chapter 1

My father was in debt.

Yes, he was a millionaire. He was.

The house was enveloped in a tense tranquillity for the past few weeks. My father and mother were both busy discussing the debts in his study every day.

While I, as usual, was inside my room all day, hardly going out. Not want to be a part of all this, not that they would include me.

My father even stopped me from going to college. And even at the age of twenty, I was still living with my parents. I did hope to finish college find a job and leave here but my plans were ruined.

I wanted to leave here as soon as possible because they didn't like me. I was just a burden to them. They made sure to keep reminding me of that.

I was just a pathetic, crybaby. But I can't help but cry knowing I have no one in this world, I am all alone. Not even a single friend to comfort me.

A few years back, I had Adrian, my bodyguard who soon turned into my first friend. He was really sweet to me, he understood me, and made me feel happy but...

My father started to suspect us and fired him immediately thinking we were having some sort of secret relationship.

No matter how much I begged him that it wasn't true, that he already had a wife he loved, and that he was ten years older than me, my father didn't agree and till now, I didn't get to see Adrian again.

I apologized to him before he left and he assured me that it wasn't my mistake. But still...I felt guilty about it.

I sighed deeply, burying my face into the pillow, wishing to escape reality. Escape everything.

"Drea!" Someone called me from downstairs making me groan. "Come down, right now!"

What are they calling me downstairs for? Did they finally remember that they have a daughter too?

Forcing myself to stand up, I walked out of my room and down the stairs, slowly, half-heartedly.

The once empty, silent living room was buzzing with excitement as servants moved past each other swiftly. The excitement prickled my skin, a weird feeling settling in my stomach.

What happened suddenly?

One of the servants told me that my parents were waiting for me at the dining table to have dinner.

Which was once again weird because I was hardly ever invited to have dinner lunch or breakfast with them. I hardly existed for them.

Something was wrong. Swallowing my nervousness, I made my way to the dining room, my parents sitting beside each other at the table which was already laden with dishes.

I suspiciously glanced between my parents who gazed at me with neither warmth nor coldness in their eyes.

"Sit. Have dinner", father said gesturing to the chair opposite to him.

Curtly nodding, I sat down, my hands resting in my lap, my fingers fiddling with each other nervously, and my eyes lowered.

"You are supposed to eat..." I heard my mother speak as she passed me a plate filled with food.

"Thank you," I mumbled before I started to eat.

Silence descended upon us as we all focused our attention on eating. I didn't feel like eating though cause my stomach churned with nervousness, wondering what was going to happen next.

Dinner finished soon and the table was cleared away while we remained sitting.

I made an effort to get up only to sit down again when my father said, "We need to talk."

Are they once again going to tell me how much of their money is being wasted on me? I am not going to college either now. Plus this voice inside me keeps reminding me of my worthlessness...they don't need to remind me again.

"Yes?" I managed to say softly.

"I'm sure you were well aware of my company going into loss. How I was in debt."

I nodded in agreement.

"Well..." He continued. "Today I had a meeting with a CEO...I mean the former CEO of a powerful company and he made a deal with me."

"And...?" I urged him to continue because if my father gets out of his debts then maybe I can go back to college again and suddenly I was very interested in this conversation.

Father's eyes bore into mine. "And the deal is that he will convince his son, the current CEO to invest in our company if you marry his son."

"Marry his son?"

My mouth fell open. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

My mother decided to speak up in a firm tone. "You are going to get married to get that company to invest in ours."

"No." I objected promptly. "I am not getting married to some stranger. You both are selling me off."

Father's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed at me. "You will do as I say. I have already made a deal with him. You are getting married next week and that's fucking final!"

I flinched at his tone, a lump forming in my throat.

I was about to start crying once again.

"Such a crybaby." The voice inside me taunted me and I took a deep breath to force back the tears that had welled up in my eyes.

"Please." I pleaded. "Don't do this. Please. I am just twenty...I have my whole life ahead of me."

They both had cold looks on their faces, not a bit bothered by my begging.

"Drea, you are going to marry that man and make yourself a little useful for us. Besides you should be grateful someone is going to marry you and thankfully, you will be out of our lives." My mother's harsh tone hurt as she looked exasperated.

A tear threatened to escape my eye but I hastily wiped it away with the back of my palm. "But...what...what about my studies? I want to study further."

"I don't care about it anymore, okay? You want to study, ask your husband after you get married." Father silenced me.

"I can't let my husband decide whether I get to study further or not," I argued.

He slammed his fist on the table and gritted his teeth. "Take your feminism somewhere else! It won't work here!"

This time a tear rolled down my cheek, and my lips wobbled. No, they can't force me to marry a stranger.

"Their family is coming for dinner tomorrow. Dress properly and don't embarrass us." Mother ordered and before I could break down completely, I stood up and ran back upstairs to my room.

This can't be happening. They can't do that. They can't. Am I such a burden to them that they are selling me off? Am I not a bit important to them that they chose their company over me?

I can't let this happen. I have to do something.

Tears were flowing down my cheeks; I pinched the middle of my forehead where a headache was starting to form.

I don't know what to do. I can't even run away because I don't know where to go nor do I have any money.

I simply couldn't get married, my heart refused to because I was still head over heels for that man. Sorin Zaveri.

He didn't even know of my existence but still, I loved him. He already has a girlfriend but still, I love him. I am nothing in comparison to him but still, I love him and refuse to marry anyone else even though I could never get him.

Throwing myself on the bed, I cried my heart out while gazing at his picture on my phone. And my heart ached for him.

I gently brushed my finger over his smiling face, an involuntary smile gracing my lips through the tears on seeing him smile.

He is the only reason I force myself to get up every day, to not give up completely and take my own life. He is the only reason I am alive because I wake up every day thinking that at least I would get to see his face on my phone. He is the only good part of my life. He keeps me going.

I am not getting married to anyone if that person is not Sorin although I know that never in a million years could I get married to Sorin himself.

I don't even have Adrian here with me, he would have helped me. And I don't even know where he is or else I could have gone to him, asking him for help.

"Drea, you are going to marry that man and make yourself a little useful for us." My mother's words echoed in my mind causing more tears to stream down my face. "Besides you should be grateful someone is going to marry you and thankfully, you will be out of our lives."

My heart clenched tightly, it hurt, it hurt too much. I grabbed a fistful of my hair and tugged at it, my mouth opening in a silent scream.

It was too much. It hurt too much. I couldn't breathe. Everything was suffocating me.

Please, someone, save me. Please. If only there was someone who could love me.

You don't deserve anyone's love. The voice inside my head reminded me.

And I felt numb. It's right. I don't deserve anyone's love.

I don't deserve anything. I am nothing.

With those thoughts in my mind, I drifted off to sleep.