Chapter 1) Treated unfairly.

Georgina's pov,

“Do you, Georgina Hale, take Marvin Hart to be your lawfully wedded husband?”.

“Do you vow to love, obey and cherish him until death do you apart?”.

‘This- this can't be happening to me’.

Cold beads of sweat formed on my forehead as I trembled within and tried to look natural after listening to the words of the priest who was standing in front of us on the altar, with a holy book in his hand.

I thought I was holding out strong, but when I turned to the man who was to become my husband, fear gripped me tightly, and I imagined an invisible claw crawling on my skin as I stood frozen like a statue.

He was Marvin.

The well-known ruthless and disfigured CEO, who always wore masks. Just like how he was wearing a golden mask now.

No one knows exactly what he looks like.

Including me. I had no clue about the face that was hiding behind the mask.

According to the rumors, they said he was not always like that.

But everything changed after his mother's car got into an accident that left her dead, and him, disfigured.

Ever since then, he grew cold and distant from everyone. Especially his own father.

‘How did I end up being in this situation?’. I thought and gasped for air, because my chest felt tight after he grabbed my hand and leaned close to me, making me feel so little and insignificant.

“Don't forget that you can never escape this, dear. You are mine, and the sooner you realize and accept that, the better for you”.

…

A week ago,

After experiencing a long day working at different part-time stores and doing other menial jobs, I returned home. The place I had only a single description of, ‘Hell’.

As I stood in front of the door, I could already feel the remaining energy in me get drained.

My face became pale, and my eyes had obvious dark circles underneath them, as I bit my lower lip nervously and hesitated.

“Mom. I am back home”. I muttered, with my eyes barely opened, as they felt heavy.

Not hesitating anymore, I opened the door and entered the house.

Each step I took, I could feel it, as I staggered back and forth.

“Honey, why are you just telling me about this now?”.

Hearing my stepmother's anxious voice made my feet halt on its own before I could arrive in the living room. It was new and shocking to me, because I had never witnessed her voice get this timid before.

I truly wanted to mind my business because nothing good ever comes out of involving myself, but suddenly, a thought came into my mind.

‘Wait a little longer and listen’.

It whispered in my ears. And before I knew it, I found myself listening.

“I did not know it was going to slip out of my control, darling. I did not know”. My father, Carlos, said with a deep groan, not having the slightest idea that I was there in the background, eavesdropping on them.

“So now, what are we going to do? It's absurd that he wants something like that for repayment. You should never have gotten yourself involved with him, Carlos! You must find a solution”. My stepmom, Cara, cried out, while sounding all pitiful.

‘What is going on?’. I wondered and got curious, before briefly staring in the direction of the exit door, as I hoped no one was going to pass through the door and interrupt everything.

“That's what I am thinking of, woman”. My father raised his voice at her.

I understood it was his way of telling her to calm down.

Soon, everywhere fell silent, leaving me on a cliffhanger.

But when I heard his voice speak again, there was something that changed in his tone.

He sounded more confident, and for some strange reasons, I did not feel comfortable with that.

“Since that is what he wants, we are going to fulfill it for him. Our precious princess is not the only one we have”. He said.

“What do you mean by th-”. Cara gasped and did not finish what she wanted to say. She added, “I understand”.

At this point, I grew very confused about what they were talking about.

But mostly bothered.

I wanted an explanation, even though it might not be my concern.

Just when I was about to take a peek at them, I heard the door behind me open, and that was enough to make me flinch, as I held my fast beating chest.

I turned around almost immediately and saw that it was Claire, my half sister.

She looked as gorgeous as ever, wearing expensive clothes and a gold watch which screamed money, whereas it was clear that the company was struggling.

“Ack. You jinx. You scared me. What are you doing here?”. She asked with a frown on her face, as she stared at me with total disgust.

“Did you hear that?”. I heard Cara’s voice and understood that my cover was blown.

I sighed in defeat and explained to Claire, “I just came back from work”.

“Whatever”. She said with a scoff and walked past me, but with her shoulder brushing hard against mine, making me fall to my butt on the ground with a hiss.

A nervous sweat formed on my temple as I turned to stare at her while I felt a sharp pain. ‘Why did she have to come now?’. I thought and was dejected, before I forced myself to stand on my feet, as I made my way into the living room also.

Upon arriving in the living room, I halted after seeing Claire sitting in between Cara, her mother, and my father.

“Greetings, father, stepmom”. I greeted them. After that, I wanted to go upstairs to my room, as I did not want to spoil the happy mood for the family of three, who ignored my presence like I did not exist.

“Wait, you”.

Cara’s voice made me halt in my tracks, and I felt a cold shiver run through my spine, because I knew nothing good ever came out of gaining her attention.

“What do you think you are trying to do, Georgina? Go upstairs to your room? Can't you see that my precious baby is hungry?”. She said to me with a disgusted frown on her face.

She continued to say, “No need for you to go to your room. Hurry up and prepare for her something nice to eat”.

As she finished ordering me around, she returned her attention to the proud-looking Claire, who kept on being self-centered, as she got praised for getting the lead role in an upcoming drama.

“Ca- can it wait, stepmom? I have been working since morning. Let me, at least, take a bath”. I pleaded with her, while trying to stabilize my nervous hands that would not stop shaking. But I froze when her dark gaze met my eyes.

Sweat slid down my temple, because everyone was staring at me like I had said something forbidden.

My father rose from the sofa, making me swallow the invisible lump in my throat.

He approached me, and before I could apologize to him for my mistake, a sharp sound echoed in the cold atmosphere.

It was a slap across my cheek, before I instinctively held onto the spot that stung.

My body shook from pain. Especially my heart, which I heard shattered like glass.

I could feel my eyes get red, with tears threatening to escape from them.

My eyes coincidentally shifted to Claire and her mother.

They were laughing at me behind the scenes, in a way that only I could see.

“How dare you disobey your stepmom, Georgina? Claire is your little sister, and she has a weak heart!”.

“It's your responsibility to look out for her. Go and do as your stepmom has said. Prepare dinner for your little sister. Make sure it's her favorite dish. Do you understand?”. My father said to me, not feeling a bit remorseful for striking me.

I lowered my head and bit my lip as reality washed over me.

Ever since I lost my mother, he took control of her company and her house, and stopped being the nice and caring father I knew. Then he remarried and had a baby with his new wife within six months.

He told everyone his daughter was born prematurely and had a weak heart. But I knew otherwise that it was a lie.

Although Claire was proven to have a weak heart, she was never born prematurely. Meaning that he had been cheating on my Mom even before she slumped and died. I had caught him saying it once.

But I kept quiet about it, as I had no solid evidence or the boldness to prove it.

“I understand, father”. I nodded at him and didn't dare to complain.

Still holding my now swollen cheek, I left for the kitchen with heavy, defeated steps.

‘I wish I could move out’. My heart trembled as I thought, because I had not been able to bring myself to do that, as this house was the one place that reminded me a lot of my mother, including the happy memories we had built together. So I was afraid of losing them all.