Ever since they entered that house, peace had become a distant memory.
It was astonishing that Marcus and his daughter, Annalise, had managed to coexist somewhat amicably before their downfall, but now, turmoil reigned within their home.
Marcus was exhausted and increasingly frustrated as the days dragged on. His work situation was already strained, and to make matters worse, there was Annalise.
It was clear to him that she would soon become the source of his headaches at home. While he understood the challenges they faced, he couldn't help but feel aggravated by her constant whining and complaints about their living situation.
The problems they encountered weren't her fault, but her lack of understanding was wearing thin on his nerves.
Every day, Annalise reminded him of his failings, taunting him about their bankruptcy. As he stood in the parlor adjusting his tie, he longed for an escape from the oppressive atmosphere that had taken over their lives.
"Anna, come and eat! The food is ready!" Keira called out, striving to mend the tension that had become all too familiar whenever Marcus and Annalise clashed. She tried to keep things calm, hoping to prevent Marcus from losing his temper with their daughter.
Marcus settled onto the floor to eat the meal laid out before him. He wished desperately for things to change; he wasn't fond of these living conditions either, but there seemed to be no way out.
Keira took her place across from him, serving Annalise who reluctantly made her way into the dining area, her sulking face reflecting her discontent. Living in a cramped one-bedroom space was not what she envisioned for her life, and she seethed at the thought of how their family had fallen apart financially.
"Are we having rice again?" Annalise complained, dropping into a seated position, clearly appalled. Her hands hit the floor, and she quickly wiped them off in disgust.
"Yes, dear," Keira sighed gently. "I promise we'll have something better for dinner tonight. Now, please eat before it gets cold."
While Marcus began eating, Annalise fixed her gaze on him. "Daddy," she called.
He braced himself for another complaint. He was already weighed down by financial issues, and now, his daughter felt like an added burden. Why had he not realized sooner how exhausting she could be?
"What is it?" he replied, his tone tight with impatience.
"I wanted to ask you something," she said.
"Alright, I'm listening," Marcus replied, while Keira watched, hoping for a peaceful interaction.
"About what happened to us. Does anyone know yet?" Annalise's question hung in the air.
Marcus hesitated for a moment before answering, "No, why do you ask?"
"Just make sure no one at your office knows," she said, returning to the rice before her without further explanation.
Marcus chewed on his food after her remark and forced himself to swallow. Fortunately, he waved it off his mind quickly before he started yelling at her.
Minutes later, her lips twisted in discontent. "Mom, the rice isn't cooked, and the stew isn't right. I can't eat this!" She dropped her spoon onto the plate in frustration.
Confused, Keira looked at the food, reassured that there was nothing wrong. "What do you mean, Anna? The rice is perfectly fine. Look, Daddy is eating it too!" She looked to Marcus for support, but he simply turned away, fed up with Annalise's attitude.
If she didn't want to eat, she could always return to her room.
Pouting, Annalise pressed further. "Can I order fries and chicken, Mom? It's been forever since we had anything beyond plain rice. How is this acceptable?" Her brows knitted together in dissatisfaction.
Before Keira could intervene, Marcus's voice cut through. "I've already addressed this, Annalise. We can't afford those expensive meals. We're managing our limited finances to survive, and you're not the only one impacted by this situation. Stop treating it like it's solely your problem."
Keira's voice faltered, "Honey..."
Annalise's eyes glistened with tears instantly. "So now I'm a problem? Dad, since when did you start viewing me this way? You've been treating me poorly ever since everything fell apart. Why do you hate me so much?!" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Keira called out, "Annalise..."
Annalise shot back at him, "It's not my fault everything turned out like this! Why do you keep taking it out on me!? Why do you hate me!?"
Marcus inhaled sharply, ready to explain. "I don't hate you, Annalise. You're not making an effort to understand the situation, and I've been trying to explain."
"All I hear are your excuses!" she retorted bitterly. "You failed to see what was coming and turned everyone into wrecks. It's not my fault! Stop blaming me for your failure!" With that, she sprang up on her heels, turned towards their room, and slammed the door shut.
Keira frowned and swiftly turned to her husband. "Why did you do that? You hurt Annalise," she said, standing up and moving in order to console their daughter.
Marcus attempted to steady his breathing. The word "failure" echoed in his mind, hitting a nerve.
•
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•
Annalise curled up on the hard bed, sobbing and feeling betrayed. Her dad had turned into a monster ever since everything changed. Why did he always lash out at her when she was just speaking the truth?
She was a problem? Hell no, he was the one.
His meanness was overwhelming, and she was beginning to resent him even more. He was the one responsible for this mess, yet he placed all the blame squarely on her shoulders.
"Annalise, we need to talk," Keira's voice came from the other side of the door as she knocked.
"I don't want to talk!" Annalise shouted back.
"Honey, please," Keira said, her voice filled with concern.
"Just leave me alone!" Annalise shrieked again, her tears overwhelming her emotions. Keira knocked several more times before retreating, heartbroken for her daughter.
Once the knocks had stopped and she had cried enough, Annalise wiped her tears.
She grabbed her phone Instead,checking for messages.
She saw a notification in their group chat—Remi had messaged. "Annalise, you didn't tell us you moved!" Her heart raced as she read on. "I visited today, but they said you don't live there anymore."
Annalise quickly responded, "Yes, we moved. It was so fast, I didn't have time to let you all know."
Another message popped up instantly. "So how's the new place? You must be living the dream!" Portia's excitement was palpable.
Annalise scoffed. Living the dream? She'd rather die than stay in this house, but she didn't have a choice. "Yes, I'm having the best time of my life," she replied, forcing a smile.
"That's clear! When can we come to visit? We want a tour!" Remi's enthusiasm was unwavering.
"You can't come," Annalise typed firmly, her resolve hardening inside.
"Why not?" Portia pressed.
"I'm feeling under the weather and can't host, but I can describe it to you," Annalise said, swiftly beginning to type.
"My room is double the size of my last one, and we have an indoor cinema and a jacuzzi—" She trailed off, listing things that she never had access to ever since their bankruptcy.
"it's everything you've ever dreamed of." She finished.
"That sounds amazing! Even more reason to visit! Can't we at least come and see our sick friend?" Portia urged.
"I'm sorry, Portia, but that's just not possible," Annalise typed while biting her lip.
Remi quickly shifted the conversation, making Annalise happy yet sad.
"What about Liam's birthday? I heard it's going to be epic. I'm sure your invite is personal!" She joked.
Annalise felt a surge of happiness at the thought of her boyfriend's party—it was her chance to escape this house. But the realization that she had nothing decent to wear and no gift for him hit her hard. She couldn't risk looking broke in front of her friends.
The thought of them finding out about the tragedy that struck her family terrified her. She could never bear the humiliation. She was better off lying and deceiving them.
"Of course, I have tons of preparations! I'll see you girls there," she responded, her mind racing as she plotted her next move. She couldn't miss this party; she had to figure something out.