As she sat on the front porch of her beautiful mansion, watching the sun set and listening to the children’s noise as they were all being called home by their parents, Elena thought back at what life would have been like had she not married her husband and had her two children. What it would have been like had she been allowed to live the life she always dreamed of. A life where everyone bowed at her feet and worshiped her. A life where she had all the money in the world.

Elena was always the pretty and intellectual one in her family. This made her very greedy, self-centred and she thought very highly of herself whilst looking down on everyone else. She looked down especially on her sisters and that made them resent her. Elena’s parents loved her so much and only wanted the best for her. So they married her off to a very wealthy man because they knew how much she loved money and how much they could not afford her that.

But even today Elena still didn’t appreciate their love as she thought that it wasn’t love for her, but love for the wealth she would bring them. Because of her beauty and intellect, she was sure to have a rich man marry her, unlike her ugly sisters who were all poor. This thought put a smile on Elena’s face. She had 3 older sisters Noma, Kelly and Tasha who all got married and had families before her. But unlike her, they were all married to low class men and were just barely surviving.

“Mommy, Mommy…” cried Mat and Esme, Elena’s children.

Just hearing these words made Elena’s skin boil with hatred. And what was sad was that these very same words would make any other mother’s heart jump with joy but no, not Elena. Whenever she saw her children her heart ached with pain and resentment for she had not wanted them or their father. But she had to pretend to like them just so she could get money to buy her rich jewellery. Elena never finished school. When she was in Grade 12 her parents quickly found her a husband, in fear that she might fall pregnant and then no man would marry her. Her marriage was very much with her full consent, despite knowing she wanted to finish school. She thought about the money she would have very soon and had to get married.

Elena’s husband, Cliff, was a surgeon at the top hospital in the country. He had all the money in the world and he was also quite a looker; any girl would’ve been lucky to get married to this man. But Elena didn’t see it that way despite how much Cliff showed her his love.

She saw her husband as the man who took everything away from her whilst he had everything; a successful career, a beautiful house and a beautiful wife who bore him beautiful children. All were under his control. She felt like she could have more than what she had now if she wasn’t married.

Oh how life had been unjust for Elena who had more money and love than she needed but was still ungrateful.

***

Tell us what you think: What do you think of Elena?