Lily's POV
How dare he treat me like this? How dare he act as if I were the one in the wrong?
But I knew better than to voice my defiance. Instead, I forced a weak smile, my eyes trained on the floor as I waited for the photographers to begin.
He turned to face the camera, his arm snaking around my waist in a possessive grip. But as the photographers began to snap away, I could feel the coldness of his touch, the distance in his gaze.
It was like being held by a statue, a man who was only going through the motions, who didn't see me as a person but as a possession, a trophy to be displayed. And as I stood there, trying to smile through the pain and resentment that threatened to overwhelm me, could I ever be happy with this.
He studied me for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he took in my expression.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice hard as steel as he tightened his grip on my waist.
I bit my lip, my eyes fixed on the floor as I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over...I didn't want any of this. But he saw my distress, his expression softening slightly as he loosened his grip.
"You know," he said, his voice softer now, almost sympathetic. "I'm not a bad man, you know. I just want what's best for you."
I swallowed hard, the words sticking in my throat as I tried to find a response. But what could I say? That I didn't want to be his wife? That I hated him for taking away my freedom and my choice?
I shook my head, knowing that any protest would only make things worse.
"I know," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of the shutter clicking.
As the photographers continued to snap away, I could feel his eyes on me, studying me as if I were some sort of puzzle to be solved.
"We have to make this believable you know," he said, his voice low and intimate as he leaned closer to me. "So you have to permit me to do this," he wrapped his hand around my waist and pulled me closer than ever. "Hmmm?....I need an answer," he caressed my face as I felt his hot breath on my skin.
I stiffened, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn't want this, didn't want to be his plaything, his prize. But as he continued to whisper in my ear, I could feel myself beginning to falter.
"G....granted..." I didn't even know when I answered.
"Good..." He said before slowly placing his lips on mine. The sound of the cameras rang in my ear, the flash of the bulbs illuminating the room as I pulled away from him.
He stared at me, his expression shifting from unreadable to confusion as he realized that I was resisting him, that I didn't want him to touch me.
"I thought you gave me your permission....so why are you resisting?" he hissed, his voice low and dangerous although he tried to hide it.
I said nothing, my eyes fixed on the floor as I tried to keep my composure.
"Is it a must to take pictures like this?" I asked looking into his dead eyes.
"It is if we want to make it believable," he said going back to his cold inscrutable expression. I let out a loud sigh then I turned to him changing the topic,
"I need to get out of this dress...aren't we going to change our clothes for another take," I said lifting the dress so I could walk properly.
"Sure...we're going casual now...come on let's go change," he reached out for my hand motioning for me to come with him. Great when I just wanted some alone time...I don't know why but anytime I'm around him...I find it hard to breathe, especially when he's watching me.
"Are you going to keep me and all of these photographers waiting?" His words snapped me back to reality.
"Oh.....sure let's go," I took his hand as we climbed up the stairs together.
The shoot seemed to last for hours, the photographers barking orders as they adjusted their equipment, snapping picture after picture of our supposedly perfect union.
But as the time passed, I could feel myself growing more and more distant, my mind drifting to a place far away from this cold, empty room.
I thought of my dreams, my aspirations, all of the things I had given up when I was forced into this marriage. I thought of my family, my friends, the life I had been forced to leave behind. Fortunately for me it wasn't long after I got tired that the photoshoot came to an end.
"Can I go now?" I asked him being impatient.
"Yes you may go," he said...he didn't even finish his sentence and I was already mounting the stairs. I'd do anything to get that bedroom all to myself for a little while. He stayed back with the photographers to judge the pictures they had taken.
My heart raced and my breath came in short, shallow gasps as I approached my room...scratch that....our room. It was as if my entire body was on the brink of collapse. The emotional weight of the day's events had been too much to bear.
I fell upon my bed, the softness of the mattress a stark contrast to the hardness of my reality. This was not the life I had envisioned for myself, forced to marry a stranger for the sake of my sick mother. How had it come to this?
Closing my eyes, I tried to shut out the world, but it was no use.
As I lay there in the dimly lit room, a single tear traced its way down my cheek, reflecting the sadness and helplessness that I felt. Why me? Why had fate chosen to deal me such a cruel hand?
I knew the answer, of course. My mother's illness was not her fault, and I couldn't bear to see her suffer any longer. So I had agreed to this marriage, this union with a man I did not love and hardly knew, in exchange for her life-saving treatment.
But now, as I lay here alone in my room, I couldn't help but question the decision.
As the minutes ticked by, I felt my mind grow numb. What was I going to do? How was I going to face the future?
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, each one more disheartening than the last. This wasn't supposed to be my life. I was supposed to be happy, become an actress, have a family of my own one day, not trapped in a loveless marriage with a stranger.
As my thoughts began to drift off into the realm of sleep, I closed my eyes and let the little darkness consume me. The world around me faded away, replaced by a landscape of nothingness, where time stood still and all my problems seemed to disappear.
In the depths of my unconsciousness, I dreamed of a different life, a life where I was free to make my own choices, to live my life on my own terms.
With a heaviness in my heart, I opened my eyes to greet the day. The sunlight filtered through the window, but it did little to chase away the darkness that lingered within me.
I lay there for a moment, my mind swirling with thoughts of the future, and the choices I had made. I knew there was no going back now. I had committed myself to this path, and there was no turning back.
With a heavy sigh, I sat up, and swung my legs over the side of the bed. One foot in front of the other, I told myself.
Slowly, as time passed, my breathing grew steady and my body relaxed, the stress and heartache of the day fading away, if only for a little while.
As I sat there on the edge of the bed, the reality of my situation began to sink in. Something was off.
I looked down at myself, suddenly noticing that the nightgown I was wearing was unfamiliar, this was not the dress I had fallen asleep in....I didn't even take my clothes off. Confusion washed over me. How had this happened?