e in here forever. "Elena?" came the voice of my father. This made me frown. He hardly

ead of ou

aightening myself out as a lady should. He then ope

e to dab my eyes with. Did he honestly expec

wish for you to go through with this marriage." he starts abruptly, causing

th everyone downstairs that I should go along with th

h the whole thing. Eliana has shamed us with her actions, so we would need to ma

prefer to marry me off in my sister's pl

ly, "I wanted to study law and got accepted without the Wilshire name's sway." I was so proud of this when I had r

when I returned from Harvard, now we would not be. Instead, I would h

ng right now, love. But perhaps we can ask them for an ext

sion for

ather?" I ask him, not quite

Dumont, stay married for at least 5 years th

s what the light at the

ew this was nothing, but a cleverly disguised bribe, but m

s, poppet. I promise. After 5 years, you will be f

stuck. I loved Nicholas; He was the love of my life and my be

to be married to, but if this meant my freedom

od, "Okay, I will do it. I'll marry Sebastian

door, "I will inform everyone downstairs. Join us for a nightc

my lap. Did I really just agree to marry

ize my cell phone is ringing. I pick it up and chec

s Nic

ll. There was no reason I had to ignore him, as

, lo

ather had me sitting in on meetings with him," A

Harvard today." My letter, it seems like so long ago that I received it and

asks me, and I feel tears running down my cheeks again. I sniff and shake my head to get my beari

think I am. My life is in

er anymore. I will not be attending Harvard either. I am so sorry, my

ble to wipe my tears and blow my nose. T

ix my makeup. I had better get used to looking my best in public,

➳

left of the wretched dinner party. The Dumonts, save for Sebastian, were stil

raws me in for an embrace. "I always wanted you to be the one to marry Sebastian, no offence,

s I may have misjudged Mira

other-in-law. What the heck

will be more than family soon,"

ppier about this un

t this wrong and prevent a scandal." I proclaim, to the delight o

in a blur, and the next thing

first day of the res