1| Married to an Ex-Convict
1513 Words
ARIANA MORIGAN
“What if he comes? What should I do? I feel like I want to die rather than let him touch me!”
I rubbed my body frantically while sitting in fear on the bridal bed with flowers sprinkled on it. The scent made me very nauseous and disgusted.
This afternoon, I was forced to say my wedding vows and oaths under the light of the silver moon. I felt very guilty for having deceived everyone. I felt disgusted with myself for not being able to get out of this situation.
Sylas was the only name he mentioned when he introduced himself. No surname and no pack. Sylas, the foreign man now my husband, finally took me home to his house. This is an old, uninhabitable house on the edge of the forest. No family only he lives here alone. He is truly a mysterious man.
“It shouldn’t be me who is here, but Elara Morigan, my half-sister.”
I gripped the white brocade dress I was wearing. I couldn’t control my body from shivering. I also kept shaking in fear. My eyes never left the door. If he came in...
A week ago, a man suddenly came to our family home, the Morigan family in the Fenrir pack. The man was vulgar. His clothes were shabby, his hair was tangled, and his face was covered in a rough, thick beard. However, his gaze was very lively, full of anger and hatred. He was very wild.
He made a scene. He demanded the promise my stepmother, Astrid Isolde, had given him three years ago. I don’t know what agreement they reached because he just left after talking to my stepmother for quite a long time.
After he left, Elara suddenly got angry and screamed like a crazy person. She even slammed the furniture that was near her.
“Are you crazy, Mom? I don’t want to! Just solve your problems and never involve me!” shouted Elara.
I was in the room to take care of my sick father. For a year now, my father has suddenly become paralyzed and lost his sight. Suddenly, he could only lie on the bed.
Without knocking, my stepmother immediately came in and dragged me roughly out of the room. When I tried to fight back, she pulled my hair instead.
“You better be quiet! Your father may be blind, but he’s not deaf. Do you want him to die because of hearing your screams?” she hissed.
While enduring the pain in my head, I followed her orders.
“Come with me! There’s something I want to talk to you about,” my stepmother said sharply. She briefly glanced at my father, who was lying on the bed.
We both went down to the living room. Elara was already there, looking like she couldn’t control her emotions. Several of my father’s porcelain collections were broken and scattered on the floor. I didn’t know what had happened.
Mother pushed my shoulder to sit on the sofa but just walked back and forth in front of me. Meanwhile, Elara sat across from me, grumbling.
“You have to get married tomorrow!” my stepmother shouted with her eyes glaring and her hands pointing right at me.
“W-what?”
I was confused and surprised. I was sure I didn’t hear anything wrong, but maybe my mother pointed at me wrongly.
“Your future husband has just been released from prison. He came here to demand the promise I made to him three years ago. I promised to marry him to my daughter. And you are my daughter!” she said in an emphatic tone.
“Impossible!” I denied.
I didn’t know anything, and suddenly, I was told to marry a man I didn’t know. He was even an ex-convict. How unfair life was for a stepdaughter like me.
“Don’t deny it!” my mother replied with glaring eyes full of threat.
“But, Mom, that man didn’t come here to look for me. He was looking for Elara!” I pointed at my stepsister, who was still silent on the sofa with a bright red face. “Isn’t Elara your daughter? You never even thought of me as a child. Elara is just your daughter.”
“Are you crazy?” Elara shouted. “Do you think I want to marry an ex-convict I don’t even know? Don’t even dream! He’s more suitable for you. You’re both trash!”
My heart was pounding, and my body was shivering even harder. Anger took over every inch of my body, but not a single word could come from my lips. This kind of thing kept happening to me. Since I was little, I was never allowed to express my opinion, let alone argue. They only asked me to continue to obey whatever they ordered.
My stepmother was still pacing back and forth frantically while massaging her temples. “Your sister is right. She can’t marry that man. You have to replace her!”
I started to cry. “Why should I, Mom? You can refuse him, can’t you? You don’t have to accept that man’s proposal.”
“No way!” my mother interrupted quickly. “He’s very dangerous! He could threaten the Morigan family's safety and ruin the Fenrir pack's image. You have to obey my orders and marry him!”
“But, Mom...” I said, still trying to refuse even though I was scared.
“Don’t argue!” my mother said while strangling my neck. I was so short of breath. She whispered something into my ear, “If you don’t obey my orders, I’ll throw your useless father out onto the street!”
Mother released her grip on me. I immediately knelt before her feet while begging. “No, I beg you, not Dad! Give him proper treatment here. He’s the only one I have right now. Dad must have surgery immediately. If not—”
I cried uncontrollably. Mother even kicked my stomach until I fell down.
“Then obey my orders!” she shouted. “Go to that man’s house tomorrow and marry him! I’ll give you a proper dowry with the cost of your father’s treatment. And tell your future husband that you are Elara. Remember you have to pretend to be Elara Morigan!”
***
ALDERON FEROX
I stood under the shower and let the cold water wet my body. It didn’t matter that it was almost winter now; cold water could clear my tangled mind.
Everything happened against my will, and this is not what I want. But everything has already happened. I must continue to move forward and complete my mission.
I turned off the water tap and grabbed a towel. “I’ve been hiding in the bathroom for too long. She will definitely be suspicious of me.”
I wrapped the towel around my waist and left the bathroom. She was waiting for me in the bridal bed that I had prepared.
When I opened the door, I saw her sitting scared, like an innocent girl. But I know that’s just a mask she’s trying to put on in front of me. I’ll make her show her true face and confess all her evil deeds to Sylas.
I approached and pushed her onto the bed with my hair still half wet. She didn’t even fight back.
Water dripped from the ends of my hair, and I accidentally wet her cheeks. I stroked her cheek. She immediately pushed my hand away and tried to walk away. I grabbed her hand and pressed her against my wet body.
I wanted to see her reaction. I lowered my face and was about to give her a kiss. Before that happened, she rolled over to the side and pushed my chest as hard as she could.
“I’m sorry, I have to take a shower, too!” she said in a scared voice, then ran into the bathroom.
I sat on the bed and grinned at the door that had just closed.
“This has just started and she’s already scared? Just watch, I’ll definitely make you suffer more.”
She stuck her head out from behind the bathroom door a few seconds later. And I was still in my position watching her.
“Do you need anything? Don’t you know how to take a shower? I can help you if you want…”
She became flustered. “No need!” she said curtly. “I can take a shower myself. I just forgot to bring a towel.”
I got up and grabbed a clean towel. I held it out to her.
When she was about to grab it, I stopped her. “You can just go out without wearing a towel. It would be more interesting!” I grinned.
She was annoyed and pulled the towel away forcefully.
Then I said to her, “Don’t take too long! Don’t try to escape. I can get you even if you run into a rat hole.”
- Writer
