THE VENGEANCE MARRIAGE

No Turning Back

Lena’s eyes caught the glare from her just announced husband–Julian. The deal was already sealed, this was her life now. The wife of an unknown man. She quickly looked away, scribbling her signature on the pages that needed it. A heavy sigh escaped her lips. This was all for her family–for her father.

Once everything was concluded, Lena fell into the arms of her mother. She tried to hold back the tears, to be strong for her family. Her husband only offered a curt nod to her mother and wandered off with the man he had walked in with earlier; probably his assistant.

Lena’s mother let her tears flow as she held her tightly in her arms. Her little girl was now married, was going to live in another man’s house and not for love but to clear debts and salvage the family’s situation.

“Just try to get to know him. He might not be that bad” she told Lena, holding her cheeks, wiping the tears that threatened to fall from the corner of her eyes. “this is for the family and I can’t thank you enough for this sacrifice, Lena”

Joining their foreheads Lena tried to comfort her mother “This is for the better” but she was speaking to herself. She was trying to convince herself that this was for the better.

The man who was with her husband earlier walked back into the room. “Mrs. Blackwood” he said. Even the name sounded so foreign and wrong but that was her cue that it was time to go. Her time was up. Was she going to see her mother again? Was she going to be allowed to visit home? She pulled her mother closer to herself, inhaling her scent deeply into her system. “Go” her mother whispered softly. Lena held on. Just a minute longer. “I’ll come visit soon, I promise” she finally pulled away and with a lingering kiss to her mother’s forehead, Lena walked away without looking back.

Looking back would make things harder. Looking back would c***k the strong mask she was placed over her emotions. The outside air lightly grazed her skin but did nothing to ease the tension in her chest. The car was packed not too far from the entrance. A model she only admired from afar –passing cars– and a driver? Bodyguard? She didn’t know which, stood by the door. She assumed that was the door she was going to get in through. The man from earlier? He was only a step behind her. She felt caged–trapped. Her bag was already retrieved from the car she and her mother had arrived in. As she approached the car, the man at the door gave a polite bow. To her? Or the man behind her. She didn’t let her thoughts linger. He held the door open for her.

Lena glanced around her environment, imprinting it to memory and with a deep breath slid into the car. The door closed with a gentle thud.

Her stone faced husband didn’t bother to spare her a glance. The man who she now believed was her husband’s assistant slid into the passenger seat and the other man who held the door open for her took the driver’s.

“Where to sir?” The driver’s smooth voice rang out.

“Blackwood estate” Julian muttered. This was most likely the only thing Lena has heard from his lips since he said ‘ I do’. The car roared to life and the partition slowly started to slide into place. Lena almost pleaded for it to be left as it was but she couldn’t find her voice. She could only watch her vision of the road ahead and the other two occupants of the car get cut off by a partition, leaving only herself and her husband.

Lena stole a glance at him–her husband, but the man scrolled away on his mobile device, completely ignoring her presence. Having nothing else to do, Lena finally took in the interior of the car. Fine brown leather, woody–money scent, really expensive. It made sense that her husband owned such a car. If he was wealthy enough to agree to a marriage contract with nothing to gain, then money was clearly not his problem.

The air conditioner was working absolutely well but Lena was running short on air supply. She was very conscious of the man seated beside her and every movement he made. Her racing heart wasn’t helping matters. She wished she could open the window for some air but she didn’t know she if she was allowed to do that. She didn’t want to do anything to upset her husband so early so she resulted to looking out the window instead and taking practiced, controlled breaths to calm her racing heart.

They had not gotten to their destination yet. Lena’s eyes fluttered open. She must have fallen asleep from her breathing exercise. She was still leaning against the window–the exact position she remembered she was in before her dozing off. With a subtle stroke of cheek, she checked for any drool, sighing in relief when there was no trace.

She let her eyes scan her surrounding. Nothing changed. The partition was still up they were still moving and her husband was still in the same position of earlier; slightly bent over and scrolling away on his phone. Without her racing heart, Lena’s body had adapted to the temperature in the car and now Lena was cold. Only the soft fabric of her gown couldn’t do much to keep her warm. She glanced at her husband. Talking to him was a waste of time. Lena rubbed her hands together to create some heat, she ran her heated hands down her arms several times until the cold was somewhat bearable. Looking through the window, she identified they were on the outskirts of town. Just how far away was this man’s residence?

Lena pressed her forehead lightly against the glass, watching the city thin into unfamiliar roads. Wherever Julian Blackwood was taking her, it was far from everything she had ever known. And she had the unsettling feeling that once she crossed those gates, there would be no turning back.