CHAPTER 1

ZARYA ROGOV

"You will marry him, whether you want it or not," Father commanded, his voice cold and unwavering as if he had already sealed my fate.

My teary eyes snapped towards my mother who sat next to him and she immediately lowered her gaze as if she had no say in it just like anyone else here.

My eyes went to my older brother, and he looked least bothered by the arrangement. After all, this marriage was benefiting Rogov's anyway.

I lowered my gaze to my hands that were resting on my lap.

I didn't want this marriage.

I have already been stripped of my dreams, and now I don't even have the choice to choose who I want to marry? That was the curse of being born in a family that portrayed themselves as great human beings but were hungry blood sucking monsters beneath those polished smiles and tailored suits.

That was the curse of being born in a family that thought of women as nothing but objects.

I wanted to break free from this curse but I was a little too coward for that, a little too weak.

"The Starkovs have chosen you, I won't tolerate any negligence." Father continued in that authoritative tone of his. All he ever did was command.

Being dead was better than being married off to Ivan Starkov. He was one of the biggest show offs I've ever seen. Just because they have chosen me wasn't the only reason for this marriage. Both Rogov's and Starkovs were under the Pakhan's claws and in order to fight back against him they were making this alliance through marriage when it could have been easily done without making me their sacrificial lamb.

I've seen him. The Pakhan. He wasn't just any man. He was the Pakhan, a very suitable one for the title and only an alliance could rattle him or so that's what we all wished for.

I stood up and turned around to leave.

"I'm not done yet," His sharp tone pierced through my ear.

"Sit back down," my jaw twitched at his order.

"Let her go father, it's not like she got a say in it." My older brother, Caesar muttered, taking a sip of his wine as he leaned against the couch, staring at me with those dead eyes of his.

Father was always like this, but Caesar's words always managed to pierce my heart because he wasn't like this; he was forced to be one.

My lips trembled, but I bit them and left the living room.

Entering my room, I pulled at my shirt's collar. It was hard to breathe. Tears ran down my face as I looked at the wall before me. Lots of frames hang on it. Each has a unique building design sketched on it.

My dream of being an architect never started, but it ruled my imagination.

I sat on the edge of the bed and recalled the time I saw him for the very first time. Ivan Starkov, the youngest son of the Starkovs. Tall, handsome, and the biggest womanizer.

He would never treat me like a wife. He would treat me like any other girl he had ever treated.

Father was just throwing me away for his own benefit.

I rubbed a hand down my face. My hands and arms were numb due to creeping anxiety.

I immediately stood up and grabbed my anti-anxiety tablets from the drawer, chugging them down like my life depended on them. Just as I was trying to regain myself, the door opened and my mother stepped inside.

I looked away from her.

"I want to be alone,"

She said nothing and quietly sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I know it's hard, but you getting married to Ivan would benefit our family."

"I'm not a goat for s-sacrifice." I was on the verge of breaking down again.

"In this family, we women are born exactly for that." The truth was bitter.

"Zarya, Ivan might not be that bad." I chuckled bitterly at her delusional assumption.

"What do you expect from a man who has slept with every other girl out there?" I asked, and she sighed. She knew this was wrong, and yet she had no power to object. She slowly stood up and turned towards me.

"All men are like that..." She paused, looked down and then back up at me with a broken look in her eyes. "Even your father is no different." Of course, he wasn't. I've seen women entering his office several times. I've seen them leaving while looking used and it truly disgusted me.

My father wouldn't let me out of the house but would fuck girls barely older then me. I knew he was overly protective of me, I knew he couldn't afford even a scratch on his sacrificial lamb.

Mother was right, all men are like that, but...

"Why should I suffer the same fate as you?" I asked bitterly. "If all men are like that, I'd rather remain unmarried for the rest of my life." Tears of helplessness and anger streamed down my face. Mother said nothing and just turned towards the door.

"Your father has invited Ivan and his family to dinner. He wants you to present yourself well and...the marriage...well, it will be held this month...I do not want you to suffer like your sister, please." Her voice held desperation.

My sister...a name that wasn't allowed to be called in the mansion anymore.

Before I could say anything, she immediately left the room. Afraid, I would see her breaking.

I have defied my father before, but each time, it was just me getting hurt and being compliant anyway.

The marriage would be held this month...

More tears gushed down my face, and all I could do was stuff my face in the pillow and cry my heart out.

Cry...cry like a helpless clown.