Chapter 2

Dahlias POV

I was still shaking when I finally made it home. The small apartment I shared with my mother was cluttered, but it was warm and had a warm touch. After the marble of Bellmont Academy and the terrifying encounter with Vincent Carrington I desperately needed warmth. I needed to feel safe. I needed to forget the way Vincent Carrington's body had pressed against mine, the way his cold blue eyes had looked at me like I was nothing.

I pushed open the door and leaned against it for a moment trying to steady my breathing. My hands were still trembling. My heart was still racing. I could still feel Vincent Carrington's grip on my wrists hear his low voice threatening to ruin me.

"Sweetheart you are home,” my mother said, her voice bright and cheerful. I forced a smile onto my face pushing down the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. I could not let her see how scared I was. She had enough to worry about.

"Hi, Mama " I called out my voice shakier than I wanted it to be. I walked into the kitchen and froze. My mother was standing by the counter, her eyes sparkling with a happiness I had not seen in months. She was practically glowing with a smile on her face. On her left hand there was a ring. It was impossible to miss. A massive diamond solitaire that glittered on her finger like it was trying to outshine the sun.

My stomach dropped. "Mama what is that?" I asked, my voice full of worry.

Her smile was radiant almost girlish. "Oh Dahlia I was going to tell you at dinner. I did not want to spring this on you. I just could not wait any longer."

"Tell me what?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Robert proposed," she said, her eyes shining with happiness.

For a moment I forgot how to breathe. "Robert, as in Mr. Carrington as in Vincent Carrington's father?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"The same,” my mother said, practically glowing. "We have been seeing each other for months, darling. I did not want to say anything until I was sure.. Now..." She held out her hand watching the diamond catch the light. "We are getting married. We are going to move into the Carrington estate. You will finally have everything you deserve."

The words hit me like a blow. This could not be happening. This could NOT be happening. I thought about Vincent Carrington. His blue eyes, his arrogant smirk, his body pressed against mine in the school hallway. I thought about the way he had threatened me the way he had looked at me like I was something to be destroyed.

"No Mama you can not marry him. You can not " I said, my voice shaking. "His son, Vincent Carrington he is terrible. He is cruel. He uses women like they are nothing. I saw him today, Mama. I saw him with Dean Prescott. They were..." I could not even finish the sentence.

My mothers face went pale. "You do not know what you are talking about " she said, her voice firm.

"Yes I do, Mama. I saw them. He was..." I could not even finish the sentence. "Please Mama please do not do this. We do not need them. We have each other. We will figure something out. I will work hours. I will drop out of school if I have to. Just please do not marry him."

My mother stared at me for a moment.. Then something shifted in her expression. The softness disappeared. The warmth evaporated. In its place was something desperate that I had never seen before.

"Don't you think I know that Dahlia?" she said, her voice rising. "Don't you think I know what kind of man Robert Carrington is? You think I do not know about his affairs? You think I do not know about his son? I have lived in this city my life, Dahlia. I know who they are."

"Why would you..." I started to ask.

"Because I have no choice " she said, her voice screaming. "I have worked myself to the bone for eighteen years. Eighteen years, Dahlia. I have scrubbed floors. Washed dishes and worked jobs that broke my body just to keep food on the table.. For what? So we could live in this cramped apartment? So you could wear second-hand clothes to school and get bullied by kids?"

I felt the tears spill down my cheeks. "Mama..." I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I am tired, Dahlia " she said, her voice cracking. "I am so tired. I have sacrificed everything for you. Everything. I have given up my dreams, my youth, my health.. Now I have a chance. A real chance. Robert Carrington loves me. He wants to take care of us. He wants to give us a life we never even dreamed of."

"He does not love you Mama " I said, my voice shaking. "He just wants..."

"He wants to marry me " she said, her voice firm. "That is more than any man has ever wanted from me. Your father left me with nothing. I have been alone for long, Dahlia. So long.. Now someone wants to take care of me. Someone wants to take care of you."

"Please Mama..." I started to say.

"No " she said, her voice final. "You are going to listen to me. This is happening. We are moving into the Carrington estate. You will finish school. You will go to college. You will have everything you deserve. Do you understand me?"

I shook my head sobbing now. "I can not live with him Mama. I can not live with Vincent Carrington. I can't…i really can't stand him. He's a jerk.” I sniffled.

My mothers expression flickered. For a moment I saw a crack in her resolve. Then she hardened again.

"Then you will stay out of his way " she said quietly. "You will be polite. You will be invisible. You will not give him any reason to notice you.. You will survive, Dahlia. You will survive because that is what we do. We survive."

The fight drained out of me. I felt my knees buckle. I sank to the floor my body wracked with sobs. I could not breathe. I could not think. Everything was falling apart. I could not stop it.

My mother knelt down beside me. Her arms wrapped around me pulling me close. I felt her tears on my cheek. I realized she was crying too.

"I am sorry Dahlia " she whispered. "I am so sorry, baby. I know this is hard. I know you are scared.. This is our chance. Our only chance. Please Dahlia, please just trust me."

I could not speak. I just cried into her shoulder letting her hold me. I had never felt so broken in my life.

The next morning had never came so fast ever since I was born.

I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Vincent Carringtons cold blue eyes staring at me. I heard his voice threatening to ruin me. I felt his body pressing me against the lockers his grip on my wrists his breath on my ear.

I got up anyway. I put on my clothes. Which were not much just a clean blouse and jeans that did not have any visible holes. I brushed my hair and pulled it into a tight ponytail. I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror at my green eyes and pale face and I felt nothing.

I was numb.

My mother was nervous during the drive to the Carrington estate. She kept smoothing her dress checking her makeup fidgeting with the engagement ring on her finger. I sat in the passenger seat of our beat-up car and stared out the window watching the city turn into suburbs and the suburbs turn into rich men's area. 

The Carrington estate was huge. It was a modern mansion on a hilltop surrounded by manicured lawns and very high iron gates. The driveway was so long I could not see the house from the entrance. We drove fountains and gardens and staff members who hurried out of the way as our car approached.

My mother was practically vibrating with excitement. I felt like I was going to be sick.

When we finally got to the doors Robert Carrington was already waiting for us. He was a man and he looked very nice with silver hair and a warm smile. He did not look like his son all.

"Dahlia!" He came forward with his arms open. "It is so wonderful to meet you properly. Julia has told me a lot about you."

I made myself smile. "It is nice to meet you Robert Carrington."

"Please call me Robert " he said. “Or dad,” he grinned like a kid. I swallowed and lowered my head. My mom and him cleared their throats as there was awkward silence for some seconds.

He took us inside the house. The house was more amazing on the inside. There were marble floors and crystal chandeliers. There was a lot of art on the walls that probably cost a whole lot of money.

Robert showed us around the areas of the house talking happily about the changes he made and the rooms for guests and the rooms for the people who work there. My mother looked like she was in a dream. I kept my head down and did not say anything.

Then just as we got to the big staircase I heard a door open somewhere above us.

There were footsteps on the stairs. They were slow and heavy.

My blood went cold. I knew those footsteps. I knew who was making them.

I looked up. There he was. Vincent Carrington. He was standing at the top of the stairs wearing a t-shirt and jeans and his dark hair was still wet from the shower. His cold blue eyes looked at the scene, below him. His father, my mother and then me, Dahlia.

His face did not show any feelings.

"Ah, Vincent!" Robert said with a smile. "Perfect timing.. Meet your new family."

Vincent came down the stairs slowly, looking at me. I felt like an animal being cornered by a big animal. I could not breathe. I could not move.

He got to the bottom of the stairs and stopped in front of us. His father pointed to my mother.

"This is Julia " Robert said warmly. "My fiancée.. This is her daughter, Dahlia."

Vincent looked at my mother. He gave her a nod.. Then he looked at me again.

"What is she doing here?" he asked, his voice flat and full of disgust.