Irresistible Boss Succumbing to Your Touch (Maria Anita) novel Chapter 3

Manuela’s POV

I was curled up on that couch, crying and praying for a miracle. My entire body was already aching from the beating Rita had given me earlier. But to my dismay, Rita didn't take long to return. She probably already knew what she wanted and came back to terrorize me once again.

"I'm back, little rat! And guess what, your little brother Cam wants to negotiate with me." She smiled with satisfaction. "You know what that means? It means I'm going to get everything I want."

She laughed and slapped me across the face again.

"You know, Manuela, I'm going to miss beating you, it's so relaxing." She laughed and slapped me again.

But she wasn't satisfied; she never would be. She sat down across from me and crossed her legs.

"You know, Manuela, taking care of you all these years was the most boring and exhausting thing I've ever done in my life." She examined her nails.

"You never took care of me." Since she was being honest, I would be too.

"What's that, girl? Don't be insolent." Rita laughed. "You know, my greatest joy was when I got pregnant with Julian. Him, I always cared for with love - he's my beloved son." Her eyes sparkled when she spoke of Julian. "You, you were just a means to get what I wanted. Orlando's money. It was only because of you that Orlando married me. And I'll tell you something, being married to him all these years was such a bore!"

"My God, how petty you are!" I said, looking at the true face of the woman I had called mother my entire life.

"Petty? No, I just have priorities." She sighed. "And you were never one of them, neither was your father." She stood up and walked toward me again.

"Ha! Don't tell me you still don't know? Haven't you figured it out yet? How stupid you all are!" Rita laughed, a horrible laugh like a witch.

"What are you talking about?" I had an idea what she meant, but I wanted her to spell it out.

"Yeah, maybe I am. Oh, I'm tired! We've talked too much. See how good it is to talk and listen? Now you're going to sign the power of attorney so I can marry you to Calvin. That's all that's missing. Come on." She put the folder on the table and ordered me to sign.

"What do you get from this marriage?" I risked another question, though I already had an idea.

"What do you think? Money, little rat. Lots of money. And I need it because your daddy left me with nothing. Now come on, sign this power of attorney so I can go to the notary to marry you off, and later your little husband will come for the wedding night." Rita cackled, and this sparked a fury in me. I would never marry Calvin. I bent down, took the paper, tore it up, and threw it on the floor.

"Not even dead!" I said and earned another slap across the face.

She grabbed me by the hair, threw me to the ground, and with both hands tore the thin fabric of my dress, leaving my back exposed, grabbed the whip, and began delivering blows with all her might. With each lash, a piercing scream escaped my throat. The pain in my back was excruciating. I don't know how many times the whip cut my skin, I don't know how long I resisted, but my strength was fading.

"RITA!" I heard her name echo through the room a split second before I passed out. It was Calvin's voice, the last thing my brain registered.