Lily wondered how many times he had done this before, and how many women he had tricked into signing this same contract.
She felt a pit in her stomach, and she knew she had made a terrible mistake. But it was too late to turn back now.
"Come on, Lily," he said, his voice hard. "We don't have time to waste. Let's get going."
Lily hesitated, but she knew she had no choice. She got into the car, and they drove out of the hospital in silence. She felt numb and afraid, and she wondered what she had gotten herself into.
As they drove away from the hospital, Lily felt a wave of relief. But it was quickly replaced by a wave of guilt. She had abandoned her mother, and she felt ashamed. But at the same time, she felt relieved to be away from Chris. He was cold and calculating, and she didn't trust him.
She looked out the window, watching the passing scenery. She felt lost and alone, and she had no idea what to do next. All she knew was that she had to get away from Chris.
"Please, Chris," Lily said, her voice trembling. "I don't want to do this. I don't want to get married. Please let me go."
"I'm afraid that's not an option," Chris said, his tone cold and unfeeling. "You signed the contract, and now you have to follow through on your end of the bargain."
Lily felt a wave of panic wash over her. She knew she had made a terrible mistake, but she didn't know how to fix it. She felt trapped, like a prisoner in her own life.
What should she do? Should she fight him.
When they arrived at the wedding boutique, lily refused to get down from the car.
"I'm not getting out of this car," Lily said, her voice strong and determined. "I'm not doing this. I don't care what you say or do, I'm not getting married to you."
Chris sighed, clearly frustrated. "Lily, you have to understand that you don't have a choice," he said, his voice growing impatient. "I've already made all the arrangements, and there's no going back now. I need you to cooperate."
Lily shook her head, her heart pounding in her chest. "No," she said, her voice shaky but resolute.
"Alright, fine," Chris said, his voice calm but firm. "I'll make you a deal. If you come into the boutique and try on the dresses, I'll let you go home. But if you don't, I'll have no choice but to take more drastic measures."
Lily's stomach dropped at his words. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice trembling. "What do you mean by 'drastic measures'?"
"Let's just say that it's in your best interest to cooperate," Chris said, his tone ominous..
Lily's legs felt like lead as she walked through the door of the boutique. She was led to a dressing room, and she was given a selection of gowns to try on. She could feel Chris' eyes on her, watching her every move. She felt like a prisoner, trapped and unable to escape.
She tried on the first dress, a satin ball gown that was far too extravagant for her taste. As she looked in the mirror, she felt like a stranger staring back at her. This wasn't the life she wanted, and she didn't know how to get out of it.
"Next", he ordered.
As the next dress was brought out, Lily felt a sense of dread wash over her. She knew what kind of dress it was going to be, and she didn't want to wear it. But she had no choice. As she put it on, she felt like a doll being dressed up for a child's play.
She turned to face the mirror, and her heart sank as she saw her reflection. The dress was skintight, revealing every curve of her body. She looked like a piece of meat, ready to be consumed. She felt disgusted and ashamed, but she knew there was no way out.
As he looked at her, Lily saw something in his eyes that made her even more afraid. It was a look of hunger, a look that made her feel like a piece of meat. She wanted to run, to get away from him, but she knew that it was impossible. She was trapped, like a fly in a spider's web.
"What do you think?" Chris asked, his voice full of smug satisfaction. "Do you think it looks good?"
Lily swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. "I - I -" she stammered, her voice shaking. She couldn't finish her sentence
"It's okay, you don't have to say anything," Chris said, his tone soothing but insincere. "You don't have to like it. I just want you to know that you look beautiful."
But Lily knew that he was just playing a game, that he didn't care about her at all. She felt a sense of panic rising within her, like a caged animal ready to lash out. But she knew that she had to stay calm, to think of a way out of this situation. She couldn't let herself give in to her fear.
He ordered for the dress to be taken off and another to be brought. Deep within him, he was jealous that other men would have eyes for her.
As the ball gown was brought out, Lily felt a small glimmer of hope. Maybe this would be the end of the ordeal, she thought. But as she put the dress on, she realized that it was just the beginning. It was a beautiful gown, but it was far too fancy for the situation. She looked like a princess, not a real person.
"What do you think?" Chris asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Don't you look amazing?"
Lily just stared at him, her heart sinking. She felt like a doll, a plaything for this man's amusement. The dress was packaged and he paid for it.