Chapter 2

Mia's POV****************

My full name is Mia Miloslava Pankraz, and I'm 27 years old. After 3 years of struggling, I finally landed the job I'd dreamed of at LiveStrong, a prestigious company.

Living in Harburg, I'd gotten used to the cold stares and whispers that followed me in the streets.

My mother, Mathilda, used to be my world. But after my father’s death, everything changed. She turned cold, filled with hatred, convinced that I was responsible. 

She blamed me, as did everyone else. And I don’t blame her; it was easier to pin the blame on someone else, someone who was just a child at the time. But the weight of that blame has been crushing me ever since.

When she left me, I thought maybe things would get better. I was sent to live with my grandfather, but life with him wasn’t easy. He was harsh and demanding.

 

As I ran down the empty street, the wind whipped through my hair, and my tears streamed down my face, stinging my skin.

My heart was pounding in my chest with each desperate step to escape the nightmare unfolding around me.

People on the sidewalk stared at me with shock, and car horns blared, but none of it mattered. Nothing mattered except getting as far away as I could.

It sounds insane, right? Who runs away from their own wedding?Well... me.

My only focus was on fleeing the crushing pressure and the unknown man I was supposed to marry.

My once-beautiful wedding dress now felt like a restrictive, suffocating garment. 

This wasn't my happily ever after, it was a suffocating nightmare unfolding in stark white satin.

I didn’t know where I was headed, but I needed to get home and change first and then run as far as I could.

I flagged down a cab, breathless and frantic. Throwing myself into the backseat, I blurted out the address, my voice ragged with panic.

 "Just go, please!"  The concerned look on the driver's face did little to ease my frantic state.

“Wait here. I don’t have any money on me,” I told the driver before dashing inside the house.

I hurried to my room, struggling to get out of the tight wedding dress that felt like a suffocating prison. 

In my haste, I ripped a part of the dress, but I didn't care.

The noise outside grew louder, and before I could understand what was happening, the front door flew open with a bang. My mother walked into the room and slapped me across my face.

Before I could stammer an explanation.

 “You Ungrateful bitch! How dare you! “After what you did to your father, you still have the audacity to dishonor our family like this?”, you have no remorse. Have you no shame?” Her voice was laced with venom.

My cheeks burned from the slap, and I stood there, stunned and speechless, as words were heavy to come out.

"You can't do this to me!" I cried, tears streaming down my face. "I have a job now! I can pay you back for everything!”

Before I could recover from the slap, she sent another one across my other cheeks, the force pushing me backwards.

My mother's voice was icy. "Keep your mouth shut you've caused enough trouble, Mia. This is for the best."

"But I'm your daughter!" Mia pleaded. "Please, let me go. I promise I'll make things right.”

My grandfather entered the room, slowly walking towards me as I retreated backwards till he pinned me against the wall, gripping my face and my hand tightly.

 "Enough, Mia. You're getting married today, and that's final.” Don’t try anything funny. I won’t warn you again. Do you understand?” he said, his voice cold and unyielding.

I nodded, swallowing the sobs threatening to break free. There was no escape. Not from him. Not from any of this. Resistance was futile.

With a cruel smile, my mother stepped forward, pretending to fix the torn dress. "Now smile," she said softly, tapping my cheek. "We can’t have the guests thinking something’s wrong.”

I forced a smile, knowing it looked strained and unnatural. They led me out to a decorated car with wedding stickers by the plate number.

The cab driver who brought me had left, tired of waiting I guess.

 I got into the car, my mother beside me and my grandfather in front, as the driver in a black tuxedo drove off, my reflection in the car window was a stranger, a ghost of my former self.  

The once vibrant light in my eyes had been replaced by a dull despair.

The church loomed ahead, the grand doors already open, inviting me in to face my fate. The driver parked the car, and I was ushered out, a makeup artist quickly dusting powder on my cheeks before I stepped through the entrance.

At the church, guests were already inside.My grandfather held my hands as we walked down the aisle, flowers being thrown above us.  I felt like a sacrificial lamb being led to the slaughter.

I couldn't help but notice how the church was overly decorated and one would know the wedding was for the rich.

My mother was radiant with joy, flashing a bright smile from the left side of the church, surrounded by a small yet distinguished gathering of high-society guests who had come to witness the occasion, despite the relatively small crowd.

“Behave yourself and smile,” Granpa said through gritted teeth. I forced another smile which wasn't obvious because of the veil that covered my face as I looked forward.

I saw him from behind standing there dressed in an elegant white suit with a touch of black, fitting him perfectly.

As I took each step closer, dread filled my heart as it couldn't stop beating fast. Just then, I approached the altar, the priest a little above us, with the help of the stairs. 

Then he turned to face me. He was asked by the priest to unveil me. 

My heart raced as I stood there, my mind struggling to process the shock. 

Immediately, he lifted the veil, and our eyes met. "Wait, what?".

We both exclaimed in unison, the entire room seemed to freeze as we stared at each other with my mouth wide open and my eyes almost popping out……