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 extravagant today, he might start seeing you from another light, y'know."

She glared hard at her friend, Emily.

"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 persuade her, she had anger piling up in her lungs.

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

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

"Yea, you need to go, that's what you should wear okay, and wait."

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

Alicia nodded vigorously 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 would be present.

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

Where as it was obviously a happy day for everyone, it was yet another day of misery for Alicia, as the Paddington's had never failed 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 her normal gowns. Her mother in law had always questioned everything she does and today she wished to looked atleast a bit closer to the woman whom Nathan had adored all his life. She looked at the gown once again, it was a red colored off shoulder gown and skimpy that could reveal her curves and brighten her complexion.

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

"Maybe if you dress more extravagant 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 world was working in her favor. Whereas 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 and confined him to a wheel chair for three 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, being a party person that she was. And Nathan, he appreciated Alicia and even made it seemed like he started liking her, until his legs healed up and he got back up again.

Soft Nathan who talked delicately with Alicia became a scary creatures whose presence she dreaded.

He shouted at her and called her useless often times even though she was a princess in her own home and also took care of him. Worst of all, her mother in law became a thorn on her flesh, and 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 he valued her . Anyone who dared to cross Andrea should be ready to face his wrath.

Alicia had witnessed this a lots of times and it couldn't be more hurtful to her soul.

She cried herself to sleep most of the night.

And today, was one of those days when she had to watch them all lovey dovey again. She couldn't refused to attend else she 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.

While she looked extremely pretty in her outfit, she was outrageously uncomfortable, as she kept adjusting it every now and then. Her confident returned when she realized she was doing it only for Nathan. She so wished he could atleast looked at her delicately as he looked at Andrea for once.

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

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

Alicia felt her confident flew away from her as 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 this woman.

"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 sit, her eyes stopped on Nathan, he had a shock on his face mixed with an expression she couldn't understand, then he began walking in large strides towards her.

"Did it really worked?? 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 left her body.

"As far as I'm concern, you're not present in this occasion, I don't know who's this, and when did this one start??" He had disdain in his voice.

"But that's the kind of dress 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, she 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, disgust 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, 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 dressings I will be wearing, I need to look beautiful too! And besides isn't this the kinds of clothes I used to wear before I married you??."

"Then I'll have no choice but to have you thrown out of this place."

Alicia gasped at his words. Nathan has being cruel to her but today he was being extremely cruel.

She couldn't utter anymore word as she went back to her car and her driver took them back to their estate.

She removed her hills, put on a casual gown and they drove back to the residence.

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

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

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

"Mum, I had came earlier and 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.