Chapter 3 Meeting

Jacob arrived exactly on time. Telling my step-father that he was going to take me out, Jacob led me to his car and together we drove off to God knows where.

The car ride was silent. I had no idea what was running through Jacob's mind, and I didn't even care; I was still processing the painful truth that Jacob told me last night. I was actually thankful that Jacob had told me the real reason for our marriage.

After twenty minutes, Jacob parked the car. I looked up to see he had brought us to a restaurant. Turning off the ignition Jacob and I got out of the car. Without a word, Jacob led me inside the restaurant, where we were seated in a corner table.

After taking our orders, the waiter left. For a while neither of us said anything. In my opinion, there was nothing to say. It was clear that once I married Jacob I'd be nothing but a slave. A person who was sold to another was a slave, a property. With no rights or anything. Just like me.

"How are you?" Jacob asked me.

"I'm fine, thank you," I replied, not looking at him, too focused on my mother's ring which was on my right index finger.

"Look, I know this is not what you wanted, but it's not like I wanted this either; my grand father just said that your father needs to pay now or else we must kill him.

"When my father demanded money from your father, he straight out told us he didn't have any money.

"When we told this to my grand father he personally called your father and said that either he pay us back or he will suffer the consequences.

"Your father said he has a daughter which could be used as payment..." Tears welled up in my eyes as I heard Jacob's words. If he was telling the truth, then according to my step-father I wasn't even human, but an object.

"Yo - you're telling the truth?" I did my best to keep my voice from breaking. Jacob should never know that this marriage would most likely break me.

"I swear on everything that is holy, I am telling the truth," Jacob replied. I bit my lip to stop myself from sobbing.

Be strong, Emila. Be strong.

I glanced at him briefly before focusing on the white cloth covering the table. If Jacob didn't want this marriage any more than I did, then that means I was going to be a slave in his family - an object. His family would do whatever they wanted to me and I wouldn't even have the right to say 'no'.

"If - if you don't want to marry me...what are you going to do to me?" I asked.

"It doesn't matter if I want to marry you or not, we are going to get married...but, I'm sorry, actually I'm not sorry because your father is a jerk and I wish I could kill him with my own hands for not being able to pay us the money...but, I will never love you like a husband loves his wife. And if love is what you are looking for, then I guess I wouldn't be able to keep you happy either," Jacob responded but there was not a single hint of remorse on his face.

"No, no, it's okay, you don't need to apologize, I completely understand why you would never be able to love me, you can't love someone by force...and don't worry, I'll be happy, you don't have to worry about me," I said.

To be honest, I just didn't want anybody insulting me or treating me worse than an animal.

Even if Jacob's family would ignore me for the rest of my marital life, I'd be okay with that. I just didn't want them to insult me - my step-father was enough.

"Thank you, Emila, you are very understanding, I'm glad that you're not one of those spoilt, whiny girls that demand to be loved, because I don't want to waste my time fretting over what you are thinking," Jacob stated, looking relived.

"It's no problem," I said, hating the fact that despite what he was saying, his words still hurt. "Jacob? Uh...is it okay if I call you Jacob?" I didn't want to over step my boundaries, I was after all a slave.

"You're going to be my wife soon, I think being on the first name basis is okay," he joked, amusement glinting in his eyes.

"Yes, Jacob, I just want you to know that even though you'll never love me and everything, I just want you to know that I'll try my best to be the best wife that I can be; you don't have to love me like a husband loves his wife, but you can share your problems with me and talk to me about anything, as your wife, I'll support you in everything," I told him. It didn't matter that Jacob would never love me, he was kind enough to accept me as his wife and give me a place to live, and for that I would try my best to make sure Jacob would be happy with me.

The waiter arrived with our orders after twenty minutes. The smell of food made my mouth water. As soon as the waiter placed our food in front of us and left, I wasted no time in digging in.

Throughout the meal, Jacob and I made small talk and mainly discussed the wedding that was going to place very soon.

I just hoped I was strong enough to handle this drastic change in my life.