-=Martina's Point of View=-I awoke to the crowing of roosters, and as I looked out the window, I observed it was still dark. When I looked at the clock, I saw that it was only five o'clock in the morning, still early for me to wake up, however when I was about to go back to sleep, I was disturbed by Nancy who was already wide awake.I didn't even notice her waking up and leaving the bed."Good morning!" She said in a loud voice making me grimace."Could you keep it down, it's still early and I still wanted to sleep," I murmured."No, Martina, five a.m. is already considered late in the province because almost everyone wakes up around four and Mom told me to wake you up for breakfast," she added, and she didn't leave me an opportunity to go back to sleep as she pulled the sheets over my eyes."You're really ruthless," I said, which she just laughed at.I had no choice but to force myself out of bed, and before leaving the room, I decided to do some stretching first, to remove the slee
-=Martina's Point of View=-It has been ten minutes, but still, nothing happened. I was really expecting something to happen considering that I came to this place without my full consciousness.I stood up from the big rock where I was sitting, waiting for something to happen, but it didn't."Esmeralda..."I tried calling her name; maybe there was something that she wanted to tell me, but even after uttering her name in the air, still nothing happened."Esmeralda!"This time, I yelled louder, but after holding my breath and waiting, nothing peculiar ever happened.A bitter smile appeared on my lips when I realized how much of a weirdo I may be if someone found me there.Imagine a guest wandering in this part at this hour. People may think that I actually lost it, and they would probably send me straight to the asylum if I told them how exactly I came here."Anything?" I thought to myself when another ten minutes had passed, and when still nothing happened, I took a deep breath and fina
-=Martina's Point of View=-I kept feeling this ache ever since my visit to that place, and as I awaited our arrival back at my dad's place, this ache was getting more intense."Can you tell me what's really going on, Martina?" I heard Nancy ask."Nothing; I just needed to go home," I answered.Before, when I thought about home, I always referred to my dad's house, which had been my home ever since, or at least before Fionna and her daughters arrived, but now, when I thought about home, I couldn't help but think about the island and Zion's mansion.The pain I felt intensified when I thought about Zion. I couldn't help but feel guilty knowing that he wasn't feeling well when I left him after I found out the truth.I felt ashamed of what I did; yes, it was shocking to learn the truth, but I promised Zion, or rather Zion, that I would love him forever, and yet, in the first instance of the test of our love and my faith in him, I disappointed him.I could still feel Nancy's gaze on me fro
-=Martina's Point of View=-It is often said that a woman's wedding day is one of the most significant and joyous occasions in her life, perhaps even the most memorable.It's the day when she joins the man she loves in a bond that will last a lifetime.This man will accept and love her despite her flaws and imperfections, supporting her through thick and thin, in times of happiness and sadness. However, I find myself devoid of any joy or happiness on my wedding day.The reason is that I am not marrying out of love, but rather due to being coerced into a union with a complete stranger.I had wanted to refuse this marriage, but the consequences were too severe. My stepmother threatened to cut off my father's medical support, which could potentially lead to his death.My father had been involved in a car accident while on his way to pick me up after my solo cruise to celebrate my eighteenth birthday. He had planned to throw a birthday party for me, as is customary for debutantes, but I c
-=Martina's Point of View=- I was in complete disbelief when I saw who my groom was, and I couldn't help but keep looking at Fiona. "Are you marrying me off to him?" I asked, unable to believe it. "Yes, is there something wrong with that? Besides, I mentioned that you know him, didn't I?" She replied, acting as if there was no issue with my future husband. Everyone is familiar with Zion Montgomery. I mean, who wouldn't know about one of the wealthiest individuals in the world? I've heard about him through the news, particularly in the business sections, and I've seen his face in numerous newspapers. However, I don't personally know him or have ever met him, so it puzzles me. How does my stepmother know someone as wealthy as Zion Montgomery, and why would he want to marry me in the first place? A feeling of unease came over me when I sensed someone staring intently at me. When I glanced over, I saw Zion looking directly at me. Our eyes connected, and I immediately noticed that hi
-=Martina's Point of View=-I woke up feeling slightly disoriented, and as I looked up, I was puzzled by the unfamiliar ceiling above me. Without getting out of bed, I scanned the room and realized that it was completely unknown to me.Curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Where am I?" It took a few moments before the memories came rushing back."I'm married."The sudden realization cast a shadow over my mood, and when I glanced at my finger, there it was, undeniable evidence.Resting on my ring finger was a simple gold band with an Alexandrite stone at its center, coincidentally my birthstone. I couldn't determine whether it was just a matter of chance or if this ring was indeed my wedding ring.Strangely, as I continued to gaze at the ring, the weight on my heart seemed to lighten. If only I were married to someone I truly loved.I let out a deep sigh and lay back in bed, reflecting on the events of the previous day. I couldn't shake off the fact tha
-=Martina's Point of View=-After getting Zion's confirmation that the island I was looking for was indeed his home, I decided to keep my mouth shut.I feel like throwing up because of my nerves; just thinking that I will be alone on the island with my now-husband makes me feel sick.I always dreamed of marrying the man I love, just like in the fairy tale stories that my dad used to read to me when I was a child—someone I would love forever and who would love me for the rest of our lives—but because of what happened, it made me realize that fairy tales are just for kids, ignorant of how the world really works."Cruel."The world is cruel, and so are the people living in it. There might be people who tend to live an honest life, but there are more people who will do everything just to take advantage of those innocent people.Take me, for example. If I weren't too weak and powerless, then I wouldn't be forced to be wed to someone I didn't love. If I had the money, the power, and the inf
-=Martina's Point of View=- I'm not sure if it was because of my nerves, the stress I've been through, the anxiety I felt and kept on feeling, or maybe all of those emotions, which made me feel exhausted, and after just a few minutes of lying down in bed, I felt my eyelids getting heavy, and I let myself drift into oblivion. It felt like I just closed my eyes when a sudden knock on my door awoke me, and before I could respond to it, the door opened, revealing the same kid maid who I caught looking at me earlier. "Good afternoon, mistress. Master Zion ordered me to fetch you, so you can both have a late lunch," she said, trying to maintain a poker face, but behind it, I could still detect a particular curiosity behind her blue eyes. "It's fine." She courteously introduced herself as Annie and told me that from now on, she would be my personal helper. She then started helping me get ready, and even though I told her that I could manage, she insisted that it was her job to assist me