MAYELI.
"Marry Billionaire Dane Hale instead of your sister, Scarlet, within the next two days if you want to save your mother!"
Mrs. Claudia, my stepmother, stood towering over me with a cruel glint in her eyes, her lips curled into a mocking sneer.
The words she uttered cut through the air like icy blades, sending shivers down my spine.
The shock of her demand paralyzed me for a moment, disbelief coursing through my veins like a bitter poison.
"What? That... that can't be possible, Mother!" My voice trembled with fear and confusion as I struggled to comprehend the gravity of her ultimatum.
I had come to the house with desperation clawing at my heart, hoping to plead for financial assistance to save my sick mother.
But instead of sympathy or support, I was met with this twisted offer from the woman who was meant to care for me.
Beside her, Scarlet, my stepsister, watched with a calculating gaze, her lips curved into a satisfied smirk, revelling in my distress.
Every fibre of my being rebelled against the idea of marrying a stranger, especially under such manipulative circumstances.
The idea of getting closer to Billionaire Dane made my heart race like a speeding train. I'd heard he wasn't someone to mess with, and definitely not the marrying type.
"If you can't do it, then let your mother die! After all, all the debts she has would be paid by you!" My stepmother's words hit me like a ton of bricks, pressing me harder to make a decision.
Without thinking twice, I dropped to my knees, reaching out to grab the hem of her dress.
"Please, Mother, I..." I started to plead, but she yanked away from me, her eyes burning with anger.
"I am not your wretched mother! I can never be her!" Her words dripped with disdain as she scoffed at me, leaving me feeling smaller than ever before.
"It's best you just marry Dane on my behalf and everything will be settled!" Scarlet's voice sliced through the air as she approached me. She crouched down to my level, a sinister smirk playing on her lips as she reached for my hair.
"You just have to give him a child, Mayeli, and that's all! Don't fall for him, just give him a child!" Her words dripped with a chilling indifference, as if she couldn't grasp my fear.
"You and I know pretty well what happened to the other ladies that carried his baby! He is cursed and..." I tried to muster the courage to stand up for myself, tears welling in my eyes, but before I could finish, Scarlet's hand connected with my cheek in a stinging slap, silencing me abruptly.
"You are to marry Billionaire Dane, and that is final! And so what if he's cursed? He suits a wretched fool like you!" Scarlet's voice reverberated through the room as she stood up, her words dripping with venomous contempt.
Without another word, she stormed out of the living room with her mother, leaving me alone with my turbulent thoughts and emotions.
I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I was being forced into marriage because of my mother's mistakes. I could have found a way to pay off her debts, but my own financial struggles held me back.
Tears continued to stream down my cheeks, the sting of Scarlet's slap still fresh on my skin. My hands clenched into fists, my gaze fixed on the floor before me. In that moment, amidst the chaos of emotions swirling inside me, I reached a decision.
"Marry Billionaire Dane? Fine! I'll marry him and give him the child he desires!" I declared, tears streaming down my cheeks. Despite my reluctance, I knew this decision could benefit both my mother and my stepsister.
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself marrying a cursed billionaire. It was a far cry from the future I had envisioned for myself.
Two days later****
The wedding day had arrived, and I found myself standing at the altar, about to marry a man I barely knew. All I had heard were rumours of his icy demeanour and his cursed fate.
Clutching the delicate flower tightly in my hand, I gazed at my reflection in the mirror.
Dressed in a pristine white gown with crystals adorning my hair, I couldn't deny the beauty of my appearance. But despite the outward splendor, my heart was heavy with sorrow.
As I continued to stare at myself, lost in a whirlwind of emotions, the door to my room suddenly swung open.
Scarlet's voice cut through the silence, her tone dripping with malice as she entered uninvited.
"Isn't she ready to be sent away?" Her words echoed in the room, sending a shiver down my spine.
I could sense that she had no good intentions, and my apprehension only grew stronger.
"She is, Ma'am!" One of the girls attending to my gown replied timidly, bowing her head in fear. The tension in the room was palpable as Scarlet's presence loomed over us.
"Then leave! I need to have a little talk with my sister!" Scarlet's words dripped with disdain as she dismissed the servants. We both knew she didn't consider me a true sister; she was just as wicked as her own mother.
As the door closed behind them, leaving Scarlet and me alone in the room, a chill ran down my spine. I turned to face her, clutching the flower tightly in my hand, my heart pounding with apprehension.
"You look beautiful, Mayeli..." Scarlet's voice oozed with sarcasm as she approached me, her sneer sending a shiver down my spine. Her words held a venomous edge, and I braced myself for whatever she had to say next.
As Scarlet drew closer, she suddenly stopped in her tracks, her gaze piercing into the depths of my soul. I held my ground, determined not to let her see the fear bubbling inside me.
"What do you want, Scarlet?" I asked, my voice steady despite the tremble of unease in my heart.
"I came to take you to the altar as your mother instructed, but remember the plan, Mayeli!" Scarlet's voice was firm, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.
"You are only to give him a child and not to fall in love with him! Is that clear?"
"Why? Is there something you're not telling me?" I couldn't help but question, my curiosity overpowering any fear of the consequences. I needed to know the truth, no matter what it cost me.
"Do as you're told, Mayeli! Don't dare me!" Scarlet's words rang out with finality as she turned on her heels and strode ahead, leaving me to follow in her wake.
I couldn't shake the feeling of unease her warnings stirred within me, but I was tired of questioning her motives.
With a resigned sigh, I trailed after her, arriving at the entrance of the grand hall. Drawing in a deep breath, I braced myself for what was to come.
As the doors swung open, I stepped into the church, the weight of Scarlet's presence beside me a constant reminder of the awful choice I had made.
My eyes swept over the sea of smiling faces in the crowd before settling on the figures standing at the altar, their expressions beaming with anticipation.
Among the smiling faces stood Billionaire Dane, his demeanour markedly different from the rest.
Despite his charming and cute appearance, there was an air of seriousness about him that set him apart.
As I stood before him, my heart pounded in my chest, my gaze fixed firmly on the ground. His presence loomed over me like a shadow, filling me with an inexplicable sense of fear.
But then, to my surprise, he made a sudden move that caught me off guard.
"You don't have to be scared of me, Mayeli... look at me," he whispered softly, his hand reaching out to mine.
His touch sent a thrill through me, and I couldn't help but lift my eyes to meet his gaze.
As Billionaire Dane's demeanour softened, a wave of conflicting emotions swept over me.
Was this kindness genuine, or merely a facade to hide his true intentions? How long could he maintain this charade of being good to me before revealing his true colours?
There was only one way to find out…