The following morning:
The sharp ringtone jolted Emilia awake. She groaned softly, every muscle in her body aching as she reached for her phone on the bedside table.
"Hello…" Her voice came out hoarse, barely audible.
"Emilia!" Her mother's cheerful voice rang through from the other line.
She winced, pulling the phone slightly away from her ear.
"Mom, I know you are calling concerning the money you talked about yesterday but I..." She was saying quietly but got cut off.
"Good morning, my dear! God bless you, ah! Your husband is such a generous man. I just saw the money he sent. I didn't know he would do it so fast! I am already on my way to the hospital to pay for your father's treatment and I have sent your brother's school fees to him." Her mother, Sandra informed her excitedly.
"Oh..." Emilia mumbled, a bit surprised that Victor had sent the money already.
She stared at the ceiling, her grip tightening on the phone.
"Are you there? Emilia?" Sandra asked.
"Yes… I'm here." Emilia replied, her voice sounding strained.
"Ehm, my dear, I hope you are taking care of your husband, well? Keep making him happy, oh! Men like Victor, when they are happy, they will do anything for their wives and their family." Sandra stated.
Emilia shut her eyes, biting her lip, sullenly. Her body flinched as the previous night replayed in her mind—Victor's roughness, his hands on her body, the pain.
The price she had to pay was to give him her body to do whatever he wanted. And what he enjoyed doing to her during intimacy was making her bleed.
"Mom, do you even care to know what I go through in this house?" Emilia asked, her voice breaking.
"What? What are you saying?" Sandra inquired, her tone changing slightly.
"You told me to keep making him happy, but what about me? Do you care that I'm living in hell here?" Emilia whispered.
"Emilia!" Sandra gasped.
"Why are you saying such things? Living in hell? With a man like Victor? Don't lie, my dear." Her mother said sharply.
"I'm not lying!" Emilia shouted, her voice breaking.
Sandra heaved a sigh at that.
"Don't start this nonsense, Emilia. Did you guys fight? Even at that, don't you know that every couple fight? Your husband is a good man. Everyone sees how well he treats you. Why are you being ungrateful? Because your marriage was arranged, huh?" Sandra demanding, sounding almost angry.
"Ungrateful?" Emilia laughed bitterly.
"Mom, you have no idea what he is like—" She was going to say more but couldn't finish her sentence.
"Stop it, Emilia!" Sandra cut her off sharply.
"I know how much he loves you. Do you know how many women would trade places with you in a heartbeat? You are lucky, my dear. Stop fighting your blessings." She maintained firmly.
"Blessings, you say?" Emilia whispered, her hands trembling but her mother who had blindly believed her daughter was living the best life, didn't notice the venom in her tone.
"Yes, blessings! Don't ruin your home with these negative thoughts. Keep your husband happy. That is what matters." Sandra.
"You wouldn't believe how the man was sounding excited and as polite as ever as he talked to me on phone this morning." The woman added.
"His excitement is to the detriment of my own health and wellbeing!" Emilia wanted to yell that out but cautioned herself as she remembered Victor was in the bathroom.
However, she didn't wait for her mother to utter another word.
"Goodbye!" She muttered and ended the call then threw the phone across the room. It hit the wall and clattered to the floor.
Her chest heaved as she glared at the ceiling.
"But why is my life like this? This miserable?" Emilia whispered, her voice trembling.
Her lips quivered as her mind drifted back to the day everything changed.
*FLASHBACK*
It was four years ago. She had just returned home from school that fateful day.
Her first year of university had been a struggle—her father's business had become bankrupt, and their financial situation was dire.
"Dad?" Emilia had called out gently, stepping into the living room.
Her father was seated on the remaining sofa in the living room, as they had sold others to take care of living expenses, his head in his hands.
"Dad, I..." Emilia had hesitated. She was home to tell him about her school bills which must be paid urgently but couldn't bring herself to, seeing the condition her father was.
"Emilia..." Her father said softly, looking up. His face was pale, his eyes sunken.
"Papa, what is wrong?" She asked, sitting beside him.
He sighed heavily before beginning to talk.
"Do you want to continue your education?" He asked out of the blue.
"Yes." She replied slowly.
"And you don't want to see me dead anytime soon, do you?"
"Dad, what kind of question is that? Of course, I don't want that." She had replied.
He nodded slowly.
"Then you will have to make a sacrifice."
"What do you mean?" She asked cluelessly.
"You will have to marry Victor Adams." He informed her, looking at her with pleading eyes.
Her mouth fell open at that.
"What?"
"He is going to take care of you, and even us, Emilia . He is very wealthy.
"No. Papa, I can't! He's… he's so much older. And I don't even know him!" Emilia had protested.
"I'm sorry, Emilia, but this is the only way. If you say no, this family won't survive." He stated, his eyes filled with tears.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
The sound of running water stopped, pulling Emilia back to the present. The bathroom door opened, and Victor stepped out, dressed in only a towel.
Her breath hitched and she stiffened.
"Good morning, darling." He noticed her reaction and smirked.
Emilia's lips trembled, but she said nothing.
Victor leaned casually against the doorframe, his smirk widening.
"I'm sure you know you are not done paying the price, right?"
Her heart sank, and dread filled her eyes.