ALPHA SIN

One

~TWO YEARS LATER~

ARTEMISIA

I squinted and glared at my parents from across the dining hall. What were they thinking, dropping an announcement in front of thousands of people without my consent?

The idea of doing things without a child's consent should be illegal, I thought. Maybe I would even make it a law if I became president. However, that seemed nearly impossible at the moment, given that I was on the verge of getting married to someone I had no knowledge of tomorrow.

Despite the overwhelming dilemma I was facing, I threw my head back and burst into laughter. The situation was just too ridiculous to take seriously.

“It's great to see you're taking it well. I thought you might throw a tantrum,” my mom said with a smile.

Taking it well? I was far from being okay. I felt an urge to shout and throw a tantrum, just as my mother had suggested, but I couldn't bring myself to do it in front of all the guests.

Had I known that today was the day my parents would publicly announce that I was essentially being auctioned off, I might have taken measures to prevent it. Maybe I would have run away. Although, to be fair, they hadn't presented it as a sale, the way they'd announced it made it seem more like a celebration. The attendees, oblivious to the true nature of the announcement, had even congratulated me.

I was aware that my parents were likely in cahoots with this stranger, negotiating the price at which I was deemed "valuable." Knowing my parents' tactics, I had no doubt they'd settled on a price that was convenient for them.

I knew that running away wouldn't solve everything in the long run. My father held significant power and had informants throughout the state. Still, I was determined to hide myself until I figured out a better plan.

“I'm still shocked,” I muttered, my anger simmering just beneath the surface.

As memories of their announcement flooded back, I trembled with fury. I snatched a napkin from the table and wiped my mouth before fixing a scorching glare on both of them.

“You're doing this without my consent. It's unacceptable!”

My father's response was curt, "We are your parents. We have the right to do whatever we desire, whether it's your wish or not."

His words didn't startle me. He had been on the lookout for an opportunity to find me a husband ever since I finished high school. It was clear he was seeking every possible means to offload me in exchange for a substantial sum of money. Unfortunately, he would likely squander that money in no time due to his extravagant lifestyle.

My father hailed from a family of long-standing wealth. After the passing of his father, the third Earl of Thorns, he inherited vast estates. This meant he was financially well-off and didn't require anyone's assistance. Yet, he had chosen to conspire with my mother for this plan.

"Excuse me? You may be my parents, but I am of age and certainly possess the right to make my own decisions!" I retorted.

"Careful, young lady," my father cautioned.

"As long as you reside under this roof, dear, we will exert our authority over you," my mother chimed in.

"Why are you subjecting me to this? I have always been an exceptional child and have abided by all the rules you set. Why are you intent on selling me off?" I asked, my voice wavering.

"It's not an auction, and we would never dream of treating our children that way," my mother declared, giving me a stern look at my choice of words.

"It's essentially the same thing, Mom," I countered. "What baffles me is the reason behind this decision."

"We believe this is in your best interest. It's preferable for you to marry now and start a family rather than waiting until you're older and less appealing to men."

Her words left me wide-eyed. I was supposed to marry and bear an heir for the stranger I was essentially being sold to.

It was the most ludicrous thing I had ever heard, a pathetic excuse to trade their child for wealth.

Yet, it was clear they had already made up their minds, as my protests seemed to fall on deaf ears. Not even my plea for just one more year seemed to sway them.

"I almost wish I were adopted! Then I could at least accept your flimsy justification for profiting off me."

"Young lady…" my father began, his voice tinged with warning.

"Excuse me," I mumbled, storming out of the room before he could say anymore words.

I paced around my bedroom for a while, then plopped onto my bed, glaring at the white ceiling as exhaustion from standing took over. I grabbed my pillow and punched it before letting out a frustrated yell.

"Why me?" It seemed like I was always the one bearing the brunt of it all. They claimed I was older and thus had to take on more responsibilities. This was especially true when my younger sister, Emma, had wronged someone. I was the designated cleaner for her messes.

With only a two-year age difference between us, being asked to cover for her, even when she was at fault, felt unjust. I groaned and rolled onto my side, my mind swirling with thoughts of escape. But the truth was, I was trapped; running away wasn't an option, and changing my parents' minds seemed impossible.

My thoughts shifted to the impending tomorrow.

"Tomorrow," I grimaced. That was the day my father intended to give me away to a man I had never met before. I would be led down the aisle toward a complete stranger.

As I considered the man they were forcing me to marry, I realized I had no clear image of him. The only details my parents had shared during the announcement were that he was extraordinarily wealthy. A "stinkingly rich" man. This label seemed to imply he would be older, as I had never heard such a description applied to a young man.

I shuddered as the image of a pot-bellied, average-height man with a receding hairline and sunken eyes standing before the priest at the altar flashed through my mind.

My thoughts also drifted to a movie I had watched, where the parents coerced their daughter into marrying a man because they were facing bankruptcy. The groom, in that scenario, would provide a substantial sum of money in exchange for marrying their daughter.

Ironically, I found myself in a similar predicament. Never could I have imagined that something like this would happen to me.

I had often dreamt of a charming prince who would sweep me off my feet, becoming both my husband and the father of my children. However, that dream now seemed distant as I faced the reality of my impending marriage, scheduled for tomorrow.

The vision I had cherished felt bleak, overshadowed by the fact that this marriage lacked love. To make matters worse, I was about to marry a man old enough to be my father.

I couldn't help but recall the image of the main lead's horrified expression when she first saw her groom at the altar in that movie. I had laughed at that scene, finding it amusing. Little did I know that I would find myself in a similar situation, and I suspected that somewhere out there, someone was finding amusement in my misfortune.