Chapter 2 The Marriage

‘Is that how marriages were supposed to happen?’ My green eyes were blinded with pure confusion, pushing my wavy black hair behind. I laughed a little, considering it a terrible joke when I saw my reflection in the mirror. My body trembled, the black wedding dress dried my throat with horror in anticipation of what he possibly intended to do with a normal girl like me. The man known as Dimitri Boris did not see me from the perspective of a wife, rather a puppet he wanted to control, to dance around his fingers as if my strings were attached to him. He needed to use me for his selfish purpose and then throw me away, or worse, murder me. It was only a deal to be his fake wife, nothing more, nothing less. I knew that much. “So this is it huh?” And I lost against the cards of fate… Unwillingly, here I was, dressed as a bride in the immaculate room, without my consent and no choices left. A chandelier hung in the room to express his opulence and in that gigantic place which was supposed to be a farmhouse, I stood dumbfounded. …Here I was, bound to another man, in a marriage I never imagined to have in my life… ‘What should I do?’ My heartbeats were pounding madly, my body stuck in a strange storm as my fingers twirled around my expensive dress. ‘Is he going to come, should I wait? Should I change-’ The trail of my thoughts was interrupted when my phone rang and it was a black heart. My admirer… No name. No identity. Only a number saved with a black heart. The number which I was supposed to imprint on my heart and consider the person behind it my world. Now, all of it has perished. ‘Shall I attend his call? Tell him everything? Will he understand?’ At first, in fear, I didn’t pick up the call but it rang again. Scanning the room when no sign of my so-called husband’s arrival came, I cautiously picked the call to speak to my unknown admirer for the last time. “Hello?” My weak resonance came only to be greeted by his hissing. “Congratulations on your marriage, Liliana,” “You… knew?” “Of course, my love, I know everything.” He was absolutely enraged and why wouldn’t he be? After a year of our vague talks, flirting, heartfelt words over the phone and everything, here I was, being another man’s woman. “Although it would burn my chest each time to think you are bound to another man,” He chuckled dryly at first but soon it converted into a snarl, voice growing lower, huskier by each perception. “In his house,” “In his room,” “On his fucking bed,” Shutting my eyes, I whimpered, “Please, don’t say this. I had no choice,” “But my heart is hurting, Liliana, to think the bond ‘we’ were supposed to forge, someone else did,” He continued angrily, breaths becoming raspy as it was hurting me immensely, I never wanted to end our bond like this. I never fathomed it would end in such a demeanor that everything I planned for my life would scatter in an irrecoverable way. “Don’t say this, I am married now. Whatever you and I had, is ending from this moment onwards,” I whispered. Clutching the hem of my dress, voice breaking, hoping he would understand but he was infuriated, refusing to listen. “Don't do this to me, Liliana, weren't we in love? Weren't we supposed to meet? Don't you want to know who I am? My name? How do I look?” With a painful tear rolling down, I lied. “No, not anymore,” “Why?!” “I said I am married now, you have lost all rights to call me-” “Who are you talking to?” My whole being froze when a deep, dominant resonance echoed in the air, stiffening my whole being when the man with the hint of dark, scary silver eyes entered strictly. My body was incapable of reacting, glancing over my shoulder at the black-haired man in a white shirt with roughly rolled sleeves and black pants. He looked scarier in real life. I lowered the phone, cutting the call immediately. A cigarette between his fingers, ashes falling. His beard and tattoos over his forearm through his ripped muscles, forging a strong presence dried my throat. The man with a superior aura entered, his slicked hair scattered slightly, enhancing his refined features. My shoulders tense when he closed the door as the ‘clicking’ sound of the door being locked frightened me. I couldn’t reply when the sound of his footsteps approached, sending an unnerving sensation to my core. “Judging from your tone and words… an ‘ex’?” Lowering my gaze, I responded gently, painfully. “...A nobody,” “Good,” He seemed pleased with my response. Stopping before me, his hands in his pockets, completing his assertive presence as he arched an eyebrow handsomely. His eyes dangerously scanned me. Gripping the sheets, I dared to glance at the undeniably handsome man. His very existence dripped grace, hard and eye-catching features, certainly way out of my league and to think I was his bride, frightened me. My heart rate augmented when he observed me closely with a long hum, checking me out with close attention. “Hmmm,” His one hand holding the cigarette as his other hand took a strand of my hair between his fingers, caressing them. Scanning me from inch to inch in order to please his inscrutable eyes. The reek of smoke disgusted me so I held my breath back. “Same to same, these eyes, features, exactly like My Emerald except she had a mole,” Stopping, his index fingers pointed on my left jaw. “Right here,” “I will make it with makeup,” I replied softly. I didn’t know why but in his presence, my body was becoming weaker, my voice growing softer. Fear, probably. Holding my chin, a shiver went down my spine as his fingers grazed me freely. Moving his thumb tenderly over my jawline but I could feel a dark intention crawling under my skin, I could feel his viciousness when he pressed his thumb over my bottom lip, parting it. “And these hair were short,” “I-I won’t cut my hair,” “Hmm?” Taking a moment, probably to allow me to change my words. He gave me a chance to redeem myself for the next five seconds. As a failed stern attempt since I loved my hair, I shook my head in denial and when I didn’t listen, he held my jaw in a forceful grip, eradicating the gap between our faces. Gasping at the harsh yank, he was right before my face, boring his demands into my green orbs with a clenched jaw, not used to disobedience. “Do you think you are in any position to disobey me, woman?” Glaring as he pointed the cigarette at me, earning a shriek from me, afraid he might not scorch me with it. “I-I am sorry,” I whispered fretfully, trembling when his fingers gripped me harshly. “Let me make this clear tonight,” A tear sprang to my eyes, lips parting with dismal when he blended his breath with mine, making me quiver at his unshakable dominance. “I only married you for my purpose and long as you are bound to me, you ‘will’ follow every fucking world I say,” Followed by that enunciation, making my purpose transparent as he growled before pushing me back on the bed, holding his head high, uncaring of my weakened state. Clutching the sheets weakly, a tear of defeat rolling down my cheek, I was realizing that telltales were true, his eyes were emotionless, nothing mattered to that man. “Is…” A tear powerlessly rolled down, cursing my father who threw me into this baseless bond yet I dared to spare a glance at him only to find no place in those eyes. “Is this marriage, everything a joke to you?” “This is only a charade, you are here to replace Emerald, to fool the world only.” He replied heartlessly, taking a long inhale from his cigarette before blowing it on my face, probably to piss me off more. Coughing, I waved my hand, tears forming a screen to be stuck in his marriage with no escape anymore. Closing my eyes in defeat, in this very moment, I knew I held no value. I was only a pawn of the sick game he was planning. Giving me a warning stare, he spoke strictly, to ensure I would engrave those words into my mind like a reminder. “Never forget your position, don’t even think about telling anyone anything or doing that could displease me, do you understand?” Sniffling to suppress my wail collected around my throat, I nodded, breathing heavily through my nostrils to not shatter before him. He hissed, “Don't just nod, I need a verbal response,” “Y-Yes…Sir, I understand,” “Good girl.” Pleased when I gave up, left with no other choice but to carry the weight of this marriage, as if that was what he wanted- My defeat. He smirked, tracing his index finger on the side of my face that made me flinch, shutting my eyes to resist the sensation of his fingers moving across. After sucking his indulgence from my submission, he stepped back. Observing me for the last time, declaring the fate I mindlessly choose, having not a slightest fathom what dark world I was thrown into. “Welcome to my world, Liliana Boris,”