The ruthless reality

[The novel contains several adult situations.]

★★★★

The sound of a choked voice filled the room, accompanied by constant sobbing. It was Anastasia, and she was struggling with a deep sense of confusion and pain. "Mom, why am I experiencing all of this?" she asked in between sobs, her voice barely audible.

At the tender age of 19, she found herself married to a stranger. The whole affair seemed rather surreal to her - the wedding ceremony was nothing more than a mere formality, and she had never even exchanged a single word with her supposed "husband". The worst part, however, was that the marriage had already been consummated on paper; her signature was the only thing left to make it official. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of life lay ahead of her.

Tears streamed down her face as she huddled in the dark, dingy corner of the room. It was a storage space that had been hastily cleared out to accommodate her, but the lingering scent of dust and decay filled her nostrils. The bed, which she had been forced to sleep on, was dirty and musty, with no hint of comfort. She had never imagined that the family she had trusted would treat her so inhumanely, especially considering that they were fully aware of her marriage to Richard Hill.

Anastasia was lost in her thoughts, her mind occupied with the possibility that maybe she was not the one he desired to be his spouse. She wondered if he had other preferences or if there were any specific traits he was looking for in a partner that she lacked. She couldn't help but let her tears flow freely, as she was overwhelmed with feelings of sadness and insecurity.

The man did not attempt to get in touch with her or visit her. Why had he tied the knot with her like this? Furthermore, were my parents aware that this would happen to me?

Suddenly, the door burst open and a person barged in, her tone unconcerned despite the fact that she had just interrupted a newlywed. "What are you doing on the floor?" she demanded.

Anastasia's body jolted upright, her eyes wide with fear. As a young woman who had been coerced into coming to this place, every sound and movement around her seemed to be a potential threat. The fear that gripped her was palpable, and she couldn't shake the feeling that danger lurked around every corner.

"I-I," Anastasia found herself in a state of speechlessness, rendering her unable to utter a single word. Consequently, she was subjected to a few more unpleasant remarks from the maid and had no choice but to listen helplessly.

"How can I forget that you are the dumbest woman to marry into this family and think you can be Richard Hill's wife? Our Young Master will be thrilled to have you as his soulmate. What a foolish girl! I was wondering how long it would take you to decay here in this room."

Anastasia's worry was tangible as she realized that all her worst imaginings were now becoming a reality. As she tried to comprehend the situation, she felt her chest tighten and her throat grow dry. Her palms grew damp with sweat as she asked with a trembling voice, seeking reassurance from someone, anyone who could offer it.

"Why are you saying that? I did not come here to die!" she asked.

"What are your thoughts on coming here, beautiful Ana, I mean Anastasia?" Another middle-aged woman appeared and stood behind the servant, who quickly stepped away from the entrance and kept her head low. Though she wanted to enjoy more of this small girl's fright, she couldn't do so in front of the Mistress, who was more cruel than a monster!

"Richard and I got married. I am feeling quite distressed and confused about the treatment I am receiving from those around me. Despite being married to my husband, it seems that people are treating me poorly for reasons that are unclear to me. I want to emphasize that I have not said or done anything negative towards anyone, so the mistreatment is particularly unwarranted and hurtful," Anastasia spoke bravely because she recognized the individual in front of her. She was the one who gave the servant the order to lead her into this room; she was Richard's mother.

"Wife! Haha! You have been encouraged to dream of being married to Richard Hill, but it pains me to tell you that you will never be able to fulfill that desire since you lack the status and power of Emelia, who is chosen to be Richard's bride."

Looking at Anastasia from head to toe, Richard's mother stated haughtily, "Since Emelia is your age, we are waiting till she gets twenty-five."

“Aside from her attractive face and red hair, the woman lacks the qualities required to be her son's wife,” Mrs. Hill thought, “Her son is the rarest star, and not everyone is lucky enough to have him.”

Anastasia was not surprised because they had been making her feel like she couldn't be Richard's wife or a member of this family since the time she walked into the house; instead, she was baffled about why this marriage had occurred if they had another plan for their son.

"Didn't your family beg my parents for my hands in marriage?" Anastasia inquired, clinching her fist since she was feeling disoriented due to the unannounced storm. She was by herself, and people began throwing rocks at her.

“Richard's grandmother offered the marriage to your family, and the reason is still unknown. However, Richard's lack of presence and care has made it clear to everyone that he does not care about this marriage, or you," Richard's mother harshly said, a smirk lingering on her lips and those vicious gleaming eyes staring at Ana with loathing, who was tightly holding back her tears because she did not want to appear affected.

Richard's mother, on the other hand, was upset when she learned that the crazy old woman had planned the marriage for her son without her knowledge, and she was resolute about opposing the marriage until she discovered that her son did not attend the wedding but instead sent the woman a signed paper. As a result, she assumed Richard was also opposed to this marriage. Thus, she determined to torture this woman until she left this house of her own volition so that that insane old woman would never seek her son to marry another filthy family again.

"Then what am I going to do here?" Anastasia innocently inquired. She couldn't think of a compelling reason why she was here.

“In light of your circumstances, this is an excellent question. If you decide to follow my advice, you have two options: either you stay here and hope for your own death because every member of this family will make you feel worse, or you can call your family and they will take you from here voluntarily. Your spouse is the most significant person in this marriage, but he did not bother to visit you or bestow upon you the status you believe you have earned," Richard's mother said with a snigger.

She stood there, frozen, unable to utter a single word or even process a coherent thought. Her eyes were fixed downward, locked onto her own feet, and her expression was unsteady - a mix of fear and confusion. As the moments ticked by, the fear inside of her continued to grow, until it felt as if it would consume her completely. It was then that Richard's mother broke the silence, her voice ringing out in the tense atmosphere, "Bring her some food, but make sure it's not the same as what we're having."

"Yes, madam!" the servant said.

The servant soon brought the door shut, and Anastasia fell on the ground, sobbing aloud.

Unconsciously, she murmured "Mom!" before considering contacting her family. Yes, she needed to leave this household immediately or they would kill her.