Chapter Three.

I stared at Tristan, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment as I recalled the cringeworthy encounter we had. “Fuck me,” I had blurted out to him that night at the club. He had been just another guest, showing no particular interest in me as I got increasingly drunk and approached him because he was the most attractive guy there. I desperately needed to forget my sorrows, and he seemed like the perfect distraction.

To my surprise, Tristan had entertained me. The details of our conversation was more like a blur to me as I struggled to remember it all, it was all lost in the haze of alcohol, but one thing was clear: he was the man from that one-night stand. Even though I couldn't remember much about it, I had a lot of questions now.

“Sorry I left in a hurry this morning; I had important matters to attend to,” Tristan said, his words confirming that he was indeed the man from that one-night stand. He seemed to enjoy the awkwardness of the moment as he continued, “If I had known you were the daughter they were going to marry to me, I might have kept you around a bit longer.”

My parents exchanged confused looks, completely unaware of what he was referring to. I couldn’t take my eyes off Tristan. He was a work of art, and now I understood why I had walked toward him in my drunken state. With his perfect brown hair, impressive physique, and features that seemed carefully arranged, he was almost too irresistible. However, the rumors of his psychopathic behavior were enough to send shivers down my spine.

Tristan turned to my parents and asked, “The daughter I was promised wasn’t her. What happened?” I had never seen my parents so nervous and intimidated, especially my father, who seemed on the verge of groveling if there was any trace of shame left in him. He stammered, trying to respond.

“Well… there was a bit of a problem,”

“That is sad” Tristan focused on my parents, not breaking his gaze from them before shifting his attention back to me. “But it doesn’t matter anyway,” he added with a dramatic pause, something he seemed to enjoy doing. “This one is perfect.”

I am even more confused now. Why was he choosing me? I had hoped he would reject me, maybe giving me a chance to escape my parents' clutches, but it seemed that was not going to happen. This was shaping up to be the worst day of my life.

“I will be traveling for a month,” Tristan continued. “When I return, I will come back for you.” He moved closer, leaning in to whisper in my ear, “And then I will make sure you pay for every last penny your father owes me, in my own way.” My heart skipped a beat as a glimpse of what was to come flashed before me.

Tristan Hernandez stepped away from me, casting a final glance at my parents before leaving the house without another word to me. My parents quickly followed, trying to escort him out. A month? I had to endure the thought of marrying that psychopath for a whole month?

“How did you know Tristan Hernandez? Where have you met him?” My mother’s voice cut through my thoughts. I turned to her, glaring, and started to head up the stairs, but she grabbed my arm, pulling me back. “I asked you a question, young lady, so I expect an answer. Where have you seen him? How does he know you?”

I stared at her with cold expression while she glared at me with hatred. This woman was definitely not the mother I knew; they were not my family. “We met at a club,” I said, yanking my arm free from her tight grip.

My mother smirked, nodding in satisfaction. “You probably slept with him, didn’t you? Not that it matters. In a month, he will be taking you away, but until then, I will be watching you every minute of the day.” I rolled my eyes at her words, then turned and made my way up the stairs, retreating to my room.

I had 30 days, just a few days away from being at the mercy of that monster. The days passed faster than I expected, with my family doing everything they could to ensure I didn’t escape. I tried to flee several times but was always caught and punished, often left hungry by my mother. Eventually, I decided to give up.

Then I started to notice something strange about my body. I wasn’t feeling like myself, and my period was a few days late. However, it had never been very regular, so I didn’t think much of it. There were signs I couldn’t quite understand, from the metallic taste in my mouth to my aversions to certain foods. Not to mention the mood swings and my sudden intolerance for specific smells. These symptoms felt similar to premenstrual symptoms, but this time, they were much stronger. The soreness in my breasts, which I assumed was just a sign of my period coming, never stopped. With only one day left before Tristan was supposed to come for me, I decided to use one of the pregnancy tests I had stored away, hoping to get some answers.

I took the pregnancy test into the bathroom, my hands shaking as I unwrapped it. My mind filled with desperate prayers that it would come back negative. I followed the instructions carefully, setting the test down and staring at it with small breath as I waited for the results.

When the time was up, I glanced at the test and felt a cold wave of fear take  over me. The two lines were two obvious to be fake: I was pregnant. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt a nothing but panic. I stared at the test, struggling to understand the reality of the situation.

I was really pregnant? But whose child was it? The night before our engagement, I had sex with Jarred without protection, only to catch him cheating with my sister. Then, Tristan and I had been intimate on the night of the engagement party. My mind was filled with confusion and fear as I wondered, in disbelief

whose child I was now carrying?