Chapter 3 Sacrifice

Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.

Emily's POV

"Step mother." I drawed, petrified by her words. Getting married the next day? That didn't seem reasonable enough, but she meant it. With the expression on my stepmother's face, I was sure she meant her words. I wet my lips with my tongue, making my stand, "I refuse. I'm not getting married to anyone."

Smack!

It was the sound of her palm against my skin. I staggered to the back, almost losing my tooth due to the force she used. Tears stinged my eyes as my cheeks burned, adding to the pain I already felt.

My step mother, Britney approached me, her face twisted in an ugly scowl, "How dare you talk back at me?" she spat, her eyes glaring daggers at me, "You think you have the right? If I say you're getting married, then you are!"

At the same time, my step sister walked down the stairs, stretching her arms like she just got up from bed. Her lips lifted up in a smile, "Sister, don't tell me you're just coming home?" she said, walking towards me with a triumphant look, "Ah..mother must have told you about the news."

I held back my tongue, knowing better than to respond to her words. Even as my tears threatened to spill from my eyes, I tried my best to hold them in. After being raped, I was still going to be given to another man?

I would rather die than go through such humiliation.

"Can't you speak?" Amelia thundered, her eyes blazing with fury, "Then I'll take your silence as yes. You're getting married to him in my place." she continued, rendering me completely speechless. My jaw dropped, surprise written all over my face, "Getting married in your place?" I blurted out, finding the whole matter ridiculous.

"I refuse!" I snapped and walked towards my room, but my step mother grabbed me by my hair, her nails sinking into my scalp. A groan escaped my lips, "Step mother!"

"Shut your mouth, you unfilial child!" She yelled as she dragged me towards the basement, where I was usually punished. My eyes widened in alarm and I tried to resist, "No, step mother, please!" but my words fell on deaf ears.

Amelia's laughter echoed in my ears and my heart sank. Everyone was blessed with sisters who loved them, but mine despised me every fiber of her being.

My stepmother pushed me into the tiny room and locked up the door, "That's where you'll stay till your father arrives. Since you're going to talk back at me, let's hear what you'll say when he arrives." She yelled, making sure I heard every one of her words there.

I fell to the ground with a loud thud, bruising my knees and my hands. The floor was cold, the usual way and the room was dark and dusty.

Ever since I was a child, I was always thrown into this room as punishment. Sometimes, I go on for three days without food and sometimes even more. Amelia would steal a piece of jewelry but once she gets caught, she would blame me instead. While everyone cherished their childhood memories, mine were nightmares.

It was only filled with pain and misery-those kind of memories I want to lock up.

Seconds passed by, maybe minutes and even hours. I couldn't tell how much time had passed, but I noticed that the room got darker. I rubbed my arms around myself, trying to keep my frail body warm.

In this dark room, I was reminded of the stranger's groans as he forced himself inside of me and I shuddered, feeling the urge to scream. My breath hitched and I felt like I was being suffocated. The feeling overwhelmed me, and I thought my limbs were paralyzed again.

"Emily, Dad's here!"

Amelia's voice rang in my ears, jolting me back to reality. I sighed in relief when I realized it was only my imagination. It was just a nightmare. Soon, the door opened and Amelia pushed me out of the room like some slave-sorry, I was a slave. What difference does it make?

My auburn hair was scattered all over my face. I paused for a while to gather my hair, but Amelia suddenly screamed. Her eyes widened in terror as she pointed at me like she had just seen some ghost. She ran down the stairs and I was at a loss, wondering if I should run as well.

Sighting my father in the dining room, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. There he was, smiling at my step mother with no care in the world while I was being treated as a side dish -I couldn't even believe I was his daughter.

"Mom, dad, you won't believe what I saw." Amelia gasped, placing her hands over her mouth as she glanced at me. I drawed my lips in and lowered my gaze, not interested in their conversation. Immediately after their sweet conversation, I would become the topic of discussion and it would end with me being starved. I was used to this torturous routine.

My father, Robert, seemed curious, so he asked, "What did you see, sweetheart?"

"An Hickey." Amelia began, "Not just one, but about two or three. I think Emily slept with a man."

My face turned pale as dread slowly filled my heart. My eyes watered as I shook my head profusely, wanting to deny it, but my dad was already all over me, "I can't believe this!" he growled.

It was always like this. He never asked if it was the truth or not, he never asked if Amelia was lying or not. My father always believed her.

"That's not true." I explained, but my stepmother's words pierced my heart like some poisonous dagger. "Your mother was a slut. I'm not surprised you're sleeping around with men. I should have known that's why you returned this morning."

"My mother isn't-"

"Silence!" My father yelled, slamming his fists on the dining table, "Since you're already used to the ways of men, I think you shouldn't be so surprised about your wedding. Britney told me you're aware, but I'll just go into the details." He continued, his gaze cold and icy, "You're getting married to Theodore wills in place of your sister. I'm sure you know him already."

A shiver ran down my spine and I shuddered. Theodore Wills? The bankrupt psychopath who was rumored to be a woman beater? Someone who treats women like some piece of shit?

"Father, why can't my sister marry him instead." I yelled, tears falling down from my cheeks, "Why would I marry into that kind of home."

Amelia chuckled softly, "Why would I marry him when I have you to take the fall? His family is rich, don't worry, you can always beg your in-laws for money whenever he's incapable."

"Father, please, don't do this." I cried out, getting on my knees to show him my sincerity, "Please, that man could kill me. He would never cherish me." I explained.

"But you're old enough to take care of yourself. Look, you know how powerful the Wills family is. Since they're choosing their bride from our family, it's a wonderful collaboration. Our company would boom and soar higher."

"Then must I be the sacrifice?" My voice came out weak and soft, I was tired of this already, but no one seemed to care. I was getting married to a bankrupt psychopath the next day, just how much do I have to take in?

My step mother smiled, "Then should my precious daughter be the sacrifice? My daughter deserves the eldest son in that family, the heir to the family business, not the bankrupt one." She commented, getting up to walk towards me, "But since she's getting married to Lucas already, I'm more than satisfied."

"But Lucas is my boyfriend."

"And you're not good enough for him, can't you see?"

My father rolled his eyes and called everyone to order, "Let's leave her to get some rest. Her wedding is tomorrow after all." he suggested, but I was not going along with this. Getting married to another man? Never! For the first time, I was determined to escape from this household.

"Dad, let's lock her up in her room just so she won't escape." Amelia said to my utmost surprise a

nd a tear slipped down my cheeks. Perhaps this was a fate I could never escape.