Married To Mr Smith

Ava turned to her mum, her heart pounding against her chest as she grappled with the reality of her father's unexpected announcement. The air in the room felt heavy, suffocating almost, as if the walls themselves were closing in on her. She was going to get married and not to Jake but to a total stranger. She shivered at the thought of not getting married to Jake. "Dad, you must be joking," she blurted out, her voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief and challenge. She couldn't understand the idea of being forced into a marriage with a stranger, her future dictated by someone else's whims. Her father rose from his chair, his expression grave yet determined. "You have to, Ava. You're our last hope," he insisted, his voice tinged with urgency as he moved to stand beside her. Ava's mind raced as she struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation. This wasn't just about her; it was about her family's livelihood, their very survival hanging in the balance. With a sinking heart, Ava realized that she couldn't bear the thought of sacrificing her happiness for the sake of her family's financial stability. Yet, amidst the turmoil of her conflicted emotions, a glimmer of hope flickered in the depths of her mind. She had siblings—Mary, her immediate elder sister, came to mind. Perhaps Mary would be willing to step into the role that Ava found herself unable to fill. It was a desperate gambit, a last-ditch effort to salvage their family's fortunes, but Ava knew that her mom wouldn't agree to Mary getting married now. She had already agreed that her Parents hated her and this finalized it. They were willing to give their last child out and not the older one. "I'll give you some time to think about it," her father said, his tone softer now, almost pleading. "Talk to your daughter, please. I need this." He said to her mother like she could force her to agree with him. With that being said, he left, leaving Ava and her mother in a tense silence that seemed to stretch on indefinitely. As her father's footsteps faded away, Ava sank back into her chair, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on her. She turned to her mother, her eyes pleading for understanding, for solidarity in the face of this impossible decision. But her mother remained silent, her gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the room as if lost in her thoughts. The lack of support from her mother only added to Ava's sense of isolation, of being trapped in a situation she had no control over. "Mom, how could you let him do this?" Ava's voice trembled with a mixture of anger and desperation. "I can't just marry a stranger because Dad says so. What about what I want?" Finally, her mother met her gaze, her eyes filled with a mixture of fake sadness and resignation. "Ava, you know how much trouble we're in financially. Your father believes this marriage is our only option to save the company, to save our home and everything." "But what about me your daughter?" Ava's voice cracked with emotion. "What about my happiness? What about Jake?" She knew her mom didn't care about her but she still asked. Her mother's expression softened, her hand reaching out to grasp Ava's trembling fingers. "I know this is hard, darling. But sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the ones we love. Jake will understand, he'll want what's best for you." Ava wanted to laugh at her mother acting like she cared but couldn't. She had always been the unwanted child and now they wanted to finally get rid of her. Ava shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't do this, Mom. I can't just give up everything I've ever wanted for the sake of some business deal. I am not your only child you can ask the others." Her mother stared at her like she had slapped her. So she was happy that her last child was getting forced to get married instead of the older one? "I won't sacrifice my happiness for anybody, You do not even care about me so why do I have to make you happy?" Ava declared, her words echoing in the tense silence of the room. "Mary can marry him in my stead." She then moved to the door opened it and turned to her mum giving her a soft smile before walking out. As Ava stormed out of her family's house, her heart raced with determination. She had made a choice: to follow her heart and be with Jake, regardless of the consequences. On the way to Jake's house, she thought of what had transpired between her and her parents. She got out of the cab and headed to the familiar house that she went to when she was down and where her boyfriend Jake stayed. As she arrived at Jake's house, anticipation mingled with anxiety in her chest. She knocked eagerly, hoping to find solace in his arms, only to be met with silence. She then knocked again and it was the same. Frustration mounting, Ava fumbled for the spare key in her bag, her fingers trembling with apprehension and while she did, the door opened and there standing at the door was a girl dressed in shorts and a tank top which looked like she wore in a hurry. Jake had shattered her world into a million pieces. "Babe, who is the..." Jake's voice trailed off as he walked to the door and registered Ava's presence, his expression a mix of shock and guilt. "Wow, Wow, Wow." Ava couldn't believe her eyes and ears she just nodded her head and entered the house. Her mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions, her heartache threatening to consume her whole. "Ava, it's not what you think" Jake went to her side. The girl stared at him with disbelief but understanding the situation, she knew not to talk and so stayed quiet in a corner of the room. "Not what I think? You must be f*****g kidding me," Ava spat out, her voice laced with venomous disbelief. She almost laughed maybe her eyes were playing with her. Jake stumbled over his words, attempting to salvage the shattered remnants of their relationship, but Ava's resolve was unwavering. "I just rejected my parents' wish for me to marry someone else for you, and here you are, with another woman. I'll leave and this is the last time you'll see me," she declared, her voice trembling with fury. "You can't do this, It was a mistake and I won't repeat it," Jake said as he tried to pull me to his chest. "A mistake? A mistake Jake What have I done to deserve all this?" she asked as her body shook with grief. After staring at him for some time, Ava turned on her heels and walked out of the house and then she brought out her phone to dial her dad. As Ava's trembling fingers dialed her father's number, a sense of resignation washed over her. "Father," she said, her voice steady as she tried to hold her tears. "I'll marry him."