Alice.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, confused.
“I’m saying that it doesn’t just apply to men but also to women too.” She said as she got up from where she sat and slammed her hands on the table startling me and the others in the room.
“Don’t you think that women are suffering in the world already?, Why add to it?” She asked and I rolled my eyes in response.
I really didn’t need to be listening to someone I honestly didn’t like lecture me and so I groaned in frustration.
“Just shut up already!” I yelled angrily.
I still don’t know how the police found me, I was going to stow away quietly to the Philippines and come back in a few years.
This was the only help I was getting from my father.
Despite the fact that he has always called me his favourite child, he didn’t blink an eye the moment he knew that what Mark and I did would affect his company gravely and might even lead to bankruptcy judging from the fact that Jason’s Tech was one of the most prominent companies in the world even though he hardly acted like it.
Jason, despite having a poker face and acting cold all the time, was actually humble in some ways since he hardly bragged about his company unlike my own father.
Although, I didn’t like Jason because of his wealth since I’m from a wealthy home myself but if I didn’t marry into the Coleman household, we’ll be ten times richer and since I was acquainted with Jason, I think that’s the reason why my father adored me.
He knew that I might help expand his business but knowing now that I won’t expand his business but jeopardise instead, he wanted to send me far far away until the issues died down but the police found me first.
“Women are already at a disadvantage in the world today!” Eve said angrily and I looked at her with a bored face.
There was no way I could escape this knowing fully well that I had no backing anymore.
The only two people who can help me out of the mess are Mark and my father and he’s unwilling.
Mark, on the other hand, is in the same predicament as me.
“It’s clearly impossible to be a woman.” She said and I scoffed.
Of Course it’s hard being a woman.
“We have to always be extraordinary but somehow we’re always doing it wrong.” She said moving away from where she stood and looking at me sternly.
“You have to be thin but not too thin and you can never say you wanna be thin, you have to say you wanna be healthy but you also have to be thin.” She said and for a moment I was confused but I understood.
“You have to have money but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass.” She said as she gestured.
“You have to be a boss but you can’t be mean.”
“You have to lead but you can’t squash other people’s ideas.” She said and sighed heavily.
“You’re supposed to love being a mother but don’t talk about your damn kids all the time.” She said and I almost laughed.
I didn’t know where all this was going but I was starting to feel a bit sentimental because most of the things she was listing was what I’ve faced being a woman.
“You have to be a career woman but also always look out for other people.”
“You have to answer for men’s bad behaviour which is insane but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining.” She said and that’s when I let myself smirk.
When Mark was still in my father’s good book, I was the one who faced his wrath when Mark did something wrong because I was a woman.
And when Mark ran away and my dad realised that I could actually be useful to him if I got Jason wrapped under my fingers, it was still because I am a woman. I was only doing what a woman can do.
“You have to find a way to reject men’s advances without hurting their feelings because if you say yes to them, you’re a tramp and if you say no to them, you’re a prude.” She said and this time I smiled.
I never knew Eve was a feminist. Or maybe she’s not but this shit she was saying was starting to get to me.
“You’re supposed to stay pretty for men but not too pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women.” I started laughing when she said this because of how true it is.
“Because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood but always stand out and always be grateful.” She said and pointed at me with a glare. I stopped laughing and looked at the floor as if something interesting was going on there but I could still feel Eve’s glare on me.
“But never forget that the system is rigged so find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.”
“You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off.”
” Never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear.” She said raising her voice slightly
“….” And then she paused to catch her breath before roaring at me.
“Never get out of line!!!” She roared and I raised my head up and looked at her. She was already in tears but I could tell that it wasn’t because of the things she was saying but that resentment was directed towards me.
“It’s too hard!” She screamed.
“It’s too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says Thankyou.”
“And it turns out that not only are you doing everything wrong but everything is your fault.” She said finally and sighed.
Everywhere became quiet and all that filled the room was the sound of us breathing.
“All these are already so hard enough.” She mumbled quietly and if not because of the silence in the room, I might have not heard what she was saying.
“All these are already hard enough.” She repeated a little louder than before.
“But having another woman plot against me just to ruin my happiness is even more painful than the patriarchy system.” She said finally.
I was going to say something but all the words I wanted to say got tangled in my throat.
I wasn’t feeling sentimental.
No, I wasn’t feeling bad for all the pain I’ve caused her, instead I was utterly pissed.
I felt like the case was reversed and I was the one who was supposed to be saying all these things because I’m the victim and not Eve and so I looked away.