Chapter 9
Stacy didn’t welcome me into her home. She hated me, thinking I had stolen her parents‘ love.
The first time we met, she threw away the gift I carefully prepared for her.
“I hate green,” she said. “You gave me a green dress to make me leave, so you can take my place, right?”
But my foster mom, Stephanie, had wanted that dress for ages. I had to search all over to reserve it.
At dinner, Gerald served me some food as usual, but Stacy suddenly threw her fork down, slapped her
steak on the floor, and cried out.
“Dad, you used to cut my steak, but now you only serve this thief! Don’t you love me anymore? Fine, I’ll
leave this house!”
More incidents like this followed, and slowly, my foster parents started avoiding being kind to me in front
of Stacy. I also stopped joking with them.
But Stacy didn’t stop.
Even when I wasn’t around, she badmouthed me to my foster parents, trying to push me completely out
of the family.
In the end, Stacy succeeded. My safe haven was falling apart.
One day, I was about to have a talk with Stacy to save my relationship with my foster parents, but before
I could speak, Gerald calmly said,
“Congratulations. You’re getting married.”
I didn’t know when things had changed, but Gerald no longer treated me kindly. After seeing my confusion, he left the explanation to his wife.
Stephanie sighed and said, “Rozella, we’re getting old. You can’t stay behind us forever, and you don’t even have friends. So, we decided to marry you off to a handsome man.”
I froze, quickly replying, “I have friends. Books are my friends.”
Before I could finish, they all burst into laughter, especially Stacy.
“Oh please, you’re such a nerd with those big glasses. You don’t even have a college pass. If it weren’t for my dad, how would you even be involved in a research project?”
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I clenched my fists and looked at Gerald, but he didn’t defend me. In fact, he seemed to agree with his
daughter.
Stacy mocked me, “It’s the 21st century, who wears such ugly glasses? No wonder you don’t have friends.”
“Don’t you get it? This family only needs one daughter. You’ve been taking up my parents long enough. It’s time for you to leave! Marry someone and get out of my house! By the way, the man is named Kezr-”
Kezr… he sounded like a bald, middle–aged man.
I almost cried. “But I don’t want to marry him. Why are you doing this?”
Gerald interrupted, “We adopted you when you needed us. Now it’s time for you to repay us.”
“I will, but please-” I stammered, hoping I could change their minds.
It was too late. With Stacy’s push, they were set on marrying me off, everything arranged.
In the following week, I tried to change Gerald’s mind, but every time, I was met with rejection.
So, I walked numbly to the wedding stage, meeting the groom for the first time.
He was handsome but just as unwilling as I was, frowning as he looked at me.
“Kezr Heznaya, do you take Rozella Mogane as your lawful wife?”
He gritted his teeth and said, “I do.”
“Rozella Mogane, do you take Kezr Heznaya as your lawful husband?”
I swallowed hard and said, “I–I do.”
“You may now kiss the bride.”
I stared wide–eyed, completely stunned.
He leaned in… and kissed my nose.
His lips were warm, sending a shiver down my spine.
Still dazed, Kezr grabbed my hand tightly, his grip cold, and pulled me outside, letting go of me once we
were out the door.
I looked up to see his parents approaching.
Kezr’s mom hugged me and whispered, “Give him some time. He’ll accept this marriage… Can you be
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patient?”
I nodded obediently, “Yes, I can, Layla.”
“You can call me mom,“she said gently, pinching my cheek.
“Uh… yes… mom.“So now I have a new mom? Or should I just call her Kezr’s mom?
I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought, but Kezr’s low voice interrupted.
“Mom, we need to go now.”
“Alright, dear,” she kissed his cheek and whispered something in his ear, but he just rolled his eyes.
I waved goodbye to his parents and followed him to his black SUV.
About ten minutes later, we arrived at a luxurious neighborhood, and I gaped at the mansion in front of
- me.
While I admired the house, Kezr’s annoyed voice broke through. “Are you gonna come inside, or should I leave you here to sleep on the fountain?”
Why does he have to act so rudely? His name should be Rude…Mr.Rudy Judy.
I looked at him and rolled my eyes. He glared at me and raised an eyebrow and I averted my gaze.
Upon entering the house, I saw that it was beautiful. It had a big living room to its right and had stairs leading up towards another floor. I looked up and saw 2 more stairs.
He started walking up the stairs and I followed him. The stairs had golden railing and were marbled.
This house was utter P–E–R–F–E–C–T–I–O–N.
We stopped towards a big hallway with stairs going downstairs, oh more stairs.
I saw only three white doors in that hallway. One beside the stairs and two beside each other, opposite to
the stairs.
He came to a room beside the other one, opposite to the stairs.
“This is your room.” He turned around swiftly.
What does he mean by your? Aren’t we gonna share? And with that I accidentally blurted out my thoughts. How embarrassing.
“Aren’t we gonna share a room?….W–we are married… I–I mean.”
Chapter 9
His eyes snapped up to me and in two long strides he was standing in front of me.
“Listen here you…We” he said pointing between our distance“-are not a real couple. It’s all on fucking paper. You fucking hear me!” He shouted,
I just nodded my head not trusting my voice right now.
“Now, Here are some fucking rules you have to follow if you want to live under my
I nodded and looked away.
roof
“Rule 1: Never and I mean never enter my room without knocking or in my
absence.”
Wait, he is serious about these rules? Where did he picked these from, a rulebook?
“Rule 2: You can roam around the house anywhere you fucking like but-”
I didn’t like him cursing in front of me so I cut him off and said “Can you- please, not curse?”
He just looked at me and I held eye contact. His jaw ticked and I realized I just made a big mistake.
“Rule 3: Never fucking interrupt my fucking conversation.”
Didn’t I just tell him t-
“Rule fucking” Why is he doing this? I felt tears gather in my eyes. “Never tell me what to fucking do and
what not to do.”
What happens if I break one of his rules?
“Understand?” I nodded.
“Use your fucking words!” He shouted. “I said, understand!?”
I flinched, “Y–Yes” and stuttered.
“Good. Now, as I was saying before I got rudely intrupted. You can roam around the house wherever you fucking like. The pool, backyard, garden, rooms, upstairs, roof, wherever. the. fuck you. want. But stay inside the house, you are not allowed to go outside without my permission.”
Chapter 10
