Her Monstrous Husband.

ELSA ELKINS' POV,

The ray that streamed into my room that early morning came with the warmth I had always loved. It had always filled me with a renewed strength to push through another day, but not on that Saturday morning that was supposed to be the happiest day of my life.

My excitement was far from me, and a great sense of sadness had seeped into my heart. I felt hollow and void and wished I had been dreaming all along. As I lay there watching my life and all that I had dreamt of slip through my fingers, with no control over my own life, the door to my room swung open.

"Oh my goodness, Elsa!" Mrs Catherine's jaw dropped open. Her shock and disbelief written all over her features as she saw me,

"I can't believe you're still shuffled," she added, snapping me out of my thoughts. She was dressed already, in a milky flay gown. She was getting ready for my supposed big day, and her makeup was almost done. I knew she had only come to make sure I was getting ready,

As I stared back at her taking in her agitation, I felt drained, but she seemed not to care about the look on my face as she continued about her business.

"Do you know what time it is?" She said, scampering towards me,

"We can't afford to be late, Elsa. Not on your day." She complained, her shrill cry filling the room, echoing the urgency in her heart. Her nervousness clearly expressed as she uncovered my blanket, making my anger boil at her apathy toward me,

Just then, the alarm bell clocked seven, ringing bells of reality at me. I felt like I was being drawn into an endless sea of misery with no means of escape. Each passing second led me closer to my doom, and right there, it dawned on me, that there was no other way out of my fate. Completely overwhelmed by it all, I sat up, and fixed her with a glare. My fists clenching as I tried to put a peg around my simmering fury.

"That's all you think of Mother," I spat, allowed my heart do the talking instead. I swallowed hard to suppress the anger that was rising within me, in an attempt to calm my already racing heart,

"It's clearly your day... you and Dad's." I added as calmly as I could taking my eyes off her, hoping she'd have pity on her only child, I was unable to stop the emotions that was beginning to surge within me and so my eyes welled up with tears.

"Not so my child, you know it's not true." My father, Mr. Alfred Elkins said as he walked into my room, dressed in a matching milky-coloured suit, his brown hair well arranged towards the back, looking all set and ready,

"I don't know what to believe anymore father, you never considered my feelings when you gave me as a bride to that monster," my words tumbled out of my mouth in a fit of anger with my gaze fixed on a particular point in space,

He exhaled loudly, his hands hanging on his waist as he said coldly, "I wish I had another choice, Elsa. You don't expect me to give up the plantation, it's our only means of survival and has been passed down from generation to generation, I couldn't give it away." He explained, his voice pleading for understanding as he spoke, which made me scoff in disbelief.

"I'm not marrying him, Father," I said, my voice firm with determination, as I wiped the tears that had stung my eyes off, without paying attention to the mask of frustration on my father's face.

"No Elsa, not again. We've talked about this before, and we're not going over that conversation again. So get yourself up and go freshen up." my mother quickly interjected, paying no attention to my feelings, which further broke my heart,

Unable to control myself I allowed my heart do the talking instead, "How could you, mom? How could you even do this to your only child? Do you care about me at all? Do you know how this whole thing is making me feel?" I asked my frustration getting the better of me.

But the look on her face was a mask of nonchalance. Right there, I realized I knew the answers to my question already,

"Right! you don't, all you care about is yourself even at the detriment of your daughter. So you're willing to exchange her for a penny." I answered immediately, my teeth gritted from the pain that had overwhelmed me.

As I stared into her eyes with my eyes wide open, my heart heaving hard against my chest as I tried to communicate my feelings to my mother who I thought was supposed to understand. My tears had blurred my visions, yet, all I wanted was to be heard.

Finally, after about seven seconds, my mother said,

"Elsa, you sound like we did it intentionally. We had no choice, this is the only way out of this." Her words came bearing the weight of her decision. I found it ridiculous and couldn't help but chuckle at her flimsy excuse, the sound of which bore the weight of the pain in my heart,

I shook my head in disbelief, as I tried to comprehend how she could be so cold towards my feelings, my gaze flew to my dad who had gone silent listening to me and my mother, he was peering through the window, out into the distance. His expression that of pain and regret.

Returning my attention to my mom, I said, "You sound like it's an easy feat to pull, but this is my life you're talking about mother, my dreams, and all the plans I have, I'm being traded for your satisfaction."

At that moment, I couldn't take it anymore. I broke down in tears completely given to my feelings. My mother walked over and sat beside me, while my dad exhaled loudly in frustration. I knew he was hurting too, but I was the one being sacrificed. My mom's hands ran through my hair, in an attempt to soothe me, then rested on my shoulders even as she gave it a gentle squeeze,

"Elsa," she called,

"We love you, I wish there was anything I can do, but you know Leonard, we might not survive defaulting his orders," she spoke emphatically. "However it is... It's better to be alive in his house than dead elsewhere," she said partly in thought,

"I somehow believe you'd find a way, he has the money, and you could have anything you want," she added with a wide smile playing on her face, her eyes sparkled at the thought of wealth, which made me stare at her with a mix of anger and disbelief.

I couldn't believe she was talking about money over my happiness. After staring at her for a while, lost for what to say, I buried my face in my palms and sobbed my heart out,

After a while, I decided to make her see how unreasonable she sounded, "You think I have any chance with Leonard? I'm sure you know better Mother," I said, and without waiting for her response, I continued, my voice low and deliberate,

"We both know of his disdain for anyone called woman, he's not the type to care for anybody, not to mention someone that was used as repayment. Do you think he'd treat me any differently?" I asked staring into her eyes, even though I wasn't really looking for an answer.

As soon as she heard my words, she stood up and said in a cold and distant tone, "Darling, I'm sorry, but there's no other way." Her words dripping dismissively as she started walking towards the door.

Fuelled by my determination, I called after her, "There is Mom," I said, stopping her on her track,

"I'm not marrying him, not today, nor ever," I added, my teeth gritted,

Without turning towards me, she said, "You don't have a choice, I'll ask Daniella to come dress you up. Be ready we leave by nine, Mass is by ten." she spoke dismissively and walked out of my room, while my dad did the same after staring at me for a while,

As I watched them leave, I wiped the tears that had been trickling down my face and braced myself up for the plan B.

I had initiated that last conversation as a deliberate effort to make them change their mind, but since they had proven to be adamant in their course, I had decided to have it my way,

As I got up from my bed, I heard a knock on my door and I knew who it was,

"Come in," I said, walking towards my mirror stand,

"Good morning my Lady," Daniella greeted me as she got to where I was standing, her hands were joined together, an expression of the hesitation in her heart, at the same time, she avoided my gaze,

"Did you get it?" I asked, staring straight into her eyes,

"Yes my lady," she replied with a nod, bringing out a tiny leather bag that she had hidden in her bra.

"Did anyone recognize you?" I asked, snatching it from her palm,

"No miss, nobody saw me, I was sure of it. I didn't take off my veil." Her eyes sparkled with certainty as she responded, which dissipated my fears,

"That's good then," I replied, looking at the leather bag as determination coursed through my veins. Deep within me, I was grateful I had found a perfect means of escape,

"My Lady, I..." she began to say, snapping me out of my thoughts,

As I stared at her, I could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes, she was struggling to form her words, and I understood what she was scared of. In an attempt to ease her doubt, I said "Don't worry Daniella, I'll be fine."

"I..." She stuttered while I lifted my brows in a quizzical look, my eyes blazing in a fierce intensity. I had made up my mind and nothing could stop me.

"Is anything the matter? Anything you would like to tell me?" I inquired searching her eyes to search for the sincerity in them,

"Nothing Miss, I'm just scared, what if..." She paused biting her lower lips. "You should be careful, marrying that monster is better than dying after all," she added, lowering her gaze as she avoided my eyes.

"I'd rather die than marry that notorious criminal." I replied firmly. "Now come help me get ready, I need to surprise every one of them." I added with a determined smirk on my face, my pain clearly expressed as I thought about what I had prepared for them.

"Remember, it must be taken inside the car, its effect will be felt within five minutes." she cautioned as she unzipped my gown,

Within the next hour, I was dressed in a simple white gown, it wasn't the type I had imagined for a wedding dress, but Leonard had sent it over. From its design and style one could tell it spoke of the contempt in his heart, and as I stared at my reflection in the mirror, flashes of his response flew past my face when I complained about the gown,

"...After all, you're only a property to be added to my possessions." he had an unforgettable smirk on his face. His eyes were cold and icy as he spoke.

Even as I thought about it, I felt chills running down my spine. That was the day I decided never to marry him, even though that was the only day I had seen him, I never stopped having nightmares of him mocking me in my dreams.

Stepping out of my room I saw my mom's face lit up with joy as she noticed the change in my demeanor, but if only they knew what I had in store for them? They went ahead of us, which allowed me to swallow the concoction before entering the car.

Everything went dark almost immediately, and all I heard was the faint sound of Daniella, calling for help,

Opening my eyes, I saw Daniella pacing back and front the room, my whole body felt weak, like I had just been drained of every bit of strength in me. As my eyes adjusted to the room I realized I was at the hospital,

My stomach hurt as I determined to sit up wincing in pain, which drew her attention, making her rush toward me,

"You're finally awake miss, I was so scared, I thought you'd never make it. You slept longer than expected," she said, her words tumbling out in a rush, even as she heaved a sigh of relief,

"How long have I been asleep?" I inquired after I heard her words,

"One hour, twenty minutes, you took an extra twenty minutes." She replied, her concern evident in her eyes as she spoke,

My eyes flew to all corners of the room and found it empty, "Where's everyone?" I inquired, determined to set my plot in motion,

"They just left for the doctor's office," she responded, "but I managed to get a coat" she added, a broad smile playing on her lips, which made me smile back at her.

LEONARD KISH'S POV,

Upon our arrival in church that morning, I noticed the pews were packed with my fellow businessmen and rivals, invited and uninvited guests who had come to witness my wedding.

The news of her sudden collapse had gotten to us, but we were assured of her regaining consciousness within the hour.

As we awaited her arrival, my patience began to wear thin, and a great sense of uneasiness crept into my heart.

She had taken thirty minutes into the time already, but I tried to hold back my composure because I didn't want to give my rivals and foes the satisfaction of finding pleasure in my discomfort, but deep within me, I had sworn to make her pay dearly for keeping me waiting and encroaching on my precious time,

Seated on my right were the Yukas and Zeus, who I was sure had only come to witness my wedding fall apart. They kept whispering among themselves, with sly smiles playing on their faces, which further irritated me.

"What!" Sam my assistant and friend who was seated beside me exclaimed on the phone, drawing my attention back to him,

"How did it happen?" I heard him say in a hushed tone, causing my brows creased into tight lines,

From the expression on his face, I could tell something was off, but I managed to suppress the anger that was rising within me,

His expression conveyed the worry in his heart even as he listened to the caller, "Okay, make sure you do all it takes." He replied, and then he hung up and kept a straight face,

He nibbled on his lip, his shoulders tensed, and as I stared at him, I could tell he was struggling with his words.

"What now?" I asked, keeping my tone low and leveled to avoid being heard, since I was certain whatever it was had something to do with me.

"She's gone." he said in a small but clear voice, his brows slightly creased as he fixed his gaze on me,

As his words settled in my heart, my mind began to wander with countless possibilities, but the more I thought about it, the more confused I was,

"How do you mean gone?" I finally asked, my brows mirroring the confusion in my heart as I locked eyes with his

"She left Boss, and they're still looking for her," he finally let it out, his tone small but steady, echoing the fear in his heart.

"What!" I exclaimed as realization hit me. My fists rolled into balls as his words settled in my heart,

The first thing I thought about were my foes who were present in the hall, the fact that I was going to be humiliated right in their presence greatly annoyed me, and as I dwelled on it, my blood began to boil,

"They said she had left her wedding dress on the bed," His words came again like fuel to simmering wrath.

Although she was given to me as a repayment, never for once did I think she would flee on the day of our wedding. She never said anything about not getting married to me, and her parents had assured me that everything was in order.

My gaze flew instantly to Mr Yuka, whose expression was smug, at that moment I wanted to believe he had a hand in it, but then I realized he couldn't have done it. He never played such games without warnings.

From the expression on his face, I could tell he had already found out about it, he raised his glass of champagne in a toast, and I knew he was only trying to ruffle my composure. Instantly, pulled my gaze from him,

As I pondered on how to go about what had just happened, I turned towards Mr Elkins and his wife whose head were lowered all along and my anger burned,

"How dare they try to humiliate me like this in the presence of everyone, not to mention my foes?" I growled, my voice a raspy vibration.

Never in my lifetime had anyone done such a thing to me and as I dwelled on it I felt my anger threatening to boil over, I knew I had to let it out,

As I sat there trying to control the rage surging within me, Sam's words broke in, bringing me back to earth, "Do you need me to go..."

But before he could complete his words, my right hand shot out, snapping him off his words. I knew that was a matter I needed to take care of, myself.

"They're playing with fire and I'm so going to serve it hot," I said with gritted teeth, my gaze fixed on them,

Immediately, without a second thought, I sprang up to my feet, driven by the anger that coursed through me. I marched to where the Elkins were seated,

From the air around them, I could tell they were scared, I sensed the fear hanging on their shoulders like a thick blanket, even as they sat there unable to meet my gaze,

Immediately I got to their pew, he stood up, his back hunched. I knew he was trying all he could to avoid my gaze, he was trembling uncontrollably like a drenched chicken,

"What game are you playing?" I demanded angrily with gritted teeth. Deep within, I was trying to keep my voice low to avoid drawing further attention to us.

"I swear, it was not a game. I never knew she had such intention at heart." His response came immediately in a stutter, his words oozing the fear that had gripped his heart, yet, I wasn't going to let him off easily, not after they had thrown mud at my reputation,

I leaned closer, trying hard to hold back my wrath, I knew I had to keep my cool in the presence of my father's representatives and business partners,

"I don't care how you're going to do it, but you have to find her, she's my property already and you know I don't joke with my businesses. Nobody messes with my property and goes scot-free." My voice a low growl that sent him trembling greatly,

"I understand that sir, but Elsa is stubborn and I don't know where she might be at this moment. She has never left the city since she was young, I fear for her, my heart hurts to know that she's nowhere to be found." His words tumbled out in a rush, trembling as he spoke,

At that moment, I almost lost it. I slammed my hand hard on the desk, my lips quivering slightly, my eyes glinting in a fierce intensity. His words had grated on my already fraying wrath, threatening to let loose the monster I had been trying to tame all along,

"Don't try to elicit my pity, Mr. Elkins, I have none left within me. How you handle your business is none of my concern. You should know I'm not the type to be messed with," I breathed, my chest heaving in a restrained wrath,

Instantly, he fell to his seat, his eyes wide open in fright. Yet, I wasn't deterred, as I continued without paying attention to his poor heart,

"You have ten days to provide your daughter, otherwise, you won't imagine what is coming for you. I'll start with your beloved wife over there," I said, my voice tight with a restrained anger as I turned to face her,

"When I'm done with her, I'll get the plantation you love so much. I'll turn everything you have to ruin before I come for you." I continued and with that, I withdrew myself and walked out of his sight leaving him gasping for breath.

Fueled by the anger that coursed through my veins, I marched towards the exit door, but before I could get to the door, I heard a voice call out my name,

"Leonard," the voice rang out in a fierce determination, which halted me in my tracks. I knew who it was so I didn't turn to face him,

"Not so my boy, you don't intend to go home and leave your guest behind, do you?" He said, his words laced with mockery, arousing laughter from the rest of his ally, which further infuriated me.

I clenched my fist in fury as I stood there unwillingly listening to what he had to say, and as if that was not enough, he walked over, and stood in front of me,

"I knew it, I knew it'd never push through. I was shocked when I received your wedding invitation," He said, revealing his creamy pairs of teeth, followed by a sharp throaty chuckle, which echoed the mockery in his heart,

"What do you care about them anyway? When does the almighty Leonard start picking interest in women? We both know it is unlikely of you to find interest in such things as marriage," he added, stretching his hands towards me, and adjusted my lapel which grated my nerves,

"So don't feel offended and just continue with the thousands surrounding you, you're better off all by yourself anyways," He words came again, wrapped with chuckle, his hands playing on my tie this time around.

At that moment, I knew I couldn't take it anymore, I hit his hands off my tie and looked deep into his eyes, my lips curling into a smirk. Without saying a word to him, I walked out of the church with Sam who ran after me,

My anger carried me into my car, slamming the door hard behind me. Finally, I let loose all the anger I had been holding back for long,

"How dare she throw mud on me like this?" I growled, "Never in my life have I been humiliated like I was today," my teeth gritted as I directed my anger on the empty seat beside me, hitting it with every single strength I could find,

"Please be calm boss, don't let what the Yukas said get to you, he does that to everybody, and you know he was only trying to rile you up," Sam who was sitting on the driver's seat said, and somehow, his words pierced through my anger,

"I'm glad you were able to hold back your composure without giving him the satisfaction he was looking for," he continued as calmly as he could,

"It took everything I had, to not let him see through me, Sam," I replied, my gaze fixed on a particular spot in space, and as I sat there, I felt my anger begin to steam off my shoulders.

Somehow, I was beginning to feel calm under the spell of his words, he had always known how to soothe me,

All through my twenty-four years of existence, he had always been with me, even though he was two years older than I was, he had remained undoubtedly loyal to me and all that was mine.

I found it easier to relate with him and talk to him about how I felt, he knew me well enough and had been my partner both in business and crimes.

"You did a good job boss, and I'm happy for you," he replied with a small smile playing on his face, while I stared out of the window, watching the guest come out of the church with disbelief written all over their faces except that of Zeus and Yukas who seemed to be enjoying themselves,

Mr Yuka pointed towards my car and said something to the rest of them which aroused a burst of laughter among them.

"About that girl..." Sam spoke up again, snapping my attention off them,

"Do you want me to do anything?" He asked while I remained silent for a few seconds, pondering my thoughts, even as I tried to plot my next course of action,

After a few seconds had passed, I said, "Don't worry about that, her parents would find her, they'll do all it takes to make sure she is found," my voice rang with certainty as I spoke,

"Mr. Elkins had always cared about his business, he can never bear to see it turn to ruin, remember he had exchanged her for his plantation?" I said more like a statement than a question, and as I peered into the rearview mirror, I saw Sam nod his head in agreement with a half smile on his face,

For the sake of his plantation, I was certain Mr. Elkins would look for Elsa.

"I have a task for you instead," I added, while he turned to face me,

"I want you to investigate her, get everything I need to know about her, I want to know about the little brat that had humiliated me like that in the presence of everyone, and ended up making me the subject of ridicule in the presence of my foes. Make sure you do it immediately," I gave the orders while Sam listened attentively,

Yet, I wasn't satisfied with what I had said, I knew it was necessary I had her by myself to uphold my reputation.

"Get everything I should know about her, I want information on her whereabouts as well. I need to have her by my side to prove to Mr Yuka that I can still have the last laugh," I said, looking deep into his eyes to convey the gravity of the task.

Sam's lips curled into a conceited smile as my words settled in his heart "Yes boss," he answered, his voice ringing with satisfaction.

"Let's go," I said and the car screeched away.

ELSA ELKINS' POV,

Three days had passed already since I had escaped from my supposed wedding, Daniella had taken a few clothing along with her to the agreed place with the help of Orlando on the day she had left to get the concoction, including a few hundred dollars,

Even though I knew it wasn't enough to begin a new life, I was determined to make do with whatever I could instead of getting stuck in misery for the rest of my life.

I had called my parents with a new phone to assure them if My safety and ever since then, they had not stopped calling.

As I dwelled on the satisfaction I was beginning to feel from a profound sense of freedom, Daniella walked into the room, carrying a bowl of soup in her hands, snapping me off the thoughts that had gotten me busy.

"I don't think anyone can find us here," I let out the thought that had kept me busy,

Daniella's voice was calm and small as she responded. From her words, I could tell she was partly occupied in thought, "You never can tell my lady. You still don't know what Leonard is capable of," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

From the expression on her face, I could tell she was troubled by whatever it was that had plagued her,

"He could turn the whole city upside down if he sets his mind on it." She continued, with an unmistakable note of certainty in her voice, handling the bowl of soup to me,

Even though she was trying to pick her words with care, I couldn't help feeling scared by her words, which had also sent me deeply into thought,

"But, there's a way to escape from him for good," her words came again, snapping me off my thoughts, "and that's if you're willing to do what it takes to be completely free from his shackles." She added, her voice distantly cold as she spoke,

"Tell me about it," I requested, my tone ringing with anticipation as I spoke, disregarding the cold edge in her tone,

Upon hearing my words, she leaned closer and said," I had heard, Leonard has a certain hatred for pregnant women," her words made me gasp in shock at such a great revelation,

Seeing the expression on my face, she nodded her head, fervently affirming what she had just said. Somehow, her words had sent me wondering about the kind of man he was, I just couldn't find any reason to justify his hatred for pregnant women,

"That's cruel!" I exclaimed, my words ringing with shock.

"No matter how I think about it, he's just a crazy lunatic," I added gesturing with my hands. I was appalled by what I had just heard, and couldn't believe it.

After a while, I shoved the thought of what she had just said behind, "How did we get talking about that anyway?" I questioned, wanting to steer the conversation that had gotten me spooked towards another direction, but Daniella stared on, her jaw slightly dropped in surprise. She didn't say any word to me.

Just then, it occurred to me that we were talking about me, and my eyes widened in shock as realization hit me,

"What?" I exclaimed, utterly stunned by what I thought she was thinking,

"You don't expect me to get pregnant, or pretend to be pregnant for a whole nine months, do you?" My question tumbled out of my mouth in a rush, ringing with the disbelief I had felt, even as I raised my brows in a quizzical stare.

"But that's the only way out of this, otherwise you'd never be free from his claws," she retorted, her words coated in certainty as she spoke,

I looked into her big brown eyes and saw that she wasn't playing pranks, she had always been with me since young so I could read her like the palm of my hand,

My head lowered as I came to terms with what she had just revealed, which made me stammer in response, "But I don't have a boyfriend." my tone taking a defensive measure as I looked for a soft landing,

But her response came again in great exuberance, oozing the certainty in her heart, "That's not an issue, we could search for one," she said, her eyes glinting with excitement, which made my jaw drop open again,

Seeing the expression on my face, she pressed on, "I know you are upset with your parents but deep within you, we both know that you still care about them and would want to get in touch with them as soon as possible," she said, looking into my eyes as she tried to persuade me,

"So this is the easiest way out, you can still be close to them while you all settle on another means of repaying the loan." She added,

After all the effort from Daniella to make me bulge, I finally succumbed to her words of enticement,

"Fine!" I blurted out, exhausted from her continuous persuasion, "I just hope you're right this time around," I added, too exhausted to think clearly,

"Of course My lady, when have I ever been wrong?" She replied, her tone ringing with cheerfulness as she spoke,

"So what's the plan now?" I Inquired, wanting to get it done as soon as possible,

"We don't have the money to pay for male services, so I think the best way to get it done is to search online, I strongly believe it'd be much easier to get along with an online friend, you could set up a meeting and get it done," She said, while I stared at her, stunned by her suggestion,

The fact that she was talking about it so casually filled me with a great sense of disbelief, noticing my hesitation, she said,

"What? I thought we've talked about it before?" she inquired, searching my eyes, while I remained silent,

"Okay then," I replied, she quickly picked up my phone and without wasting another second set up an account on a dating app with a particular location,

"What do you think about the description? What should I write?" She inquired, staring at me,

I shrugged my shoulders upon hearing her words and said, "Just do it the way it pleases you." which made her lips curve upwards into a sly smile,

"All done," She responded, basking in the euphoria of a job well done,

My eyes popped open immediately when I saw what she had set as my description, "Desperate for marriage," it read, which rendered me speechless.

"Why such description?" I asked, my tone ringing with disbelief,

"That way, you'd only attract serious minded men," She answered almost immediately, her words dripping with excitement, and almost immediately, she stood up and went back into the kitchen.

I lay down curled up on my bed as realization hit me, I couldn't believe I had resulted to such, just to escape from my father's debt,

As the feelings lingered, I realized that my dreams of getting married to the man who would love me more than anything else were no longer possible, since I had settled for pregnancy outside wedlock just to be free from a man I never loved, which broke my heart and made my eyes well up with tears,

And as Daniella left, I knew there ought to be another way out of it, I determined to search for another way instead of getting pregnant from a random guy, I was going to search for love instead and right there, I determined to open up my heart to love.