Every Girl's Wish

Chapter Three

(trinity's pov)

    I lie in my bed, my head buried in my arms, my knees pulled tightly to my chest. My body shakes with sobs, my mind a jumbled mess of emotions. I feel so lost, so alone. Cesar's words keep echoing in my mind, "You're just a weak, pathetic child. You don't know what's good for you."
     Why does he always have to be so cruel? Why can't he just leave me alone?
     As I cry, I think about how much I hate my life. I hate living in this house with Cesar, I hate the way he controls every aspect of our lives. I hate the way my mother never stands up to him, never defends me.
     Eventually, my tears subside, replaced by a sense of determination. I need to talk to my mother, to tell her everything. Maybe she'll finally listen, finally understand.
    I take a deep breath and stand up, wiping my tears away. I make my way to my mother's room, hesitating outside the door. What if she doesn't believe me? What if she sides with Cesar again?
     I push the thoughts aside and knock on the door, the sound echoing through the silence. "Mom?" I call out, my voice steady.
     "Come in," she replies, her tone warm and inviting.
     I take a deep breath to compose myself, the air filling my lungs as I enter the room. "How are you?" I ask, trying to sound calm, but my voice betrays a hint of nervousness.
     The room is bathed in the warm glow of the early morning sun, which streams through the window and illuminates the dust motes dancing in the air. One wall is dominated by a sturdy wardrobe, its wooden surface gleaming in the sunlight. My mother sits in a plush armchair beside her bed, a book open on her lap, her brown eyes sparkling with happiness as she looks up at me.
     How can I shatter this peaceful moment by telling her about Cesar? I think to myself, my heart heavy with trepidation. But I know I must.
     She acknowledges my question with a gentle smile. "I'm fine, dear. How are you?" Her voice is like a soothing balm, but I know it won't be enough to calm the storm brewing inside me.
   I fidget with my hands, my fingers intertwining like restless snakes. "I need to talk to you," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
   She looks up at me, her eyebrows drawing together in concern. "Of course, love. You know I'm always here for you to talk." Her words are laced with a gentle encouragement, but I sense a hint of wariness beneath the surface.
    I glance down at the ground beneath me, the marble tiles gleaming like polished mirrors, reflecting my own anxious expression. "It's about Cesar," I say, my voice cracking like fragile glass.
    She looks at me, her frown deepening, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What about him?" she asks, her tone cautious, like she's probing a sensitive wound.
     I recognize that look in her eyes - a mix of defensiveness and hope, like she's preparing for battle while still clinging to the possibility of peace. "He's not who he seems to be, Mom," I say, my voice barely above a whisper, but laced with conviction.
     My mother's expression turns guarded, her eyes sparkling with a hint of desperation. "Trinity, we've already talked about this. He is my husband and your stepfather, you have to at least try to accept him," she says, her voice tinged with a pleading tone, as if she's begging me to understand.
     I shake my head, my voice shaking with emotion. "He's a bad person, Mom. He's always controlling and manipulative. He never listens to me, never cares about my feelings." The words spill out like a pent-up storm, my anger and frustration finally finding release.
    My mother sighs, her shoulders sagging like a deflated balloon. "Trinity, we've talked about this before. Cesar is just trying to help," she says, her voice laced with a tired resignation, like she's repeating a mantra she doesn't fully believe.
    I repeat her words, my anger rising like a tidal wave. "Help?" I spit out, my voice venomous. "He's not helping, Mom. He's suffocating me." The words hang in the air like a challenge, daring her to deny the truth.
  Her lips pinch together, her eyes narrowing like a vice. "Trinity, you need to learn to respect Cesar. He's your stepfather, and he's trying to do what's best for you," she says, her voice firm but brittle, like ice on the verge of cracking.
     I throw her words back at her, my voice rising in a crescendo of anger. "What's best for me?" I repeat, my tone incredulous. "You call being controlled and manipulated what's best for me?" The words are laced with disgust and frustration, like I'm spitting out poison.
    My mother's face hardens, her voice firm but cold. "Trinity, stop being dramatic," she says, her words like a slap in the face. "Cesar loves you, and he wants what's best for you." The words are a familiar refrain, but they ring hollow, like a lie repeated too many times.
   I   explode, my anger boiling over like a pot left unattended. "No, he doesn't," I say, my voice raw and emotional. "He only cares about himself. He doesn't care about anyone else." The words hang in the air like a gauntlet thrown, daring her to deny the truth.
   My mother's face contorts in shock, her eyes wide with incredulity, her mouth agape like a fish gasping for air. "Trinity, that's not true!" she exclaims, her voice trembling with emotion. "You know he wants you to like him, even just a little bit, but you're making it so damn hard for him. Stop being so stubborn, Trinity. Cesar is your father now, so you will respect him!" she commands, her words dripping with authority, but laced with a hint of desperation.
     Her words are like a slap in the face, stinging and leaving me breathless. My stomach churns with anger and hurt, as I scream back at her, my voice raw and uncontrolled. "He's not my father!" I bellow, the words echoing through the room like a challenge. "How dare you call him my dad? Stevan is my father. No one else can take his place!" I'm no longer in control of my emotions, my hurt and anger spilling out like a torrent.
    My mother rises from her armchair, her movements fluid and comforting, like a soothing balm. She places her book on the bed and crosses the space between us, her hand landing on my shoulder in a gentle gesture. "Trenny, I know it's hard," she says, her voice soft and melodious, like a lullaby. "I know you miss Stevan a lot, and honestly, I do too. But it's time you accepted the fact that he's no more. Trenny, baby, you know I love you so much, and I'll always want what's best for you. I expect you to respect my decisions, especially my marriage to Cesar. Trinity, I've found love again in my life after losing your dad. Please let me be happy with him.”
    Her words are laced with a deep longing, a yearning for happiness and acceptance. But I'm trapped in a web of guilt and deceit, knowing Cesar's truth while she remains oblivious, ensnared in his lies. If I reveal what happened this morning, she'll never believe me, Cesar's hold on her is too strong, his deceit too entrenched.
    But if I don't tell her, how can I live with myself, knowing that my own mother is trapped in a web of deceit with a man who's unworthy of her love and trust? The weight of this secret is crushing me, and I know I must confess. I take a deep breath, my heart racing with anxiety, and guide my mom to her bed. I sit beside her, holding her hand in mine, trying to calm my own nerves as I caress her hand.
   "Mom, it's not just about that," I begin, my voice trembling. "I love you, Mom, and I promise to always support your decisions, but your decision to marry Cesar was a mistake. He's a bad man, Mom, with no respect for anyone. He's a pervert, and I can't keep quiet about it anymore." I pause, bracing myself for her reaction.
    My mom looks at me, her eyes eager to defend Cesar, but she bites back her words.
    " I came here to tell you what happened this morning, because I think it's important for you to know.“
   "What happened this morning?" she asks, her voice laced with concern, which gives me the courage to continue.
   I take a deep breath, tears streaming down my face as I recount the events. "I was making breakfast when Cesar came into the kitchen. He made flirtatious comments, and I told him to stop. We argued, and he pulled me into the room, locking the door..." My voice cracks as I relive the horror.
    My mom's expression changes from concern to disbelief, her eyes wide with shock. She looks like she's been punched in the gut, her face pale and drained of color. She can't process what I'm telling her, can't reconcile the Cesar she thinks she knows with the monster I'm describing.
    My mom's face contorts in anguish as she jerks her hands out of mine, her eyes welling up with tears. She rises from the bed, her movements stiff and jerky, like a puppet on a string. "Trinity, how can you say such vile things about Cesar?" she cries, her voice trembling with hurt and anger. "We both know this isn't true! Why are you doing this to me, to us? What have I done to deserve such betrayal?"
   She takes a step back, her eyes scouring my face as if searching for answers. "What is it about me, about our relationship, that makes you want to destroy my happiness?" she demands, her voice cracking with emotion. "I thought we had a bond, Trinity, a connection that couldn't be broken. But I guess I was wrong."
    Tears stream down her face as she continues, her voice rising in a crescendo of pain. "I never thought my own child would want me to be unhappy! You're using your own self-respect and dignity as a weapon against me, against our family. You're claiming that Cesar...that he's done things to you...Trinity, this isn't fair! Don't I deserve happiness, after everything I've been through?"
   Her words hang in the air like a challenge, her eyes pleading with me to recant, to take back the accusations. But I know I can't, not now that the truth is finally out.