BOUND BY REVENGE

Forced Marriage

Anna Wesley woke up in the dark, confusion and fear engulfing her. She found herself confined in a small room, windowless and lit only by a dim, shaking lamp. A damp and unpleasant smell drifted from the worn walls. She didn't know how she came to be here, but memories of the previous night's events came rushing in, churning in her mind—something horrible, so far removed from her usual reality.

"Where is this?" she mumbled, trying to remember small details that could help her make sense of the situation. Before she could think any further, the door to the room opened with a bang and managed to startle her.

Finley Maxwell, stood in the doorway, a tall and intimidating figure known as the leader of the largest criminal organization in the city. He had a smirk on his face, but it wasn't comforting, instead, it made Anna's hair stand on end.

"Good morning, Anna," he said, his tone filled with satisfaction. "Today is our special day," Finley said with a lift of one corner of his lips.

Anna felt her heart skip a beat. "What do you want from me?" she asked, trying to sound calm despite the fear eating away at her.

"You don't need to worry. You'll find out soon enough that we're getting married," Finley replied casually as he stepped closer.

"Married?" she asked confused. "No, I won't. I don't want to and you can't force me." Anna said and could hardly believe the words.

"Oh, but you're wrong. Everything is set and the guests have already started arriving. This wedding is part of my plan and you have no choice," Finley said in a calm voice.

"What plan? Why are you doing all this?" asked Anna, trying not to show her fear.

Finley smiled sarcastically. "You seem to be very curious. Well, I'll tell you," he said, stepping closer to Anna and then lowering his head. "I want revenge on Alden, your brother. He thought he could stop me, but he didn't know who he was dealing with. You know, Alden took away the person I love the most. Now, I'm going to take something precious from him, you."

"No! Don't! What are you going to do to him?" asked Anna who was trying to control her emotions, but fear was getting the better of her.

Finley approached, looking at her sharply. "If you insist on refusing, I will not hesitate to kill Alden this instant," he threatened in a tone that emphasized cruelty.

Anna fell silent, her heart racing. She couldn't imagine losing Alden, the only family she had. "Don't! Please, don't do that!" she pleaded, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Don't do it, Finley," Anna said with her hands together.

"Don't ever call me that presumptuously! Call me sir!" snapped Finley as he pulled hard on Anna's hair.

Anna screamed as Finley's pull was quite strong. Her hand continued to hold Finley's hand, as the man pulled her back even more.

"I'm sorry, sir. Please let me go, it hurts so much," Anna pleaded with a grimace.

Finley immediately released his hand and made Anna's head move strongly to the side.

"I can do anything. You know?" he asked with a sharp gaze. "With this marriage, I will destroy Alden's only weakness. And you, Anna, are the key to that." Finley said as he stopped his steps and turned towards Anna with nothing but a smile filled with arrogance.

Anna felt frightened and desperate. She did not want to marry a cruel and dangerous man like Finley, but she could not imagine what would happen to Alden if she refused. She could only hope there was a way out of this situation.

"Does this have anything to do with Feya?" asked Anna.

Hearing that name made Finley's gaze sharpen. Without mercy, he grabbed Anna again and this time dragged her a little and then violently threw Anna's head against the wall. Making Anna feel a great deal of pain.

"If it wasn't for Alden, Feya would still be by my side right now!" snapped Finley with an angry face.

"But, didn't Alden explain everything, that he's innocent? He didn't do it," Anna retorted to the man while holding her aching head.

A hard slap landed on Anna's cheek, causing her lip to bleed. "Shut up! One more time you speak, and I'll skin you alive!" threatened Finley with bated breath.

There was no other choice but to remain silent. Anna did not want to die in vain at this moment because Finley would still harm Alden.

After a while, Finley left her and at that moment Anna was forced to rely on her mind to accept this harsh reality. She knew that fighting back would only make things worse and put Alden in danger. Seeing Finley who was ready to do anything for revenge, she could not imagine Alden in danger. And, the only way to save him was to obey Finley's orders because the only family she had left was Alden.

It wasn't long before a young woman entered, wearing a simple, but elegant black dress. Wordlessly, the woman went straight to Anna and began applying her makeup. Anna was distraught at what was about to happen. Every touch on her face was painful, but she knew that resisting would only make things worse. She didn't want to fight, she had given up.

When the woman finished applying makeup, Anna saw her reflection in the mirror. She did not recognize herself. The woman standing in front of her seemed trapped in an unfamiliar world, where hopes and dreams had been snatched away by the cruel hand of power.

Anna wore a simple white dress designed for a wedding. Every second that passed strengthened her resolve. In her heart, she promised that she would face all of this, even if she had to sacrifice everything. There was no other way, but she would not let Finley win.

As the wedding ceremony began, Anna tried to remain calm, accepting this reality for Alden's sake. She had to keep her brother safe. In her heart, she knew that she was trapped in a game she didn't want to be in, but her resignation was the only thing that could protect Alden.

When Finley appeared in front of them, wearing a white suit matching Anna's, which made him look very handsome and charming, but with an intimidating gaze. Anna's heart fluttered.

"Everything ready?" he asked in a stern voice.

Anna was speechless. She could only stare at Finley, feeling fear creep up on her. At that moment, she realized that her life was about to change forever, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She was trapped in a game she didn't want to be in and bound into a forced marriage at the age of 22 and everything if she resisted would only get more complicated.

With all the uncertainty in her heart, Anna prepared for whatever was to come, hoping there was a way to break free from Finley's grip, even though she knew it was only a faint hope.

Anna lifted her face, forced to look into Finley's eyes full of anger and hatred. After the wedding ceremony that changed her life forever, she felt as if her world was turned upside down. All her hopes and dreams were shattered in an instant, exchanged for a life of fear and threat. She tried to find strength within herself, but Finley easily gripped Anna's arm, making her feel smaller than ever.

"Congratulations, Anna," Finley said. His voice was low, but full of emphasis. "You are now officially mine. And, don't expect to fight back." He said again as he pulled Anna closer until their faces were only inches apart. His heavy breath touched Anna's skin, giving her goosebumps.

Anna felt every beat of her heart buzzing, a mixture of fear and pent-up anger. "Do you feel good about all this?" she asked in a trembling voice, trying to display courage despite her trembling heart.

Finley only smiled sarcastically. "Happy? Of course, I am. This is the first step to destroying Alden. He will feel unbearable pain, when he finds out you're here, with me," he growled, his eyes burning with deep hatred.

Tears began to well up at the corners of her eyes, but Anna quickly held them back. She didn't want to show weakness in front of the man who held her captive. "I won't let you do it," she said, trying to assert herself, even though Finley's gripped arm felt increasingly painful.

Finley growled, tightening his grip even more. "You have no choice, Anna. If you dare to resist, I will kill Alden before your eyes. Do you want me to do it?" he asked with a very frightening smirk.

Her heart was racing. She only had Alden, the only person who had always protected her. "Don't! Don't do it!" pleaded Anna in a hushed voice. "I'll do what you want, as long as Alden doesn't get hurt." She said as she raised her head.

"It's good that you understand," said Finley, who was smiling even wider. "Be obedient and all this will go smoothly. On the other hand, if you try to resist, then be prepared to hear bad news about Alden." Finley said as he released the grip of his hand, but still gave a sharp, threatening glare.

After feeling the release of the grip, Anna tried to calm down, but her heart was still pounding with fear. She knew that her life was now in the hands of a cruel man. She didn't want to cause any more trouble. However, the threat to Alden trapped her in a painful dilemma.

Anna looked around the room. The small space was full of wedding decorations, but they meant nothing to her. They were just illusions that hid the darkness behind them. She was a bride, but this wedding was more like a prison.

Finley straightened up and started walking towards the door, leaving Anna in confusion. "You can get ready for tonight. We have a lot to talk about," he said without turning around.

It was going to be a horrible night, and all her hopes of escape were dashed in an instant. Only one thing was on her mind, keeping Alden safe. She would do anything to protect her family.

When Finley walked out of the room, Anna fell into a chair, devastated. She didn't know what would happen next, but a sense of resignation began to wash over her. In her heart, this would not last long.