Chapter 45

Chapter 45
CHAPTER ONE

WILLOW'S POV

My heart dropped the moment I was informed by one of the maids that my step-mother was calling for me.

What have I done now?

I quickly dropped the dishes into the sink, rinsed my hands and wiped them clean with a napkin. Sucking in a deep breath, I walked out of the kitchen headed towards her room.

I couldn't face the risk of disobeying my stepmother- that would result in my father's wrath.

The maids bustled around with their duties, as I stared down at them from the stairs. A sigh left my lips as I looked down at my ragged clothes.

Who would believe that I'm the first daughter of this family? Even the maids look better than I do.

As I walked up the stairs, my mind reeled, taking me back to how things were until my mother's death 12 years ago.

My mother was a stripper who had a one night stand with my father who was a multi-millionaire. Unfortunately, my mom got pregnant and had me. My father had no other choice than to marry her. I still remember those nights he'd come home drunk and beat my mom up to a pulp. He never recognized her as his wife or even a person, nor did he speak good about her to anyone.

We were both treated like slaves, my mother endured it all, knowing that she had nowhere else to run to. She was an orphan and the only survivor of her family, she also had no other choice than to give me a life atleast. Despite my father's harsh treatments, my grandparents loved my mom and I....sadly they passed away when I was four.

When I turned six, my father brought in another woman with twins, claiming that they were also his children and my mother should step down as his wife.

I was little then, I had no memory of what really happened. All I knew was that one day, my mother ran away from home with me in her arms, where she was involved in a car accident and died.

Some claimed that my mother faked her death just to make my father feel guilty and ran away because she couldn't care for me any longer. No one felt pity for her or even grieved, she was laid to rest in a cemetery which was far from home, I barely even visited her grave as my father won't let me.

After mom's death, I was taken back to my father, and since then I had to live with him, my stepmother and their children.

My life in this house became a living hell. My twin siblings...Anna and David, did much worse than their mother and whenever I tried to speak up, I was told that I was being disciplined so I wouldn't turn out like my mother. I lived in this house like a maid...no friends, no education, no proper clothes nor food.

I had to endure all the torture, beating and insults from my stepmother and her children. If I dared to speak- my father would take things into his hands.

I sighed softly as I knocked on the door, then gently opened it without making a single noise. I slowly walked in and closed the door.

Inside, my step siblings, their mother and my father sat all together, they looked deep in thoughts.

I cleared my throat as I took a step forward. "You called, mother?"

Immediately my father's head snapped to me. "Can't you greet?" He snarled under his breath while Anna and David giggled.

I lowered my head, swallowing hard. "I apologize for my rudeness, father. Good evening Father, Good evening Mother."

A giggle sliced through the silence. Without even looking up, I already knew whose voice that was. "We are here too, you know?" Anna drawled.

I looked up at her and David, forcing a smile. "Hello, my dear siblings."

They both looked at themselves in amusement before laughing out loud again. "That's enough you two!" My father snapped at them, shutting them up immediately.

My stepmother on the other hand, her eyes were fixed at the table, her lips etched in a frown. I watched as she looked at my father and nodded.

My father turned to face him, his expression grim. "Willow," he began, his voice dark and laced with an unreadable emotion behind it. "You're to get married to Mateo Castillo in a week."

My breath hitched as my eyes widened. I wanted to open my mouth to speak, but he kept on talking. Knowing how cruel my father could be, I simply swallowed and clenched my hands into fists as I stared at him with tears forming at the corner of my eyes.

"It's been arranged and discussed already. There are no 'buts' no 'ifs'. You must do as you're told. You're a daughter of this family and this is your duty."

My mind reeled. I couldn't believe my ears. It felt as if my already broken world was now shattered into pieces. I've heard rumors about Mateo Castillo, but never met him....all I knew was that he was trouble and one that an ordinary girl like me couldn't survive.

He was ruthless.

Brutal.

Unforgiving.

And deadly.

Worse... A player who toyed with women as if they were nothing. A heartless beast.

"But-" I finally spoke up. "I thought... I heard about an arranged marriage and it was Anna...not me...I-" I began to choke as I found it difficult to process the words, the tears I was holding back had now stained my cheeks. "She was the one to get married, not me..."

Anna cut me off before I could finish my sentence. "Yeah," she rolled her eyes. "No way I'm going to marry that man, we met once, but never. Plus, he's hot but not my type, he's a bit too old for me."

My step mother turned to face me, her eyes filled with disdain as it landed on me. "Arent you the first child, Willow? Anna is too young to get married."

"I'm just twenty one..." I said amidst tears. "It's just a year difference between me and Anna..."

She sighed and adjusted her glasses that rested on her nose. "We need this alliance, your father's company has been going through alot and you know that. You're the first born Willow, and this is your opportunity to be useful in this family."

I took a step back as her words hit me like a physical blow. How they easily talked about my future as if it were nothing broke my heart.  I knew she hated me...but was it to the extent of selling me? "I swear I'll do anything else....I can't marry someone I don't love... And-"

"Love?" My father chuckled darkly. "That is irrelevant in business," his face then twisted into a frown as he continued. "You're my daughter and I have the right to control what you do and make decisions for you. And this is my decision."

I was about to speak when my step mother spoke up. "You should be lucky. The Castillo family are extremely wealthy, consider this a piece of token." With a dismissive wave, my father signaled that I should get out.

Knowing that my words held nothing, I simply bowed and left the room, headed towards mine. As soon as I got inside, I slammed the door and crumbled to the floor crying my heart out.

Why? 

Why me?

As I wiped my eyes with my hands, I caught the glimpse of a shiny object that laid on the floor opposite my bed. It was a broken glass. I looked around my room, and then to the glass again.

Perhaps...there's another way to escape this hellhole.