Chapter 1

Cecelia

“Have you had no shame?!” my voice echoed across the room, my voice trembling with disbelief.

I just caught my fiancé, red-handed cuddling my sister in my bed, he sprang to his feet, his entire body naked except his lower region.

“Why are you here?” he asked as he hastily clutched his white polo and his every move laughable, trying to conceal the disgraceful scene, I caught them in.

“And now I can’t even be in my own house?!” I scuffed at the mere audacity. My eyes darted at my sister, my blood sister shamelessly lying in my bed, and tried to covet my husband behind my back. But Olivia only shrugged, a white blanket wrapped around her, I couldn't sense a hint of remorse in her eyes.

She was the one who had texted me about their infidelity, she made sure I was going to walk in on their betrayal. She made sure to strike me where it was painful.

“Really!? Charlie? With my fucking sister?! The day before our fucking wedding?!” I screamed, my voice trembling. I can feel the heat creep up my neck in anger. But before I could say anymore, a slap landed on my face, my world started spinning, and my body slammed into the wall.

  “Don’t fucking curse at me.” He spat as he leaned and grabbed my face. I can feel his fingers digging into my jaw. It’s painful, it is. A hot liquid started streaming out my face. The tears I was trying to hold back, finally came out.

“You’re nothing without me, are you aware of that? So? what if I had some fun with another woman? You don’t fucking care! Your family will go bankrupt if I don’t marry you.” he yelled.

His words were like shards of glass, piercing my heart again and again. I grew silent, I didn't have anything to refute what he just said.

As if the insults weren’t enough to shatter my remaining dignity, he shoved me to the floor, my entire body slammed against the cold marbles and spat at me.

  “Who would even be happy to marry a woman like you? Do you even see yourself in the mirror? You’re not even half as good as your sister,”

Olivia slithered into Charlie’s arms, a smirk played on her lips.

“Come on sister, you’re gonna be his wife anyways, so what’s the big deal? You don’t expect My Dear Charlie to settle on you, do you?” she chuckled as if trying to rub their betrayal in my face.

  I never saw myself as pretty. I was a shut-in and never learned how to fix myself or dress well, I was fairly content in my world. My family may have never treated me well, but I craved peace. Until they decided I was to be married off to Charlie Wilson, a man high on the business ladder. His family’s wealth could elevate ours, that was all my family cared about anyway. They were willing to sacrifice their daughter for that if they ever treated me as one.

I hadn’t expected genuine love from an arranged marriage, but Charlie had fooled me. He’d been kind, caring, and loving in my presence. He even moved out with me, when I told him I wanted to escape the prying eyes of the Morrows. At that moment, I’d truly believed I was worthy of love.?

  “If she didn’t ask me to flatter you, I’m not even gonna look in your direction. You should be thankful.” his voice is condescending.

 Well, turns out it was all a lie.

I laughed. I laughed so hard in front of them that I could mask the excruciating pain I felt while tears continuously flowed down my face. I don't know what to believe anymore.

I believed them.

I had already accepted that I would never be happy. Why did they have to let me feel loved, only to rip it away? Does this make them happy? Is my life not torturous enough?

“HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAAHAAH fucking unbelievable!” I cursed under my breath as I pulled my hair and laughed out of desperation, my laugh slowly morphing into a sob, I borrowed my face in my knees. I probably looked fucking miserable.

“You’re out of your mind!” Olivia exclaimed; her voice was laced with disgust.

“Let’s go, babe, sis is getting a little too dramatic, she just needs some time for herself,” she advised Charlie, her voice repulsed, before walking towards me and leaning in my ear.

“Congrats on your wedding tomorrow sis! Don’t cry too much,” she whispered, her fingers waving dismissively before she left the room, still clinging to my fiancé’s arm.

  They left me stunned at the audacity. I don’t know what their motive is but it must have felt pretty fucking satisfying. While I’m here laying on the cold hard floor with my worlds turned upside down just because they wanted to.

  __

  “I wanna cancel the wedding,”

My parent paused whatever they were doing and turned their eyes to me at the same time. My eyes are puffy red and my hair is disheveled. I cried my eyes out what did I even expect? I headed straight to my parents as soon as I was done being brokenhearted to cancel the wedding. I don’t care if they berate my whole being, I don’t wanna get married to that man.

“What did you just say?” my father asked, his brows furrowed, he adjusted his glasses, and his attention was now focused on me.

“We must have heard wrong, honey,” my mother said, with a false sweetness, her red lipstick more vibrant than usual. She continued pouring my father the tea she prepared.

“No, you heard me right. I want to cancel my wedding.” I repeated my voice firm despite the trembling feeling in my chest.

“No,” my father said, cutting me off before I could even explain. He waved his hand to dismiss me and returned to his newspaper.

I lunged towards him, slamming my fists on the table, the force of it spilled the tea my mother had just poured and made a mess.

“Won’t you even ask me about my reasons?!” I cried, my voice choked with tears. But my words were met with silence and glare.

“DAD!! HE JUST CHEATED ON ME WITH OLIVI-“

“Shut your mouth!” my mother shrieked, cutting me off before I could even finish my sentence.

“Don’t you ever bring your sister into this just because you’re changing your mind!”

“BUT SHE DID MOM!” I screamed the tears started blurring my vision. I knew Olivia was the favorite, but to not even entertain the possibility when I looked this heartbroken and desperate, was too much. I'm still their daughter.

“Enough!” My father rose from his chair, his gaze hardened. “I don’t care about your reasons. You’ve been a burden to this family your whole life, the least you could do is not bring us shame. I won’t be entertaining this nonsense anymore.”

Is he even my father? They had two daughters, but they always acted like they had only one. My family had millions, but I was eating leftovers while Olivia was showered with luxury. I can’t even believe that I endured it at this point but wasn’t this a little too much?

“Am I even your daughter?” I cried the hot liquid that I thought I had shed enough of, was flowing freely in my face as if it would never end.

They simply sighed, as if they had finally reached their limit, I looked at them as they slowly walked out the door and left the room for me without saying anything. I took a few deep breaths and wiped the tears on my face. I slapped myself with my two hands, wake up Cecelia! You don’t have to be so disappointed. You already expected it remember?

  That was it. I was done. I was ditching this wedding.

I pulled my phone from my pocket, there was only a single person I could think of. This was the only person who would be kind enough to help me. My last hope.

It only took two rings before a baritone voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Luke! Remember Charlie? My fiancé that you don’t like? I have some good news for you…”