chapter 1

Ella Williamson...

It felt like I was getting choked. The silence in the room was threatening to swallow me whole.

The wait was killing me.

My shaky fingers made their way up to my neck, brushing the silk scarf tightly wrapped around it, covering the hideous scar.

The color of the silk scarf and the dress I was wearing did great to offend me.

It was cruel of them to force me to wear white a day after my father's death. I wasn't even allowed to go to his funeral, which was a few hours ago.

The wedding dress felt tight against my body, making it harder for me to take a deep breath to calm myself.

I glanced at the full length mirror standing infront of me even though it was extremely hard for me to look at myself.

I looked like a woman who was ready to walk down the aisle and marry the man of her dreams. Only, this was a nightmare.

My father's wish was for me to marry in to a good family, one that would be able to take care of me and my family.

Offers of marriage used to pour in when I was young. 'My son for your daughter...' was a common phrase used by many who came to visit my father.

The offers stopped after the incident took place six years ago.

The scar around my neck burned at the thought of the horror I went through when I was thirteen.

The second my eyes closed and the darkness spread before me, the bloody images of that night would repeated in my head.

The grinding of the cold chains...

The chilling whistle of the blowing wind...

The warm blood trickling down my chest...

The cruel howling laughter of the man...

I pealed my eyes open and silently gasped for air. Tears immediately filled my eyes as I reached for my neck with both of my hands.

Turning away from the full length mirror, I rushed in to the attached bathroom.

Hovering my face over the bowl, I threw up what little I'd eaten the day before.

Empty painful heaves escaped my throat as the images kept popping in my head.

Minutes went by with me hovered over the bowl. By the time I stood up straight, the blood had drained from my face and my fully done makeup was ruined by my tears.

"Ella?" I heard the soft voice of my sister Elizabeth before I felt her hand on my shoulder.

She turned me around to face her and her worry grew at the sight of me.

"Oh, Ella..." She whispered before she pulled me closer to the sink.

Elizabeth turned the water on to help me wash the mess off of my face.

I stared at my reflection, wondering who the woman standing before me truly was.

The mascara was running down my cheeks and the red lipstick was smudge at the corner of my lips. My eyes were bloodshot and the neatly fashioned bun was already ruined.

"Everything is going to be okay, Ella." My sister whispered as she started cupping water in to her left hand. She helped me leaned down and washed the mascara and tears off of my face.

Even though Elizabeth and I are twins, we're nothing alike.

Elizabeth was all graceful like our mother. She possessed all of our mother's qualities and sharp features, including her beautiful raven hair, her tall height and her mature beauty.

I was all of my father. I got his silver blond hair, his shorter height and most of his demeanor.

The only thing my sister and I shared was our deep blue eyes.

Elizabeth finished washing my face and grabbed a towel to dry me off.

I stayed still and let her be a caring mother to me like she always had since we were kids.

"You will be fine, do you hear me? You are a Williamson, Ella. You can handle this." She spoke like our mother, firm and confident with each words that came out of her lips.

Elizabeth didn't look like she lost her father yesterday. She didn't look like she was at the constant verge of panic attacks like me. Infact, she looked like she was having a very plain and normal day.

I could never know how she does it. Both Elizabeth and our mother knew how to swallow their emotions and hide it behind their perfectly masked expression.

For once, I wished I could hide my feelings like her. I wished it wouldn't be so obvious that I was breaking apart from the inside out.

I silently stared at Elizabeth, forcing a sigh out of her lips.

Her eyes dropped to my scarf and she quickly looked away.

Grabbing at my right hand, she pulled me out of the bathroom and led me towards the dressing table.

Elizabeth pushed my shoulders so I would sit down in front of the mirror.

I watched her through the mirror as she started gathering what she needed to make me look decent enough to walk down the aisle.

Tears blurred my eyes again. The thought of my father being six feet under and me sitting here about to get married messed with my mind.

I heard Elizabeth sigh again.

"If I could take your place for you, I would, Ella. Without a second of hesitation." She commented with another sigh.

"You will never pass for me." I signed, bringing a small smile to her lips.

"No. I wouldn't." She replied. "Which is why you have to be strong for yourself... and for the family. Father would have wanted you to be happy. So stop beating yourself up for the past and make the best of the present."

I looked away from my sister and dropped my eyes to my hands.

Easy for her to say. She's not the one marrying a complete stranger.

With another sigh, Elizabeth started doing my makeup and finished with in a few minutes.

"You look way better with a simple look." She commented with a soft smile.

I tried to give Elizabeth a smile but I failed miserably. The nerves wouldn't let me stretch my lips in to a smile.

"Grandpa agreed to walk you down the aisle." My sister commented before she leaned down and grabbed me by my shoulders.

"Whatever happens, I need you to know that I'm always at your corner." She whispered before she kissed my left cheeks and stood up straight.

I watched as Elizabeth turned around and started making her way to the door.

There were too many questions built up in my head.

Why did our father die?

Did his bad deeds finally caught up to him?

Why is our family in a rush to marry me off?

Who am I even marrying?

Elizabeth walked out of the room without glancing at me once, giving me no opportunity to ask my questions.

Once again left alone, my thoughts started chewing at my insides. I always knew my chance to a normal life was slim to none. But I did not expect it to turn completely upside down with in a few days.

Starting from the second our mother got the call about father from our grandfather to this very moment all felt like a bad dream.

I wanted all of it to end.

With my eyes still planted on my reflection, I sat still until the door to my room was pushed open again and my grandfather walked in.

My eyes jumped to his reflection through the mirror. I watched as he walked closer to me and stood behind my chair, looming over me with his intimidating figure.

Unlike my father, my grandfather is built like a machine, tall and wide.

Avoiding his eyes, I dropped mine back to my hands.

"It's time, Ella. Make your family proud." He commented.

Grandpa always spoke with pride in his voice. But this time, I could hear hesitation in them and maybe even fear.

I snapped my eyes to his, wondering why there was a difference in his tone.

Probably because his son died the previous day?

The second grandpa avoided my eyes, dread filled my entire body.

Grandpa looked at the silk scarf tied to my neck and reached for it. He took one end of the scarf and threw it over my right shoulder, letting it fall to my back.

He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before he stepped aside and offered me his hand.

I looked at my grandpa's large wrinkled fingers before I lifted my eyes to his.

"Who?" I signed.

Grandpa worked his jaw and his thick, gray eyebrows pushed against each other.

"It's time for us to go, Ella." He said, his voice leaving no room for anymore questions.

With a trembling hand, I took his and grandpa helped me up.

Grandpa and I walked in silence until we reached the final door.

Just as I was about to step forward, my grandpa held on to my hand.

"Keep your head straight but look no one in the eyes. And whatever you do, Ella, do not let them know you're afraid." He whispered before he pushed the door open.

My eyes widened at his statement.

"Look forward." He suddenly hissed, his calm and cold demeanor back in place.

I quickly moved my eyes to the front and my soul nearly left my body at the number of eyes looking at me.

Grandpa stepped forward when the soft melody started playing and I followed his lead.

The number of people in the room alone was going to give me a panic attack. I haven't been in a room filled with more than five people since I was thirteen.

I squeezed my grandpa's forearm, praying I wouldn't pass out from the pressure building in my chest.

Tearing my eyes away from the people standing at either side of the aisle, I focused it in front of me and ended up clashing eyes with the man standing up front.

Elijah Smith?

A silent gasp escaped my slightly parted lips and my knees almost gave out. If it wasn't for the mad grip my grandpa had on my forearm, I would've fallen.

Tearing my eyes away from the frowning man, I glanced at my grandfather, wondering why the family would marry me off to a monster?