pte

na's

not like this-forced into a marriage I never wanted, to

s they applied makeup to my face. I was supposed to

wasn't as if escaping was possible. Still, I clung t

ss because of

artist announced, her

knew they wouldn't leave. They had been i

u, ma'am," the wom

e," I pleaded, locking eyes with her, silen

e relented and wal

d to the window, peering outside. I scanned for anyone-any way t

he door creaked open, and

d, his cold eyes narrowing

until my back hit the wall

arling," he said, emphasizing

s city you can hide. The whole of New York belongs t

is expression

't you the one carrying my child?

st, but he silenced me by

what you want. But don't try to escape again. Don't make me

, his breath war

see me angry, do

he had come in, he wa

't keep me waiting, darling," he said w

ars I'd been holding in spill freely. They

r want

is my

e is A

ld erase from my memory. That day haunts me because I was the cause of the accident

fake pregnancy report and told everyone I was carrying Raymon

working at a bar. I accidentally spilled a drink on him, a

even a conversation, let alon

dangerous man in the city because of my

ened, revealing the makeup artists. They gas

Without waiting for a response, they hurried over and began retouching

nt swept into the room, her dra

clutching her chest as if

aiting for me to respond, she reached for my arm and helped me up from the

my chest as I walked down the aisle, every st

heir eyes full of judgment and curiosity

cky to marry

know what she's

look happy. W

idn't want this life. But I kept my head down, clutchin

his face expressionless. He looked at me with those co

ing," he said softly, his

t was dry, and the weight of the situa

e to run, but my body was frozen. When it came time for Raymond to say his vows, his

. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health

a cruel smirk tugging at the corner of his

to speak, my voice w

. I

, but all I heard was the sound

aymond wasted no time

y side, his hand resting possessively on my lower back. Every time someone congratulated us, he would