Chapter 1

Haley

Oh! my darling daughter, there you are”, my father, Donald Wallace, called as I walked into the living room. I felt like I was walking into a trap as he sat there, all smiles with his wife,

my stepmom and a strange man. I looked around and saw that not one of my step siblings was present.

“Come in, sweetheart. Have a seat.” There was something sinister

about the way they smiled at me. Or maybe I was just

overthinking it.

I tentatively took a seat at the far end of the couch as

I looked around again, noticing how the strange man kept his gaze solely on me. I tried not to let it get to me as I returned my focus to my father and stepmother.

“Haley, darling”, my father started. “This is Logan Wesley, a business mogul and a very good friend of mine. He is here to take you in

as his wife?”

Say what now? I thought as my eyes widened. I looked up at them, thinking this was some sort of prank but they just sat there all smiles.

I turned, looking horrified at Mr. Logan Wesley, who just sat there, smirking at me. He stood up and approached me,

extending a hand out for me, prompting me to instinctively stand up and also extend an arm out to him for a shake.

He was tall, and looked imposing and irrespective of his beauty, had a kind of scary confidence around him.

“Pleasure to finally see you, Miss Wallace.” He said, looking deep in my eyes, taking my hands in his and lifted it to place a kiss on the back of my palm, the feeling irking me but I tried not to show it.

“Uhm….. It’s…. it’s ni…..” I cleared my throat. “It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Wesley.” I said as I watched him.

He smirked as he went back to his seat, directing his attention to my parents.

“I will have my lawyers revert to you about the contract. Also, I would like for us to have a simple wedding, with as little people as possible, just the immediate family. Will that be a problem?” he asked.

“No, of course not, there is absolutely no problem with that.” My stepmom said as she hugged my father, giving the illusion that they were such a happy couple.

I just sat there as they conversed within themselves about me like I was not in the room. I was still in shock as they went through the motions of making arrangements concerning the wedding. How was I

getting married to someone I don’t know?

And why was I the last to know about my supposed marriage. I kept quiet as they continued without me, not missing the

way Mr. Wesley kept taking glances at me, his eyes roaming over my body, making me feel so uncomfortable.

Soon, they were done and we all stood up. Mr. Wesley took my hand in his again, the familiar creepy feeling coming back as he lifted my hand to place a kiss on it again, his eyes holding a mischievous glint.

“It was nice meeting you, once again. I can’t wait to be married to you.” He said. I could hear my father and his wife gushing at us.

“The pleasure is mine,” I forced out.

Soon, he was out of the house and my father came back into the house, all smiles at me.

“Father, what just happened? Who is that man and why did you say that he is my future husband?” I asked as I followed him around the house to his library.

“It is just as I said, Haley. Our family is going bankrupt and Mr. Wesley has agreed to help us out on the condition that he has

your hand in marriage. And I agreed. So, get ready, you’ll be wed to him in two weeks.” He said.

“But I do not know him nor do I wish to marry him.” I cried.

“You are going to marry him and that is final.” My father said before going back to the papers on his desk.

“Please, father, you can’t do this to me. Please. I do not want to marry him, I don't even know him.” I pleaded as I walked round the desk to where my father sat.

“Please, I beg of you”. But all my pleas fell on deaf ears as he ignored me and just continued with what he was doing. My stepmother

walked in on us, her lips immediately curling in

disgust as she looked at me. I quickly walked up to her, kneeling in front of her, hoping that

she would see reason with me and consider taking my side for once.

“Please, mother, please help me talk to father. I can not marry that man. I do not know him nor wish to marry him and he has

such a creepy dark vibe that I can not place my finger on and I just am not ready for that kind of commitment and –“ my face

snapped to the

other side, the burn swiftly creeping from my cheeks to my head and registering in every other part of my body.

My stepmom had slapped me. And my father just sat there watching.

“You ungrateful little wimp. For how many years, we have kept you under our roof, clothed you and fed you, day in and day out, and not once have we demanded something from you.

We took you in when your miserable slut of a mother died and kept you from going to foster care and probably ending up as a nuisance to the society. And the one time we asked you to do something for us, you turn around and say no? Is that the thank you

we get for every single thing we have done to you all these years, huh? Is this the thank you we get? The appreciation for everything?” she screamed at me.

I could only look up at her as I felt the tears roll down my face.

“No, but –“

“But nothing, you ungrateful wench. You should be thankful that you are getting married to a successful man like Logan Wesley and not some run down nobody who will never be able to provide you with the kind of life that comes with being rich and successful.

Do you think if we hadn’t taken you in and brought you up, that you would be able to meet the likes of Logan Wesley and meet rich and influential people, huh? Do you think you will be able to afford the kind of life that we have given to you?”

she continued her screaming, I could see the veins in her face and neck popping out as she yelled at me.

“You are getting married to Logan Wesley in two weeks, you will be a good wife to him and you will make sure that he is happy and satisfied always, do you hear me?” she said as she bent down to my level.

I just kept crying as I tried to form words.

“I said, do you understand what it is that I am saying to you?” she sneered, taking a handful of my hair and yanking it backwards to make me look up at her. I cried out as I held my hair.

“Yes, ma. Yes, I understand.” I cried.

“Good girl.” She said before she stood back up, her face transforming in seconds from the mean scowl to a happy, mischievous one.

She clapped her hands, saying, “Let us begin the

arrangements, shall we?”