Chapter 1

Lucy Chaw.  

Dread and horror filled my chest as i looked at the full length mirror. my hands shook as they trace the beautiful, white fabric of my dress.

My fingers follow the path the lace made on the abdomen down to the full length of the floor. The train behind the wedding dress trails back about three foot.

I looked at my reflection and saw a terrified bride, about to be forced to marry a man she didn't know.

I wasted almost a year fighting against this arrangement. I'd been good, kept my head down and made sure to take my job as an assistant seriously. I thought, if i worked hard then my family would let me be. But i was wrong.

All i did was prolong the inevitable.

The Chaw family wants to form an alliance with The Thompsons and there is too little i can do to stop it.

I deserve it.

I closed my eyes to block the tears from running down my cheeks and ruining my expensively made make up. The anger, the urge to hurt people who are happy was strong and it took me by surprise.

I'v been working hard to suppress the ugly jealousy that drives me to act out, to mess with people who have their lives put together than i do. And, i'v been happy to free myself from that dark path. But here i am, once again. Feeling rage over the fact that i have absolutely no control over my life.

Taking a deep breath, i opened my eyes when i heard the door open. I looked through the mirror to see my mother walking up to me with a soft smile on her face.

My mother, a gorgeous woman that she is, always has makeup caked on her face to cover the obvious wrinkles that comes with an unhappy marriage. Many might look at her and see that she is the happy and spoiled wife of Garzei Chaw but only i can see that sad look in her eyes.

"You look so beautiful." My mother whispered as she stood infront of me.

Reaching out, she tucked a strand of hair that was hanging, behind my left ear.

My long black hair was fashioned to stay at the top of my head with a few strands falling around my face. If i wasn't in such a devastating situation, i would have appreciated how beautiful they made me look.

My father, Garzei Chaw, didn't spare any expense when he brought the fashion team to make me look presentable for my future husband.

"How i wish things were different?"

My mother's voice was soft and quite, speaking only to my ears and not the giant guards stationed at my door, both inside the room and out.

I nodded my head in agreement, not trusting my voice. My mother, Cristal  Chaw was also forced to marry my father for the sake of her family. She, of all people, understood how deviated i was when my father announced his final decision to marry me off, because she knows what it feels like to be in my shoes.

My mother once again smiled before she walked away from me and left the room.

Alone again, i tried not to think what this will mean. I dreaded every second that passed.

Getting closer to the hour when my life would be over, my insides twist painfully. I closed my eyes again to block my reflection.

My father warned me about this day. He specifically told me to be a good girl, to let my husband have what ever he wanted, to be a submissive wife that doesn't speak unless she os spoken to.

What terrified me more was my soon to be wedding night. All my father instructed was for me not to fight my husband. If the man i will marry wants to torture me, then let him. If he wants to starve me, then let him. If he wants to bring other women home, then let him. Do all he says and the Chaw name will thrive even more.

My mother had stepped in to give me a talk after my father left. She shared her wedding night with me.

Arranged marriage wedding nights are never meant to be pleasant for the forced bride. Her mother had went through it and has nothing nice to say about that night.

But she did tell her to be strong. These rich people can break a persons body but she warned her not to let them break her mind, heart and soul.

A soft gasp escaped my lips when the door slammed open. My eyes fly open to see my father walk in.

Garzei Chaw is wearing the most expensive black suit that looks like its been pressed since the damn thing was made. He carries himself in every room as if he is the king of the world. He knows how to command and install fear in the heart of those he comes across, including him own family and his entire household. But from what I've heard, The Thompson are far more worse that my father, which proves more to my heart that i was in for pain and suffering.

I careful watch my father take a step closer to me until he was standing infront of me, right where my mother was just a couple of minutes ago.

His large hands take ahold of my shoulders and squeezed for good measure, to warn me not to mess this up for him. If i do, i will pay.

My father doesn't say a word as he looks at me up and down, making sure his fashion team took care of everything. After he was satisfied with the way i looked, he let my shoulder go and i resisted the urge to sigh in relief.

I'm more than sure my shoulder will bruise from how hard he was holding me.

Without another word, he took my right arm and locked it with his left. He doesn't wast another second as he started to lead me out of the room.

I can feel panic clawing at my chest, rising up to my neck and flushing my entire face. The urge to slip my fingers through the hair and pull at hw strands was overwhelming.

Garzei, who might have noticed my sudden tense body and red face, squeezed my right arm with his large hands. He grip was so strong that i was afraid he would snap my bone.

"Get it together." He growled.

The pain in my arm cashed the emotion panic to subside and i nod my head. Taking a deep breath, i tried to control myself. I can't do much about my red face, but i breath in and out, get this over with.

***

The wedding hall is decorated with white flowers and white everything. It was beautiful.

Families and friends, including business partners and other rich folks filled the room on either side as my father walked me down the isle.

The place might be beautiful, but it felt cold as if all that stood here were nothing more than ghosts.

I looked straight ahead to see my future husband. I was shocked to see that he wasn't some old man with his belly hanging below his belt. No. This man is not what i expected.

He was young, probably in his late twenties or early thirties. He is a tall and a large man with broad shoulders and thick arms.

He looked at me with his pale blue eyes that shone brightly with his silver blond hair.

He is in all, the most handsome man i have ever laid eyes on. And for a split second, i wished that this would be one of those romance book where the forced marriage turns in to a blessing that brings joy to the forced bride. But the closer i got, the colder his expression grew.

His eyes sharpen with a cold and indifferent glare that broke all my recent fantasies. With only a single look, i can tell that this man....hated me.

My father handed me to my future husband as if I'm a sack of potatoes. Without even looking at his little girl, he walks away to stand next to my extremely sad mother.

My future husband holds my hand in an iron grip that sent shivers down my spin. We turned to the priest, who immediately started the ceremony.

There were no personal vows to share with each other and so, the priest made us say the needed vows.

When the priest asked the man infront of me if he'd take me as his wife, in sickness and in health, his cold voice cuts through the cold air as he said his 'I do'.

The priest then goes on to ask me the same and i whispered the softest 'I do' in history.

When the priest finally pronounced us man and wife and tells my now husband that he may kiss me, his grip on my hand hardens as he pulled me closer to him.

I wished he'd just kiss my cheeks or forehead but no. He leans in without hesitation and gently pressed his lips against mine.

For a second, i was taken back by how sweet and caring the kiss was. I closed my eyes to savor this fresh sweet moment but a sharp pain on my lower lip made me open my eyes again.

My eyes met his pale blue ones as he sank in teeth in my lower. A whimper escaped my lips as i tried to pull away.

When he finally lets me go, my lower lip was throbbing and my throat was tight with the sudden fear and panic i felt.

As we turned to look at the group of people who just witnessed our wedding, i felt sick to see most of the men were enjoying this little show of a man dominating a helpless woman, while most of the women looked really uncomfortable. From what I've heard, most, if not all of the married women here were all in the same situation i am in right now.

And as i felt his strong grip on my hands that will probably bruise my knuckles, i realized how easy I've had it. My life had not been as hard and awful as i though it was. But the life that awaits me, terrified me to my very core.

I deserve it.