"Stop acting like a nerd and put this on. I've had enough of your excuses."

Violet stood frozen before her mother, eyes lowered, fingers fidgeting as if searching for an invisible thread of courage—one more excuse to escape this nightmare masquerading as a wedding.

"Mom, I... I don’t want to get married. I—"

"And you think that matters?" her mother, Amelia Joseph, snapped, voice sharp as glass. "Violet, listen carefully. We didn’t adopt you so you could live in comfort without consequences. It’s time you paid us back. Your father needs this alliance with Mr. James William, and that means you marrying into their family. Have we ever treated you poorly? Didn’t we give you food, a home, clothes? This deal is crucial for our future. How can you be so selfish when everything is at stake?"

As her mother went on about our family, Violet felt a cold smile tug at her lips—bitter, knowing. She had never truly belonged. Yes, they hadn’t abused her, but love? That was never part of the arrangement. They had always made it clear: she could stay, as long as she didn’t speak too much, didn’t cause trouble. Adopted at fifteen, not for love, but for her beauty—an investment. A pawn. And now, it was time to collect.

"O-okay... I’ll d-do whatever you want."

Her mother’s expression softened into satisfaction. She gave a nod to the makeup artist standing by.

"Good. Make her beautiful. Whatever it takes--"

"Ma'am you have phone call from--"

One of their house maid came with a phone and before she could complete her sentence. Amelia snatched the phone.

"I need to take the call, you guys can continue."

The makeup artist nodded, gently ushering Violet toward the chair. As she sat down, her reflection stared back at her—painted, polished, and silent.

The makeup brush grazed her cheek like a butterfly's wing, but Violet felt it like a noose tightening around her throat. Her reflection in the mirror was pale, too still—like a ghost being painted to look alive.

"Beautiful," one of the artists murmured, unaware of the irony.

But Violet didn't see beauty. She saw a mask being built, layer by layer. A mask for a girl who was never really herself.

Her mind drifted back to the night they brought her home. She remembered the silence. Not the warm kind, but the type that suffocated. The way her adoptive father had studied her face like a merchant inspecting goods. The way her mother’s voice always dripped with sugar when guests were around—but tasted like poison when no one was listening.

They had always told her to be grateful. For the bed. The food. The clothes. Gratitude was expected, not affection. And now—marriage was her price tag.

She stared into the mirror, but the girl looking back felt unfamiliar. Her lips moved before her thoughts caught up.

"What kind of man agrees to marry a girl he’s never met?" she whispered, her voice too soft to hear.

But the makeup artist paused. "Mr. William’s son is… quiet. Reserved. A bit strange, if I may say so. They say he doesn’t like women who talk too much."

A chill crept down Violet’s spine.

Perfect. Just the way her "parents" liked her—silent, compliant, disposable.

She suddenly felt like she wasn’t being prepared for a wedding… but for sacrifice.

_______

Violet shifted uncomfortably in the dress, the fabric clinging too tightly to her skin like a second, unwanted layer of identity. The heels bit into her feet with every uncertain step. She wasn’t used to showing so much skin. She wasn’t used to being someone else.

She tripped again. Her mother’s eyes flicked over her, sharp and scolding. Violet quickly lowered her gaze and sat, clasping her hands in her lap, forcing herself to breathe as they waited.

"Be careful with your steps"

Her dad, Liam Joseph, warned her in a dull tone

Fifteen minutes passed in a silence so tense it made her ears ring.

“Aunt, I told you—I’m not interested in marriage. Please...” A voice came from the hallway.

Violet’s head turned slightly, her pulse skipping.

That voice. She knew it.

A flicker of hope bloomed in her chest. Maybe... just maybe, the person standing behind her didn’t want this marriage either. Maybe they could both walk away from it. Maybe fate was being kind for once.

“Keep your voice low. We're already here. Just meet her and then decide.”

Her breath caught. That voice—no, it couldn't be. Her stomach churned.

“Aunt, please—”

He stepped into the room, eyes lazily scanning the space—until they landed on the girl with her back straight and hair cascading down her waist like black silk. His words died in his throat. Recognition flashed across his face.

She slowly stood and turned.

And their eyes met.

"YOU??!"

"You!?"

The room blurred around her. Violet collapsed back onto the chair, her eyes hollow, her body limp. She couldn’t breathe.

It’s over, she thought. Of all the people in the world... it had to be him.

To be continued...

Flashback

The first time she met Ethan, she’d mistaken his smile for kindness. They knew each other from high school but things started getting weird in college.

It was during orientation—everyone had laughed at her for some reason she didn’t understand. She had smiled, awkward and confused, trying to seem unbothered.

Ethan had tilted his head at her like she was a puzzle he didn’t care enough to solve.

“Do you really think you can be one of us? Someone like you—Pfft.”

The laughter had stung. But it was only the beginning.

____

The next day, someone spilled hot coffee on her. She flinched but seeing her classmate Emma, she dropped the idea of asking to apologise.

Emma, Ethan's childhood friend, she knows her since High school but they never talked even though they were in the same stream. She knew Emma for so long so she brushed off the coffee with a smile but Emma started blaming her.

“What the fuck? Can’t you watch where you’re going?”

Later, during an argument with another student, Ethan arrived.

"She ruined my assignment! I worked all night!"

"I-I didn’t—"

"Of course you didn’t. Just like you didn’t steal that book. Just like you didn’t humiliate my friend.."

"Please... listen to me. I’m not doing anything wrong. You all keep—"

"Oh my god, Ethan why are we even talking to her right now. I don't want to waste my time anymore"

Emma cried in irritation as if Violet wanted to continue the fight.

"Emma, Y-You know it's not m-my fault. Wh-Why are doing this to m-me? I've not said anything that doesn't mean I wo-would tolerate everything with my mouth shut"

He leaned in close, his voice a low threat.

"What are you going to do? Go cry to the Dean?"

"Y-yes, if you won't stop this..! " she snapped, trembling.

And after that day, the real cruelty began.

---

One evening, someone told her she had forgotten her bag in an empty room. When she went to retrieve it, they locked the door behind her. She screamed and pounded on the door.

"Please! Please! I’m scared!"

Nothing.

Then laughter. Male voices. Ethan’s voice.

She slid to the floor, fists clenched, sobbing quietly into her knees. She stayed there for hours until finally someone let her out.

She wiped her face, ran for the gate—and saw them. Ethan and his friends, laughing like children who’d pulled off a prank.

Something inside her snapped.

She stormed up to him and slapped him, her voice trembling with fury.

“I never thought you go this far. I feel sorry for your mother—for raising someone like you. You’re a really a cowered pathetic guy.”

His face flushed deep red. He didn’t speak. He stepped forward and grabbed her neck, squeezing just hard enough to make her panic.

Her eyes went wide. His grip wasn't violent. It was worse—it was controlled. Calm. Calculated.

His friends didn’t move.

The sound of approaching footsteps made him stop. He released her, leaned in, and whispered:

“You’ll regret that.”

He was right.

______

From that day on, college became a living nightmare.

People ignored her. Her food would vanish before she got to the table. Her notes stolen. Her name was written on bathroom walls. She became invisible to teachers, erased by whispers and laughter.

The final straw had been the presentation—when her USB drive was switched with a video of her dancing clumsily alone in her room, a clip no one should’ve seen.

Everyone laughed. Even the professors.

But what broke her wasn't the humiliation. It was that he always watched it happen. And smiled.

____

And now, as she sat dressed like a bride, watching him approach like a groom, her chest felt like it was caving in.

Ethan.

The boy who had shattered her once... was the man being handed her future.

And everyone expected her to smile.

Ethan smirked

"I almost didn't recognize you. You look totally different today."

Their parents were relieved to see that they knew each other, unaware of the strained relationship between them.

"She usually dresses like this, except for college. She doesn't want to be the center of attention because she is very serious about her studies. But she is not like what she shows in college."

He raised his eyebrows in disbelief and scoffed after listening her mother. He was right; she was pretending to be all innocent and naive when, in reality, she was not. Violet's hands were trembling under the table, and she kept looking down. She was on the verge of tears because she felt so unlucky and scared.

"It's good that you guys know each other. So, we can proceed with the marriage as soon as possible."

"Great! I've already selected a designer for my daughter's wedding dress."

Violet looked up, wanting to refuse so badly, but she couldn't say a single word in front of them. She looked at him and saw him staring at her with his signature smirk, and she gulped before looking away.

"W-why don't you a-ask him if he wants to ma-marry me or n--'

Liam, her dad zipped her mouth while giving her weak glare.

"Violet! Mr. William already--"

" I'm ready. I have no problem with this marriage."

Ethan eased the tense atmosphere, and his father and aunt sighed in relief after hearing his answer. His father smiled proudly and patted his back. Everyone picked up their glasses except Violet and cheered for this new relationship.

Violet heart dropped into her stomach, and she felt so helpless. She looked at him with teary eyes and a confused expression, wondering why he agreed to this marriage. He kept staring at her, and when he noticed her looking at him, he winked and smiled sweetly..

To be continued...

Flashback

The first time she met Ethan, she’d mistaken his smile for kindness. They knew each other from high school but things started getting weird in college.

It was during orientation—everyone had laughed at her for some reason she didn’t understand. She had smiled, awkward and confused, trying to seem unbothered.

Ethan had tilted his head at her like she was a puzzle he didn’t care enough to solve.

“Do you really think you can be one of us? Someone like you—Pfft.”

The laughter had stung. But it was only the beginning.

____

The next day, someone spilled hot coffee on her. She flinched but seeing her classmate Emma, she dropped the idea of asking to apologise.

Emma, Ethan's childhood friend, she knows her since High school but they never talked even though they were in the same stream. She knew Emma for so long so she brushed off the coffee with a smile but Emma started blaming her.

“What the fuck? Can’t you watch where you’re going?”

Later, during an argument with another student, Ethan arrived.

"She ruined my assignment! I worked all night!"

"I-I didn’t—"

"Of course you didn’t. Just like you didn’t steal that book. Just like you didn’t humiliate my friend.."

"Please... listen to me. I’m not doing anything wrong. You all keep—"

"Oh my god, Ethan why are we even talking to her right now. I don't want to waste my time anymore"

Emma cried in irritation as if Violet wanted to continue the fight.

"Emma, Y-You know it's not m-my fault. Wh-Why are doing this to m-me? I've not said anything that doesn't mean I wo-would tolerate everything with my mouth shut"

He leaned in close, his voice a low threat.

"What are you going to do? Go cry to the Dean?"

"Y-yes, if you won't stop this..! " she snapped, trembling.

And after that day, the real cruelty began.

---

One evening, someone told her she had forgotten her bag in an empty room. When she went to retrieve it, they locked the door behind her. She screamed and pounded on the door.

"Please! Please! I’m scared!"

Nothing.

Then laughter. Male voices. Ethan’s voice.

She slid to the floor, fists clenched, sobbing quietly into her knees. She stayed there for hours until finally someone let her out.

She wiped her face, ran for the gate—and saw them. Ethan and his friends, laughing like children who’d pulled off a prank.

Something inside her snapped.

She stormed up to him and slapped him, her voice trembling with fury.

“I never thought you go this far. I feel sorry for your mother—for raising someone like you. You’re a really a cowered pathetic guy.”

His face flushed deep red. He didn’t speak. He stepped forward and grabbed her neck, squeezing just hard enough to make her panic.

Her eyes went wide. His grip wasn't violent. It was worse—it was controlled. Calm. Calculated.

His friends didn’t move.

The sound of approaching footsteps made him stop. He released her, leaned in, and whispered:

“You’ll regret that.”

He was right.

______

From that day on, college became a living nightmare.

People ignored her. Her food would vanish before she got to the table. Her notes stolen. Her name was written on bathroom walls. She became invisible to teachers, erased by whispers and laughter.

The final straw had been the presentation—when her USB drive was switched with a video of her dancing clumsily alone in her room, a clip no one should’ve seen.

Everyone laughed. Even the professors.

But what broke her wasn't the humiliation. It was that he always watched it happen. And smiled.

____

And now, as she sat dressed like a bride, watching him approach like a groom, her chest felt like it was caving in.

Ethan.

The boy who had shattered her once... was the man being handed her future.

And everyone expected her to smile.

Ethan smirked

"I almost didn't recognize you. You look totally different today."

Their parents were relieved to see that they knew each other, unaware of the strained relationship between them.

"She usually dresses like this, except for college. She doesn't want to be the center of attention because she is very serious about her studies. But she is not like what she shows in college."

He raised his eyebrows in disbelief and scoffed after listening her mother. He was right; she was pretending to be all innocent and naive when, in reality, she was not. Violet's hands were trembling under the table, and she kept looking down. She was on the verge of tears because she felt so unlucky and scared.

"It's good that you guys know each other. So, we can proceed with the marriage as soon as possible."

"Great! I've already selected a designer for my daughter's wedding dress."

Violet looked up, wanting to refuse so badly, but she couldn't say a single word in front of them. She looked at him and saw him staring at her with his signature smirk, and she gulped before looking away.

"W-why don't you a-ask him if he wants to ma-marry me or n--'

Liam, her dad zipped her mouth while giving her weak glare.

"Violet! Mr. William already--"

" I'm ready. I have no problem with this marriage."

Ethan eased the tense atmosphere, and his father and aunt sighed in relief after hearing his answer. His father smiled proudly and patted his back. Everyone picked up their glasses except Violet and cheered for this new relationship.

Violet heart dropped into her stomach, and she felt so helpless. She looked at him with teary eyes and a confused expression, wondering why he agreed to this marriage. He kept staring at her, and when he noticed her looking at him, he winked and smiled sweetly..

To be continued...