Vanya lay on her bed, her eyes closing as she drifted off to sleep. But her rest was short-lived, as nightmares began to haunt her. She was transported back to a time when she had loved Emrys with all her heart.
Her father had arranged for her to marry a man who was rumored to be crippled and disfigured after almost dying in war. Her sister, Elena, had advised her to run away with Emrys, but Vanya had hesitated. She had been torn between her love for Emrys and her duty to her family.
"Vanya, you have to marry him," her father had said, his voice firm and unyielding. "He's a good man, and he'll take care of you."
But Vanya had been hesitant. She had loved Emrys, but she had also been afraid of him. She had known that he was trouble, but she had been blinded by her love for him.
"Father, I don't know if I can do this," Vanya had said, her voice trembling. "I don't know if I can marry him."
Her father's face had turned red with anger. "You'll do as you're told, Vanya," he had spat. "You'll marry him, and you'll make me proud."
Vanya had felt a surge of fear at her father's words. She had known that she was trapped, that she had no choice but to do as her father said.
As she relived the memories of her past, Vanya felt a wave of anguish wash over her.
But Elena had taken matters into her own hands. She had drugged Vanya and manipulated her into having sex with Emrys. The incident had been caught by every news outlet, and Vanya's father had been disgusted. He had called her shameless, and her stepmother had taunted that she was just like her mother.
Emrys had seemed kindhearted enough to marry Vanya, or at least that's what she had thought. But after they got married, he had changed. He had become wealthy off of Vanya's support, and he had cheated on her repeatedly. He had even forced her to please his male clients and friends, humiliating her at every turn.
She remembered how Emrys had cheated on her, how he had humiliated her in front of his friends and family. She remembered how he had forced her to please his male clients and friends, how he had treated her like a sex object.
And she remembered how her sister, Elena, had been involved in it all. Elena had been the one who had cheated with Emrys, who had helped him to humiliate and degrade Vanya.
Vanya had struggled with fertility for years, and after seven long years of marriage, she had finally gotten pregnant. But even the birth of her child had not changed anything. Her daughter had been ignored and treated badly by Emrys and his family. Her sister, Elena, had even snatched her daughter away from her.
The memories of that painful time flooded Vanya's mind, and she felt a wave of anguish wash over her. She remembered how they had tied her up and had intercourse with her repeatedly before burning her and her child.
As the nightmares continued to haunt her, Vanya felt like she was reliving her past all over again. She felt like she was trapped in a never-ending cycle of pain and suffering.
Suddenly, Vanya's eyes snapped open, and she sat up in bed, gasping for air. She was covered in sweat, and her heart was racing. She knew that she had to get out of bed and try to calm down. She couldn't let the nightmares consume her.
"Vanya, are you okay?" a voice called out from the doorway.
Vanya turned to see Elena standing in the doorway, a look of concern on her face. But Vanya knew that it was all an act. Elena didn't care about her, she only cared about herself.
"I'm fine, Elena," Vanya said, her voice cold. "Just leave me alone."
Elena's face fell, but she didn't leave. Instead, she walked into the room and sat down on the bed beside Vanya.
"Vanya, I know you're upset about the marriage," Elena said, her voice soft. "That's why you have to think about what's best for you. You have to think about your future."
Vanya turned to Elena, her eyes blazing with anger. "You don't know anything about me, Elena," she spat. "You should focus on yourself, why are you so concerned about my life...."
Elena's face fell, and she stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Vanya alone with her thoughts.
As Vanya lay back in bed, she couldn't help but think about her past. She thought about Emrys and how he had hurt her. She thought about Elena and how she had betrayed her. And she thought about how she was going to make them pay for what they had done to her.