001: You're Getting Married!

Heather's POV

"What on earth do you think you're doing?! Who is going to pay these tuition fees?! You're twenty four already, Heather! You shouldn't be wasting your life in college, get married and free this family of one burden already!" My father, Uriel Stone, yelled before tossing the envelope I had given him across the room. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?! Leaching off your parents at this age! And now you have the guts to push your fees on us?"

I remained still, tears slowly welling up in my eyes. I knew it was stupid of me to ask my parents for help after everything they've done for me, but I was in a tight position and they were the only people who I could ask for help. I worked multiple part time jobs, and had been able to pay for my tuition f*e for the past years. This was my last year in college, and the f*es were a lot bigger than what I had anticipated. I had saved up half of it, and needed the remaining half of the money.

My parents weren't wealthy, if anything I'd say we were struggling. I had two brothers who were still in highschool. My immediate younger brother, Damian, had already abandoned school, and we hadn't heard from him in a month now. And the youngest, Edward, hadn't returned to school because we couldn't afford to pay his f*e for the term.

I picked up the envelope from where it had landed on the floor, my hands trembling. Even though my father considered my education a waste of time and money, I hadn't expected him to lose his temper this much. He had been different when I was younger, and had always praised me for wanting to become a doctor. It had been his dream, but now it seemed he didn't care about it or me any longer.

"This is my last year in college, I can finally get the certificate I need to practice medicine..." My voice faded when I realized that nobody was listening. Father didn’t even look at me—he just paced the room, muttering under his breath about "ungrateful children" and "wasted money."

I turned my gaze to my mother, who stood in the corner with her arms crossed. She didn’t say a word. She never did when my father started yelling. She didn't do anything that would upset father, even if it was standing up for her children.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure what I was apologizing for anymore. For asking for help? For daring to dream of a better life?

My father scoffed. “Sorry? Sorry won’t pay the bills, Heather! Sorry won’t put food on the table or send your brothers back to school! You’re twenty-four—when are you going to stop being a burden to this family?!”

Tears blurred my vision, but I blinked them away. Crying never helped. It only made things worse. “I’ve been paying my tuition on my own for years,” I said, my voice shaking. “This is my last year. I just need a little help to finish—”

"Enough of this nonsense! Enough already!" Father screamed at the top of his lungs, cutting me off. "You've wasted time and money chasing an impossible dream, and I've had enough of it. You're going to find a husband and find a way to support this family! That's the only way you can be useful to us—"

I didn't let him finish, I turned towards the door and sprinted off before any of them had the chance to see me cry. It was useless staying there, all I'd get was more insults, and I wasn't sure I could take any of it anymore.

I ran away from home and headed for the fields just beside our house. It was the only place I could stay and think about my life without getting interrupted by the noise from the city and my father's constant bickering. But today was not the day I was going to get any peace.

Mother had chased after me, and I was sure she hadn't come to comfort me in any way whatsoever.

"What do you want? Are you here to remind me of how miserable I am at twenty four?" I asked as I sniffled back the tears that wouldn't stop flowing.

"Your father's right, Heather," mother started as she slowly approached me. "Forget college, there's a lot of men out there who would want to marry a beautiful girl like you, rich young men. You can really turn our lives around by getting married—"

"Enough, mom! Can't you hear yourself? You're telling me to leave my dreams for money—"

"Don't be selfish, Heather!" Mother cut me off sharply. "Your father and I have done enough for you already. The least you can do is help this family by getting married. Look at your younger brothers, they're wasting away because of your selfishness! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

I stared at my mother with shock in my eyes. She was completely shameless, and I couldn't believe that she would say such a thing to her own daughter. I was completely speechless, and had no idea how to reply to the things I had just heard from her. The only thing I could do was stare at her and hope that she was merely joking.

"Anyway, you don't have a choice in the matter anymore! Your father and I have come to an agreement, we'll be marrying you off to the Forgers!"

"What?!" I managed to voice out. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me right, Heather! We're marrying you off to the Forgers! They're coming tonight, you better get ready to meet them, do not try to pull any stunts tonight, if you do, then forget about having a roof over your head!”