The sky was a deep, crystal blue as Karen Hudson 18 years old was angrily packing her clothes into a travel bag, swearing under her breath at her family members.

She was beyond annoyed and furious at the thought of marrying a man she didn't love, and had never seen in her entire life.

Dennis Martin the son of the richest family in the country. Nobody knows any information about him because he is not in the country.

Karen, the illegitimate daughter of the wealthy Hudson family, was always treated as an outsider, a fact that her stepsister never let her forget. Despite being only 18 years old, Karen had endured years of bullying at the hands of her stepsister, Martha who found fault in everything Karen did and who is also a year older than Karen.

Her dad John Hudson has always looked at her like a stain, and if he is not the one that made the stain. And her mom we don't talk about her.😢

A man that could not keep his pants on.

The only family close to Karen was her stepbrother, Oliver another illegitimate child of her father.

"Karen's only comfort was her childhood crush, Michael. The two had been in love since she was 8 years old and they had spent many nights dreaming of running away together. But with the arranged marriage on the way, Karen knew that their dreams were slipping away from them.

'I can't do this,' Karen thought, tears welling in her eyes as she zipped up her bag. 'I won't marry someone I don't love. I'm getting out of here.'"

Karen packed her bags and made her way downstairs, while looking around for maids.

She climbed the stairs from the mansion and as she reached the bottom she was shocked to see her entire family members sitting there, including her wicked stepmother, evil stepmother and cold hearted father.

"Where do you think you're going?" Her dad growled. His eyes narrowed with anger. He called for the maids who grabbed Karen hands and forced her to kneel in front of the family.

"Karen struggled against the maids, tears streaming down her face, but they held her fast. Her stepmother stood up, her face twisted in hatred as she slapped Karen hard across the face.

'You bitch, you're getting married whether you like it or not. stepmother spat. 'You're lucky they stated your name in the marriage contract or else Martha would have been the one getting married".

Karen's heart sank as she looked at her stepsister, Martha, who wore a smug smile on her face.

Martha gave a cruel laugh, savoring Karen's pain. 'I heard you were planning to escape with Michael "she said. And Karen eyes went wide wondering how Martha knew her plan.she will look at Karen and and smile while say " I always knew your plan my new boyfriend micheal told me"

'Liar!' Karen shouted, feeling as if her world was crashing down around her. "Boyfriend snatcher, Micheal has always been my first love."

Martha, her eyes showing triumph. 'He was just pretending, to string you along. He told me everything, how pathetic you are. Michael is my boyfriend"

Karen father roared, "Shut up, Karen and Martha!" The air in the room was thick with tension.

"Martha stole my boyfriend!" Karen cried out, her voice laced with anger and frustration.

"Which boyfriend?" her stepmother sneered. "You're just a harlot, just like your mother."

The words stung like a slap in the face, and Karen could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

"You're getting married to Dennis next week, whether you like it or not," Karen's father declared, his voice cold and unyielding.

"No, Daddy, no!" Karen pleaded, her voice cracking as she fought back the tears. "Please don't make me do this. Please!"

But her father's heart was as hard as stone. "You will obey me, Karen," he said, turning away from her. "Lock her in her room," he ordered the maids. "No food, only water. And forget about university—your education is finished."

"No, Daddy, please!" Karen begged, her voice filled with anguish. "Please don't do this to me! Please!"

The maids were unmoved by her pleas, and with a firm grip on her arms, they dragged Karen to her room and locked her in.

"In the darkness of her room, Karen searched for her phone. Finding it, she quickly dialed the number of her best friend, Anna. The phone rang and rang, but just as Karen was about to give up hope, Anna's sleepy voice came through the line.

'Karen?' Anna said, confusion lacing her voice. 'What's wrong? Why are you calling so late?'

Karen let out a sob. 'Anna, they're forcing me to marry Dennis Martin,' she said, her voice breaking. 'And Jasmine... she role Micheal from me."

Anna's words were like a dagger to Karen's heart. 'Michael is a bastard,' she said, her voice firm and determined. 'I saw him and Jasmine kissing under the staircase last week, and he saw me watching, but he didn't even care. He's been using you, Karen.'

Karen's heart sank at the realization that Anna had been right all along. 'I should have listened to you,' she said, her voice thick with tears. 'My family... they're all against me."

"Anna's voice was filled with determination. 'I'll see what I can do, Karen,' she said. 'But for now, get some and rest."

The line went dead and Anna flopped back onto her bed, her mind racing. 'I have to help Karen,' she thought.

Karen collapsed onto her bed, her body shaking with sobs as the tears poured down her face. "Mom, why did you abandon me?" she cried, her voice choked with emotion. "Why?"

As she lay in bed, her mind drifted to happier times.

In her mind's eye, Karen saw herself as a little girl, laughing and playing with her mother in a park. The sun was warm, and the air was sweet with the scent of flowers. Karen remembered how her mother would spin her around and around until they were both dizzy, and how she would swing her in the air, making her feel like she could fly.

But then the image changed, and Karen saw her mother walking away, leaving her at the doorstep of her father's house. She watched as her mother disappeared into the distance, and her heart ached with a pain that time had never healed.

From Author

Thanks for reading my first book

I really appreciate it

❤️Ella