2 Chapter 02

After arriving home in a cab, she hoped her father would be home from work. Lydia found her parents in the living room arguing with each other, staring at her in shocked when she walked in.

"Why are you back so soon? Is Andy alright? First their parents, now his sister," her mother asked her sympathetically.

"I need to speak to Dad," Lydia said softly, looking over at her father.

Lydia had never been close with her father, he left all the parenting job mostly to her mother and she was very thankful for that, especially now. If Annie's journal was true, she knew this would break her mother's heart.

"Annie's death, is it related to you?" She questioned her father abruptly.

"Excuse me? Why would Annie's death be related to me?" He replied.

"I just came back from Annie's house and had read her written journal, tell me it's not true." Lydia begged him.

Her father came forward and slapped her on the cheek so hard it made Lydia fall. She immediately touched her stinging face as the red handprint began to immerge. Lydia's mother rush towards Lydia and stood in front of her, protecting her.

"What is wrong with you?" she yelled at him. "If you want to slap someone, then slap me first. We will see where that get you." Her mother said threatening her father.

If its true that her father really did r*** Annie, Lydia knew that her mother's life would also be ruined too. Her father grew angrier pushing her mother backwards towards Lydia almost hitting the glass coffee table. Lydia put her hand out to brace the fall.

"Please Dad!" Lydia screamed at him stepping in front of her mother.

He pushed her away and continued beating her mother. Lydia begged him to stop, but it was no use. After few minutes, Lydia's father finally stopped beating her mother and started smashing all the things around the house, the vases.. books on the shelf and paintings were all thrown to the floor.

"You both are bitches!" He shouted. "I work so hard to look after the both of you and this is what I get in return? Accused me of killing someone?" He said storming around the living room.

"Ignore him, Lydia." Her mother said with tears in her eyes. She wouldn't worried about her marriage now, it was about protecting Lydia first and making sure she didn't get hurt. She knew she could leave him anytimes but her priority now is to keep Lydia safe. After ransacking the whole house, Lydia's father finally calmed down and poured himself a drink. He walked back into the living room where Lydia and her mother were sitting on the sofa, holding each other close, unsure what he would do next. Lydia had told her mother what happened to Annie and the letter left behind.

"Did you r*** Annie?" Lydia whispered. She didn't want to upset him more but she needed to know the truth, and so did her mother.

"I really didn't mean to." Her father said sitting down across from them. He put his coffee down on the table, then covered his face with his hand where his elbows rested onto his knees.

"Trust me, Lydia, I didn't mean to hurt her." He said looking desperately over at his daughter with regret on his face.

Lydia's father remembered it vaguely. He came out of his study with a glass of gin in his hand, and there she was. Her body so soft and smooth, her breasts perky and full. He just couldn't resist her. He assured Annie by telling her to stop crying and screaming, just enjoyed it. When he was done, he remembered Annie wrapping her arms around herself and crying on the sofa. He went over to comfort her, kiss her one last time but she pushed him away and ran out of the house. It was just fifteen minutes before Lydia came home, her friend was gone.

"I can't believe this is even happening!" Lydia didn't want to hear any more, how could he do this to her best friend? She was the same age as her, his own daughter. Her mother hugged her tightly, and knew that although the marks on her body would heal, her heart was broken forever.

"You stupid idiot! Andy will tell everyone what you did, our lives are over." Her mother hissed at him knowing that at least the drink calmed him.

"Keep your mouth SHUT!" He yelled at back at her. "Why hide it?" Her mother remind him, if he hit her again she would call 911. For ten years she had been married, she thought he loved them but here he goes again doing something to completely ruined the family.

"You have done many stupid things before and through the years, I never said anythings. Now you ruin our family because you can't control what's inside your pants?" She yelled.

"What are you saying, are you making me to deal with this on my own? We are married." He was expecting those marriage vows to be still valid, despite his recent mistakes.

"YES, we're married." Lydia's mother corrected him. "I don't want to be with a man like you, a man that can't control himself around his daughter's friend. I want a divorce." She demanded.

Then she stood up, grabbed her purse and left the house. Lydia's mother had always hoped that her ex-husband was calm enough to be around them, but right now, she needed to get out to plan her next steps. Lydia began to cry again, not understanding what was happening and wishing she could wake up from this terrible nightmare. She looked over at her father, now looking ten years older than he was before and a complete stranger to her.

"Can you forgive me Lydia?" He begged her. "I think I just had too much drinks, she was sitting there and....."

"She was my best friend. You destroyed our family," Lydia replied, not allowing him to finish his words. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you." Lydia went back to her room, walking past her university admission letter which was displayed on the fridge and cried herself to sleep.