Kori Novikov | 18+

4. I'll be damned

~••♡•▪| KORI NOVIKOV |▪︎•♡••~

The manor was dead silent, as always. I busied myself with one of the maids— Her name was Lucille. She was one of the younger ones and was specifically hired to be my babysitter, when my parents didn't want me to bother them.

I stood with her in the kitchen, on my tiny stool So that I could reach the top of the granite counter.

I was helping her bake. I loved baking with Lucille.  She was a wonderful cook.

Our time was cut short when a loud bang ricocheted across marble floors.

My little feet instantly attained a mind of their own and I found myself running to the back yard.

"Father, what was that noise," I asked, gnawing at my bottom lip.

He had an evil scowl etched on his face. This was normal in my house.

My father killed people, I wasn't some stupid naive kid who was shadowed by this kind of world. I was no stranger to my dad's evil hand.

Another man — dead in our backyard.

_________________

A day off was all that I needed. I was beyond exhausted,  especially after working 13-hour shifts the entire week. I couldn't even get myself out of bed.

Thankfully my boss understood — which was surprising. Usually, he'd deny my request for a day off.

But with the hours I worked the past week, I was in desperate need of sleep. I had the house to myself. Gene had some family matters apparently, so he kind of dipped for a few days.

So, a peaceful 2 days off, sounded like a luxury getaway. I was planning on using this time to study for my entrance exam.

Once I pass the exam, I'd be able to apply for financing from the local University.

I didn't have many dreams and aspirations growing up. Father tried to condition me into being a wife, he was planning an alliance with the Spanish  and wanted me to marry an old slimy man, Ramone Jimenéz

I was a puppet to him, born and raised with the sole purpose of being a slave to the Novikov name, to the bloodline— to my father.

I hated everything that he was. Which was one of the reasons I ran aware. He ruled with an iron fist, and that iron fist slammed me every day.

I didn't know what I wanted to be in life, I was still unsure but I knew I needed to work hard to get there.

I finished my entrance exams, which were just basic mathematics and English exams. I closed the laptop and hid It under the cupboard drawer. It was one of the few things I bought with my money.

And if Gene knew I had it, he would've pawned it and pocketed the money, like he did with my watch and some of the little jewellery that I had.

My eyes darted to the clock that hung above the television. It was nearing one o'clock in the afternoon. I needed to buy a few things to eat for the rest of the week.

With that being said, I slipped on my sneakers and zipped up my jacket before exiting the apartment. I buried my hands in my pockets as I made my way down the street.

Thankfully there was a small convenience store about a 10-minute walk from my building.

Once I reached the store, I grabbed a trolley from the rack and walked through the aisle.  Grabbing mostly the essentials but taking extra precautions with the prices.