"Rise and shine madam."
The day of the ritual had finally arrived, and as the sun began to peek through the curtains, I slowly opened my eyes. I had been awake for hours, but I decided to stay still in bed, not yet willing to face the reality that awaited me. Everything my father had said the day before replayed in my mind, and I couldn't believe the extent of the lies and manipulation.
All the promises he had made to me, all the reassurances that everything would be alright, had been nothing but empty words. And to make matters worse, he had even threatened to kill me if I dared to call off the wedding. The man who used to love my mother and me had changed into someone I no longer recognized.
