Chapter 1

"Do I really need to dress that much?? you know how he'd always treated me."

"Who knows, maybe if you dress more glamorous today, he might start seeing you from another light, y'know."

She tilted her head, gaze sharp, taking in every word Emily said.

"Nothing will ever make me look different in the eyes of Nathan, you know who he had chosen and I will always look like a piece of shit in his eyes." She muttered, tears welling up in her eyes.

While Emily moved closer to console her, she had anger piling up in her lungs.

"That ungrateful punk." She cursed beneath her breath.

"I need to leave Mily, take care of yourself and I'll come back again soon"

"Yeah, you need to go, that's what you should wear okay? and wait...." She paused.

"If that witch come nagging at you again, just give her a resetting slap and back off for real."

Alicia nodded quickly and ran off. Of course she wasn't going to do what angry Emily had suggested.

It was a big celebration at the Paddington's and all the Paddington's family and friends would be present.

Nathan had won a contract worth millions of dollars for the company and everyone had to celebrate the success.

While it was obviously a happy day for everyone, it was yet another day of misery for Alicia, as the Paddington's had never missed a chance to discriminate her at every of their gatherings. Calling her names and throwing ridiculous comments at her.

Now in her room, she contemplated on either wearing the gown Emily had chosen for her or just wearing a casual gown.

Her mother in law had always questioned everything she did.

Today she wished to looked a little a bit like the woman whom Nathan had adored all his life.

She looked at the gown once again, it was a red colored gown, off shoulder and skimpy. The gown could reveal her curves and brighten her complexion.

She paused as Emily's voice rang back at her head.

"Maybe if you dress more glamorous today, He might start seeing you from another light."

What if Emily was right?

She decided she would wear it, anything to please Nathan.

Alicia had loved Nathan since the first time she saw him and was set to do anything to have him. When her father had coincidentally arranged her marriage with Nathan, she felt the universe was working in her favor.

While she was supposed to be sad that her marriage was being arranged, Alicia had happiness in her heart.

She couldn't wait to be with Nathan and even urged her father to make it fast.

After their marriage, Nathan got into a fatal accident that almost took his legs. It confined him to a wheel chair for two years. He was frustrated and at the verge of loosing his mind.

Alicia cried everyday of her life, taking care of him and wishing he get back up sooner. She loved him so much that the sight of his predicament kept breaking her to several pieces.

Her mother in law always adored her so much then as she was the only one available to care for her son, because her mother in law was a party freak and always unavailable.

Nathan appreciated Alicia and even made it seem like he started falling for her, not until his legs healed and he got back up again.

The Nathan who was soft and talked delicately to her, became a scary creature whose presence she dreaded.

He shouted at her and called her useless most times, despite the fact that she was like a princess in her own home and she also took care of him.

Worst of all, her mother in law became a thorn on her flesh. The whole suffering escalated when Andrea returned back from her studies abroad.

Andrea was Nathan's childhood lover and he could do anything just to make her see how much he valued her . Anyone who dared to cross Andrea should have to be ready to face his wrath.

Alicia had witnessed this so many times and it couldn't be more hurtful and dreading to her soul.

Back then, she cried herself to sleep most of the nights.

Today, was one of those days when she had to watch them all lovey dovey again. She couldn't refuse to attend, else she'd invite the trouble of her mother in law.

"Isn't this too revealing?" She muttered to herself as she turned around to check herself out in the mirror.

Either way she applied light make up and slipped out of the house.

"Let's go." She muttered to her driver and they sped off.

She looked extremely pretty in her outfit, but she was very uncomfortable, as she kept adjusting it every now and then.

Her confidence returned when she realized she was doing it only for Nathan. She so wished he could atleast look at her lovingly as he looked at Andrea for once.

When they got to the Paddington residence, her legs wobbled and she felt nauseous immediately at the sight she beheld.

Andrea stood in gray skimpy gown that revealed her blossomed shape and a great make up that complimented her beauty. She looked nothing less than a goddess,  like she was the star of the occasion.

Alicia felt her confidence fade, when she realised there was no way she could hold a candle to Andrea when it comes to beauty and having Nathan. Even though she was also pretty, she knew there was no way she could compete with her.

"Is everything okay ma'am?" a waitress asked bringing her back from her daze.

"Yes thank you." She muttered and took her steps forward.

Just as she was about to grab a seat, her eyes stopped on Nathan, he had shock on his face mixed with an expression she couldn't understand, soon he began walking in large strides towards her.

"Did it really work?? Why is he coming to me, could Emily be right??" Her inside was in utter chaos.

"What do you think you're wearing? Why are you dressed like a slot??"

She felt her soul leave her body.

"As far as I'm concerned, you're not present in this occasion, I don't know who's this, and when did this madness started??" He yelled, disdain filling his voice.

"But these are the kind of dresses Andrea wore, why can't I wear it too??"

"Now I can see where this is coming from, you're not Andrea and you can never be her. Stop trying to make yourself look weird copying who you're not."

"Who am I?? I'm your wife! and I'm trying my best to please you, to bring my husband to me! Can't you see I'm getting tired??"

When he saw she was beginning to yell, he covered her mouth and dragged her to a corner.

"Get this into your skull, you can never be Andrea and you trying to copy her, disgusts me. You can either get out of this ridiculous dress or get out of this place."

"I'm not getting out of this dress, neither am I leaving this place. If Andrea can wear it, why can't I? Should I have come to this place in pajamas?? I'm not going to remove it and from now on this is the kind of dress I will be wearing. I need to look beautiful too! And besides isn't this the kind of clothes I wore before I married you??."

"If you wouldn't listen, I'll have no choice, but to have you thrown out of this place."

Alicia gasped at his words. Nathan had being cruel to her long before now, but today he was being extremely cruel.

She couldn't utter anymore words.

She went back to her car and her driver took them back to their estate.

She removed her heels, put on a casual gown paired with slides. They drove back to the residence.

Just as she dropped down from her car, she met another disaster.

"You daughter of a bitch! what do you think you're wearing?!" Nathan's mother fired, walking furiously towards her.

"What the hell are you wearing to a Paddington's occassion!"

"Mum, I had come earlier, but Nat.."

"Shut up! You're nothing but a disgrace." She interrupted her and almost spat on her face as she walked passed her.

Alicia had tears in her eyes.