Duty

“Katheryn, darling,” her vicious stepmother Dolly remarks, “you’re sister says you’re refusing to marry Lord Williams?”

“It’s the truth, mother!” Vanessa declares. “Katheryn says she is good to marry an older rich man.”

“Lord Williams,” Katheryn finally speaks, dropping her fork on her breakfast plate, “is a cruel, greedy man. I won’t give my one shot at a normal life to be married off as a pawn to keep you richer, stepmother.”

“I told you mother,” Vanessa smirks. “My dear half-sister believes she is too good to repay us for the kindness you’ve shown her since her father passed away many years ago.”

“Vanessa,” Dolly slaps her open on the kitchen table, “is right. You owe me for all the times I sheltered you, clothed you, and fed you when everyone else turned their back on you.”

“Why is that stepmother?” Katheryn snaps. “When my father passed away, you run off all my living family. I had people that loved me.”

“How could someone love a nobody like you?” Dolly stood up lending forward to slap Katheryn.

“Stop!” Vanessa shouts. “We can’t have Katheryn’s face bruised right before Lord Willaims arrives in a few days.”

“I won’t marry,” Katheryn replies calmy, “that old man for money. If you’re so worried about your company going bankrupt marry off your own daughter.”

“I’m much too young,” Vanessa says, “and beautiful to marry a random old man. Consider yourself lucky that Lord Williams is agreeable about this marriage to you, Katheryn.”

“You have a duty to this family,” Dolly points out, “and you will marry Lord Willaims.”

“My first duty,” Katheryn answers steadily, “is to myself. This is my life. I don’t owe you anything  stepmother.”

“Ungrateful, child!” Dolly snaps. “You will marry Lord Williams, or I will throw you out into the street with nothing.”

“Mother!” Vanessa exclaimed. “Lord Williams won’t take kindly to rejection by anyone, if Katheryn refuses to marry him there will be serve consequences.”

“I’m fully aware,” Dolly says, “about the power and influence Lord Willam is highly known for.”

“My answer remains the same,” Katheryn firmly remarks. “Stepmother you say I owe you for the life you given me after my father passed away. I don’t owe you nothing.”

“Of course you do, child,” Dolly sneers.

“You made me a slave,” Katheryn reminds Dolly, “after my father’s funeral. You treated me horribly, belittled me, and sheltered me from my real family that loves me.”

“After this day,” Dolly yells, “you’re no longer welcome in this house. If you ever step foot inside my home again, I will finish you off for good.”

“This is my father’s home,” Katheryn tells Dolly. “One day I will take back what is rightly mine.”

“In your dreams,” Vanessa laughs. “You will be nothing now half-sister.”

“Vanessa,” Dolly chuckles, “I’m offering you to Lord Williams now. Once you wed the old man our family legacy will be written in stone.”

“Mother!” Vanessa pleads with Dolly. “Please don’t marry me off to that old fool. I’m your daughter. I deserve better than this.”

“Sister,” Katheryn says, “I told you.”

“I’m sorry,” Vanessa tells Katheryn. “Mother doesn’t care about anyone, but herself.”

“What is the meaning of this?” Dolly demands.

“I’m leaving,” Katheryn answers bluntly, “this place to stay with my true family. Vanessa is coming with me.”

“Vanessa is this true?” Dolly whimpered. “Please tell me.”

“Yes,” Vanessa answers. “I’m leaving with my sister.”

“After,” Katheryn vows, “the Lord Willams is done with you, I will return to reclaim my family home with the entire Anderson family backing me up.”

“The Anderson family?” Dolly repeats.

“My real mother’s family,” Katheryn smiles. “They are the most influential family in the state.”

“This can’t be real,” Dolly shouts.

“Good-bye, Mother!” Vanessa happily says.

“Enjoy,” Katheryn remarks, “what little time you have left.”

“You can’t do this to me,” Dolly cries as both her daughters walk away. “Please come back. I will do anything you want.”