This Marriage Will Fail Anyway So I'll Run Away

MARGOT “Are you awake now?” The arrogant maid, Carol, said with a smirk on her lips. My body trembled from the ice-cold water that she had just poured on me while I was asleep earlier. My hair, pajamas, and even the dilapidated bed I am currently lying on are all wet now. “W-What do you want? ” I asked, quivering in cold and fear. “The patriarch said that your punishment is over. You're free to go.” She opened the door wide, and the light outside entered the dark room I'm in. “Also, he strictly commands you to gain weight within this week to appear neat on the day of your upcoming engagement party.” I gripped my shriveled hand in my pajamas, trying to keep calm, but my heart was pounding so fast that I could hardly breathe. For a week, I was only given clean water and tasteless bread as my meals while they locked me up inside this dark punishment room. This is all because I tried to escape. I didn't want to get married only to be their pawn to keep my ‘fiancé’ in check. I don't want to get entangled in their struggles within wealthy families. Being born as the illegitimate child of the Ashford family feels like I have no control over my own destiny. This is not the first time I have been punished in this manner; in the past, my punishment was even more severe than it is now. Perhaps they are cautious because they fear that I may seem flawed in the presence of the Velardes now that I will be part of their circle, and my fiancé might find another excuse to cancel the wedding despite all my family's efforts to make it happen. “You should take a bath first, Margot. You stink!” Carol said, pinching her nose with a disgusted look on her face. After she walked me into my bedroom, she immediately left, not wanting to serve me any more than that. I drew myself a bath and took time to clean my body. I feel relaxed as I lie in the bathtub. This is the only time I’m taking a hot bath after a week of punishment. I feel so refreshed that I didn't mind staying in the bathroom for two hours. Afterwards, I chose my favorite comfort pajamas, dried my hair up, and went straight into my soft, clean, and scented bed! How I missed this! My room is like my home. The safest place in the world! I sighed while staring at the ceiling. “My plan A to win my family's heart failed. My plan B to at least win my father's favor failed. My plan C, which is to study hard and make a living to earn a sum for my escape, failed. My plan D to escape this damn family… failed! This is so hard!” I kicked my feet in annoyance. Two nights before the engagement party, I was summoned to dinner with the patriarch of the Ashford family, my grandfather. His request was more of a command, one that couldn't be refused. Anxiety gnawed at me as I made my way to the grand dining room, my footsteps echoing in the cold, vast hallway. Family dinners were never a pleasant affair for me; they were arenas where power and disdain played out in full view. As I entered the dining room, the long table was already occupied by my family members. My grandfather sat at the head, his presence imposing and authoritative. His sharp eyes bore into me as I took my seat. Beside him was my biological father, distant and indifferent as always. My stepmother, Cecilia, sat next to him, her lips twisted into a cruel smile. While my three half-brothers—Antonio, Lucas, and Gerald—gazed at me with thinly veiled contempt. Opposite me was my half-sister, Anastasia, the family's princess. She was my age, but she had always been treated like royalty compared to me, the witch’s daughter of the family. "Let's eat." My grandfather's voice cut through the tense silence, commanding obedience. Servants began to serve the first course, and the clinking of cutlery and murmured conversations filled the room. Yet, despite the noise, I felt the oppressive weight of their stares. Each glance reminded me of my place in this family—a place I wished I could escape. "Margot," my grandfather began again, his tone demanding everyone's attention. My heart raced with nerves. "The engagement party is in two days. It’s important that you carry yourself well and treat your fiance with respect." "Yes, Grandfather," I replied, my voice steady despite the knots tightening in my stomach. "Darius Velarde is not only your future husband but also a key player in our family's future. You will treat him with kindness and respect, regardless of your personal feelings. Do you understand?” "Yes, Grandfather," I repeated. "Good," he said, nodding approvingly. "Remember, your actions reflect on all of us." Cecilia leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with malice. "And, Margot, do try not to embarrass us. It would be a shame if you caused any trouble, considering all the effort we've put into this arrangement." I bit back a retort, knowing it would only make things worse. "I understand," I said quietly. Antonio, the eldest of my half-brothers, smirked. "Don't worry, Margot. We'll all be watching to make sure you won't cause any trouble and step out of the line." Lucas and Gerald snickered, while Anastasia gave me a condescending glance, as if daring me to defy them. My father remained silent, his gaze fixed on his plate. He had never defended me, not once. His indifference hurt more than their outright hostility. "Enough." My grandfather's voice silenced the room. "Margot knows her place well. We will not tolerate any failures." The rest of the dinner passed with them talking about business and how Anastiacia's business proposal went well. I barely touched my food, no matter how my stomach growled in protest, aching for more sustenance. As soon as it was polite to do so, I excused myself and fled back into my room. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, letting out a heavy breath. The engagement party loomed over me like a dark cloud, making my heart as heavy as it is now. But then again, I know I have to do something. I cannot let myself burn in the pit of fire, being used as firewood. I've lived this far despite what I went through as an illegitimate child! I have to live, no matter what, for my mother.