CHAPTER 18   

Meg felt like a prisoner, trapped in her own room. It was as if she was afraid to go out, and the thought of facing everyone outside was disheartening. She felt judged by everyone around her, as if she were an immoral woman and a liar. Defeated, her gaze roamed the yellowed walls of the room, finding refuge in the old china dolls that adorned the shelves. As Angelina, James, and Mr. Abraham fervently discussed preparations for the impending wedding, Meg felt increasingly excluded and disregarded. Everyone seemed more concerned with the details of the ceremony than with their own feelings. She could hear them discussing the most convenient date, the ideal place for the wedding, and even where they would live after the ceremony, as if she had no voice or active participation in it all. It was as if her will and her emotions didn't matter.

An anger boiled up inside Meg, growing with each passing minute. How dare they ignore her wishes and plans for the future? How could they simply imp