Three years later

DAPHNE'S POV

I wasn't the type of person who normally places high expectations on people. But somehow, I think I managed to make an exception with Finn. I was not even aware that I thought so highly of him until he began to prove to me just how much of a different person he was.

First, he discarded what was between us and went ahead to have an affair publicly. I thought he respected me but he showed me straightforwardly that he doesn't. 

I was livid when he mentioned whatever was between us was fake. I knew it was fake but that doesn't mean he could just toast me to the bin like some trash. At least if he doesn't respect the marriage, the least he could do is to respect me.

Deciding to act out my anger, I went ahead and did what I did just to prove to him that the point he made was understood clearly by me. I never knew that was his best friend, I wouldn't have stood so low. 

"Funny how you immediately discard my feelings when I acted against your little affairs with that slut" I spotted angrily although his hand was still wrapped around my neck and I was very much aware of that. "Guess you know how it feels now" I scoffed and aimed to turn my head away from him but all I managed was a wince as his hold was getting extremely tight.

"I knew it! I knew firsthand how you all peasants are! Nothing is going on in your heads except how to wiggle and cheat your way through the system!" He muttered this lowly to my hearing alone. 

I arched my brow confusingly and tried to act reserved despite the fact that I was suffocating. "I believe you are off point and this isn't what we are addressing but if you think you are saying this just to hurt me, you have to change course because I have been called worse by better people"

My words managed to get him right where I wanted it the brewing anger I saw in his eyes meant anything. If he thought he could easily get me down, then he need think again. 

"Oh, so that is what you are going to say after what you did?" He almost looked like he was in disbelief.

"If I may pass a correction, what we did. And if you are not ready to admit to your mistakes, then you have no right whatsoever to think mine should be addressed." I stood my ground, feeling as his anger caused him to apply more pressure on my neck, the reserve slowly fading.

"You....." He mumbled frustratedly as if holding himself back from doing something harsh. "You little brat knew he was my best friend and think you are doing this to get back to me? Well then new flash, I am not in any way affected by your so-called act. If anything It only confirmed to me just how much I need to stay the fuck away from you" 

I didn't honor his words with a reply at first because what he said was entirely different from the tale his eyes were telling. I saw something keen of hurt in them but he immediately blinked them away before I could confirm. Well, there goes my revenge.

"Let go of me you are hurting me" I stated for the first time since he had his hand around my neck. The fact that he dared to violet me that way was something I never expected from him, but I was too blinded by my anger to address the shock now that the conversation was slowly coming to an end, I was becoming anxious to have his hand off me.

Instead of doing what I expected, his hold tightened and he pressed me hard against the wall, his eyes housing a challenging look as if he was daring me to get myself out if I could. 

"Le....let me go" with urgency this time because my breathing was seizing, I spoke while trying to rip his hand away from my neck. My attempt was of course futile. 

"Finn let me go" I tried harder, my anxiousness finally getting a chance to take over as the little reserve I had faded away. "F...finn you are hurting me, please let go of me!" I lamented but to no avail. 

It was as if my words did not affect him as he stared blankly at the wall right next to my head, his hold getting impossibly tighter.

The maids were all moving around, I could dictate the little sorry glances they were throwing my way but none of them dared to intervene. They can never go against him. 

I don't know if it was just me imagining things but I slowly began to see black dots in the line of my vision. Any attempt I made to breathe in ended a disaster and my lungs were slowly starting to gasp painfully within my chest.

Was he trying to kill me? 

With the last strength I had and the zeal to continue living, I yelled out loud at him. "Let me go!!!" 

Thankfully, that did the trick and he suddenly snapped out of whatever trance he was in and pulled his hand away from me like I was on fire. 

I wasted no time in leading my wobbly legs to the floor and continued to gasp desperately to make up for the air I had lost. He continued to glance at me like he couldn't believe that he was actually responsible for that but I paid no heed to him again. 

I held onto my chest, coughing and gasping for dear life, and by the time I felt like myself again, he was nowhere to be found. I shifted and rested my back on the wall behind me while just going through what had just happened in my head.

That was simply a murder attempt. 

"Ma'am, are you okay?" A hand on my shoulder snapped me out of the shock before the words registered in my head. 

I twirled my head slowly and my vision fell on a familiar-looking maid that I have come across often around the mansion. I tried, I tried to utter even a single positive word or at least a smile but the only thing I could manage to express was sadness.

I hated myself for that. Weakness is not something I had ever liked to express in front of everyone but he has managed to not only make himself but also the workers around his house see me in a vulnerable state.

I wiped the tears in my eyes before they could drop down on my cheeks and nodded vigorously to her. "I am fine" my voice was hoarse, the lack of oxygen for a long moment affecting even it. "I will just see myself to my room" 

I attempted to push myself up but it seems my legs needed more time to recover. 

"I will help you" She mumbled quietly and had her hands around my shoulder before I could react. I wasn't even about to object when all I want is to get myself away from the prying eyes as soon as possible. 

With her help and that of the wall, I walked my way up the stairs and back to my room. She helped me on my bed and then walked out of the room without uttering a single word.

I was getting settled and about to lie down on the bed when the door suddenly opened again. I didn't have to wait for long to know who it was as the maid walked back in with a cup of brewed hot coffee. 

She placed it on the bedside drawer beside me and bowed respectfully. "I will be outside if you need anything and uhm... I am so sorry for what happened" She muttered. 

From where I sat, it looked like she had gathered so much confidence before she was able to mutter out those words. They never spoke unless spoken to and only knew to fulfill instructions and nothing more. 

"Thank you" I managed to give her a sincere smile despite myself and she smiled back, relief taking over her form.

Awkwardly, she turned back and headed toward the door but halted in her steps as a result of my question. "What is your name?" 

"Rose....my name is Rose" She replied still a bit anxious. 

"Thank you, Rose, your help was greatly appreciated" I softly muttered, my smile genuine.

"I was just doing my job ma'am. It's nothing" She waved her effort away and continued to walk toward the door. 

"Thank you for doing your Job" was the last thing I said before the door softly clicked behind her. 

With a deep sigh, I picked up the cup and began to slowly sip on the coffee, feeling as it filled my inside with warmth. 

When I agreed to get into this marriage even though it was unlike the usual type of marriage, the picture I had in mind was entirely different from what life was painting now. 

I hoped that at least, since both of us were forced into this, we would be able to understand in other and live peacefully. The thought of falling in love didn't pass through my mind but I believed that at least we would be able to accommodate each for if not for anything, then for the fact that we were both grown adults.

But once again like life always does, it proved me wrong. While thinking and hoping, I forgot to include the fact that he has a personal life too. I might not have any love history but clearly, he does. 

I wasn't expecting him to dump her or anything just because he married me but at least he could have done what he did in a way to avoid the prying eyes of the media. That was the only thing I held against him and since he wasn't ready for conversation, I opted to take revenge instead.

"Well look where the so-called revenge have led you" a part of my mind spoke as I instinctively moved my hand to my neck which I am sure was bruised.

I was never going to look at him the same again, that was one thing for sure. What he did was barbaric and nothing would justify it. It wasn't fair when I was just following his lead. 

I didn't even realize I had finished the whole coffee until I placed the cup on my lips again. With a sigh, I dropped down from the bed to take the cup out and get myself a glass of water. 

I could feel the prying eyes of the maids on me as I walked down the stairs and I tried so hard to discard it. I walked to the marbled kitchen and placed the cup on the sink. I picked another and filled it with water from the diffuser and then headed straight to my room. I couldn't bear the looks anymore. 

As if I hadn't had enough anguish for the day already, my clashed straight into Finn as I headed toward my room. The glass fell from my hand and the clattering sound of it colliding with the floor caused me to jolt back instantly. 

I didn't wait to see his reaction, I couldn't look at his face, not after everything that had happened earlier. I brushed passed him and headed straight into my room with tears streaming down my cheeks. 

You might one to ask the reason for the tears. Well, I have asked myself and I couldn't come up with any tangible reason why I was crying. 

For the first time since I married this man, I wasn't seeing any positive outcome from the whole thing. 

As reality sets in, I just knew that I was screwed.