"The Thorne family sent a marriage proposal for your hand, darling!"
"Congratulations! You're finally getting married in ten days time!"
***
Evonne Hamilton's fingers tightened around the edge of the hem of her skirt. The words from her parents hung in the air like a noose around her neck.
Married. Ten days. At twenty-five.
She bit her lips, struggling to process the shocking news she had just received from her parents.
Marriage had never been on her radar—not until she was at least thirty, and even then, only if she wanted it.
But now, this… this sudden change of plans felt like a betrayal. They hadn't even consulted her!
"It's nothing big, Evonne." Her mother's voice was breezy, as if she were discussing the weather rather than her daughter's future.
Evonne swallowed hard, trying to keep the rising anger at bay. She glanced up at her mother, Alana Darwin, who was busily adjusting her pearl necklace, not noticing the tension in her daughter's frame.
"Nothing big?" Evonne felt stiff. "You think it's 'nothing big' that you accepted a marriage proposal without consulting me? The 'supposed bride'?"
If she didn't know any better, Evonne would have long insisted on a D.N.A test! However…
"Oh, my precious child!" Alana chirped, turning to her with a wide smile. "We look so much alike. It's no wonder the old woman of the Thorne family took a liking to you. She knows you're perfect for her son!"
Evonne's gaze darted to her mother's eyes, searching for a hint of jest, but found none. The grin on her mother's face was genuine, almost disturbingly so. Evonne bit back the retort that threatened to escape her lips, willing herself to stay calm. Or all of hell would be let loose.
Her mother continued, oblivious. "Getting married into the Thorne family…" Alana's voice trailed off into a delighted sigh. "It's perfect! Just think of how it would elevate our family!"
Evonne let out a soft, humorless chuckle. "So, you're giving me away… for status?"
"Not just that, darling," her stepfather, Daniel Hamilton, finally spoke up, his deep voice cutting through the room. He had been sitting quietly, watching the exchange like a spectator.
Evonne turned to him, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"Then what? What is this about?" A tear slipped down her cheek, but she didn't bother to wipe it away. "Tell me, because I'm starting to think I'm just a pawn in your game."
Daniel's smile was meant to be comforting, but at the moment, it felt more like a mask to Evonne. He reached out, his hand brushing over her hair. "Sugarplum, the Thorne family is one of the most prestigious in Pacific City. The third richest, actually. Marrying into such a powerful family would be… heavenly."
Evonne stiffened at the word.
Heavenly. For whom?
Certainly not for her.
Alana's grin widened, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "And Mr. Lucas Thorne has promised to treat you well and love you unconditionally. What more could you ask for?"
Lucas Thorne.
Evonne's heart skipped a beat. She knew that name all too well. The bile rose in her throat, and she quickly covered her mouth, suppressing the nausea.
Lucas Thorne, the forty-one-year-old son of the Thorne family—a man notorious for being his mother's shadow, clinging to her side like a lost child. He had a reputation that made Evonne's skin crawl. Numerous allegations of sexual harassment surrounded him, whispered in hushed tones, but no one dared to speak out against the Thorne family's influence.And now, her parents expected her to marry him.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Evonne's voice cracked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You want to sell me off to Lucas Thorne? Are you serious?"
Her parents exchanged a glance, Alana stepping forward, her expression softening as if she were comforting a child.
"This is for your own good, darling. Trust me. Mummy would never put you in harm's way. Lucas is a good man if you get to know him."
Evonne's breath caught in her throat. How could her mother, the woman who had raised her, be so blind? So cruel?
"How can you say that?" Evonne's voice trembled with the crushing weight of her disappointment. She turned to Daniel, searching his face for any sign of the man she once believed had her best interests at heart. "And you, Dad? I thought you were on my side. How can you be so heartless?"
Fourteen years ago, her father had suddenly disappeared without a trace. It had taken a toll on her and her mother's mental health. Especially her mother.
So, one year later, when her mother finally broke the news of her remarriage, Evonne had been very happy for the woman. As for her, she didn't have a say in the whole thing and just learnt to live with it.
Daniel stood up, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Listen to me, Evonne. This is all for your sake."
Evonne recoiled from his outstretched hand, her body stiffening. "For my sake? This is for my sake?" She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Mum, you think I'm overreacting?"
She could see it now—their sudden kindness, the extra attention they had showered on her in recent weeks. It all made sense, like pieces of a puzzle finally snapping into place.
Her gaze hardened as she straightened her back, her voice cold as ice. "I'm only going to say this once. I will not—read my lips—will not, cannot, and shall not marry Lucas Thorne. And that is final."
Her parents gasped in unison, their shock clear as day.
"You do not have a say in this, young lady!" Daniel's calm demeanor shattered, revealing the anger that had been stirring beneath the surface.
"You will marry Lucas, and that is not debatable!"
"Never!"
"Then it will be over my dead body!" Daniel bellowed.
"Well, prepare to die because I will never marry that excuse of a man!" Evonne retorted and stormed out of the house, letting the door close with a loud bang behind her.