Bed of Nails

Chapter 75

Only mine. 

I spent the rest of my day with him playing board games. He had a few board games he used to play with his mother. We had lots of fun. For the first time in my eighteen years, I was celebrating my birthday like this. I was happy. I don't miss my mother because I never knew who she was. You need memories to miss someone, and I had none. Dad never talked about her, but I do miss her absence in my life. Like every motherless child. I wished she was in my life so I could get my mother's love, at least. Sometimes I get jealous of Sabrin because she has both her parents, and both of them love her. They fulfil her every need. She gets treated like a prince by our father. It's not her fault that she had a complete family. It's not her fault that she is lucky to receive both her parents' love. It's not her fault that I'm unlucky. Maybe I was meant to be like that. My thoughts put a stop to the jealousy I feel for her. I wish no one should be ignored or unloved the way my father is. It makes me happy that at least she is getting love and that she won't be growing up alone. It gives me some kind of relief knowing her parents are there to take care of her because I know how it feels to be alone. I only wish good things for her. These thoughts made me break down in the middle of the night. Erick kept holding me, consoling me with his sweet words, until I fell asleep. He took care of me, and I was so grateful for him. I finally had someone who cared for me, and I never want to lose him. The next day, I had to go to the mansion for my fake birthday party. Lilly had messaged me to come early so I could try the dress she had brought for me. Erick stopped his car in front of the gates. He looked at me and smiled. He moved forward and cupped my face. He kissed me like a parched man, as if we had not made out before leaving the house. We can never get enough of each other. 

“You are coming to the party,” I whispered on his lips. He was not sure, but I had left no room for a no. I want him at the party. 

“I will try,” he whispered back on my lips. My gaze narrowed when he said that. He chuckled, looking at my face. 

"Okay, I will be there. Anything for my doll,” he said, and it brought a big smile to my face. He pecked my lips a few more times before letting me go. I got inside the gate and waved at him, and that's when he drove away. I walked to the door, hopping on my way. I had a big smile playing on my face. I had my best birthday ever. Sabrina and Lily surprised me with a small homemade chocolate cake. Like usual, my dad was missing. I smiled, looking at them. Only if they had done this on my birthday. We cut the cake with little Sabrina singing Happy Birthday to me. Once we were done, Lily took me to my room and made me try the dress she had brought. It was my birthday present from her. All the dresses were beautiful. She knows my love for fashion, so she buys the best designs for me. I decided to wear a white dress with a sequence work on its neck and hem. It was so beautiful with a square neckline. I loved it. She started to get me ready for the party. 

“It's from your father,” she said, and she put a diamond chain around my neck. The diamonds on it were bigger than on my ring, but my ring finger felt heavier than my neck. Erick gave me a ring with his heart, but my dad gave me a diamond chain to show off to the people that he cares when he clearly doesn't. It was his way of compensating for ignoring me all year, even though I was in the same room having dinner with them. I didn't want to wear it, but I had no choice. Lily moved her eyes all over my sad face. The smile I had vanished as soon as he put the chain around my neck. 

“He loves you. He chose this chain for you,” she said, squeezing my shoulders. I know she was lying. Dad never had time for me, and I don't think he would even try to waste his breath to choose a birthday gift for me. I just gave her a small nod instead. “I'm going to get Sabrina ready before your friends come. My fake birthday party will start soon. All my friends started to come. Dad showed up when all my friends showed up. Lily asked me if we should cut the cake, but I asked her to water it for a few more minutes. My eyes were waiting for my friend's arrival. I don't know how long I'm going to prologue it. Dad looked impatient. He would love to be anywhere in the world but my birthday party, which was on even on the date I was born. Andrew walked to me. 

“Loose up a bit; it's your birthday party,” he said, looking at my distressed face. I wanted to, but why was Erick still not here? He was not even picking up my cell phone. 

"Relax. He will be here soon." Andrew said this while sipping on his drink. I kept looking at the entrance every now and then. I almost thought he wouldn't show up, but he was there with a new bruise on his lower lip. My brows furrowed as I looked at his lip. His warm blue eyes scanned my whole body, and they settled on my diamond chain for a few seconds before he moved to the person who was standing beside me. His jaw clenched when Andrew smirked at him in return. Erick started to walk towards us. 

“You will end up with bruises if you don't stop teasing him,” I warned Andrew, and his smirk deepened. 

“He knows fighting will be fun,” he said amusingly but with excitement in his tone. 

“I don't know what you are trying to do in the first place,” I said, not getting his game. 

“I'm making sure he is the right guy for you. I don't want you to get hurt in the end,” he said without any amusement in his voice. His words didn't surprise me because I knew I was like a sister to him. Erick stood beside me, pulling me to his chest in possessiveness. He didn't even care that my dad had his eyes on us. I looked at my father to see his face, which had a cold look on it, looking at Erick. 

“Let's cut the cake,” Lily announced, cutting the building tension in the air. I cut the cake, and everyone sang a happy birthday song for me. Once I was done taking the presence and feeding cake, I dragged Erick with me to the garden, away from everyone's eyes. 

“What happened to your face?” I said, moving my thumb over his bruised lower lip. 

“Nothing,” he said, refusing to tell me. I know he had no fights because he had saved up enough, so I had requested that he stop going there. I didn't like his bruised face. He had promised me that he wouldn't take more fights. 

"Erick.” I narrowed my eyes, not happy with his answer. He cupped my face and flashed me his breathtaking smile. 

“You look so gorgeous, my doll,” he said with adoration in his eyes. My heart warmed up at his words, but my eyes refused to move away from the bruise on his lip. 

“Does it still hurt?” I asked with my thumb still tracing his bruised lower lip. 

“It will hurt less if you press your lips against mine,” he said huskily in his deep voice, making my heart beat fast. This man. I exhaled deeply. Without giving it a second thought, I moved my face forward and pressed my lips against his bruised one. We were lost in just a few seconds. The moment felt so sweet. Kissing him under the starry sky. But it didn't last long. 

“What's going on here?” I heard my father's pissed voice, and it made me pull away from Erick. My heart beats fast in fear. Erick held my hand tightly, not letting me move away from him. Not even an inch. My dad's jaw clenched, and his eyes settled on me. He again had a look of disapproval in his eyes. A big lump formed at the base of my throat. He was not happy to find us together. 

I knew I was in deep trouble.

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