3

She went home running afterwards. How could that man say things like that as if it's that easy for her to be the mother of his child? How would a 23-year old like her be matured enough to carry a child born out of just a deal with Daemon?

She sneaked past the guards and went straight to her bed. That night, she tried hard to think about another plan but nothing ever materialized.

The days turned like some fast-forward movie for her life. As the weeks end, her fear of being married to her most hated man intensifies. On the night of a party his father organized for the announcement of the engagement, she felt like choking to death. She can't breathe through his white dress. She felt like exploding. She just wanted to disappear at the moment.

"Devon, tonight will be the night that your father and I will be so happy. Our only daughter will finally be married to a fine gentleman."

Her mother hugged her and looked at her father who is just as stoic as ever. Devon stared at her father, pleading. A tear fell from her eyes as she shook her head.

"Dad, I don't wanna do this, please. I will do anything you wanted me to do now just please, don't force me to marry Joffrey. Dad, please."

Gestoni Farrows did not say anything. He just stood in the middle of her room looking back at her.

"Mi amor, leave us," he told Melena.

His wife patted Devon in her head and went out of the room. Gestoni faced his daughter who is now red in fear and tears.

"Tell me, Devon. What do you not like about our friend, Joffrey?"

She sobbed in silence as she tried to gather back his thoughts. From a distance is the faint sound of the cheering guests settling in their vast garden for the event. She bets that maybe Joffrey is already in their house waiting to claim her. The thought made her want to vomit.

"He's too old for me, dad. He disgusts me as a man. It's like I'm just a prey for him. And I don't love him or like him either. Dad, please. I can't do this. I will never be happy with him in my entire life!"

"Being happy is not your choice, Devon. You are reared into this world to be my daughter and the only thing you are allowed to be useful of is to produce an heir. An heir that will inherit all of our empire. You know your brothers are not capable of having their own children. Now be a good girl and collect your husband tonight."

Her tears stopped falling as she gazed at his father who isn't fazed at her tears as if... as if he doesn't really care for her at all.

How long did her father ever felt like this to her? Is he like this ever since? Didn't he see her as his own daughter?

"Dad, I am your own daughter. I am from your flesh and blood. Please, don't be like this. I've done everything you've wanted. I quit seeing my friends. I've studied finance as you wish even though I want to be chef. I have sacrificed my life for this family but why can't you see that marrying Joffrey will kill me? Please see reason, dad. Please."

She got down on her knees and plead for him to retract his decision but her father only looked at her with his cold hard face.

"Fix yourself and come to the lawn. Don't keep your guests waiting."

And just like that, he left her in distress. Devon can't believe it. Everyone is turning their backs on her. Yesterday, she begged her mother to do something, at least help her leave but instead of saying anything, she just dismissed her and ordered the servants to lock her in her room.

She's appalled, no, she's depressed now. How could a life she tried very hard to love turned on to be nothing but a fucked up one. She should have rebelled against it. She should have hated it.

But instead, she saw herself accepting Joffrey's hand and letting him hold her by her waist and dance with her after her father announced the engagement.

"You are so beautiful, Devon. I can't wait to have you in my bed tomorrow, sweetheart." He sniffed her head and closed his eyes. "I can't wait to fuck you, Devon. You don't know how many years I fantasize you in my dreams, Devon. And now, I'm finally getting you, all virgin and innocent under me. You don't know how many things I've imagined doing to your body."

He pressed his hardness to her. Disgusted, she tried to free from his arms but she saw her father looking at their way so she stopped moving.

She didn't say anything. Her frail body can't do anything but her mind is saying a different thing.

The party ended without her even registering what happened. She just forced herself to smile to every guest who came her way. Joffrey never left her side. He stayed with her for the rest of the time holding her and touching her inappropriately to her chagrin. She once tried escaping to her room but her mother kept her eyes closed to her.

And as if the night couldn't have made it much worse, the audience asked for a kiss and a toast from them.

"A kiss and a toast from the couple, everyone!" a woman guest shouted while holding a glass in the air.

Everybody went on to ask the same thing. Devon's face went red in embarrassment and pity for herself as Joffrey's grinning face slowly descended on hers. She can smell the cigarette on him. At that point, a snippet of a memory crossed her head. A man in his chair, sitting so comfortably while roaming his eyes on her body.

Before Joffrey's lips lands on her, she moved so he was only able to kiss her cheek. She excused herself and ran back to the house and into the room where she hid herself in her blankets. After some minutes, she heard her door opening. Her bed moved and a hand caressed her hair but she didn't look back at her mother.

She hates her. She hates her so much.

"You will bear it sweetie. You'll fell in love with Joffrey just like I did with your father. Take it some time Devon and you'll find that it's the best decision you did. You'll thank your father for this."

She sat on her bed and glared at her mother who is as beautiful as ever.

"How can I bear it when it feels like I'm dying now, mom? And how can you bear seeing your only daughter get to be forced to marry an old rotting man? How can you bear it knowing that your child will never be happy in her entire life?"

Melena was speechless. Her expression changed for a little bit of a second before berating Devon.

"I am doing this for you as your mother. No one in her right mind will want her daughter to be unhappy. I'm saying this because I know you will accept Joffrey someday. It's hard now but you can bear it. You have to bear it."

Devon frantically shook her head. "No, mom. I can't. I can never bear it. I will never be happy with him. I will just be simply eaten by sadness every time I'm with him."

"Well, that is your cross you have to bear, Devon. You are not a child anymore. You have to take care of yourself now. Do everything to like your husband."

She smirked in desperation and laughed in a sudden realization. She thought her mother would understand her but just like her father, she just sees her as an object too.

"I hate you," she whispered. "I hate dad. I hate being born into this kind of family. I hate being your daughter. I hate everything that happened in my life and I will always hate the two of you for ruining my life." She softly sobbed. "I hate having you as my own mother."

She still caught the pain in her mother's eyes before she ran towards the bathroom and slammed the door. She hated everyone in this house right now.