a tissue, which she accepted with trembling hands.

Margaret pressed the thin sheet to her face and sobbed more bitterly until the cab arrived before their house.

“We are here,” the driver announced, jolting her out of her thoughts.

She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car.

At first, she was hesitant.

Then, with shaky hands she opened the door and met two pairs of eyes, staring at her with extreme hostility but never surprise.

“Good evening, mum,” she greeted, nodding at Bianca as if she were never therem making her way to her room.

"Stop! Why are you home? You should be consummating your marriage now?” Odette spat with malice, making Margaret stop.

“I’m divorcing him tomorrow mum” She replied confidently. “You said I’d be his wife until he got the company. He has it now and I’m done!”

“You should still be there, so what happened?” Bianca asked while the maid set cucumber to her face.

Tears choked Margaret’s throat again.

Their pretense as if they didn’t know about what Bella did made her sadder but she still managed to answer. “He… He sent me away”

Odette walked around her for a while, “Sent you away, huh?”

“Bella was there. They’re both… They’re both dating and….” Margaret stopped again, then looked at Odette. “You must have known what happened, so don’t ask me anything again”

As she said this, Bianca and her mum burst into sarcastic laughter.

Margaret felt foolish, still standing here with a tear stained face.

“M…Mum…?” She wanted to call but stopped and changed her tone. “Why did you do this after I suffered in prison for two years?”

Odette stopped, a sly and annoying tone reached out her hand to raise Margaret’s jaw. “My dear, blame Natasha for all these. She left you to me so she could elope with my husband. So I have no choice my dear”

“But that was Natasha!” Margaret cried. “I obeyed all your orders, just to show you I’m not Natasha!! I wanted to be good for you…”

“You can never be enough!” The woman asserted. “I will make sure you pass through the hell I passed because of your mother!”

The pain of those words stung like bee.

Now the truth is finally here.

‘I’ve been stupid. I’ve been too stupid!’ she scolded herself inwardly. ‘I thought they saw me as me, but they saw a guilty bird out to use…’

With this anger, Margaret lashed at her stepmom. “I refuse to pay for the sins I didn’t commit again!! I paid for everything already… Let it stay that way!”

Odette raised her hand and slapped Margaret, “How dare you talk back at me?”

The trace of the woman’s hand against her cheeks is now very visibly red. Bianca got up with agitation, “Margaret what has come over you?”

Margaret wasn’t taking it easy. “The biggest mistake I made in my life was believing your lies and going to prison”

“Margaret!” Odette yelled.

“You sent me to scholarship only school while your daughters attended private schools, yet I didn’t complain”

“Stop right there, Marg, or else—”

Her hands tore the hem of the wedding dress. The sound of it ripping was the most satisfying she’d heard all day.

“I will hate Natasha Royce till I die, but before then, if I have a chance to taste wealth, I will destroy you, Mum”

“Margaret!” Bianca screamed this time and raised her hand mid-air to slap, but Margaret caught the hand mid-air and looked her sister in the eyes.

“I am no longer yours and your sister’s pawn or stand in. I will make sure to tear each part of your body and feed it to the birds I have the chance to”

Margaret now stood on the doorstep in just her slip, her shredded wedding dress pooled at her feet like shredded skin.

Before leaving she reminded Odette, “I’ll be back, but stronger”

Odette laughed.

She heard Bianca’s mockery. “You’ll be back to where? You have nowhere to go, Ex-convict”

Margaret didn’t let that faze her, she closed the door after herself with hot tears. “It’s really over”

The cold night air reminded Margaret she was really homeless.

Her feet carried her wherever until she stopped on a bridge overlooking a large ocean.

“Why!!!?” she cried into the water as if she saw someone there. “Why did I have to pay for your sins, Natasha?” No answers, just the sound of distant cars and flapping of the water.

Margret knew nothing about her mother’s family or other relatives she could go to.

Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the snowy ground, her back against the cold metal railing before she could decide on anything.

Her teeth chattered painfully, while her hot tears didn’t help but make her eyelids grow heavier.

Perhaps… just perhaps, this is the end?

••••

“Find that woman Odette and her twins and bring them to my feet!”

Distant and muffled voices swirled around Margaret.

“…she must pay for….”

‘Who’s talking?’ She wondered. “….if my….”

Margaret tried to open her eyes but they felt glued shut.

‘What’s happening?’ Her body felt as if it were made of stone, and she couldn’t even lift a finger.

Panic crept in immediately. ‘Am I dead?’

She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Only her ears worked and she heard that grey voice again.

“Doctor, how is my granddaughter?”

‘Granddaughter. That word cut through the fog, she wanted to yell that she had no grandfather!

But it still felt difficult.

“My poor Natasha could….”

‘Natasha?’ Now this is where Margaret lost it all. Even if she was dead, didn’t want anything to do with Natasha, and while fighting with the darkness, her finger twitched.

She felt the doctor’s hand on her, then the cold stethoscope on her chest. “She’s coming back….get the drips”

“Chairman, she fainted from exhaustion and malnutrition, which mean she can’t wake up soon”

“Do anything to bring her back to life!” Margaret heard the old voice command again. “I will only be fine if I see her alive”

The doctor turned quietly and prepared a syringe and gently injected Margaret’s arm.

The moment the needle touched her skin, Margatet’s finger twitched, and her eyes snapped open.

“Urgh…” Came her slow grunt as she closed her eyes again before opening them again when it could adjust to the illuminated room.

“Marg, are you awake?” The doctor asked, tapping her. “Move a finger if you’re here with me”

Margaret obeyed, slowly turned her eyes, and found herself in the presence of a strange old man and the doctor.

“Doctor, Is she awake?” The old man asked. “Can I talk to her now?”

The doctor didn’t keep his hand off Margaret’s as he replied, “Let her adjust to the strange environment first, Chairman”

“How… How long was I asleep for?” Margaret asked slowly.

The doctor waved his hand over her face, “Can you see me clearly?”

Margaret’s vision was still struggling between life and death, she could only see the doctor’s outline, but she nodded. “Y.. Yes. Just a little”

The doctor rushed off again and came back with an optical touch-light, which he held to her eyes several times before Margaret confirmed that she could see him clearly.

She looked at the doctor and repeated her previous question and the doctor hurriedly replied. “You’ve been asleep for three days. I guess that’s why it’s so hard to adjust to the light.

Her heart sank. Fainted for three whole days? Margaret turned her head slowly, Thomas Royce, the richest man in Grimespring City, was watching her with guilt.

“Who are you?” She asked after staring at him even more.

The doctor helped her sit up on the bed, and bowed to the man. “I have other things to do, chairman”

Thomas nodded, and after the doctor was gone, he rushed to Margaret. “I’m so happy to see you my dear, I was so worried that you won’t wake up….”

“Who are you?’ she demanded, still doesn’t know who the old man was.

His expression changed to a sad one as he gulped, “All these are my fault. I should have accepted Natasha’s pregnancy and take care of it instead of making her live in a polygamous family”

Margaret was now getting out of hand. “What does Natasha have to do with you?”

“Natasha Royce, my daughter, your mum”

“What?” she arched her brow. “Don’t say her name to me!”

Thomas Royce sighed. “ I mean it. Natasha Royce, your mum was my daughter”

It took a while before she could accept the news. “You mean…..” Thomas nodded. “Yes, dear. I’m your grandfather”

Margaret stared at the old man. His face lined with age, but those eyes— awfully familiar to that of Natasha

“No!” She whispered. Her voice was hoarse, broken. “You’re lying”

But even as she said it, she knew he wasn’t.

She wanted to call the old man fake, but the words wouldn’t come. “N… Natasha Royce was your daughter?” Margaret’s hand gripped the hospital sheets. “The woman who destroyed my life, and left me to those monsters?”

Thomas flinched like she’d struck him. “She didn’t abandon dear.” His voice broke. “I… I pushed her out. I was too ashamed that a Royce got pregnant for a mere driver like your father and….”

“I don’t know you” Margaret cut into his old voice sharply. “I don’t have any family, so thank you for saving me from freezing to death”

She climbed down the bed prepared to leave, so far she wouldn’t get to hear anything about Natasha again.

“…blame me dear. Hate me forever, but don’t leave like she did”

“You…” Margaret’s voice shook. “You could have looked for me after her death”

The old man went silent. His head bowed in shame. Margaret continued regardless, “Your daughter brought me to this life to suffer for sins I never committed. Odette and her twins used me anyhow they wanted and I was even imprisoned!… you didn’t find me then, but only now?

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Margaret turned around, angrily. “Don’t tell me sorry! You abandoned your own daughter because of some reputation till she died while eloping. You haven’t come for me since I was a kid, and you think I would just follow you?”

All the bottled up emotions came rushing in great currents as she cried even more.

“I… I thought you also died, “the man explained. “You were with your parents, during the accident but how come that wicked woman raised you until now is very heartbreaking”

Margaret stopped. “I was there during the accident?”

“Yes. She sent me a message before leaving, but I ignored it”

He rushed to her and hugged her. “I was foolish to believe that you were not alive. I was too focused on the company”

“Grandpa why….” Margaret cried on his shoulders and hugged him back slowly. “I went through hell”

Deep down, through her anger, Margaret is also happy that she finally found another family, even though it was through Natasha again!

The door burst open, causing Margaret to jump; a handsome and confident man strode in, holding a bouquet of lilies.

Before she could react, he pulled her into a hug.

“Where have you been all these while, sister”