NATALIA'S POV
As I lay on the floor, I heard a soft voice " "It's me your mom, Natalia" I heard her slander voice as I barely had the strength but hearing her voice I struggled and opened the door for the one person I could actually allow into my room at the moment .
I watched as she pushed herself into the room and I stared at her eyes, filled with a deep understanding and sympathy, seemed to pierce into my soul, as if searching for the pieces of my broken heart.
As she pushed herself into the room, her gentle movements concealed the confusion that was building up inside me. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of pain, despair that am unable to keep my head above. My mom's presence was the only thing that kept me from giving in to the pain all over me.
With all efforts, I dragged myself to the edge of my bed, collapsing onto it and immediately I buried my face in my hands covered with my wig, my head bowed in defeat, as the tears streamed down my face like a river of sorrow. My mom's gentle touch adjusted my head up, and our eyes met in a moment of cold emotion. The concern written on her face was a direct impression of the anguish and pain that was tearing me apart.
"My angel, why are you crying?" she asked, her voice a gentle melody that calmed my tensed nerves. But I couldn't respond, couldn't meet her gaze, because I knew she was already aware of the situation of things. The silence that followed was deafening with words that hung in the air.
Finally, my mom broke the silence, her voice a whispered promise. "Don't cry, sweetheart. All your dad wants is the best for you and this family." But her words were like an ignition to the emotions and tears wailed up in me.
I screamed, the words tumbling out of my mouth unexpectedly. "By selling me out?" The accusation hung in the air, a challenge to the very fabric of our family's love and loyalty. Hot tears streamed down my face as I confronted my mom, still refusing to meet her gaze.
My mom's response was emphatic, a fierce denial that shook me to my core. "Hell no, your dad isn't selling you, sweetheart." But her words were followed by a stark reality, a bleak picture that painted our family's future in dire colors.
"The company has been struggling lately, and investors are beginning to withdraw their shares," she said, her voice laced with desperation. "My angel, the company is on the brink of bankruptcy. You know your dad had to take out loans for my treatment after the accident. We're running out of options."
As the truth hit me with outrage, I felt like I was collapsing under the burden of my family's secrets and lies. The room seemed to spin around me, a dizzying swirl of emotions that threatened to ruin me completely.
I finally met her gaze, my eyes reddened and swollen from crying. "Is that enough reason for me to marry a stranger?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Someone I've never had a relationship with, someone I don't love? All for the sake of the family's company?"
As I stood there, my heart heavy with emotion, my mom's pleading expression tore at my soul. Her words, laced with a desperate urgency, felt like a vice grip around my heart. "It's for the benefit of the family, Natalia. And it will be an advantage for you too. You'll get to marry someone as distinguished and gentle as Andrew."
I shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper, as the weight of her words crushed me. "At what expense?" I asked, my eyes brimming with tears. "What about my happiness? What about Jeffrey, the man I truly love?" The thought of leaving him was unbearable, and I felt like I was going to be completely drowned in despair, pain and anguish.
Tears rolled down my face as I thought about Jeffrey Morgan, the love of my life, a reporter who had been away for weeks. We had been together for over a year now, and the memories of the time we spent together flashed before my eyes like a reminder of what I was about to lose.
My mom's words snapped through my emotions, bringing me back to the reality of the situation at hand. "The company is all we have left. It's the reason we have a roof over our heads, food on the table and a cloth to even put on. Even my health depends on the company's income." I felt like I'd been defeated with no life left in me when I heard these bitter words.
I was speechless, dumbfounded, and weak, my mind blinded with the implications of what my mom was asking me to do. Do I have any choice now? I thought, feeling like a ferocious lion that had been tamed, its spirit broken.
I hugged my mom tightly, tears rolling down my face as I whispered, "I wanted to walk down the aisle with Dad and be happy while he hands me over to the man I love, not some stranger I'm being forced to marry." My mom's eyes, filled with pain, anguish, and despair, pictured the confusion that was raging inside me.
"Please, Natalia, you just have to do this," she begged, her voice I could barely hear. "Even if it's just for my sake. Trust me, you'll be fine." I couldn't hold back the tears, my body shaking as I sniffled and whispered, "I've heard you, Mom. For you I will do it."
My mom's gentle touch, a comfort to my tensed nerves as she patted my back, held my cheek, and looked into my eyes. "Thank you, my sweetheart," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
As she adjusted and turned her wheelchair to leave, she added, "Your dad will invite Andrew over for dinner tomorrow night. Try to get along with him." I nodded, with a feeling of defeat, my spirit and soul was crushed by the burden of my family's expectations. "Okay, Mom," I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper.
As my mom left my room, she whispered, "Sleep tight, my angel," but I knew that getting a good sleep would not be easy, not with the confusion that was raging inside me.
I collapsed on my bed, baffled and disturbed, the moment my mom left. The burden of the whole world seemed to be crushing me, and I desperately needed someone I could trust and talk to. I reached for my phone and dialed Sophia's number, my best friend.
I and Sophia have been best of friends way longer than anyone could have thought that we considered ourselves more than just friends - we were sisters at heart.
"Hey, babe," Sophia answered, her warm voice a comforting relaxation to my tired nerves.
I hesitated, unsure of how to communicate the chaos that had happened in my life within the past 24 hours. Sophia's concerned tone prompted me to spill everything - from the upsetting encounter with Andrew to the surprising fact that I was expected to marry him through a contractual arrangement.
Sophia listened attentively, her gasps and empathetic murmurs a testament to her outrage and sorrow on my behalf. "This is serious, babe. I'm so sorry you have to go through all these."
Her words of consolation offered a temporary sense of comfort, but the harsh reality remained. "I'll be fine," I lied, trying to sound fearless even though am not.
Just as we were about to end our conversation, Sophia asked a question that caused heartbreak for me. "What about Jeff? What will you do about him?"
I sighed, with a feeling of pain, guilt and regret. "Honestly, I don't know. I feel really bad for him, but I don't have a choice right now. I'll just have to text him and...and let him go." The words really bitter in my mouth, a painful acceptance that I never for once thought I'd have to make about the man I loved.
Immediately after my conversation with Sophia, I texted Jeff, my heart heavy with emotion. I explained the situation, trying to be kind but firm. I then switched my phone to silent mode and slept off immediately.
The next morning, I woke up feeling better in a way, but the peace was short-lived. As I checked my phone, I was welcomed with different messages and missed calls from Jeff. My heart sank, knowing he must have had a sleepless night, feeling rejected and ignored.
With a sense of fearfulness, I decided to call him back. The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before he picked up.
"I'll make sure you regret this, Natalia," Jeff hissed, his voice cold, sharp and threatening, sending shivers all through my body.
He ended the call abruptly