03

Ariana Jones

“Mom, please don’t do this to me. I am your daughter please at least listen to me.” I cried in front of my mom. We were sitting in my room; she came to tell me about my arranged marriage otherwise she never bother to step a foot into my room.

Were there fewer troubles in my life already that I had to go through this as well?

“You have no choice. You are not letting Andrew’s image down, he has done many things for you now it’s your turn to repay. This will save Andrew’s drowning business” mom said firmly.

“But I am not a business deal. I am your daughter, mom,” I yelled at her as I stood up from my sitting position, tears were running down my face.

“What did I do to deserve all this.” I cried harder, my legs became shaky making me fell to my knees.

“And what did I do that all that happened to me. I was forced to marry your father. I never loved him, I always despised him. He even didn’t have enough money to fulfill my demands. Then you came because I was pressurized to give your grandparents a child and that gave me another reason to hate him and I hate you too.” She yelled angrily. I flinched at her tone.

I couldn’t believe what I was listening to. We were a happy family before my father died. Right? My mother loved me, No, she’s lying to make me accept this marriage.

“No mom you… you…are lying, you used to say that you love me.” I cried.

Then she came to me and yanked me upwards harshly holding my left upper arm.

“Listen to me and listen carefully because I won’t say it again…I never loved you nor I do now and I never loved your father. You don’t know what I have been through. Now it’s your time to feel the same as what I felt when I was forced to marry your father.” She spat angrily and pushed me backward which made me stumble on my steps.

“In fact, you should be thankful to us. We are generous enough that we are not giving you to any poor person. We have found a very rich man for you. You will live like a queen there.” She said and left the room.

I ran after her crying “Mom please… please listen to me.” I cried but my cries were unheard.

I reached the living room where Mr.Smith and his daughter, Scarlet, were sitting on the couch. My mother approached them. Scarlet was painting her toenails while Mr. Smith was doing something on his phone.

“Mom please…try to understand, I can’t do this. I am not creating any trouble for you people, I just stay in my room, I have always done what you people asked me to do. But please don’t do this to me.” I cried harder in the hope that mom will understand this.

“Enough of this drama!” A voice boomed in the living room making me flinch. It was Mr.Smith, my so-called father.

“You are going to marry the man I found for you. I have done so much for you. I gave you a living, sent you to school, gave you a place to live. Now it’s your turn to pay all that back by marrying him.” He said sternly.

“But dad the man you found for her is the most handsome man; he has got money. I want to marry him. I told you that before.” My step so-called sister Scarlet said annoyingly. She has always been a brat, she got everything without even asking for it, she even got the love of my mother which I didn’t get even after asking for it.

“Oh, sweetie…that man is heartless, ruthless, and arrogant. I won’t allow my daughter to marry that kind of man. I will find you the most loving, sincere, and best man on the planet. You deserve the best… darling.”

Mr. Smith said side hugging his daughter.

My heart sank listening to him. Heartless and arrogant. No… I couldn’t handle this. I had seen enough heartless people in my life. I didn’t want more. I immediately ran back to my room because I know they would not listen to me.

I closed the room door and slumped on the floor with my back touching the door; I cried my heart out.

“Dad, please help me…I know you are watching me from up there. Please, come to me, save me from these cruel people, and this cruel world. I need you, dad… I need you.” I mumbled, sobbing.

No one here notices my tears…

No one here notices my sadness…

No one here notices my pain…

I couldn’t even run as they would find me anyway because I had tried it in the past but failed as Mr. Smith had got power, he found me within a day.

With teary eyes, I looked up at the ceiling as though looking at the sky. “Dad, help me, they are marrying me off to an unknown man. I don’t know his name, I don’t know what he looks like and I even don’t know what kind of person he is.” I cried.

Will he treat me as they did.

Will he hurt me as they did.

“Please, Dad, give me the strength to face this situation too. You have always given me strength that’s why I am still alive in the hope that one day I will find someone who will love me unconditionally and give me what I always desired of..love, respect, and care.”

Don’t I deserve love, Don’t I deserve affection and care.

I never wanted money and luxury, I just wanted to be loved, I just wanted someone to care for me too.

But for now, I just wanted to disappear.

With all those thoughts swirling in my head I closed my eyes and fell into a deep slumber.