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Annelise's POV“Someone is here to see you, ma'am." I've gotten so used to Angela's voice that I know if she's the one talking without even checking.I opened up the door. “Who is it?" I asked her.“She didn't say that. She did say she's a close family member though," she replied.A close family member. I know Anastasia and her parents wouldn't come here to see me, so they can't be the ones."I'll be downstairs in a bit," I said, closing the door immediately.I racked my head as to who it could be. At the thought of it being a family member from my mother's side, I hastened up with dressing up and ran downstairs.They were already let in. I paused on getting to the last stairs; I couldn't breathe anymore.“If it isn't my favorite sister," the person said. It's none other than Anastasia; she was looking around the huge living area.“What are you doing here?" I asked her first as I eventually joined her in the living area.“Can't I come check up on my sister again?" She answered without
Annelise's POVHave you forgotten so soon what's at stake here?" I still didn't reply to him. It was my father; he had called me almost immediately after Anastasia left.The only mistake I made was picking up his call; I should have known what he was calling for.“You also seem to have forgotten what's at stake with me. You think I don't know how much you're generating just by being an in-law of a Harrington?”He was quiet for a while. "And you think I would prioritize your mother's health over that?”I gulped, my mouth dry. I'm really tired of going back and forth with him every time.“It's up to you to choose if you want the benefit you're getting from this or making your daughter happy by making me sad instead."I'm playing a very risky game here, and I'm aware of that, but if I continue being that weak girl to him, he'd just keep trampling upon me.“Is this what marriage does to you? You think because you're married to a rich billionaire husband, which is even courtesy of me, you
Annelise's POV“Ma'am, I was told to come call you," Angela's voice came from the door.I mumbled out a ‘coming,’ then I heard her footsteps start receding.I was done since, I was just rethinking this. Do I really have to do this? My palms are sweaty and clammy from sweating even though I'm under an air conditioner that's blowing hard.I stepped out of the room, taking in a really deep breath for the umpteenth time tonight. I straightened out my dress with my hand as though it was rumpled up.I descended the stairs downstairs, taking it one at a time. It's really almost impossible to not fall down the stairs with the heels I had on.When I got to the last step, I saw Ethan. His back was facing me, and he seemed to be on a phone call.I walked towards him; he must have heard my footsteps because he looked back.I've never gotten an expression out of him before, but seeing his jaw drop on seeing me had me surprised. He looked away almost immediately, but I had seen him at least.That m
Annelise's POVWe both walked around the room, Ethan just kept dragging me around. He would nod at most greetings from people; some even tried to talk to him, but the stoic expression on his face made them rethink their decisions.“Where exactly are we going?" I asked him when it looked like we'd only be walking for the majority of the night.“You'll see."Just then, he stopped walking, and I automatically did too.He stopped by the bar section of the hall. I frowned at that; different servers had been taking drinks around that we could have just taken one from them. Why the stress?“Tequila," he said to the person there.The guy behind the counter was practically shaking; he must have recognized Ethan immediately.Even the drink he was pouring was about to spill off if not for that he was doing it slowly.The guy handed over the drink to Ethan and turned to look at me.“What would you like to have, ma'am?" He asked me.“Just juice, I don't drink alcohol," I replied.I felt someone lo
Annelise's POVMy eyes widened immediately; Ethan was still looking at me.His eyes were completely dark. Any other person would think it was because of another thing, but I could feel the intensity of anger in those black orbs.I licked my lips out of nervousness and fear. If it was possible to hide under the ground and never come out, I would do that right now.There was suddenly a loud scream that automatically made the tension in the room dissolve into fear. The silence in the room was replaced with yells and screams of horror.There were men dressed in black and masked going around the room. They shot someone, hence the scream.They must have used a silencer because no one heard anything except for the scream from the person they shot.What I didn't expect was for me to be forced under a nearby table by none other than Ethan.The lights in the hall started fluctuating. I was shaking under the table with Ethan; he didn't even look fazed yet I felt like I was about to wet myself.“
Annelise's POV“So, how are you coping with the marriage?" He asked me.I looked at him as though he was speaking gibberish; he isn't in the right position to ask me that question. What does he expect me to reply to him with?“How it's meant to be; a contract marriage," I replied in a really formal tone."Oh please. I expect you to have been making some moves by now. You know, the only way to secure a marriage is to get pregnant, give him a child.”I looked at him with disgust on my face; I almost couldn't believe that he would say something like that.“I'm not a wh*re," I said with gritted teeth."So you mean it's only wh*res that give birth without being in love with their partner? I hope you do know that your mother was pregnant with you since the first night we met, way before we got married.”Anger surged through me; my teeth were hurting from gritting them too tight and for so long. I seemed to have never felt so angry that way before.Before I could say anything though, the doo
Annelise's POV“Hi Anastasia, I'm sure we haven't met before," Lucas greeted.I was shocked at first, then I braced myself up.“Hi," I mumbled. "I'm Lucas, Ethan's best friend.”Wow, so he keeps friends; he even has a best friend.He stretched out his right hand for a handshake. The moment I tried to shake him with my own left hand, a wince escaped my mouth.“Oh, sorry. That's on me. I was so dumb, I didn't think of that. I'm so sorry about that," he said.I stifled a smile. "It's okay.”Ethan was seated on the chair, busy on his phone. He seemed to have no idea of what was happening before him at all.“I badly need to freshen up. I'll be going upstairs now,” I said and left them alone without hearing Lucas's response.My body was itchy already. Staying overnight in a hospital without having a bath would surely do that.I stripped off my clothes with so much difficulty. I spent up to thirty minutes just getting my clothes off.After getting that done, taking my bath was another proble
Annelise's POV“What is it this time?" I asked with so much anger.I was woken up from sleep this morning after turning on the bed endlessly and couldn't sleep because of the pain from last night, and I've been cranky since then. I needed to get something at the store, and I came alone, though with a scarf and some masks so no one would recognize me.I was surprised when I heard someone call my name, which turned out to be Anastasia.She's not even here alone, but with her best friend.“That's not the right way to greet your sister," she said.The anger from this morning bubbled up again. I had thought I would just get the necessities and go back home without any problem.“What do you want?" I asked again.“Hello, am I invisible?" It was none other than my former best friend, Cassie.I only spared her a glance before turning to Anastasia.“What are you doing here, I repeat," I said.“Well, father said you were injured. I just thought I would come check up on you like a typical sister