For some reason, Euphemia remembered the time she was introduced to Hiro Matsuya, her ex-fiancé.
It was a hot summer afternoon. The sun was too bright that day. There was nothing to smile about at that time but her parents were smiling from ear to ear. That was a bad sign.
She had just turned eighteen. She was thin during her childhood. One would have no appetite to eat anyway with hawk-like parents who seemed to have no notion of how to praise a child. Yuzan was gone when she was nine years old. He was the one who always urged her to eat, sneaking in forbidden snacks for her. When he left, she only ate just to stop the hunger. She ate as little as possible, like a tiny bird longing to be light enough for the wind to carry away.
During her teenage years, despite her small appetite her body started to get some curves. Not much to look at but not that bony anymore like a walking corpse. Her parents were pleased. They thought she was starting to be conscious of her looks but they were wrong. It was just nature taking its course, molding her into the kind of beauty she was supposed to become.
Her parents had a young man beside them. He was all smiles, like an actor selling overpriced products in the shopping channel. His eyes seemed to be admiring her. She shivered despite the heat.
"Mia, this is Hiro Matsuya. He's the son of the president of Matsuya Corporations," her father said to her.
"Hello," Mia said, wanting to get it over with already.
She wanted to rip off the lacy ruffled dress she was ordered to wear and and put on her comfy pink pajamas in her air-conditioned room.
Her mother frowned. "Mia, greet him properly."
"Good afternoon, Matsuya-san. It is nice to meet you," Mia said with a slight bow.
The young man grinned. He was good-looking but he wasn't her type. Her type was the handsome villain type like the main character of her favorite anime. This Matsuya guy made her think of a polished vase - clean, expensive, and for decorative purposes only.
"Good afternoon, Mia-chan. It's nice to meet you too. You can call me Hiro," he said.
Mia frowned. They had just met and he wanted to be on first name basis already. It looked like her suspicions were right. This guy might be the one her parents finally picked for her. Curses.
"Can I go now?" Mia asked her parents.
"Mia, dear, show him around the garden, will you?" Her father asked but he was not really asking her. He was ordering her.
"Right this way, Matsuya-san," Mia said, purposely ignoring his request to call him by his first name.
The Hajime family's garden was featured several times in magazines because of its grandeur. It was landscaped by a team of famous architects and it took almost two years to complete it. It had a maze, almost a hundred different kinds of flowers, and trees that should not even be in their country.
The garden had several gazebos and Mia planned to take him there. She didn't want to tour him inside the maze. She did not want to impress him at all.
They walked silently. She thought he would just follow her from behind but he matched her stride and walked by her side instead.
They soon reached the gazebo. Mia sat on the bench inside and Hiro did the same.
"Mia-chan, have I done something to offend you?" Hiro said.
Mia frowned. Maybe she was too harsh at him. "No, it's just to hot to walk around the garden."
"Mia-chan, I know we just met but I do want us to be close. Can we be friends?" Hiro asked.
"You don't have to force yourself," Mia said.
"I'm not sure if your parents already told you. Our parents have decided for us to be married," Hiro said.
She knew it. She knew that was her parent's plan. They've been looking for a marriage candidate for her ever since she was born and this was their ultimate choice.
"And you? What have you decided?" Mia challenged.
He smiled at her gently. "I have decided to be your best decision ever."
"I don't understand."
"Well, it is still your decision to marry me, of course. You might just run off somewhere instead and this will never happen. If you do decide to go through this with me, you will not regret it," Hiro said.
Mia was not sure if it was the summer heat or his surprising words that made her dizzy.
"Why are you doing this? You can choose a different girl. I'm sure you have lots of options besides me," Mia said.
"The moment I first saw you, I had a strong feeling that we'll get along well. You're really pretty and who am I to turn away from a pretty girl?" Hiro said.
Mia blushed. She wasn't used to compliments. It had been years since she had received a compliment. Yuzan was the only one who gave her compliments and those didn't count because he was biased.
"If you'll have me," Mia said.
"I'll have you. Trust me. I'll treat you how you deserve to be treated," Hiro said.
After that day, their parents arranged the two of them to meet again and again. They went on lots of dates and Mia found herself enjoying herself and maybe, even falling for him.
A year later, Mia's parents asked her if she was ready for their engagement to be formalized. Mia agreed, of course. Contracts were made. Assets to be shared and businesses to be merged.
Hiro asked for her to come to his mansion the next day. Mia was excited. He must have heard about it already. They were officially engaged!
She wore a cute pink dress with strawberry embellishments. She also wore pink heels with pink fur on the straps. She was in a good mood. Maybe Hiro planned a romantic dinner for them in his mansion!
Mia was brought to Hiro's mansion with her family car. She was surprised when a butler opened the door for her. Usually, Hiro would open the door and he would greet her with such enthusiasm. Maybe he was busy.
She was escorted to a waiting room. It had a couch for guests, a huge flat screen television, and refreshments on the table. But there was no Hiro Matsuya.
She waited for a while and she was starting to be tempted to eat the refreshments when the door opened and Hiro finally arrived.
"Hiro!" Mia squealed and got up to hug him.
She put her arms around him and leaned on his chest. Strange. Hiro did not hug her back. He took her by the wrist and led her back to the couch. They sat silently. He had a strange expression on his face.
"Hiro? Is there something wrong?" Mia asked worriedly.
"Are you sure it has been formalized already?" Hiro asked.
"The engagement, you mean? Yes, I saw the contracts. Our family businesses have merged already," Mia said.
"Finally," Hiro said and smiled but it wasn't the usual smile Mia had gotten used to.
"Hiro, you can let go now," Mia said. His grip on her wrist had tightened.
"Your dress it doesn't suit you," Hiro said.
"What?" Mia was confused.
"It looks cheap and you look like a kid," Hiro said with a sneer.
Mia frowned. "It's not expensive but I like the design."
"You should take care of your image so you won't embarrass me," Hiro said, his grip on her tightening.
"Hiro! My wrist! Ouch! Let go of me!"
"You are not to order me around. You should respect me and obey me as you are to be my wife."
"Stop it! Let go of me! It hurts!"
Mia tried to shove him with her other hand but he caught it. He pushed her down on the couch, pressing his weight on top of her.
"Why are you doing this?! Hiro, get off!"
"Mia, dear. Don't you understand yet? You're mine now," Hiro whispered to her ear, his breath on her skin made her shiver.
"No! I don't want to be married to you!" Mia screamed.
He pinned her arms above her head with his arm. His other hand went to her waist.
"You will not break off the engagement. You will just make problems to our families for cancelling it. In fact, I'm sure no one will agree to cancel it. It's a good business venture. You will stay quiet and be my obedient wife. If you tell anyone about this, I'm sure no one will believe you. Hiro Matsuya is such a nice young man, after all," Hiro said with a sadistic smile.
Mia knew he was right. Her parents really wanted their families to be merged. They would bring in so much money to the business. She had a feeling that even if she tried to tell them about the true Hiro, they would reprimand her for being inconsiderate of the family business.
"Hiro, please, just let me go. I won't tell anyone," Mia pleaded.
"I want you to promise not to tell anyone and you will still be my bride," Hiro said.
"Why? Why are you doing this? Why are you being so mean? You were so nice before!" Mia said.
He raised an eyebrow. "It's tiring to be nice all the time. You should be honored that you're the only one who knows the real me. Now, promise!"
"No!" Mia screamed.
Hiro sighed. "This is your fault, okay? You should have just agreed when I asked nicely. Now, I have to train you."
His thumb pressed on the softness of her waist. He pressed hard. His thumb sinking on her flesh.
She screamed.
He made her promise again. She refused and his fist pounded on her stomach.
She couldn't even scream.
It continued for hours. Her mind tried to escape from reality but he would not even let her drift off to consciousness. He would wake her up with extreme pain in a different part of her body. Days later, the bruises would form on her skin like wild flowers.
"Hiro, please stop. I promise," Mia said. Her voice was hoarse from her screaming for hours.
He looked at her silently for a while, assessing if he had finally broken her. He had.
"Good," he said, looking satisfied, as if he had just finished a good workout.
"Your parents have been advised that you have decided to stay here for three weeks. They've agreed already. A maid will clean you up," Hiro said and left the room.
Mia closed her eyes. Rest. Finally. Why did she even try to fight back? She had always been the obedient child of her parents. She just needed to be the obedient wife this time.
A tear escaped her eye. It hurt. Her body hurt but the betrayal was more painful. She really believed that Hiro actually liked her. She thought that he was truly being nice to her. That someone finally arrived who was willing to accept her and become her partner.
She was wrong.
A doctor tended to her. He was obviously paid off to keep his mouth shut so Mia did not even try to ask for help from him. He did not even ask her how she got hurt.
Hiro bought new clothes for her that could fill up a wardrobe. They were extravagant - shiny and flashy. She felt like an expensive artwork to be shown off. She noticed that the clothes covered her bruises well. No one would know. They would just see her pretty face and gorgeous sparkling dress. No one would see the pain hiding beneath the sparkles.
*
*
*
Years passed and it did not get better. Hiro was bound to get fits from time to time. He openly flirted with different women in front of her. She did not mind the flirting. She hoped that he would fall for someone else already and let go of her.
He did fall for someone else. She was an actress with a scandalous reputation. To Mia's dismay, Hiro could not marry the actress. Their families were against it so Hiro vented off his anger to Mia.
Mia always tried her hardest not to make Hiro angry. She was always quiet and obedient. She would wear whatever dress Hiro would pick for her. She started to forget what her preferences were. Her mind only remembered his preferences.
Perhaps his last resort was to kill her off before they were married. Perhaps it was his last act of kindness to her. She would rather die than be trapped in marriage with him. Her only regret was that she trusted him.
*
*
*
"Lucien, please, no," Euphemia said.
Lucien turned his head to look at her. His eyes seemed not to see her. He looked so distant.
"I am breaking off our engagement, Lady Euphemia. I will finish the documents as soon as possible to nullify our contract. You are no longer my fiancée."
Euphemia felt that he was throwing her away. Betrayal. Again. But why?
"Lucien, why? Please don't do this. We're friends, aren't we?" Euphemia cried.
"Guards, take the Holy Saintess to her room," The Queen said.
Two guards proceeded to drag Euphemia by her arms.
"Lucien!" Euphemia screamed.
He did not even look at her.