After a tiresome journey, we reached his home. My heart began to beat so fast as if it could leap out of my rib cage.
‘Am I going to be all alone?’ My breath became heavy from this unwanted thought.
It seems like it's his house, looks like his parents live somewhere else. I am going to be all alone.
'No one is like you.' My mind scoffed.
I stood beside him. The helpers of the house greeted us as I passed them a feeble smile. He gripped my arms as I let out a whimper.
"Move her stuff to the room in front of mine." He ordered which shocked everyone but I am so pleased about it. At least I don't have to share a room with him.
But, I will be all alone then.
"What are you looking at? Go!" he said angrily.
They all bowed a little and walked away. His grip on my arm was harsh as I said, "Leave me."
He ignored me as we stood there in the empty hall. I scoffed and turned my head away.
After a few moments, a maid came and said 'it's all done.'
“Let me go…” His grip tightened which caused me to let out a squeak.
“Shut up.” He began to drag me away. We climbed the stairs as he opened the door which leads to a hallway.
He then turned left and there were two rooms.
"Right one is mine and the left one is yours." He said nonchalantly and dragged me to his room.
My eyes widened when I saw the room embellished with rose petals and other flowers as the room was lit with candles.
“Contemplate this room, Rebecca.” My heart felt heavy when I saw it, he must have loved Marianne a lot. I felt so ashamed and most importantly depraved.
“All according to her liking, right?”
He pushed me inside and closed the door and the 'clicking' sound of the door being locked filled me with anxiety.
He wouldn't do anything, would he? He hates me, why would he even try to touch me?
“Observe this room and realize what you have done.” He began to say.
“I..” I wanted to apologize for stealing his hopes but can it help?
He ran his hand through his raven locks in frustration. He turned his head away and in a split second his rage burst out from him startling me in dread.
“Can’t you see what you have done!?” I gasped, taking a step back when he raised his voice.
He glared at me filled with extensive fury and began to yell at me,
"When you knew that I love Marianne, how could you do this to me?! You knew this all along, didn't you?! How could you, Rebecca?! Why!?"
My breath hitched as I wrapped my arms around my waist and turned my head away.
“Why did you take her place!?”
He walked closer and held my jaws, making me look at him forcefully. A tear pricked in the corner of my eye inducing grief but I resisted my urge to sob.
"Look at me and answer." He scowled.
“Look into my fucking eyes, witness the damage you have dealt.” He hissed.
Forcing me to witness his despair.
I looked at him for a second and narrowed my eyes.
I am sorry. A tear rolled down as I hissed,
"Marianne never loved you. She never wanted to marry you. You are a contempt of her life."
My sentence only evoked repulsion, he narrowed his eyes, leaning closer to my face, hissing back.
"She could have said no to the marriage instead of pulling this cheap trick. There were many options, she could have talked to me. I was willing to listen."
"She was left with no choice.. " I said, averting my gaze.
I wonder if I told him everything, would he understand?
He pushed me away and began to pace around the room.
“What powerlessness huh? What forced her to send you in her stead?” He asked, losing his breath, his mind.
I wiped my tears, with my heart thumping loudly, feeling compassion for him.
“What was it, Rebecca? Tell me, justify her low and disgusting act.” He asked. He was barely holding his posture, he was broken beyond repair.
After a minute of silence he stood in front of me as a tear fell from his eyes and he began to say sadly,
"If any of you talked to me I could have thought of a way. She is the woman I loved deeply, I could have listened to her and helped her.” His voice went low, softer.
“Do you honestly think my heart could ever accept you? Can you do it? Why did you agree to destroy both of our lives?” His voice is filled with desperation and sorrow.
The intensity of his wrath settled for a bare heartbeat, making valid points which I left unanswered.
"You cannot give her what she desires." I said sadly, biting my bottom lip, impotent to face his sorrow.
"What does she desire?" He asked, knitting his brows together.
"Liberation from love. Can you stop loving her, no. She can't." I reason, forcing to bear his anguish.
“And you deceived me for this…?” He smiled painfully for a moment, tears glistening in his eyes, turning his head away for a second.
And his rage struck him again.
"All of you betrayed me! I hate you! ALL OF YOU! I FUCKING HATE YOU FOR DOING THIS TO ME!"
"I DON'T LOVE YOU TOO.” I yelled back.
I was not dying to make him my partner, I had to hide my stupid sister’s scars or else I would have run away with my Jayden.
“And I don’t care about you. I did it for Marianne. So stop acting as if you are the only victim here.” I scowled, folding my arms, weary for his constant yelling.
But, he knows nothing after all.
His eyes widened as he wiped his tears and narrowed his eyes, taking a step closer.
Flickering immense resentment towards me but smirked, ridiculing me.
"Oh, then tell me what you sacrificed, my dearest wife?" He asked derisively.
My life.
I chose to remain silent and turned my head away.
“It doesn’t matter.” I muttered but he yanked me to him as my body was pressed against his.
A shiver went down my spine when his hand held my back, restricting my movements while his other hand gripped my hairs as he moved his face dangerously close to mine.
“No, No.” His hot breath tingles on my skin as my hairs stand on their edge in fright.
I began to pant as he hissed, "Tell me, huh?"
"Get away." I said trying to get out of his iron grip but to no avail.
“No. You knew, right? You knew it from the damn start what she planned.” He pressed his body against mine leaving me at the verge of crying filled with distress and aversion.
“I said, get away.” I hissed, Heat emerging from his body caused me to convulse.
He brushed his lips against mine, I tried to move but his grip on my hairs didn't let me.
“I bet you must be laughing at my back. At my misery.” He growled, brushing his lips over mind.
I pressed my lips against themselves sealing them. He was filled with mock and amusement to see my condition.
“Stop, Mr Knight.” I said, turning my head away in disgust.
"Why would I, sweetheart? Aren't you a victim too?" He taunted me in a whisper.
I shut my eyes tightly as he continued.
"Then you should also play your part of being a victim. Suffer like I will each time I see you.” He hissed, locking me in place.
“And besides... " He moved to my neck and finished his sentence with a husky voice,
"It's our wedding night." He spoke the words I was fearing to hear.
‘Wasn't taking my first kiss enough for you?’
“I have all the rights now.” I put my hands on his shoulder and tried to get away but to no avail.
“You can’t-” My hands and feet turned cold due to fear building inside me. I sniveled, feeling unnerving tribulations.
“Shh…” I shivered ferociously when he kissed me vigorously, cutting me off, I didn't open my mouth and tried to push him away but he didn't even flinch.
Feeling utterly powerless before the ambience before me, my affectation broke leaving me at his mercy.
He overwhelmed me. I lost, holding his collar as support.
The kiss was rough, and held no emotions. A sob escaped my lips because of the lack of oxygen. “Please…”
But this didn't stop him as he slid his tongue in my mouth, deepening the kiss. I began to cry but his grip was fiery.
Somehow some courage was bestowed upon me as I pushed him away. I wiped my lips in disgust and began to plead before he makes any irredeemable mistake.
"Please.. I beg you... Don't be an animal."
His eyes widened in appall when he heard it.
“Please, stop. Please.”
In that moment, the sound of my cries filled the room as he stood there absolutely stunned.
A havoc stormed in his mind, he felt embarrassed by his act. A look of remorse flashed in his eyes but was concealed by those thick clouds of wrath and grief.
After a devilishly long minute, he took a step back, turned away and left the room, leaving me all alone in my destruction...