Chapter 1

Anna's Pov

“Can I get a shot of Vodka please?” I asked the bartender standing in front of me.

My heart squeezed in pain as the heart wrenching realization of my boyfriend- now ex-boyfriend, cheating on me with my sister flooded my thoughts.

Still lost in thoughts, the bartender placed the drink on my table.

“Here you go, miss.”

“Thanks,” I gave a curt smile and downed down the whole content in the glass in one gulp. 

“Easy there,” a husky voice warned right behind me. 

I observed as he took his seat on the stool right next to me.

“Hey sweetheart. You find me attractive huh?” he nodded his head towards me. 

“Nope…I am not getting myself back into any shit with any man..” I think to myself as my face scrunch up with disgust. 

“You don't have to be so stern, okay. Relaaax. Let me help you lose up all that tension,” he winked flirtatiously.

The unwavering truth was that I was tense, and this drink surprisingly didn't help me as I thought it would. I was all alone in the world and it felt like everything, and everyone was against me. 

After losing my mother at a very young age, my father got married to an abusive woman that made my life a living hell. The only support I could fall back on, my brother, fled the house without a trace. As if that wasn’t enough, my boyfriend whom I had thought would have my back and love me, betrayed me and cheated with my step sister. All the pent up pain and fear made me anxious and stressed.

The piercing agony ripped through me like a hot blade to a freshly shaven skin and the drink I just had did nothing to help.

“Fuck this.” I cuss as I scooted closer, kissing him on impulse.

He might just be what I need to take away my sorrows and he looked like he wouldn’t resist. 

The rest of what happened the entire night faded into oblivion as I drunkenly followed him to a nearby motel.

“Ugh, where am I?” I questioned, pinching my throbbing temples.

I realized I must have had too much to drink and ended up stark naked in a bed with some strange man lying next to me in bed as I observed the unfamiliar room.

‘He's kinda hot though’ I thought.

No way.

‘Did I just sleep with a man I don’t know’

A second wave of realization hit me and my eyes widened as I turn back to look at the sleeping figure and covered my mouth in shock.

I hopped off the bed and hastily picked up my clothes that were scattered on the marble floor. My face flushed with embarrassment as I noticed the used condom on the floor.

‘We really did get into it last night’

I hurriedly wore my clothes and dashed out of the house with my shoes in my hands. It would be too awkward if he had woken up to me or seen me drool in my sleep. I grimaced at the thought of it, quickening my steps.

I knew I looked a mess but I didn’t give a shit about it. I was a grown adult that needed to relieve my stress and could use whatever means I deemed fit.

I got home, glad that my father and his obnoxious wife weren’t home. Everyone took me for granted and the day wasn't going well so I was on edge.

“And the trash decides to come in” my stepsister strutted inside the house, addressing me. 

“ You already did enough damage. Please leave me alone” I begged, avoiding her drama.

I didn't know what else she wanted from me. She already took everything I had.

“Aw, the poor wuss wants to cry” She mocked.

“ You had it coming. I wonder why you think things will turn out for you. Have you looked at yourself? You’re a miserable witch. Think about it. Your mother is dead, your own brother couldn’t even handle your sad and pit-“

“Don’t. Don’t you dare complete your sentence” I interrupted her with a whimper as tears welled in my eyes.

I fixed on her with a steely gaze, my dey boring into her eyes. I continued, “You have no right to talk about my mother or my brother like that, you witch.”

“Oh. Who's the witch now? Me or you?” She let out a forced and high pitched chuckle. The sound of her mock got me on my nerves. She ascended the stairs, her heels clicking the floor in a rhythmic sound. 

She didn't even have a bit of decency in her. I felt so dejected and livid, I couldn't contain all these emotions I was feeling right now. It hurt even more that I had no one to share my emotions with. 

I was so determined to embrace my life as it was currently, preserving myself from the claws of backstabbing men out there. 

Days turned into weeks and weeks were turning into months, yet I was still not myself. I felt some kind of emptiness inside of me as I felt my ex had taken all the happiness left in me. 

                 .********.******.********.

On a bright Tuesday afternoon, I was so engrossed with my work when I heard the shrill sound from my phone.

I checked for the person calling and saw that it was my father. 

“Good afternoon Dad.”

“Hm mmm,” he responded from the other line of the phone. He couldn't even respond well to a common courtesy greeting. 

“I don't care what you are busy with, leave it and come meet me in my office right now,”he ordered sharply. 

“But dad I am in the middle of…”

“You don't want to disobey me child!”his orotund voice rang in my ears. I wondered what had gotten him this tense and uptight. 

I mean, it's normal for him to shout at me but this tone felt tense. 

“Ok dad.” 

He hung up immediately. Till this day, I still couldn't imagine what I ever did wrong to my father to make him hate me so much. 

This change in his behavior began after my mother's death. It was so hard for us but I thought we could scale through it as a family. Then my brother disappeared, leaving me hopeless and alone in this world. 

I immediately packed up my things and headed to my father's company. I couldn't bear him raising his voice at me again for being late. 

“Can I come in?” I asked as I stood in front of my dad's office.

“Yes. I don't need to tell you twice,” he replied blandly. 

“Urghh, don't be so dumb,” my annoying stepmother retorted right beside him.

“Let me get straight to the point. You are getting married in two weeks to Elijah Hernandez and no arguments,” he gave a blank stare after dropping a bombshell on me. 

“You must be kidding right..dad?” I whimpered. I squeezed my eyes shut as I couldn't imagine what had just happened. 

My head became fuzzy. It was like I didn't hear my dad right. And who knows, I might as well be dreaming. 

“Wear your best dress. You know what-I bought a gown for you already. When you get home, you'll see it on your bed. We are leaving for their mansion at 6pm tonight.”

I was unable to move. I felt like a truck had just hit me, sending a wave of shock and numbness through my body. My hands were shaking and I was at the brink of tears. I felt defeated and I had no one left in the world to care for me. My freedom was already being taken from me. 

“What are you still doing there? Don't waste my time.”

“She is so ungrateful. Doesn't she even realize she's getting married to a billionaire family. Such a spoiled brat, maybe she got it from her mother,” my stepmother spat. 

My father was so brainwashed that he couldn't even protect the name and memory of his first wife from his evil wife.  

Since I was already defeated, I followed my dad's orders without complaint. I branched to the park after the meeting with my dad to calm my nerves. I returned home shortly afterwards, it was already past 5pm. 

My dad and my stepmother arrived at the same time, hastening me up and we arrived at the Hernandez mansion together. 

The Hernandez family welcomed us in, my father and stepmother were annoyingly fake around them. We were shown the dining room which was just a few steps away from the entrance. 

“This dinner is simply for the purpose of both our children knowing each other a bit before their wedding in two weeks time,” Mr Hernandez stated. 

I moved my head around in observation of the room, their mansion was quite big and well detailed. To my right, the seat supposed to be occupied by my so-called husband was empty. 

“Thank you for this dinner sir. By the way, where is your son?” My father pointed out. 

“Here he is now,” Mr Hernandez nodded towards the dining room entrance. 

Before he could enter, I perceived a very familiar scent of oak and lavender. The scent triggered my emotions to think back to how I got familiar with it. 

‘I bet I had perceived that cologne before but couldn't pinpoint where'

Surprisingly, the hot stranger I had a one night stand with approached from the entrance. His forehead crinkled as he saw me on the table, but his expression hardened when the realization of what was happening dawned on him. 

His parents introduced us after dinner but he didn't budge. His parents further introduced him by mentioning that he was their last child. We were both forced by our parents to introduce our names to each other because it was very necessary. I got to find out his name was Elijah. 

 The dinner was an awkward one between us. My father and stepmother has stepped out towards the Parkway with Elijah's parents, leaving only me and Elijah standing alone in the living room. 

“W-wow. I mean. This is so intriguing ” Elijah blurted out in disbelief. 

“I know right. I was w..”

“I never took you for a slut and a gold digger when I first met you. I mean, what should I have expected from someone like you,” he hissed, disgust edged in his voice. 

“No-no…you have gotten this all wrong,” my hands trembled as my heart raced with fear. My steps wavered towards him as I tried to explain more. 

He held his hand out for me to prevent me moving further closer to him. 

“Hold it right there. You know what?” He straightened his posture and gave me an evil grin. 

“You have no idea what you have just gotten yourself into by agreeing to this bullshit. I am going to make this marriage your worst nightmare!” his outburst sent ringing through my ears like a loud bell. 

With a very hard and fierce expression he spun around and marched out of his parents mansion, and he slammed the door hard righ

t behind him. His declaration sent a shock wave of fear down my spine. I stood, my mouth was agape as I couldn't phantom what had just unfolded right in front of me.