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Sebastian and Moreen proved repeatedly that such an understanding doesn’t work. My parents were the ones who propelled my doubts about arranged marriages. I will never stand behind an agreement like that and certainly not when one party doesn’t offer her consent.
“I need you to go,” she mumbles while staring at her shoes, but I’m still in desperate need for an explanation. But it seems like Evangeline is not comfortable giving it to me as she slowly closes the door in my face.
“Goodbye, Chester.”
Chapter Eleven
Evangeline
Ithink my heart stopped. I hear it beating, but I’m certain my mind is playing tricks on me because it hurts. It’s breaking into thousands of pieces. One by one, the pain cracks open my heart. It bleeds dreams. It bleeds a future stolen by my brother and the man who’ll call himself my husband.
Soon, I’ll be the one married to a total stranger for money. My sacrifice to save my brother’s fortune and family business. To save my father’s reputation and dreams. To give my mum everything Father wanted for her. But there’s no regard for my life. None whatsoever. I’m the saviour in our family. But it’s Frederic who believes he’s the one saving this family from total ruin.
It isn’t true because I’m the one offering up my life to be tied to someone I don’t want. Someone I don’t know.
I put my hand on my chest, and my broken heart still beats. It beats hard and quickly, as if it wants to escape this madness, which I do.Iwant to escape this madness. I want to run, but most urgently, I want to scream.
My chest hurts. It’s constricted like I can’t take a full breath. There's not enough oxygen to satisfy my body. A faintness grows in my brain, and before I know it, I’m screaming.
I scream at the top of my lungs until it’s only a soft wheeze escaping from deep within. I gasp with my hands on my knees, trying to fill my lungs with air again. It doesn’t take a second before I see the tears dropping on the parquet. They drip from my eyes before rolling over my cheeks, and eventually, they colour the wood even darker.
I knew it was going to happen. I thought I was prepared for the day my brother would share the most unpleasant news. But still, what shocked me to my core was how helpless I felt in a matter of minutes. How the rug was tugged from underneath me and I’m now the only one falling into a pit of total darkness.
Darkness created by Chester and the gossip he picked up from somewhere. Darkness my brother created by gambling with our money.
But as the pulsing pain leaves me breathless, anger bubbles inside me. My lips tremble before I grit my teeth.
How dare they fuck with my life.
“Everything all right, Miss Evangeline?” The soft voice of our maid, Esther, punctures the last ounces of my hopes and dreams. I push myself upright, my fists clench, and my heart starts to race out of anger instead of sadness, so I wipe the last of my tears away.
“Fine,” I snarl before running past her up the stairs, letting the door bounce against the wall of my bedroom. Something I don't normally allow to happen. I’m always the one sprinting to the door so that it can’t damage the paint.
But now, I could set this house on fire. I would do everything in my power to make Frederic feel an ounce of the pain I’m feeling. But he’ll never understand because Frederic lives for himself alone.
I throw open the door to my dressing room before snatching the first piece of clothing that looks decent for what I’m planning. My heart beats away as I tug off my jeans and my green crop top before worming into a tight dress that hits just a few inches under my bottom. It has silver patches of thick crystals covering most of the dress while mesh connects the pieces of fabric. I clasp the heavy collar of silver beads at the back of my neck.
I walk out of my dressing room while snatching a pair of silver heels from my shelf. The ones I wore the night I met Chester Boyd. My bare feet stomp away to the bathroom. I switch on the lights, coming face-to-face with a woman who looks confident and dressed in fashionable silver armour. A dress meant to impress and draw attention to the confident woman flaunting it.
It’s an illusion because, instead, I see a broken heart and a desperate last cry for freedom. It’s anger floating through her eyes as well as hopelessness. I quickly shake off those feelings before reaching for my make-up bag and adding more details to my protective outer shell.
“You’re a warrior,” I whisper, fuelling my empty tank of power.
Black cat eyes, soft pink eyeshadow and pink lips create a mask before I tie my curly long hair in a high ponytail. I tug my heels onto my feet while skipping down the stairs towards our front door.
Freedom awaits, for one night only, and I will be the one enjoying it from start to finish.
“Miss Evangeline, where are you going?” Esther, our maid, asks.
“Out,” I yell, before dragging the door closed behind me and feeling the soft warm air hit my already heated cheeks.
I breathe in deeply before closing my eyes. I let the sounds of the city calm my heart as the dark street lights up, showing me the path I have to walk to achieve my plan for this evening.
“Here we go,” I say with the confidence that belongs to my façade alone. I descend the few steps that lead to the pavement before I walk towards my first destination.
***
“It’s done,” I state the second the door opens in front of me.
