Marry a stranger

Chapter  003

Nicole

Upon opening my eyes, I was greeted by darkness outside, and the first thing I noticed was the long, heavy object resting on my stomach.

I blinked several times, straining to recall the events of the previous night and my current whereabouts.

Shaking my head gently, the memories remained elusive. Careful not to disturb the man sleeping beside me, I cautiously lifted his arm and rose to my feet, holding my breath all the while.

But then, I froze. My tender skin and fragile bones shrieked, begging me to halt my movements to prevent any breakage. I winced, carefully setting my feet on the ground.

The unexpected realization struck me upon seeing the various garments scattered across the floor.

Suddenly, as if a great weight had descended upon my shoulders, the reality of the situation became clear as the events started to resurface in my memory.

I slept with a complete stranger last night!

Overwhelmed by panic and regret, I hurried to gather my clothes and got dressed quickly. I disregarded the throbbing in my head and clenched my legs tightly as the memories of what had happened replayed incessantly in my mind.

Before advancing towards the door, my instincts urged me to glance at the stranger's face with whom I had sex last night. I gently returned to bed and gazed down at the man's face, who lay there sleeping peacefully.

His dark brown hair was messy, which I was pulling tightly last night while he was eating me out. I couldn't help but feel the warmth spreading across my face at that distinct thought of what he did to me last night. 

His hair cascaded freely across his forehead, and my gaze drifted down to his long, thick lashes. Although his eyes were hidden from view, I was captivated by the sight of his handsome face. My intuition was correct; he was indeed gorgeous, even though I hadn't seen his face last night.

His arms appeared muscular, yet not overly so. He was lean and tall, and I swallowed when my eyes landed below his abs that were only covered with the sheets.

My eyes widened as he stirred in his sleep. Before he could notice me, I tiptoed to the door, gently opened it, and slipped out in utter silence.

...............*****..............

"What the hell have you done, Nicole?" my stepmother's angry voice echoed through the living room as I opened the front door. Her gaze swept over me, taking in my disheveled appearance. ''Where the fuck have you been all night?" she demanded, yanking me into the house so forcefully that a part of my clothing was torn, exposing my shoulders as well as my bare back.

I am the second daughter of the Summers family and lived with my parents and sister Camille in a beautiful house during our youth. However, after my mother's passing, my father, who showed me no affection, remarried Sylvia. They soon had Kendra, my stepsister, who quickly became my archrival. My father assumed control of my mother's estate, relishing the wealth she had left, and even transferred some of her assets to Kendra and Sylvia.

Kendra, descending the stairs, froze, her mouth agape and her brown eyes widening at the sight of the marks and bruises on my skin. ''Mom! Did you see all of that? Look at the kiss marks covering her body! It was so obvious that she had sex with someone last night! Oh my God! I can't believe that she’s a slut like her mother!''

No. Not my mother!

I bit my lower lip to keep from lashing out, then glanced down to adjust my dress and hair, ensuring the marks were concealed. After composing myself, I turned slowly to face my stepmother, who was glaring at me with a murderous gaze.

''You’re a bitchy slut for sleeping with a stranger last night, and making a protest in pleasing the casino guest!'' Sylvia hissed, and to my dismay, she raised her hand to strike me. I stepped back, dodging her swing, which only fueled her fury. "Because of your actions with the guest and the loss of a well-paying job, I can't afford your niece's treatment anymore! I'll just let her die, do you understand?!" she snarled, her voice icy as she hurled cruel words at me. "That’s your punishment for being such a slutty whore!''

Sylvia began to walk away, but I halted her by seizing her hand, which she instantly withdrew as though scorched by my grasp. "Please, mom. Don't do this to Andrea. I'm begging you, please..." I implored, my voice trembling. "Please... I... I'll do anything, everything... Just keep her treatment going. Help her live. Leukemia isn't a joke. She's dying, please."

Upon hearing my words, she stopped in her tracks, a smirk spreading across her lips as if a pleasant thought had struck her. "You're willing to do anything?" she inquired, one eyebrow arched inquisitively, to which I nodded with hesitation. "Fine," she exhaled with exaggerated weariness, circling me with her arms crossed, her piercing dark eyes appraising me, sweeping over my form.

Kendra, standing before me with a triumphant smile, seemed to already know what her mom was about to tell me, her expression giving away her anticipation.

"I'm giving you another chance, so don't fail this time..." Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she readied herself to share her thoughts. "I want you to marry the despised man from the Monroe family. You will take Kendra's place as the bride!" Sylvia declared. To say I was stunned would be putting it mildly. My heart ceased its rhythm, and I stood frozen in place.

Marry a man I've never met?

A man who was unattractive and despised?

"No." I whispered, shaking my head in disagreement.

I'm willing to do anything, except this. Engaging in this kind of situation would risk my life and heart, and there was no turning back once it was done. But I knew that if I ran into any trouble marrying this guy, they wouldn't help me out at all.