"Ashley, get back here! I'm talking to you," her father's voice thundered through the room.
"No, Father, I'm not going to be pushed into marrying someone I don't want to. I'm a grown woman, and I can make my own decisions," Ashley retorted, her voice trembling with defiance.
"That doesn't change the fact that I'm your father, and you are going to listen to me," Jeffrey snapped back. "Have you forgotten what the Ghrey family did for us? Mr. Reynold Ghrey helped us when we had almost nothing. Have you forgotten all that? Now he needs a little favor from us, and you're reluctant about that. I won't let you ruin our family's relationship with the Ghreys ever."
Ashley felt her heart sink as her father's words cut through her. "Now listen to me, Ashley. Whether you like it or not, you're getting married to his son, and we're going there for your introduction. Now go get dressed and meet me outside."
As her father stormed out of the room, Ashley wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered to herself, "What did I do to deserve all this? My dreams feel like they're slipping through my fingers. This isn't the life I planned, all because of my dad's selfish needs. I can't let this happen. I'm leaving for good."
Ashley wiped her tears and opened the window, ready to escape. But just as she was halfway through, the door swung open, and her father barged in. He grabbed her, pulling her back into the room, wrestling her to the ground and pinning her hands to her sides.
"Why are you doing this, Ashley? Why? Why are you making me hurt you?" Jeffrey's voice cracked with a mix of anger and desperation. "I never wanted it to be this way. I'm doing this for us. Please, don't make it harder than it already is."
He looked down, his grip loosening as he released Ashley's hands. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice filled with regret. "Just meet me at the garage."
Ashley lay on the floor, her heart pounding and her mind racing. She felt trapped, torn between her desires and the weight of her family's expectations. As her father walked out, she knew that her life was about to change forever.
Ashley is a stunningly beautiful woman; her slender waist highlights her curves, while her cascading blonde hair and blue eyes enhance her allure. She slipped into an elegant red dress and adorned herself with a delicate necklace and bracelet while she checked herself in the mirror before going to meet her dad at the garage.
The drive to Mr. Reynold's mansion was accompanied by an uneasy silence between Ashley and her father. Upon their arrival, a guard escorted them to a sit-out where Mr. Reynolds awaited them.
As Ashley and her dad approached the sit-out, the tension between them was palpable. Mr. Reynolds, a distinguished man with a commanding presence, rose from his seat with a welcoming smile.
"Jeffrey! I've been expecting you," Mr. Reynolds said warmly, extending his hand. "Is this the daughter you mentioned? She's very beautiful, she'll make a perfect wife for my son."
Ashley felt a mix of emotions as Mr. Reynolds' gaze turned to her. She forced a polite smile, trying to mask her unease.
"And what is your name, my dear?" Mr. Reynolds asked, his tone softening as he addressed her directly.
"Ashley," she replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
"Ashley, I understand you're a bit nervous, but you are going to like my son. He should be here any moment now,"
Mr. Reynolds said reassuringly, reaching into his pocket for his phone. Just as he was about to make a call, the gate swung open, and a sleek black Lamborghini glided into the driveway.
The car door opened slowly, and Mr Reynolds's son, Alex, stepped out with confidence. He wore dark shades that complemented his black Louis Vuitton trousers and crisp white shirt, the top button left undone, hinting at his well-toned chest. His every movement exuded elegance as he walked towards his father, the sun glinting off his shades.
Ashley's heart sank as she recognized him instantly. The source of so many painful memories. She felt a wave of dread wash over her, her stomach tightened with anxiety. The thought of marrying him for the rest of her life was almost unbearable.
Dad you said you wanted to see me urgently he questioned, grabbing a seat beside his dad.
"Yes, Alex, I would like you to meet my guest, Ashley, who is going to be your wife."Mr Reynold said, turning his gaze to Ashley.
"Dad, why?" Alex questioned sharply, his face beaming anger as he turned towards Ashley and removed his shades. He turned back to his father, frustration evident in his voice. "We talked about this, Dad. I said I'm going to find myself a wife."
"Find yourself a wife? For how long, Alex?" his father cut in sharply, looking at him with disappointment. "Your grandfather doesn't have much time left, and you know what he wants. You know what you need to do."
Alex's father sighed, his expression softening slightly. "I'll leave you two to get acquainted. Jeffrey, our work here is done," he stated, rising from his seat and beckoning Ashley's father to follow him with a gesture.
A tear formed in Ashley's eyes as she watched the exchange, her heart sinking further. The reality of her situation was becoming painfully clear. She was going to be used as a tool for the Ghrey family, with Alex, her high school tormentor, at the center of it all.
"Dad, this isn't fair," he sighed, dragging a chair and sitting down to face Ashley, who had buried her face in her palms.
There was a thick silence between them after their parents had left when Alex finally called out.
"Ashley," his voice struck her loudly, but she ignored him.
"Are you deaf? Or do you not speak English?" he questioned, his tone sharp and impatient.
Ashley wiped her face with her palm, looking at Alex painfully. She tried to hide the sorrow that had consumed her, but the memories of his bullying flashed in her mind, causing a sharp ache in her chest as she tried to speak.
"You won't stop coming back into my life, would you?"
"Excuse me" Alex retorted.
"I'm forced to marry you, with your ill-mannered and selfish attitude, you think you can get anything you want," Ashley blurted out, not caring about the way Alex glared at her.
"Haven't you ruined my life enough? Aren't you satisfied with the way you and your friends humiliated me? Now you want to come into my life and ruin me completely."
"Wait, you're Ashley Brown? You don't look like her. Ashley Brown wasn't beautiful," he said, biting his lower lip and taking a peek at Ashley's body.
Ashley wiped her teary eyes with the back of her palm, holding back her sobs. "Alex, you're a jerk. That's enough. I'm not doing this." She stood up, walking towards the guard and asking for her father.
As she walked away, Alex jeered after her. "You don't have a choice, Ashley. You're going to marry me. After all, I'm rich," he giggled, pouring himself a glass of wine from the table.
"Dad, can we go home now? I'm famished," she said, squinting as she covered her eyes from the rays of the sun, which shone directly on her.
"I hope you're getting along with Alex. You seem a bit frustrated," her father observed.
"No, Dad, everything is fine. I just need a place to rest my head," Ashley replied, her voice strained.
"Good because the preparations have been made. You're getting married tomorrow. We'll have to get you prepared," he said, smiling slightly from the corner of his lips.
Ashley felt a shiver down her spine as the words her dad said echoed in her head, she couldn't believe what she heard, the weight of her emotions pressed down on her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe, yet no tears came. It was as if her body had shut down, refusing to release the flood of sorrow that consumed her. She stood there, staring blankly ahead, not responding to her dad.
"We'll be on our way. It was brilliant getting them together. They're getting along quickly," Ashley's dad assured Mr. Reynolds.
Alex's dad smirked slightly, lifting his eyes from the phone in his hand. "I hope so. See you soon." He waved them off as they left the mansion.
As they walked away, Ashley turned to her father, her voice trembling. "Dad, do you know who that jerk is? He's the guy who made everyone hate me, he made me regret coming to this world. I couldn't survive at school because of him. He made almost everyone dislike me, my life was a living hell.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "I suffered patiently, knowing that when I was done with high school, I'd never see him again. But out of nowhere, he appears to be the man you want me to marry."
"Why are you doing this to me, Father? I thought you loved me. Why are you being so selfish?" she pleaded, her voice breaking as she sought understanding from her dad.
"You will marry Alex," he replied coldly. "I don't care what history you both had in the past. You'll have to get over it," he said, glancing at Ashley, who stood in shock.
When they got home, Ashley locked herself in her room. She couldn't believe her father's words. She stood in the middle of the room, her teary red eyes widened with dismay. She felt her heart sink as the words her father had said kept ringing in her head. Her world was crumbling, piece by piece. Every dream she had nurtured seemed to be fading fast, and she was powerless to stop it.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. She glanced at it and saw that the caller was Ana, her friend from school. Ana and Ashley had been friends since high school. Ana always had Ashley's back when Alex's friends taunted her. She has a strong, athletic build, a testament to her fierce and determined nature.
Ana was like a sister to Ashley but from another mother.
"Ashley, how's life treating you? I haven't heard from you since you relocated," Ana said cheerfully on the other end.
"Ana, nothing is going well. I'll tell you everything when I get to your place," Ashley muttered, ending the call.
She left the house without saying anything to anyone and boarded a taxi. Before long, she arrived at Ana's house and rang the doorbell. Ana answered quickly, knowing it was her.
When the door opened, Ana's face fell at the sight of Ashley's puffy eyes. She quickly pulled her in, and Ashley sat on the living room couch. Ana handed her a cup of hot coffee before asking with concern, "Ashley, what happened? Who did this to you?"
Taking a sip of her coffee, Ashley revealed everything that had happened. Ana gasped in shock. "What? Why would your dad force you to marry that jerk Alex?" Ana questioned, putting her arm around Ashley's back.
"I don't know, Ana. They've made the preparations for the wedding. There's nothing I can do," Ashley replied, her eyes threatening to spill over with tears.
"There has to be something we can do. Stop hurting yourself. Don't cry," Ana said calmly, pulling Ashley's head to her chest. "I'll come up with something. You just have to stop crying and prepare for tomorrow. Everything is going to be fine, okay?" she reassured Ashley.
(At Ashley's House)
"Did your daughter tell you her destination?" Ashley's dad grinned at his wife.
"No, honey, she left without speaking to anyone. How am I…"
"And you let her leave?" he cut in sharply. You better find her because if she doesn't get married to Alex, she's no longer a part of this family," he growled, anger flashing in his eyes as he walked out of the living room.
"You cannot disown your daughter like that, Jeffrey," Ashley's mom insisted.
Her mom continuously dialed her number, but it wasn't going through. She became worried and informed the police.
It was getting late, and Ashley was nowhere to be found. She was lying comfortably on Ana's couch under a duvet as the warmth from the chimney trickled down her skin, calming her troubled heart. Suddenly, she heard the doorbell ringing persistently.
"Who is there?" she questioned, reaching for the door, but there was no response.
"Who is it?" she questioned again, slightly opening the door. In the blink of an eye, the door slammed hard against Ashley's face, leaving her unconscious. She fell flat, blood streaming down her nose, leaving trails as one of the men dragged her into a black van, which zoomed out of the area.
Ana dashed downstairs, attracted by the loud noises. "Ashley, is everything okay? What's all that noise?" Ana questioned curiously, heading to the parlor.
"Blood!!!" Ana's scream echoed through the house. "Oh, my God, Ashley's gone!" Her hands were shaking at the sight of blood. The door was left hanging open with trails of blood leading outside the house, and there were no signs of Ashley.
Ana's heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing the terror that gripped her.
She reached for her phone to call the police but before she could dial, a strong grip clamped around her neck. She tried to scream but the sound was muffled by the cloth stuffed in her mouth.
The man's breath was hot against her ear as he whispered "This is your last minute enjoy it"
"Noo, please, no, I don't want to d-e," she mumbled almost inaudibly, trying to break free from the man's grip.
He brought out a silver blade placing it on Ana's neck. It sent shivers down her spine as he pressed it against her slowly piercing her neck.
"Stop!!" the command sliced through the stillness of the night. Ana's breath caught her throat as a figure emerged from the shadows, a gun was glinting in his hand.
He moved with a deliberate, menacing pace, his eyes fixed on Ana and the k-ler behind her.