Ethan and I kept our friendship. I helped him in the classes he struggled with, and he kept buying dinners and taking me to movies. It was a complete change from all I endured with Caleb and Deacon in high school. I thought focusing on finding a job to start my career after college was the responsible thing to do, so I starting sending out my resume of the fast food and diners I had worked as a kid, as well as my major and academic achievements

Graduation day arrived, and as I went to give my valedictorian speech, I saw Ethan. He had the brightest beaming grin and gave me a thumbs up. My mom and sisters were there too, and I felt so proud of my accomplishments. I thanked the school, and primarily those teachers who had faith in me. I thanked my mother and father for raising me with such love and teaching me that knowledge is power.

After graduation, my family went to a nearby restaurant. We had ordered and mom and I were feeding that littlest of my sisters. Ethan came in, a wolfish grin on his face. He introduced himself to my mom and asked me for a minute of his time. Mom told me not to worry, that my baby sisters was taking all of her focus anyways, so I went with Ethan to a nearby table. He asked me what my plans were. I told him I had been accepted at a CPA firm and was planning to work there until school resumed and I could pursue my Master's degree. Ethan smiled, and said, "I was hoping you would tell me yes to a question. I want you to be my wife."

I was stunned. We were friends, and only that the one embarrassing kiss, which I knew he had forgotten because it was never talked about in any of our study sessions. I told Ethan I needed to think about it, but I would get back to him once I was settled into the job, and figured out my year back to college, I said it wouldn't be more than six months before I knew for sure where life was taking me. Ethan was so sweet about it, and told me he would make sure in that six months I knew for certain marrying him was the right choice.

So I went to my bookkeeping position the following Monday, only to find that Ethan had also been hired as a lead Accountant in the Income Tax division. I was floored. Here I had been the Valedictorian, and I had tutored him through so many of his classes, yet he had been hired at a higher position. There had to be a reason. I wanted to find out how he got his job, so that maybe, I would be able to prove I also had the drive to be in an Accountant position and not as a lowly bookkeeper. I heard the gossip a few days later, it sounded like everyone was praising Ethan and the woman they were praising him to was the one who conducted me interview. They called her Mrs. Skye. So this was Ethan's mother, no wonder he had a higher position. It was disgusting seeing this nepotism. I thought at that moment that if Ethan was only riding on his family's coattails, he was not the man I wanted to share a life with.

Unfortunately, Ethan wouldn't listen. I rejected him fifty times in the next six months. He just didn't care about what I wanted. He thought I was a innocent doormat. Someone that would cherish and obey him no matter what. I finally caved to his attentions and told him I would marry him on the night I had told him would be the deadline for an answer. I thought being his wife wouldn't change anything. How wrong I had been.

We designed our wedding around our favorite movie at the time, "Phantom of the Opera". He was beautiful with his half mask, and I as the beautiful Christine. Everyone was in old fashion opera clothes and it was a grand affair. Instead of virgin while, I chose a gown of light gold with a small tiara on my head full of clear, yellow and chocolate diamonds. The tiara was Ethan's idea, and while I rarely wore jewelry or make-up, I did for our wedding. I felt like a beautiful princess, I felt like he loved me, not the same way Caleb or Deacon loved me, but as a woman who was worshiped and cherished. I found out that was the most foolish thinking I had every done.

On our wedding night, Ethan took me to his apartment. It was decorated for our wedding night, so many flowers and champagne. We had a toast with the champagne and the next thing I knew, I was in our bed, but when I tried to move, I found that I had been restrained. I started to panic when Ethan leaned over me and told me to get use to the restraints, it was a way for me to understand and trust my husband. He reminded me that our vows had the words "submit and obey" and that he wanted those two things from me the most. I was to never discuss our bedroom antics, and he held a piece of paper in front of me. It was a NDA stating all of this. I would never talk about what happened, and I promised to trust, obey and submit to him everytime he told me to. I was left restrained for twelve hours after I told him I wouldn't sign. Ethan said it was my punishment for going against our holy bond of matrimony.

I caved after twelve hours and signed the NDA. Ethan told me he was proud that I came around and finally made love to me. After we were done, and he realized I did not come to him as a virgin, he became disgusted with me. "I thought you were a virgin, or I wouldn't have agreed to marry you!"

It was worse than being beaten, but then Ethan said, "Nevermind, it makes the rest of what I have in mind for you make me feel no guilt at all. Had you been a virgin, I might have had a minute of guilt, but now I just want your body to be the slave I need for every need."