Her Marriage for convenience

CHAPTER 1

¨what!?¨ I screamed, making my mother wince.

¨I can't marry him, mom. I don't know him, I don't even love him.

¨Isn't there any other way besides marriage?

¨Natalie, I know this must be so difficult for you. I'm sorry sweetie, but it can not be done.

You have been crying over that good-for-nothing boy for years now.

¨It's about time you move on and forget about Mark.

I stared at my mom, thinking she had lost her mind.

What wedding?

As if reading my mind, my mother spoke up

¨It's time for new beginnings dear. My mom pleads while taking my hands into hers.

¨You know how much I love and adore you. It's my main wish in life to see my only child happy'

¨I know this marriage is out of the blue and I shouldn't be meddling with your love life, but I just want to help you move on.

I want you to have the best of the best, and I think Gray would make a good husband.

I stared at my mom, examining her. She means well, I know she does, but I just can't.

¨Mom, I know you're doing this for me, but I don't need to marry someone to be happy!¨

¨I don't even know who the man is for crying out loud.¨

I removed my hands from my mother, staring at her with terror in my eyes.

¨What if he's a criminal? Or a pedophile? What if he has committed murder or r**e before?¨

Mom laughs at my accusations.

¨I assure you, dear, he's nothing like that. In fact…¨ she trails off, pulling out her phone to find a photo.

¨He is a well-mannered gentleman from one of the most respected families in the country.

" Your father and his father go way back. " He is a nice young man,' she concluded and pulls back her phone.

¨Hardworking, too.¨

¨He might look well-mannered on the outside, but that doesn't make him good on the inside.¨

I crossed my arms over my chest.

¨I still don't like this.¨

¨It's for your good, sweetheart.¨

My own good, my foot!

My chest fills with dread, as I realize the seriousness of things. My mother is fully determined to marry me off to a man I don't know.

I do not care how much of a saint this ¨Gray¨ will be. I would only recognize him as the person I'm forced to be with for the rest of my life.

Mom lifts herself from my bed. ¨It's late. Get some rest. We will talk about this later.¨

¨Think about it, dear.¨ She mumbles on her way out of my room.

I crawl into my bed and take in a deep breath.

Sleep escapes me as I weigh down all my options. Since when has my life taken a turn for the worst?

Ever since he left.

I reached down to my cabinet and opened its drawer. I pulled out my old phone.

That same text message that left my heart in shambles is still on the phone undeleted.

I began reading it for the umpteenth time.

I still remember the first time I read it. I kept staring at the text message, hoping to summon its sender.

A week after my fourth-year anniversary with my boyfriend, he just left a measly text message with a bunch of hurtful words.

Hey Nat,

You are probably wondering why I haven't been responding to your texts and calls, right?

Well, I've left the country.

I'm sorry that I'm telling you this way. I just don't want you to find out from someone else.

I'm getting married.

Truth be told, I wasn't happy with you and where I was in life and I want to achieve more for myself.

Thank you for loving me, understanding me and giving me your all.

I read out loud, switching off the phone and placing it back into the cabinet.

Tears filled my eyes as memories of our past came flooding back.

We were so happy, I was content.

He was content. Or so I thought.

He just left. Left like that.

He left me.