Between Vows and Hate

Chapter 1

Stacey Jones

It has been a rough month trying to save up this family from a dark future. All this was my own fault; I shouldn't have created fake proof of Daniel White cheating on his fiancée and sending it to the Media.

Since that day, my family has been bankrupt, and as always, my father was taking all his anger out on me whenever he had a chance. I had nothing to do but accept my own fate: die under the physical abuse from my dad and go bankrupt.

It was Sunday at 10 am when my dad entered my room suddenly while I was on the internet searching for a job. When he usually does that, it has always been to beat me until I lose my conscience. But this time, it was different. He sat on my Bed and told me.

Dad: Stacey, you have one week to get ready! Your wedding is next week

He didn't even let me react to the news that he had already left the room. I had no idea what I must do. I never thought my father would force me into a wedding with a stranger to save that family. There were plenty of ways of saving it other than sacrificing his own daughter.

I knew my father always hated me just because I was born as a girl, but marrying me to a stranger isn't too much?

Immediately after he left my room, I called my best friend, Elena Parker, the rightful heir of the Parker industry.

Stacey: Lena, my father wants me to marry a stranger by next week. Help me, please! What should I do?

Lena: Coming right now! We will talk about it.

By the Time Lena had arrived, I was already crying on my bed, thinking about everything that had happened. How will I be able to marry someone I don’t even know his name?

Once she arrived and saw me crying, she ran toward me, trying to comfort me. But how can she comfort me after all that happened in my life? I feel empty and useless.

Lena: Darling, instead of crying, let's try to find a solution.

Stacey: No solution is possible in this world to save me from the cruelty of my father. Lena, he hates me and wishes I were dead just because I am a girl.

Lena: I Know

I answered angrily: No, you don’t know. Stop saying you know to try to comfort me. The only way to solve this is to kill my own father, which I will never dare to do.

Lena: Stacey, perhaps we could consider arranging a wedding between you and Sebastian before the ceremony even occurs. He is my brother and a good guy.

Stacey: Lena, are you being dumb on purpose? My father would kill him and make me become a widow, so I can marry the guy he wants

Lena: Since there’s nothing we can do, let’s see the positive thing: You are leaving your father's house

I laughed at her way of saying it and agreed with her. Lena was my friend since the garden; our two families were always close and joined many gatherings. She is the only person who understands me and can make me laugh even in my darkest moments.

After that moment of sadness, Lena offered to go out with our group of friends. We are a group of friends composed of 4 people: Eleanor, Elena, Jackson, and me.

We were all friends together since we were in school; however, I suspected Jackson of having a crush on me recently. I hope I’m wrong since I don’t feel the same as him, and I’m not willing to break his heart and lose such a precious friendship.

I never believed in a friendship between a boy and a girl; however, with him its different. He’s the one able to understand my feelings without me having to explain myself. Our friend group would call us the future married duo, but I don’t feel I can think of Jackson any other way than a friendly one.

Arrived at a coffee shop near Eleanor’s father's industry. We met our group friend. It has been since the accident with the white family that I stopped talking to everyone. Lena was the only one I didn’t cut connection with and the only one that know my real relationship with my father.

My friends run towards me immediately to hug me. I felt ashamed of stopping answering them after what happened with the white, but I thought they would hate me.

Jackson: Stacey, don’t even stop talking to us

Eleanor: Yes, Stacey, we are your friends. Whatever will happen, we will always be here hand in hand together forever.

I didn’t know what to answer them, so I just nodded felling lucky to have those kinds of friends in my life.

I sat with them together, talking and enjoying our conversations all together like nothing ever happened. I felt right now how I missed talking with my friends, it makes me forget my dark future.

I decided to announce the wedding that my father forced me into.

Stacey: I have something important to let you all know about.

They all stopped their conversation, focusing on me, and Lena looked at me with pleading eyes, silently begging me not to tell them about the wedding.

Before I could even talk, my phone rang. It was my father, sadly.

Stacey: Yes, Father

Father: You have 30 minutes to come home. We have to talk. If you are late, you will regret it.

Stacey: I understand.

Once the call was ended, I turned to MY friends, saying to them: Sorry, guys, I have to go home, that’s urgent. We will talk later.

I didn’t give them a chance to answer that I ran from the coffee so I won’t be late. Lena followed me immediately, and we got into the car going to my father's house.

In the car, I was trembling like never before, and no matter what Lena said to calm me down, nothing seemed to affect me.