Double

Inside the life of Victoria Hargreeves

October 1 1994
Birthday

It was on her fifth birthday that Victoria Hargreeves realized how different she was treated at home.

It was currently her birthday, along with her siblings she turned five years old. Normally, a five year old girl on her birthday would spend the day laughing, getting gifts like dolls or sport cars, eating cake and enjoying her special day with her family.

A five year old girl shouldn't be sitting in the kitchen, making a puzzle all by herself while she could hear her siblings laughing and yelling how excited they were with their gifts.

Reginald wasn't even home, but the second Victoria joined her siblings in the living room, awing at the gifts. Grace immediately send her down to the kitchen.

Her siblings didn't even question why their mother would send their sister away and that's what broke the little girl's heart the most.

She too wanted to eat yummy food and show her siblings her new toys. But instead she was sat by the kitchen table, leaning her head on her hand and humming a happy birthday song while she finished one of her sibling's puzzles from their playroom.

February 2 1995
Reginald Hargreeves

The poor six year old girl looked sad, once again, as all her siblings ran to the dining room to eat dinner as she took slow steps to the kitchen.

Reginald payed no mind to Victoria as he strode towards the dining room, ready to have the dinner Grace cooked.

Victoria turned around and followed her father towards the living room. "Dad?" Her soft voice made Reginald stop in the middle of the dining room, catching the attention of him and her siblings as they all stared at her.

She quickly felt nervous and looked down to the floor, fiddling with her fingers meanwhile.

"What is it, number eight?" Reginald never called one of his children with their names. "Can I sit with you guys today?" She asked shyly, glancing up at him as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Speak louder, number eight and stand straight" he demanded. Victoria quickly stood straight and looked up at her dad.

"Can I eat dinner with you guys, please?" She asked him a little louder. All of her siblings were looking between their father and sister, no one knowing what was about to happen.

Reginald began chuckling at her while shaking his head. "And why would that be necessary?" He asked her.

"Just because- I don't want to eat alone and- and you guys always eat together, so I don't know why I'm not aloud to eat here?" She stuttered, nervously.

"No, and you know the rules number eight, you can only address me by 'sir', do you understand?" Reginald spat at her.

"But, please-" Victoria whined, feeling tears in her eyes.

"Number eight! You will eat in the kitchen, apart from your siblings and anyone in this house! You know this!" Reginald yelled at her, his face becoming a deep shade of red.

Her siblings and Victoria all flinched at the loudness of his voice.

"I'm sorry, sir-" she apologized but quickly got interrupted by a hard slap to her cheek, making her stumble a little.

"Don't make that mistake again" he told her sternly before pointing to the direction of the kitchen.

Victoria looked at her sibling, hoping they would say or do something to protect their sister. But when she looked up, she saw all of them looking down, not saying or doing anything, making her heart sink.