Chapter 1 DEATH DO US PART

CHAPTER 1: DEATH DO US PART

WILLOW'S POV:

"Get up!... You look stupid as it is already, stop embarrassing me and act like you are married into the Wellesley family", Noah Wellesley warned with disgust in his face, no atom of pity or guilt.

I looked around and the guest at the party were staring at me with different emotions - pity, satisfaction, disgust, envy.

"Oh my God, I feel so sorry for her".

"She deserves it!".

"Ha! She looks like a joke!".

"Oh no, that fall must really hurt".

"That's what she gets for trying to climb up the elite ladder!".

I struggled to stand up and I did, I picked up my purse and dust my dress.

"Now, apologize to her", Noah said and my eyes went wide.

'He wasn't serious, right? RIGHT!!', I asked in my head.

I raised my head to take a better look at the lady he wants me to apologize too. Katherine. His mistress.

He doesn't hide his infidelity anymore and I wouldn't lie, it hurts.

"I'm sorry", I whispered to her and she scoffed.

"You should be grateful I didn't push you that hard", She uttered and walked away with Noah.

I was left there all by myself, to be laughed at and condemned by these gossip mongers.

This is The Wellesley family ball. I was almost not invited to the party but I needed to attend since I am married to their son, Noah Wellesley, but he still didn't acknowledge me.

Let me give a brief introduction of who I am.

My name is Willow Emerson, first child of The Emerson family. My mother died of kidney failure when I was 12 and my father married six months later to a woman who already has a daughter of 10 years old. My stepmother didn't conceive after then.

My stepmom, Susan, isn't the wicked type but she is greedy and a good actress. She would put her needs first before others, even her children. My stepsister, Maya, is the cunning one of the family and she hated me the moment she came into our house.

My father, Malcolm, on the other hand isn't one to pay close attention. It is more than enough that his business is struggling, he can't be worrying about his grown up children.

I used to wish for a happy adulthood; to fall in love with the perfect Prince Charming who I have had a huge crush on since my teenage age, for him to love, protect and spoil me. For our lives to go smoothly and we have children of our own who would look just like us.

That person was The first son of The Wellesley family, Noah Wellesley.

But here I am, 24 years old and married at the age of 21 to a man who doesn't love me or even care for my feelings, Noah.

I should be happy right? That my dreams of getting to be with Noah did come through but... my life has been hell.

I woke up to reality years ago when I found out that my feelings would never be reciprocated.

I bowed my head and immediately left the scene before the tears would come rushing down. I dashed to the nearest bathroom and locked myself in there and just let the tears pour.

"Wh-why? what d-did I do?", I muttered to myself as I weeped.

I have no one to turn to for help, no one to clean my tears or fix my broken heart.

I stopped complaining to my family about The Wellesley ill treatment the day I found out through eavesdropping that my own father and stepmother were the ones who planned and sold me off to marriage to save our family business.

My impatient father and greedy stepmother wanted the wealth, connection and name of The Wellesley family so I was just a commodity.

Everyone in The Wellesley mansion hates me, Mr Reginald and Mrs Abigail Wellesley, Noah's sister and brother, Ava Ross-Wellesley and Ryan Wellesley. Their butler, head maid and other staffs.

Sometimes I wonder if I was carrying a contagious disease for them to hate me so much.

★★★

After crying for a while, I dried my tears, powdered my face a bit and left the bathroom. I tried my best to bow my head and avoid any crowd not to get noticed by anyone.

I couldn't leave the party as I'm one of the 'Host'

High Society Ball, it's just The Wellesley way for socializing and networking among elites, charity fundraising, business deal-making and showcasing wealth and status. They do this every year and I hate it everytime.

I walked my way to the corner of the hall and sat down on an empty chair, waiting patiently for this charade to be over.

I suddenly heard eating noise under the table and I furrowed my brows, I slowly lifted the white sheet to see who or what it was making that sound.

"Charlotte!", I whispered-yelled.

"Shhhh! Please aunty Willow!", She said to me. I sighed, shaking my head at the little girl under the table.

"What are you doing under there?", I asked her.

"Hiding from my mommy", She replied and giggled, I couldn't help but smile too.

Charlotte is a sweet kid, she is Noah's niece and Ava's daughter. She's just 6 years old but very smart and nice.

It's safe to say she's the only one in the Wellesley family that loves me and she is the reason that life in The Wellesley mansion isn't too unbearable.

"What have you done this time?", I questioned her and she pouted, the bit of chocolate cake fell to the ground from her mouth.

"I didn't do anything Aunty Willow, I promise!", She admitted.

"Why is she looking for you then?".

"I... I-I ran away because sh-she wouldn't stop telling me how fat I am and h-how I should stop eating too much", she blubbered.

I felt hurt for this little girl. Yes, she's a little chubby but that okay for kids her age.

'How can a mother be so horrible to her kid!', I cursed in my head.

"She sometimes compare me to her best friend's daughter... my mommy hates m-me", She sobbed quietly.

"Stop saying that Char! She's your mom and I'm sure she loves you very much", I tried to defend.

I've witnessed firsthand how Ava treats her daughter, like an accessory. I don't blame the poor child for thinking such.

"But it's the truth... and she hates you too", Charlotte said and I stifled a laugh.

The little girl still under the table giggled.

"Charlotte! CHARLOTTE!!", I overheard Ava calling out to her daughter over the loud music. The little girl gasps and clasps her hand together.

"Please please, don't let her know I'm here", She begged.

"But--".

"Pretty plleeeasssseeeeee!", She stressed, showing me her adorable pout. I chuckled and nodded.

I closed the sheets down and pretended like I was watching the guests as they danced.

"Charlotte! Charl-- Hey Willow! Where is my daughter?", Ava snorted.

"Uhm, I-I haven't seen her", I replied and she scoffed.

"Are you sure? I know you have bad eye sight and a dull brain but she's a little kid, how come you haven't seen her around?", She asked again.

I folded my hand into a fist and tightened my jaw.

'If she was that easy to spot, how come you haven't found her yet?!', I yelled in my head. Of course I dare not ask her that! The Wellesley family would hold a meeting on my head and I might be starved for talking back at a senior.

Ava is three years older than Noah and eight years older than I am.

"I'm sorry", I could only bring myself to say.

She scoffed and walked away.

I sighed and only opened back the sheets when Ava was out of sight.

"I'm sorry mommy scolded you because of me", Charlotte mumbled and I gave a faint smile and patted her head.

"It's not your fault", I responded.

Truly, it wasn't her fault. It's not her fault her family treats me ill, it's not her fault I fell in love with the wrong guy, it's not her fault my family don't care about my physical or mental health, it's not her fault they all hate me.

I could remember the look of disgust in Noah's eyes when that incident happened earlier. I wasn't to blame for what happened.

I only wanted to sit at our family table and Noah told me to get up.

Thinking about it now, I couldn't help but laugh at my foolishness for actually standing up and giving room to his mistress, Katherine. Immediately I got up, Katherine gave me a hidden push and I tripped on my dress and fell, embarrassing The Wellesley family.

"I will pay you back", Charlotte words brought me back to reality.

"How so?", I was amused by this girl.

She crawled her way out of the table and sat beside me after checking to see if her mom was around.

"I will give you half of whatever grandpa and grandma gets me for my birthday!", She beamed and I laughed.

"Would you now?", I asked and she nodded vigorously.

"But your birthday is not until two months time!".

"Then I will owe you. I will give you then, okay?", She sounded very serious so I nodded.

"You are such a sweet smart girl!", I praised, pinching her cheeks.

"And you are very beautiful Aunty Willow!", She attested.

"You think so?".

"I knowww sooooo", She dragged and I laughed with her.

Too bad her uncle doesn't think so. He doesn't miss any chance to call me ugly and poor. It hurts my heart and self esteem everytime but I have to keep up, because he's my husband and... death do us part.