Every woman sheds tears of happiness, standing on the wedding cake dressed in a beautiful gown, at the side of the man she loves more than life and intends to spend the rest of her days with him.
There is also me - a teenager, forced to marry a man I hate.
The tears that run down my cheeks are not an expression of joy on this special day, but deep sadness, because my heart will never know happiness again. Forced to live by the side of a strange man, I must give up hope for love.
I will never again have the opportunity to experience youthful romance.
It all ends here, right now.
Through tear-drenched eyes, I look at the guests - Alexander's people. A few I know by sight, the others I see for the first time with my eyes. There is no one among them who is on my side. There are only my parents, now strangers to me, people who turned me in to a gangster for money.
I don't even know why they are here, since for me they ceased to exist the day I learned the truth.
They had the audacity to show up at the wedding they signed on my behalf? They wanted to see if I would get married, and their contract with this man, happily come to an end?
Their sad, compassionate eyes are a lie. They are trying to take me at my mercy. I won't fall for it. No way.
I press my lips together as I spot Luke in the last row. He is wearing an expensive suit that fits his figure perfectly. Probably a gift from his boss to make him look good at his wedding.
For a long moment, I can't take my eyes off him, especially because his face looks brandy. He is also sad, suffering along with me.
Last night he was aggressive towards me, he wanted me to sleep with him. He intended to protect me from this wedding, but I could not trust him, not when he was not himself.
Did I do the right thing, should I regret it now? Maybe this was actually my only chance to save myself?
I shift my gaze to the arrogant forty-year-old man standing next to me, who grabs my hand, announcing that it's time. Along with him, I turn to face the man giving us the vow.
This is my end. At the age of eighteen, my life was over.
I was sold.
*
Walking at Alexander's side, I am present only in body, not in spirit. It seems to me that everything around me is a fog, a darkness that will accompany me for the rest of my life.
I am officially married to this hoodlum.
I had no choice. I had to agree to this wedding, and it wasn't just a matter of signature, but the safety of my best friend, who was Alexander's prisoner, for me to obediently attend the ceremony.
He's a mafioso, he's unpredictable, so how could I ignore Henry's safety?
I had to sacrifice my life, moreover, if I didn't kill myself, sooner or later I would marry this man against my will. He is a cunning beast that I can't fight.
And just at that moment, the darkness that blinds my eyes escapes, allowing me to see the only person I love.
I snatch my hand from Alexander's grasp and run straight to Henry, whom - as agreed - they are letting out of the car. I throw myself into his arms, this time shedding tears of happiness as he squeezes me so tightly, as if he never intends to let me out of his embrace again.
- I was so scared that they would hurt you," I say in a whisper, snuggling my face into his neck.
- I'm so terrified that I don't know how to react, Solar says. - He strokes my hair and I can hear his voice trembling hard. - It seems to me that this is a nightmare from which I am about to wake up and happily go for ice cream with you.
- I promise I will do my best to keep in touch with you, Henry. You are the only person close to me. I have only you.
- I also won't let you be trapped in this psycho's castle.
Someone pulls me away from my best friend and leads me directly to Alexander's car.
- Now you must obey him. - Luke's whisper, which I hear over my ear, makes me shiver. - Because you are his main point of revenge.
What revenge?
- Are you making fun of me? In the evening you wanted me to sleep with you, supposedly to provide me with a rescue. Now you are trying to play games with me again? - I ask in an angry voice, at which he squeezes my shoulders tighter as he slowly leads me to the car.
- I was not myself, I was not in control. - And again his stupid excuses that he didn't know what he was doing.
I stop in mid-step and turn to face him, out of the corner of my eye seeing Alexander heading in our direction.
Luke is concerned about my behavior.
- That's why I didn't trust you yesterday and became that bastard's wife," I say in a whisper. - You promised to protect me, so do everything to free me from this gangster, since I was sold in the name of revenge.
Alexander stands next to us and looks meaningfully at Luke.
- What's going on?
- Solar asked me if there was a possibility that she could have further contact with her best friend - he blurts out hastily, and I chastise him with my eyes, displeased that he is stirring up Henry. - I explained to her that today was the final day when she could say goodbye to him.
A cheeky smile appears on the man's face. He grabs my hand painfully and sets it beside him.
- Now a new life begins for you, baby. Forget about the past.
The gleam in his eye, makes me start to get seriously anxious. All my courage evaporates, and I feel a strange grip in my throat.
- If I am your wife according to the agreement, why can't I have contact with my friend?
- You did not become my wife to lead a happy life. You have to conform to me, you have no say.
He opens the car door, with a movement of his head ordering me to get inside. I tug at the bottom of my dress, recoiling in anger at his words.
So what? I'm supposed to do everything he tells me and sit quiet as a mouse? I think he's crazy.
I still hope that there is a chance for me to free myself from this man, even if I am already married.
Or maybe the only salvation for me now is death?
I close my eyelids, recalling last night and Luke's words, which hit me like a thunderbolt.
- You've watched too much drama. Get lost. - I put my palms to his chest and try to push him away, but he stubbornly lies on top of me, not intending to give me a break. - I won't sleep with you, I don't trust you. You'll take advantage of me, brazenly laughing in my face, and I'll have to get married anyway. Then I will already feel like a useless rag in general.
I can see the amusement in his eyes.
- If I wanted to, I would take you despite my objections. - He squeezes my chin, putting too much force into it. - But I want to help you, so I am gentle.
- Gentle? - My voice sounds mocking. - You are just causing me great pain.
Luke sighs loudly and, bored with my behavior, rises from me, allowing me to normalize my breathing.
I massage my sore chin, piercing it with my eyes.
- If I were you, I would go to a psychiatrist, although I think it's too late for treatment anyway.
- You'll be talking about yourself like that if you stand in front of your wedding cake tomorrow. You are visually attracted to him, but deep down he hates you. If you are not willing to make a deal with me now, he will turn your life into hell. I will no longer extend a helping hand to you.
I press my lips together in anger, feeling like punching him in the face decently. Who does he think I am? As a slut who will go to bed with him so easily?
- And for you to help me, I have to sleep with you? What are you playing at, Luke?
- Something for something. You desire freedom from this house, I desire you. There is nothing for free. - He shrugs his shoulders, looking intensely into my eyes.
- I don't trust you. I don't even know who you are, since you have two personalities. You will use me and then leave me. I'm not an idiot.
Luke combed his hand through his dark hair, and a shadow of a grimace ran across his face.
- You are strange, Solar. A year ago you yourself wanted to jump into bed with me without getting anything in return, and now you prefer to sleep with a guy you hate.
I furrow my eyebrows, not understanding what he is talking about.
- What?
- You think my boss won't want to fuck you after the wedding? - At the moment it makes me sick. - This will only be the beginning of your hell. Don't think to yourself that you will just be his wife on paper and he will ignore you as if you don't exist at all.
- You said that if I obey him, no harm will come to me. - My voice breaks down.
He grabs me by the shoulders, pressing his fingers too hard into my skin.
- Can you even hear yourself? You're pretty as fuck, but in your head you're a complete blank.
I feel like tearing out at him, instructing him to stop humiliating me, but he greedily kisses me on the lips, not letting me say a word.
In the corridor I hear someone's footsteps. Someone walks past the room, and he pushes my back against the wall and pushes my face slightly away to look me in the eye.
- I'm going to be in trouble because of you, too, if you continue to be so damning to me after the wedding. I don't know how long I'll keep my hands to myself," he says in a whisper.
If only he knew that I still have a weakness for him despite the fact that I sometimes hate him....
*
The simpleton pushes me into the house, making me stumble over my dress and fall to the floor. I pierce him with my eyes as he grabs my hand and helps me to my feet.
- By force you try to act like a princess, and you can't even walk in a gown. You're as messed up as your father.
I pull my hand out of his grasp, strenuously holding back the outburst of anger inside me that could harm me.
- I fell today, and so did my life. - These are the mildest words of all that came to my tongue.
Alexander twists his mouth in a mocking smile. He grabs me by the hair, lifting my face up.
Luke walks inside, looking at me with compassion in his eyes. He walks past, taking the stairs heading to the second floor. He can probably see that his boss is not in the mood and does not want to suffer from it himself.
- You are as beautiful as your mother, although it spoils the nasty character you inherited from your father.
- Did you know my biological parents?
He slides his hand into my hair, playing with it, and brings my face closer to his.
- I couldn't have your mother, so I have you. You will replace her for me, you will even replace your father, whom I hate.
With one hand he grabs me around the waist and lifts me up. He heads upstairs with me, and I scream loudly, trying to get away from him.
On the stairs we pass Luke, at whom I look with pleading eyes as he stops in place, watching what his boss is doing.
- Help me. - I beg him, moving only my lips. My request is so deep that I have no control over the tears that flood my face.
I'll die if Luke doesn't help me and I get hurt by this brutal, psychopathic mafioso.