Maeve stood on her balcony, the cool evening breeze a fleeting respite from the suffocating dinner party. The city lights twinkled below, a stark contrast to the darkness gathering within her. She was lost in her thoughts, unable to hear when her door creaked open without warning.
"Pleasant evening," Maeve jumped, her heart reaching her mouth. She let out a sharp shriek in surprise. Edward Brighton sauntered into her bedroom, closing the doors behind him. His presence was as unwelcome as the stifling air. Maeve's heart sank, the feeling of dread within her.
"What the hell are you doing in my room?" she demanded, her tone icy. "The guest rooms are on the lower floors, you have no business in this part of the house."
He chuckled, his eyes roving over her. "I thought you would like to get acquainted since our engagement has been agreed to."
Maeve's skin crawled, shivers running down her spine. His words spoke of entitlement. She was an object of her desire. Something he wanted to satisfy a fleeting pleasure. As he approached her where she stood on the balcony. She gave more distance between them until she was backed into the edge. The stench of alcohol wafted up, a noxious cloud clinging to him like a shroud. His breath reeked of cheap liquor and stale cigarettes.
"Come closer, let's get acquainted," Edward slurred, his arms outstretched. Maeve recoiled, repulsed. If their entanglement was to be seen and made public. It would only make things more difficult for her to end.
She attempted to push him away, but Edward grasped her waist, pulling her close. His cold and wet lips brushed against her ear. "You're a f**king beauty, I couldn't take my eyes off you throughout the dinner."
Maeve had heard a lot from his affair to know he was nothing but a jerk and a scumbag. The man they chose to be a fiancé was drunken-waste, who was on the tabloids constantly due to the many women trying to snag his wealth.
It was a mystery how many children he had fathered from mingling with different women at various casinos. Her scowl deepened.
"You disgust me," she spat at his face to repel him. He wanted to kiss her with how close his face came next to hers.
Fat chance.
"I've always liked my women, hot and fiery. You meet the requirements, my love," he wiped his cheek clean. "Now why don't you stop asking for my attention and give me a little kiss?" He grabbed her hair roughly, forcing a kiss. Maeve retched, her stomach churning.
Her hands repeatedly struck against his chest. But he had a firm grip on her hair. Maeve skin crawled as Edward's lips brushed against her with fierce domination. His whiskey-soaked breath made her stomach hurl.
Just as she thought she would collapse, a voice cut through the tension. "Certainly what I never expected," Cecilia said as she bridged her arms across her chest.
A rare feeling crept into Maeve. She had felt a begrudging sense of gratitude toward her sister. Edward had distanced himself, he cleared his throat and wiped his lips. It was as though he wanted to make it obvious something had happened between them. Bastard.
Cecilia's eyes locked onto Edward's, a subtle warning. "The guest room is on the ground floor. Guests are restricted from the top floor areas. I'll ignore this since we will soon become family."
Edward smirked, he thought his common looks would appease Cecilia and let her pardon him. The only reason he was getting away was because she wanted this to happen. He bid Maeve goodnight, leaving with a parting glance that made her shudder.
As the door closed, Cecilia turned to Maeve. "You should be grateful, Maeve. Your fiancé is quite taken with you."
Maeve scoffed. "Grateful? That Philandering jerk? " She picked herself off the balcony. Her taste buds need to be purged.
Cecilia's smile grew wider. "Ah, but he's a means to an end if you play your cards right. You'll have him wrapped around your fingers, making all his wealth yours.
Maeve scoffed. How predictable did Cecilia think she was to fall for such a scheme?
"You want me to marry him for his money. And the next minute I change my mind you will make sure I have nowhere to return to. Just how stupid do you think I am?"
Cecilia shrugged. "It was a mere suggestion on my part, that's all."
Maeve's defiance flared. "I won't be sold like some cheap bride."
Cecilia's expression turned cold and ruthless. "Regardless, you'll do as you're told. Maeve, It's inevitable." with that, Cecilia left, leaving Maeve feeling anxious and trapped.
Maeve crumbled onto her bed, exhaustion and despair overwhelming her. But as she lay there, a spark of determination ignited within her.
There was time to sit and cry. She had until the end of her senior year to think of a way to get out of this. Maeve rose, grabbed a notebook, and scribbled down her plan.
It was three months till senior year graduation and prom night. Colleges were out of the question. She had never pictured herself in further studies. and her grades could never suffice. The most important thing she would need to secure was financial funds and she would need a job.
Maeve sighed at the bewildering thought that a day would come when she would have to search for work. But it was her only shot of building an emergency fund and leaving after graduation to start anew. She pondered these thoughts, her eyes scanning the lists she had compiled in her hands.
Job-emergency funds- new life
It felt as though a sense of purpose solidifying. She would not allow Cecilia to get away with her plan. Would she be able to accomplish this new feat she set for herself?
Doubt crept up her conscience, eating away her courage. It devoured it whole leaving her to the frightening thought of her walking down the aisle and it was Edward waiting for her at the end of the altar. Cecilia would be grinning from the crowd.