Chapter 5

Sarah

The presidential honeymoon suite at the hotel is unlike anything I have ever seen before. As soon as I walked through the door, I let out a low whistle of amazement.

The room is spacious, with high ceilings and large windows. The walls are painted a soft cream color, and the furniture is all made of rich, dark wood.

"What a beautiful room!" I chirp.

Vincent doesn't even crack a smile. He looks less than impressed, as if we had just walked into Motel 6.

The bed is the centerpiece of the room, a king-size four-poster with a thick, plush mattress and silky sheets. I can't help but think that this is something straight out of a romance novel.

I look at the rose petals scattered all over the room and a giant jacuzzi tub that looks inviting. I gulp. Is he going to expect me to get in it later?

I slowly walk over to the bed and sit down, my heart thumping in my chest. I hear Vincent walking over to me, and I want to get up and hurl my body out the window. I can't bear the thought of giving this man my virginity tonight.

"Sarah," Vincent begins, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I want you to know that I expect certain... standards in our marriage."

"Standards?" I echo, my voice barely more than a whisper.

"Yes," he continues. "I expect you to be devoted, obedient, and attentive to my needs." His words are spoken matter-of-factly, but I can sense an underlying current of control that I hadn't noticed before.

I am sorry. Did he just say he wanted me to be obedient? Duck that!

"Sure," I say, not wanting to anger him on our wedding night. We go quiet for a moment.

"I suppose we should go to bed now, then." Vincent's voice cut through the silence like a knife, a cruel edge to his words.

I look him in the eyes, searching for any hint of warmth or tenderness, but find nothing save for cold detachment. "Yes, bed. I am so tired, and this bed feels comfortable."

"I don't mean sleep," he says casually.

Oh, god, he actually expects me to have sex with him!

"You don't mean...like, shouldn't we wait..." I stammer.

"Wait? Why should we wait? We are married now," he growls.

Vincent's words hang heavy in the air. My heart races, pounding against my chest as panic sets in. This beautiful room feels like a gilded prison, trapping me with a man whose intentions are both cold and cruel.

I clench my fists, my nails digging into the soft fabric of the bedspread. A flicker of defiance ignites inside me.

Summoning all the courage I can muster, I meet his icy gaze with an unwavering determination. "Vincent, we can't...I barely know you. I think we should wait until we get to know each other more," I say, my voice shaking but determined.

He leans over, his large frame casting a shadow over me. "If I had any desire to get to know you, I would've done so before the wedding. I would've taken you out on dates, fed you your favorite food, and shared all my interests with you. But that wasn't the case, was it? That only means one thing, little one. This marriage between us is nothing but a business transaction, and I expect you to serve me, that's all."

My heart sinks as his words. A surge of anger floods through me, overpowering the fear and vulnerability that threatened to consume me. I refuse to be reduced to nothing more than a servant, a puppet at his beck and call. No, I won't allow it.

I straighten my posture and meet his gaze. "Vincent," I say, my voice steady, "Why did you kiss me that day, at the bridal shop?"

His lips twisted into a smirk. "Why do you want to know?"

I narrow my eyes. "Because," I say defiantly, "It was strange that you did that. There was something behind that kiss, and I want to know what it was."

Vincent smiles again. "I wanted to see if I was attracted to you. I figured this wouldn't work if kissing you made me want to vomit."

Ugh...this man is insufferable!

Vincent's words cut through me like a knife, his callousness leaving me stunned. So this was my husband. Not just devilishly handsome, but an actual devil!

Anger courses through my veins, fueling my determination to stand up for myself. I won't let him dehumanize me, reduce me to nothing more than a pawn in his game. There's a fire within me now, burning bright and fierce.

I rise from the bed, my gaze never wavering from Vincent's cold eyes. "You think you can just treat me like an object?" My voice quivers with a mix of anger and defiance. "Well, you're wrong. I am not some item to be owned or controlled."

Vincent's face contorts with surprise at my sudden outburst but he doesn't respond.

"I refuse to be your submissive little wife," I say, my voice steady. "I deserve love, respect, and equality in this marriage."

A flicker of something unfamiliar crosses Vincent's expression—regret? Guilt? It's gone just as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a steely glare. He grabs my jaw and lifts up my face.

"Sarah," he says through gritted teeth, his voice low and dangerous. "You have no idea what you got yourself into, do you? I made a deal with your father, so if you don't listen, the deal is off."

"So what? You are going to rape me because of some deal?" My voice shook.

Vincent's blue eyes darkened. "Rape? No. You will be willing."

"No, I won't be," I breathe.

"Alright. I will call your precious daddy and tell him the deal is off. he can drown in his debts and live on the streets for all I care."

I can feel the heat rising within me. I fight back tears as I remember how my own father sold me to this ruthless man.

"No," I say firmly, my voice laced with defiance. "You won't threaten me with my father's debts. If he made a deal without considering my happiness or consent, then that's on him. But I won't be coerced into doing something against my will."

Vincent's grip tightens on my jaw, his knuckles turning white. "You have no idea what you're saying, Sarah," he seethes. "You think you can stand up to me? You're completely naive."

His words sting, but they only ignite the fire within me further. I am not naive; I am strong-willed and determined. And I won't allow anyone to take that away from me.

"I know exactly what I'm saying," I retort, my voice steady despite the fear that still lingers deep within me. "I won't let you control or manipulate me. This is my life, too."

Vincent's eyes narrow, and for a moment, I see a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze. It's as if he hadn't expected this resistance from his new wife—a woman who was meant to be docile and submissive.

But then, just as quickly as it appeared, the uncertainty is replaced by a cold resolve. He releases his grip on my jaw and takes a step back, his expression hardening once more.

He takes his cell phone off the nightstand, calls someone, and then puts it on speaker.

"Hello?" a gruff voice answers on the other end of the line.

"Thomas, it's Vincent," he says, his tone calm and collected.

"Ah, Vincent. I didn't expect you to call me on your...uh...special night. Is everything okay? Is Sarah okay?" my dad asks.

I roll my eyes. Look at him pretending to be a concerned father when he sold me.

Vincent glances at me for a moment before speaking. "I'm afraid there's been a change of plans."

There's a brief pause on the line, followed by an incredulous chuckle from Dad. "Change of plans? What are you talking about?"

"The deal is off," Vincent says firmly.

The shock in Dad's voice is evident as he responds, "Vincent, you can't back out now. We had an agreement."

"Well, your daughter doesn't agree, so I will get our marriage annulled tomorrow morning," Vincent says dryly. "And as far the finance is concerned. I will be taking it all back."

There's another silence on the line. "Vincent...you can't do this. Please, reconsider," Dad's voice trembled.

My neck grows hot with embarrassment as I hear the desperation in my father's voice. Are things so bad that he has to beg Vincent?"

"Is she there? Let me speak to her," Dad insists.

Vincent shrugs and motions me to speak.

I take a deep breath and reluctantly start talking. "Hello, Dad," I say, my voice filled with heartache.

"S-Sarah, sweetheart, what's going on? Why are you doing this?" My father's voice cracks and I can hear the desperation in his words.

I clench my hand into a fist, anger and betrayal burning within me. "Dad, I don't want to do this anymore."

There's a heavy silence on the line before my father responds, his voice trembling with guilt. "Sarah, please. Our debts were piling up, and I thought this...arrangement would solve everything. Please just listen to me and do everything he asks. Our life is on his hands."

My eyes well up with tears, my heart feeling heavy with the weight of our shattered relationship. "Well, Dad, just know that if you make me do this, I will never speak to you again."

I know he doesn't care, but I wanted to try everything I could.

"And if you don't, you will be on the streets, on your own. I am all you have left don't forget that," he says firmly.

I let out a soft sob and turn away. This is too much to handle.

"I will let you know in the morning whether the deal is back on or not," Vincent says and hangs up on him.

As the call ends, the room plunges into an eerie silence. Vincent's eyes bore into mine, his gaze filled with a mixture of amusement and irritation. I can't help but despise him for the way he holds all the power, for the way he manipulates my life like a puppet master pulling the strings.

I turn away from him, needing a moment to gather myself. My trembling hands reach up to wipe away the tears that threaten to spill over, smearing my mascara in the process. It feels like my entire world is crashing down around me, leaving me stranded in a sea of despair. 

I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders as I turn back to face Vincent. The sadness in my eyes hardens into determination. "Fine," I say, my voice laced with icy hate. "If you're so insistent on proceeding with this charade, then let's get it over with."

Vincent arches an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by my sudden change in attitude.

"But, if you want me to go through with this... this act, then I want you to understand just how much I despise you. I want you to know that every touch, every caress will disgust me," I say as I stand up to face him.

Well...I tried. I still barely come up to his chest!

Vincent leans in closer, his warm breath tickling my skin as our lips almost touch. "We will see about that, little one."