C9 Free of the Shackles

Denise felt braver than she ever has. She wanted answers and she wanted to leave here. She couldn't stay with these people anymore but she couldn't leave without the answers she wanted.

She felt like screaming her heart out but she couldn't give them that satisfaction. She refused to break down l before them.

"How dare you!" Mr Ashton bellowed.

"How dare you talk back to me? You are an abomination to this family! You caused the death of my sister and you are the one to talk? I will tell you why you are an abomination!" He continued but his wife pulled his hand as if asking him not to say anything.

"You want to know why I call you an abomination? I will tell you," he hissed but one again, his wife pulled his hand.

"Darling. Please don't. Just punish her for beating our children," she whispered but Denise heard her clearly.

"Why shouldn't he tell me? Don't you think I deserve the truth? Just tell me!" She screamed and Mr Ashton had had enough of her 'nonsense' as he called it. He looked at her like the dirtiest thing he had ever seen and he seemed to have reached a decision and then opened his mouth to speak.

"Well, since she wants to know, allow me to tell her." this to his wife, then he turned to Denise. "I am not your father. I also wish that you weren't born in this family. Your mother was raped! We already felt bad for her because of what happened to her but she wouldn't abort you like we advised her.

My sister died because of you! If she hadn't kept that damned pregnancy then she wouldn't have died. You hear that? You are an abomination! You are a product of rape and your mother, my younger sister, died while giving birth to a dirty thing like you you damned thing!" He seemed to have lost his self control as he continued shouting at her, "do you now understand why no one can love you? It's because everything to do with you is an abomination!" He roared at her and she stood there in a daze.

Her mind got stuck at the point where he said that her mother was raped and that she died in child birth. 'So does it mean that I'm not related to these people?" Denise thought and she smiled amidst the tears that had started streaming down her beautiful face. She

couldn't help crying for the mother she never had a chance of meeting and be happy at the same time that these two weren't her parents.

"Why are you smiling you imbecile? Are you

happy that you killed your own

mother or that you are a product of rape?" Mrs Ashton asked with a sneer as she looked at Denise like she was smelling.

"No. I'm actually sad that I never got to meet the woman who gave me life. But, I'm happy because I've just realised that I don't carry your blood. I'm happy that we aren't family. I'm happy that I can now leave here and never look back. It is better to be a product of rape than to be your daughter. That's the best given you have ever heard Ben me since I was born. Don't you see? It's like a miracle," she said and then burst out laughing.

"Ha ha ha! It actually feels good to know that I'm not related to such despicable people," she continued, relief clearly written on her face.

"How dare you call us despicable?" Her father, sorry, her uncle, roared as he slapped her across her face.

Denise looked at him trembling. Not from fear but from anger. She prayed for patience because if God didn't help her, she was going to beat this man to death. He didn't have any right to slap her because it was true that he was despicable.

"You are lucky that I have manners. Otherwise... Thank your stars that I actually respect elders. Also, have in mind that this is the last time any of you will ever touch me. I hope you had your fill of abusing and beating me. When you see me next, you will be grovelling at my fee. Mark my words," she said and started walking towards her room.

"Where do you think you are going?" Her uncle asked fuming with anger and smoke was almost coming out of his orifices.

"To my room of course. Do you need anything?" She asked nonchalantly as if she hadn't just beaten two people senseless and

threatened her uncle.

"I want you to leave my house. I never want to see you. Since you have grown horns and think that you are grown enough to insult us, then you can survive on your own. You have two minutes to leave my house. Now get out!" He thundered with finality.

"Jack! Jaaaack!" He called the guard who scurried over as if he wasn't far. Which was true anyway. He wasn't far because like the other workers, he was also nearby watching that free drama.

"Sir!" He saluted holding down a smile. He felt that Denise was so cool and it was time she stood her ground and stopped all the injustices that had happened to her all along in this house.

"I want you to make sure that she leaves this house. And never open that gate for her. Ever. Understand?" He asked trying to hold down his anger.

"Yes sir!" Jack answered again and followed Denise.

When she got to her room, she didn't take much. She left all those second hand clothes that had been passed down to her from her sister, sorry, cousin, and she only took her academic certificates and a few essentials.

When she walked out of that room, Jack was waiting for her and he looked at her with a worried face, "where will you go now? I can take you to my house. I'm sure my wife won't refuse to accommodate you," he said clearly feeling pity for her.

Jack was one of the people who had treated Denise like a living being and helped her a lot in that house. He was actually more of a family to her that those related to her by blood.

"It's okay Jack. If I stay with you and these people find out, they will fire you. And remember your son is about to join the university and you can't afford to lose this

job. Don't worry, I will be okay. I will keep in touch. Okay?" She assured Jack who nodded at her with a smile and escorted her towards the gate.

At the gate, two maids were waiting for her and one of them was carrying a big shopping bag. She gave it to Denise and when she checked inside, there was a lot of food stuff.

"To keep you going for a few days until you find your bearing. Please take care and keep in touch. Okay?" She told Denise and she felt tears almost falling again and she sniffed then back to prevent them from falling. This was the love that her family couldn't give her.

"By the way Denise, I took a video of everything that happened. Do you want it?" The second maid, who was the daughter of the housekeeper, asked showing Denise her phone. Denise didn't have a phone (she actually never needed one because she had no one to cal) but she had an e-mail account.

"Yes please," she answered as she forwarded that video to her email using that girl's phone and then returned the phone after logging out.

"Make sure to delete it. You don't want them to know that you have it. Thank you so much y'all. I promise to keep in touch. Okay?" She promised them and then hurried out of the gate when she heard her father, oh, uncle, calling Jack again.

When she walked outside that gate, she smiled and smelled the fresh air. She didn't know what the future held or where she was going but she was happy that she was free of those shackles.

'New life, here I come!' She said loudly as she started an unknown to where journey.