Taming the Devil (EDITED AND REVISED)

Chapter-3

(EDITED AND REVISED)

Scarlett's POV

I practically ran to hug aunt stella. She smiled widely as soon as she saw me. By now tears were flowing down my face. She saw that and quickly wiped them.

"How have you been my darling?" Aunt asked me while smiling.

"I'm good. And obviously very much happy to see you. It feels like we haven't met in centuries." I said.

"Awe sweetpea i'm more than happy to see you." She smiled again.

But her smile quickly faded as she saw my bruised cheek. The marks were not as clear as in morning but they were still visible.

"Scarlett, who did that?" She asked in angry tone. I flinched. You definitely don't want to mess with angry Stella Collins.

"It's nothing. I'm okay." I tried to comfort her and close the topic.

"Did james do it?" She asked worriedly. Man, she is stubborn as fuck.

I remained silent.

She came forward and gently lifted up my chin. Her eyes softened.

"Tell me sweetpea. Trust me i won't let anyone hurt you emotionally or physically." She reassured me.

I gave her a sad smile and noded.
"Y-yes it was father" i said almost whispering. No doubts she heard that.

"why?" She asked patiently.

I sighed and said " I overslept so got delayed making him his coffee. So he slapped me hard."

She sighed loudly. "It's okay. I will talk with him. But hey i have a good news. You are coming with me to Chicago. I'm planning to enroll you in highschool over there since it's far better and besides i will be able to take proper care of you over there. We will be leaving in few days. And don't you worry about your father i'm going to talk to him."

My mood instantly lightened at her words and i gave her a goofy smile. I always loved Chicago. I used to spend my summers there. I always cried while leaving aunt's home. I have lots of precious happy memories of that place. Ah! The good ol'days. I was smiling to myself.

Aunt stella broke my trance and asked me about dinner.

"Your famous chicken pasta please." I gave her puppy eyes. She laughed lightly.

"Ok sweetpea i will make it for you." I nodded and went into living room and switched t.v on. My favourite movie 'ice age' was playing.

"The dinner is ready scar." Aunt stella shouted from kitchen after some time.

"Coming right away." I sprinted to kitchen. The mouth-watering smell of pasta filled my nostrils causing my stomach to growl. I was starving.

We both had dinner while chit-chatting about my school and everything. We were talking sitting on couch and sipping coffee.

The main door opened and my drunk father entered . I realized it was late night. Where the hell did time go??!!

As soon as he saw aunt stella he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened and he froze. Aunt stella's expression changed from happy to angry in speed of lightening.

"We need to talk Mr. Jones." She said deadpaned.

"When did you fly from Chicago to Texas?" Dad asked still surprised.

"My arrival is not imitate right now." She pulled me up and turned my head to right by gripping my chin so my left cheek was in front of my father's face.

"Care to explain this?!" She said angrily referring to finger marks on my skin.

Dad said nothing and stood there staring those bruises. I was on verge of crying. My own father hurt me physically and mentally. He treated me like shit and considered me maid of the house. Many times he locked me up in rooms for  days without water or food. He blamed me for my mother's death.He never paid for my school or anything in that matter.If not for aunt stella and lynn my life would be absolute living hell not that it already isn't.

"She did not listen to my words and delayed my coffee. She cannot do one simple task everyday without getting on my nerves."he said defending himself like its no big deal.

"James Jones!!! She is your daughter. Not your fucking maid whom you order to do everything. Veronica's death took toll on all of us. But the way you are treating your own daughter is pure cruelty. How can you slap your own flesh and blood?!" She shouted. Anger oozing from her.

"She took away my wife from me. She should be grateful i am sheltering her fat ass. She deserves to rot on streets." He said angrily.

That did it. I burst out crying. How?!! How the fuck i'm responsible for my own mother's death??!! I love her with all my heart. She is my world. I would never do anything to hurt her. Do i really deserve to be treated like shit?? All negativities filled my mind. I was getting numb.

"Enough. Are you even hearing yourself?! What does she have to do with my sister's death. For christ's sake james she is her daughter. YOUR daughter. Why are you doing this?!" Once again she shouted. Her words were not reaching me. Everything became stagnant.

My mother's smiling face flashed in front of my eyes. The beautiful woman who was light of my life. And now she is gone. Forever. Away from me.

"Veronica used to overthink about scarlett even when she was sick. She was more concerned about our 5 year old daughter's health when she was the one who was dying slowly. She started to skip her medicines. She always wanted to go home to her daughter when she was admitted to hospital. Scarlett was the only thing on her mind even when she was suffering worst. She refused her treatment and demanded to see her daughter. She knew she was slowly dying. Going away from me. But only thing she still thought about was this useless piece of shit." He said slightly sobbing. "She even forgot me and my love for her in her final days.' I love my scarlett' were her final words before she left me. Alone." now he was crying. This was first time in my life i am seeing him crying. My heart broke at sight of him. Agreed his abused me but his pain was far more worse than me.

Aunt stella's expression softened a little at his words.

"What happened back then is none of scarlett's fault. She was a toddler back then. Losing her mother was  worst thing for her. But you treating her this way pushed her to hell. Don't be hard because of veronica's stubbornness. She's gone. But your daughter is right here. She just looks like her mother." Aunt stella looked gently at me with slight watery eyes.

I smiled back. My father was being too hard on himself and extra hard on me too. But i decided to let it go as my father was one adamant human being. Aunt stella wiped my tears. My father was now silent and had blank face.

"I'm taking her to Chicago with me for her further education. She will be staying with me. We leave after few days." She spoke after sometime.

My father's head shot up upon hearing that statement." You are not taking her anywhere. I need her to get housework done." He stated looking straight in her eye.

"You cannot lock her up her whole life james. She is not your housemaid. And staying or leaving part is all upto her. Scarlett, sweetpea do you want to come with me to Chicago?" She asked simply. I looked at her then father. I stared at both of them.

"Do you want to leave scarlett?" My father narrowed his eyes at me, his question was no doubt a threat.

"y-yes." I stuttered.

"Good girl. We leave in 6 days. Start packing." Aunt announced.

I looked at father and he was pissed. I nodded and went upto my room. I took a hot shower and changed into my pjs and tried to sleep. I can still hear the voices of my father and aunt stella from other side of door.

I suddenly thought about lynn. I should tell her. She will definitely be stunned. But i was too drowsy to text anyone so i decided to tell next the very next day.

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(EDITED AND REVISED)