Chapter 28: Why Do You Want Me To Come Back?

The atmosphere inside the dining room was dense and tension rose. Finally, Bianca told Kendra to sit down. They talked and laughed just like before. But, of course, Kendra was just listening quietly.
"Kendra, where do you stay these days? Why don't you call me?" Marga smiled and asked. She even served Kendra some food personally.
"I live with my friend." Kendra stared at her plate, hesitation was written on her face. She didn't want to tell the truth. But, obviously, they were up to something. She was aware of how they wanted to humiliate her, including her own father.
"You should move back. I misunderstood you last time. Forget what I said. Anyway, we are family here." Marga chimed, trying to act like a real mother, but her action made Kendra want to vomit.
Kendra isn't surprised by what her stepmother has been doing and frowned.
"Kendra, just come back." Bianca held Kendra's hand and gave a warm smile.
"What do you want?" Kendra looked at Marga and directly blurted out her sharp question. She knew Marga clearly. For these years, Marga had been working hard to kick Kendra out of this home. Now Marga finally got what she wanted. How could Marga allow Kendra to move back?
"Don't you know what Marga meant?" Robert asked unhappily.
"No, I don't," Her eyes flew to her father, calmly answered.
"You…" Robert wanted to say something, but Marga quickly stopped him.
"Kendra, your dad also wants you back. We are family. We should rely on each other. Can you forgive us and move back here?" To Kendra, Marga's voice sounded pathetic when she heard it.
"Kendra, just come back, okay?" Bianca once again tried to persuade her.
All their actions were bizarre as she observed them. Finally, Kendra took a deep breath and said, "Let's be frank. Why do you want me to come back?"
"What do you mean? Is it strange for you to come back?" Robert glared at Kendra and shouted. He slammed the table hard, making Kendra stunned. Here it is, she knew it. Her father is just pretending.
Kendra didn't say a word. This was their attitude? So ridiculous! When did her father become like this? After the accident? Kendra couldn't remember it anymore. Once, she respected and adored this man, yet now he's distant and cold to her.
"Kendra, don't be angry with us." Marga meddled again, with the same pathetic behavior Kendra ever witnessed, "You said it was a misunderstanding. We believe in you. Just come back, for your father."
"Do you forget what you said days ago?" Kendra stared at Marga and said coldly. Marga went to Kendra's school and said she didn't want Kendra to return home forever. What made her changed suddenly?
Marga felt annoyed, but she chose to go silent. Unfortunately, it was not a delightful dinner, and everyone bit their tongue back. No one dares to start another conversation.
When they finally finished dinner, Kendra stood up quickly and turned, "It's been late. I should leave now."
"Kendra!" Bianca called and followed her, "Are you sure that you don't want to come back here?"
"Bianca, I am fine," She glanced at her sister and shook her head. But she wouldn't give in. She's tired of all the drama that they've shown.
"Let her go! I don't care." Finally, Robert lost patience and shouted, "Let her go! That unfilial child shouldn't be a part of our family,"
See? That was her father. Kendra thought silently. She never believes he's willing to take her back as his daughter. A sad reality, but she would never give them the satisfaction to control her life.
"Don't be angry. We asked Kendra to come back. Don't forget that," Marga reminded Robert in a low voice.
However, Kendra still heard Marga's words and felt annoyed. Finally, she looked at them and a scornful smile formed at the corner of her mouth, "I have to go."
No matter how Bianca tried to stop Kendra, she didn't stop from leaving.
As soon as Kendra left, Marga started complaining. "You should be more patient. Kendra is so stubborn. How should we deal with Michael now without controlling Kendra? What can we do now? This is ridiculous; you've ruined our plan, Robert," She accused him disappointedly.
"I shouldn't have taken her back at first. Fuck! She's not my daughter anymore," Robert shouted at Marga, then looked at Bianca, "Did Michael really tell you that he must marry Kendra?"
"Yes." Bianca nodded; pain came across her heart while saying it. She also felt surprised when Michael said those words. Her mind thought they could dupe him, but Michael was too intelligent to be fooled.
"Damn! What had Kendra told Michael when they met? How can Michael be seduced by her?" Marga's frowning, can't stop worrying.
"Mom, don't say that." Bianca reminded her, "Kendra should marry Michael. Michael just doesn't want to change the engagement that the elders agreed."
"What are you talking about? I did all these for you! Yes, you consider Kendra as your sister. Has she even been kind to you? Besides, she was not a virgin anymore. So how can she marry Michael? If Michael finds it after the wedding night, our family will become a laughingstock." Marga growled. She couldn't allow Kendra to become Michael's wife.
"Enough! Shut up!" Robert glared at them. His blood boils after the bad dinner they have.
Marga glanced at Bianca and sat next to Robert. "Now that Kendra is unwilling to come back and we can't prevent her from meeting with Michael, what should we do?" She said softly.
"How can you be so useless? Why can't you make Michael fall in love with you?" Robert looked at Bianca and complained.
"How can you blame Bianca? Who knew that Michael still wanted Kendra, not our daughter?" Marga sneered and defended Bianca immediately.
"We must think about it carefully. We can't let others know that we replace Kendra with Bianca." Robert frowned and said. He thought if Kendra came back, they could keep an eye on her and would probably hide her before the marriage happened. However, since Kendra rejected their offer, he must make another plan immediately before things get worse. How could he make Michael give up on Kendra? If Kendra becomes his wife, she would definitely get strong support from Michael to go against him. This could not be good for them as Michael was a good lawyer! He will lose everything, including the business he took from his late wife.
Since Kendra walked out of her home and got on, she had been keeping silent. Looking out at the colorful lights in the street, her tears rolled down. Twenty-one years have passed. She lived in that house for 21 years, and now she has nothing. After her mom died, Robert didn't care about her anymore. She stayed in that house for these years and watched them laughing happily as a family while she became an outsider. How ironic! And now Marga asked her to return home? For what? Kendra felt heartbroken and closed her eyes. Then, she somehow recalled her childhood memory. There was a boy.
"Little girl, I should leave now," He's removing something from his neck, extending his hand to her. "I will give you this amulet so you can remember me. I will find you one day, and I will protect you. I will be the most powerful man in the world at that time and would be your hero," The boy said earnestly.
Kendra held the boy's hand tightly and cried out loudly, "Don't go! Please don't go, I'm afraid, help my mom,"
The boy patted her tiny face and wiped her tears, " Hush, don't cry. I will stay beside you for a short time. My dad comes to pick me up. I promise I will come back one day, okay?" His reassuring voice calms Kendra's fear.
"Really?" She gazed up and met his eyes.
"I promise." The boy wiped Kendra's tears again and pulled her into his arms, "Your mother saved me from this tragic accident. I promise to marry you one day. You have my words."
"Who wants to marry you?" Kendra blushed and dropped her head.
"You must agree." The boy held Kendra's hand and said. After a while, the boy looked at Kendra and promised again, "Little girl, I need to go now. Could you wait for me? I will come back one day."
"I will," Tears rolling down her cheeks while waving her tiny hands. Then she saw the boy getting away and finally disappeared; Kendra broke out again.
Kendra opened her eyes and wiped her tears. Then, she silently scolded that boy in her mind. Liar! You said you would come back to marry me, yet you didn't fulfill your promise. I can't even remember your face now.
She leaned against the seat that she found near the alley and felt so tired. Her mom and that boy were the kindest people she only has, but fate wasn't in her favor. And that boy, why hadn't he come back yet? He said he would find her. Did he forget about her? Or he just lied to her?