01. Running Away on the Wedding Day

Evelyn stared at herself in the mirror. She had been crying for days, and now on her wedding day, her face looked pale and her eyes were swollen.

There was no happiness visible on her face. The wedding dress she wore was indeed beautiful, but somehow it felt like a dress for her own funeral.

Evelyn Hart, soon her last name would change to that of the old man she was being forced to marry. This was all because of her stepmother, who blamed Evelyn for her father's death a year ago, leaving behind debts. She forced Evelyn to pay them off by marrying a man in his fifties.

"You're not ready yet? Mr. Marco will be here soon!"

A voice was heard entering the room. Evelyn turned to see a woman in her forties wearing a red dress, her face making Evelyn sick to look at. She was the one who had made Evelyn's life a living hell.

"Then maybe you should marry him instead," Evelyn replied.

"Can't you stop making me angry for just one day? I've been kind enough to give you a solution to pay off your father's debts!" her stepmother shouted angrily.

"Mr. Marco is also very kind for helping us. If not for him, I would have already sold your father's house."

Hearing this, Evelyn laughed cynically. She had been forced to accept this marriage because of Grace's threats. Grace had threatened to make Evelyn quit college and sell her father's house, which Evelyn cherished. Her father's house held many memories for Evelyn with her mother, who had passed away when Evelyn was 15.

"Grace, I know you're intentionally making me marry Marco to get money from him. And my father's debt, are you sure it's not your debt?" Grace grew angrier; the young girl in front of her was becoming increasingly disrespectful.

"I know you're selling me to Mr. Marco. I'm not stupid..." Before Evelyn could finish speaking, Grace had already slapped her cheek hard, nearly causing Evelyn to lose her balance and fall.

Her cheek felt sore and hot. Evelyn wanted to cry, but she didn't want to appear weak in front of Grace. Her hands were already shaking as she held her own cheek.

"Just do as I say, or I'll do something even more cruel to you. Listen, Evelyn. You have no one left but me."

"Marrying Mr. Marco, isn't that the best choice for you? You don't have money for college anymore, and I'm gladly helping you to live comfortably."

Live comfortably? Wouldn't this be like living in hell? Evelyn would rather choose to die.

"In 20 minutes, get out of here quickly. Mr. Marco will be here soon, and all the guests have already arrived." After saying this, Grace walked out of the room, leaving Evelyn alone.

Evelyn broke down in tears, her makeup ruined by her tears. She didn't want to get married; she didn't want to live in hell for the rest of her life and let her stepmother sell her. She had to do something to save herself.

Evelyn wiped away her tears and walked out of the room, seeing no one in the hallway. Everyone seemed to be in the hall already; only Evelyn and Mr. Marco hadn't arrived yet.

"I have to run away from here. It's my only way to be free from Grace," Evelyn muttered while constantly looking around.

She thought about her father's house, and feelings of guilt began to surface, but she tried to push them away.

Evelyn ran out of there, holding up her wedding dress. She didn't care about the people around her and kept running.

"Evelyn!" A call was heard, the voice of Grace who had realized that Evelyn was running away. Her stepmother tried to chase her, and Evelyn ran faster.

"Evelyn, stop! Do you think you can run away from me?"

Just then, a bus passed by. Evelyn saw that her stepmother was far behind her, and she quickly got on the bus.

"Sir, can you leave now!" Evelyn urged the driver.

Although not understanding why Evelyn was in such a hurry, the bus driver just nodded and drove the bus away. Evelyn finally sighed in relief and sat down in one of the seats.

"My feet hurt." Evelyn could see that her feet were blistered from running without shoes.

Evelyn looked out the bus window, thinking about what she should do next. She just wanted to go as far away as possible. The dress she wore was now dirty, and everyone on the bus was staring at her.

After nearly an hour's journey, Evelyn was about to get off the bus when she realized she had no money.

"Just go already! You're all dirty like that; I know you probably don't have any money." Although it seemed sarcastic and insulting, Evelyn felt grateful to the bus driver.

"Thank you!" said Evelyn. She got off the bus and found herself on a quiet street.

The day was getting darker, and the rain was getting heavier. Evelyn didn't see anyone on the street. She finally took shelter in one of the buildings and observed the surrounding streets.

Not many vehicles passed by, and Evelyn could only sit by the roadside, not knowing where to go.

After half an hour, Evelyn could see a car speeding by. Evelyn squinted her eyes to observe the car from a distance because its speed seemed abnormal.

"What's wrong with that car? Is someone inside drunk?" Evelyn wondered, feeling that the car wouldn't stop, which made her increasingly panicked.

"Oh no, that car looks like it's going to crash! AH!" Evelyn screamed in shock when what she had said actually happened.

At its high speed, the car crashed into a tree beside the road, leaving the car severely damaged.

No one saw it except Evelyn; she was the only person there. Evelyn ran quickly in the rain towards the car.

Inside the car, there was a man who seemed to be unconscious, which made Evelyn even more panicked.

"Sir! Sir!" Evelyn called repeatedly.

"Sir, you have to get out."

Smoke was coming out of the car, and Evelyn was sure that if the man didn't get out soon, it would be very dangerous. The car would explode, and of course, the man would not be able to survive.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​