The Haunted’s Kiss of Regret and Repentance

“Ouch! Hey, don’t be too rough, and be gentle!” I whined as Izzy pressed the ice on the back of my head.

“I’ve angered mom in the past, but the worst she did was accidentally pulling two of my teeth when he slapped me hard on the mouth for talking back at her. I would have never guessed mom would slap you with a folder hard enough for you to fall on the bed and bang the back of your head on the floor. This bump feels like your head was intentionally hit on the floor.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

I hissed at the pain and the cold that I felt from my head and the ice.

“Shyne, I know that mom was infuriated with the contents of that folder, but I would have never believed you that she laid a finger on you if I’m not the one doing this. What happened with you and mom inside the room?”

I sighed and closed my eyes as I had a flashback of what had happened an hour ago.

Flashback…

“Shyne, tell me, is this your way of destroying this family for a dick that’s now buried six feet underground?”

My mom had a luke of pure anger in her eyes, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. I felt like all the water inside of my body was gone, and my throat was so dry that I couldn’t speak.

“Shyne. Speak when you are being asked a question.” Mom said in a low tone that was filled with venom.

“Did this boy’s dick mean so much to you that you were willing to risk multiple false pregnancy scares, huh, Shyne?”

Her tone was on edge, and it held a warning that I knew too well. I’ve been at the end of my mother’s wrath, and her words would always be more painful than her hits.

“Mom, please don’t say it like that. That is not the reason why all of those false pregnancies happened…”

“Then what was the reason, Shyne? We gave you everything that you want in order for you to have a life as close to perfect. You got everything that you’ve wanted, and I even agreed to send you to a faraway school just so you could leave this man. You should have told me about all of this sooner!” My mom said in a loud voice.

“You’re lucky that this day is still not done, and there are still visitors outside. If it was up to me, I would have sent you back home and chained you to the house so you couldn’t disappoint this family again.”

Her words stung, but I knew that she was right. Imay have been trying to fix my future, but it still won’t get me away from my past. I can tell people what I’ve done, and I can regret them, but it would never be enough.

“Shyne. Your irresponsibility and rebellion is what you should blame in this situation. I already agreed to help you before, and yet you were never honest. You are such a… a…”

“A what, mom?” I asked her in anger. My eyes were watering, but I held the anger in her gaze.

“What, mom? I’m such a slut? A whore? A disgrace? Do you need me to help you find the best description for your disappointment, huh, mother?” I said in a sarcastic manner.

My mother was quick, and she walked straight at me. I never moved, because I would never have expected her to grab the folder and slap me across the face with it. It was hard enough for me to fall from my bed and hit my head on the foot of the bed that was exposed.

I groaned in pain, but I never heard my mother say a word. Instead, she left me groaning on the floor as I tried to focus my vision, and I heard her open and close the door.

Tears fell from my eyes as my emotions swelled and I could feel the shadows again. I tried to calm my nerves, but I felt like they were fried. I saw a shadowy hand on my leg, and I screamed as I felt it try to pull me from under the bed.

“Shyne!” Izzy shook me as we both sat on the floor. My eyes focused and I saw that the arm was gone and it was just me and Izzy on the floor.

End of flashback…

“Shyne, no wonder mom slapped you. You know how that woman has this idea in her head that she’s trying to be a great mother, even though she’s not that great in the emotional part. You should have just let her speak and leave.”

“I know, Izzy, it’s just annoying how I’m trying my best to change, and yet all of these things are happening to me. Plus, mom just left, and it didn’t even look like she cared when I groaned.”

“Sis, she called me here, so we know that at least she felt guilty. So all you need to do now is focus on how you can get through this party.”

I sighed and nodded. I could still feel the cold presence of the shadow hand earlier, and I looked at my leg that was hanging on the edge of my bed. Izzy followed my gaze, and she also gave a sight.

“Shyne, I’ll sleep beside you tonight, so you don’t have to worry. You know that you could trust me. You’re getting better at controlling your emotions, so all you need is to make sure that you control it long enough for us to find a way to break this curse.”

I nodded, and as Izzy helped me change, I realized how I’ve really lost my job as the eldest, and now my brother and cousin Earl knows about the folder.

“My life is so complicated, man, I feel like I’ll explode.” I whispered as I followed Izzy out of the room.

We got back to the party, and I saw that the twins and their parents were nowhere to be found. I had a thought that my mom had already done something to shut them all up.

I searched the crowd and saw my father talking to one of his friends, and a few seconds later, I saw my mother take my father’s hand as they socialized. I took one of the glasses that was served by the waiters, and my eyes caught my brother’s eyes as he walked towards me with a grim expression.

“Hey, sis. I know this is your day, but what happened back there is not what I expected.”

The two of us were looking at the crown while we stood about a meter apart. The both of us had that perfect poker face as we spoke to one another. Although, I felt the anger and disappointment in his voice, and I felt the sting of embarrassment at the fact that I did nothing good for the family on my own. My mother was right about me being a disappointment.

“Hey, sis, next time you want to ruin your life, I just hope you think of how much it would affect the family. Because while you were busy living life destroying your future, I was busy building the future you were breaking in this family.” He faced me as I remained silent. “Since you’re officially the legal heir, make sure you don’t bring this clan down with you.” Alister said and left.

I tried my best to swallow the lump in my throat, and ignore the growing sorrow in the pit of my stomach.

“Your brother is right. Just end your life so you won’t be as big of a disappointment than you are now.” The shadowy figure beside me said.

I was trembling in fear, but I was in a public place, and the last thing I wanted was to become a freakshow in front of the entire clan. I drank my champagne and went straight to my mother.

“Mom? Excuse me, but can I talk to you in private please?” I whispered in her ear. She looked at me with an annoyed look but nodded.

“Mom, what happened with the twins?”

“I made them leave, and made their parents shut up. Now, I’m going to investigate your ex lover’s entire background, and that includes your current school. I don’t want to be caught off guard in case you still haven’t changed. Now, excuse me, I need to assist your father.”

My mother left me speechless, and I could feel the growing insecurity inside of me at how my mother has zero trust in me. I turned around and went to the nearest fountain in the garden where I could cry as hard as I could.

“Just jump in the fountain and drown yourself. It would be better than being the constant disappointment in your entire clan.” The voices whispered, and I looked at the water in the fountain.

“Go on, my love, drown for me.”