Arabel's POV
Cold water splashes over my face, making me gasp and scramble out of bed.
“Wakey, wakey, bridey.” Eve drops down the bowl of water beside the bed, then slumps next to me on a wooden chair before packing her hair into a bun. “I can't believe you are getting married.”
I blink.
Last night, I lost consciousness because Alex hit me, and now I am getting married. I didn't think it was going to be this soon.
Tears suddenly spring to my eyes as my heart constricts painfully in my chest.
“Oh, sweet God! Don't cry yet. It's your day!” Eve tries to wipe my tears, but I shove her hand away, making anger cross her expression.
“Don't you dare hit me again!” I warn with a tone I can barely recognize, frustration coiling in my chest.
She smirks and folds her arms around her bosom before stepping towards me. “What makes you think I will?”
I gulp.
What is happening? My life has completely changed in an instant. I am no longer running away from Richard but also in a mess of being forced to get married to Alex.
When a whimper leaves my mouth, I realize how much of an emotional mess I am.
I have nowhere to go. There is no way I can escape this. Alex had it all planned, and he won't let me go until I do his bidding.
“Let's get you dressed,” Eve says, pushing me towards the almost broken dresser. The whole building is falling apart, and it makes me wonder where we are.
The bed is wooden, too. Every time I step down from it, it creaks. Aside from the dresser, which has a large mirror attached to it, there's just a wooden chair, and that's it.
Everywhere else is empty. I haven't had the opportunity to see the outside, but I'm confident it won't be any better.
I only hope we're still in New York, not far away, where it's impossible for someone to find me.
I know that Richard will definitely come looking for me. If he doesn't meet me at home in London, he will become suspicious and think of Alex.
If his mind goes to Alex, then he will look for me. And find me.
I really hope he does. He is my only hope. I have no one else who can possibly try to look for me. If I try to escape, Alex might hurt my baby.
When I realize I haven't seen her since yesterday, a sob breaks through my throat.
When Eve leaves and returns almost immediately, my eyes widen in fear when I see her holding a white wedding gown.
Terror slices through me.
This is indeed happening. Alex wants to push through with this. Does he think forcing me to marry him will make me fall for him?
He has no idea how much I hate him now. With passion. With every ounce of strength in me.
I can't believe he was the same man I always looked up to. I always think about how lucky his future bride would be. The same man was there for me when I needed a shoulder to lean on.
Why does he have to go to this extent?
“Sit!” Eve orders with a grin. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you receive an invitation and a seat in the front row when I marry Richard in a week."
She is getting married to Richard. Really?
“Sit!” She repeats her command, and I silently move to pull the wooden chair near the dresser. Once I take a seat, she begins to style my hair, her gaze fixed on my reflection in the mirror.
I can see how much she detests me.
Once she finishes, she applies makeup to my face and warns. “Don't you dare shed a tear and ruin this beautiful art.”
I swallow hard.
She directs me to stand up again before handing me the gown, which I stare at for a moment before taking it from her reluctantly.
The tears threatening to spill begin to make way to my face, but I am quick to wipe off the first lone tear before she can see it.
I wait, expecting her to go out and give me some privacy to get changed, but she won't budge.
I just need time to myself.
To process everything that is happening. To pinch myself and be sure this is not a dream. To think of a possible way I can get out of this alive with my child.
I'm sure they already took my phone, but I have Richard's number crafted in my mind. I just need to get a phone somewhere from someone who won't bust me so I can give Richard a call to let him in on what was happening.
He needs to get me out of here. I can't go through with this.
“Get dressed before I lose my temper!” She yells, making me realize just how much confidence Eve is gaining from Alex's help.
When Richard was at the hospital, I noticed how easily she gets intimidated, and I wondered who was giving her such confidence.
Now I know it's Alex.
“Eve?” I call, hoping to persuade her to let me go, but I close my eyes as I consider what I should say. Eve won't believe a word I say. If I am not out of the way, either dead or married to Alex, she can't have Richard.
But then she doesn't realize Richard would never marry her. If he wanted to, he would have done that during the time we were separated.
The four years we spent apart without seeing eye-to-eye were enough for Richard to get over the divorce and remarry.
If he still loved Eve, she would have been the first option on his list. But he didn't marry her or anyone else.
He claimed he was searching for me. Waiting for me.
If he truly loved me, why did he lie to me? Having Leo get a recording of me doesn't hurt as much as knowing he kept the secret of recovering his memory away from me.
That was deceit. He was making a fool out of me.
I am so sure I was the only one who didn't know he had his memory back.
Eve yanks the dress away from my hand and begins to pull my clothes off. I struggle with her and after a second, I finally succeed in pushing her away from me.
“I am not a baby, I can…” She strikes me hard in the face, cutting my words shut and my cheeks stinging.
“Don't you dare push me the way you just did. And get dressed now!”
I wish I can retaliate. Drag her hair like I did yesterday and have her beg me to release her. But I can't.
If Alex hears the sound of fighting, he would come in, and he might hit me like he did yesterday.
Should I just waste their time and prevent the wedding from taking place? Before I can think of doing anything, the door creaks open, and he walks in.
Dressed in a black suit, he shifts his gaze from me to Eve and inquires. “Why isn't she dressed yet?”
“Proving stubborn,” Eve replies indifferently and moves to the door. “Perhaps, you should talk to her about the consequences.”
With that said, Eve walks out, leaving Alex alone with me in the room. I am still clutching the dress, my heart pounding violently and crashing against my chest. It feels like it will burst out of my chest.
My body trembles at intervals. And my mouth is dry with panic.
“Bella?” He calls calmly, folding his arms with a soft expression. “Get dressed, will you? The priest is waiting.”
I lost it.
Unable to take it anymore, I break down into tears, sinking back into the bed, which creaks with a strange sound.
Eve will be furious with me for messing up her stupid makeup, still I can't help but cry.
This is indeed happening. Alex is forcing me into marrying him. He is acting like everything is fine, and this is consensual. He acts like he is doing me a favor by getting married to me.
His arms wrap around mine, and I flinch, moving towards the wall. His expression flickers with pain, yet he approaches me, pushing me deeper into the wall's corner until I find myself trapped.
With tears streaming down my eyes, I watch him take the dress from me without a word and help me take off my blouse before touching my skirt.
Shame colors my face.
I try to keep myself from doing what my mind is telling me to, but I can't take it anymore.
Except for Richard, no one has seen my nakedness. And I made a promise to leave it at that.
Twirling around quickly, without alerting him, I kick his balls and rush to the door. Hearing him groan, I sprint out towards the open space, only to come face-to-face with two armed men standing at the entrance and staring at me menacingly.
With my heart racing, I look back.
This idea is a stupid one.
Eve told me I couldn't escape this place. If I must escape, it must be at our wedding venue.
Perhaps someone over there would listen and understand my situation.
When one of the men points a gun at me, goosebumps erupt over my skin, and I shut my eyes to accept this judgment.
I would rather die than marry him.
A voice reaches my ear, making me flutter my eyes back open to see Alex rush out, his two hands clasping his balls with his face scrunched up with intense pain.
“Don't f**king shoot.” He thunders with implacable authority, making them drop their rifles. Then he mutters something to them in a strange language before taking long strides towards me.
With anger tightening his features, he raises a fist and slams it into my face.
Then I fall.