Chapter 1

Amelia's pov.

“ I refused to give my prime to some old looking man” I said to myself as I stood in my father's study with a straight face. The way I had learned to do it over the years. But inside me, everything was shaking.

I tried to hide the anger inside of me but I couldn't. My heart pounded so loud in my chest and I was sure they could hear it. Lawson Clark's name still echoed in my head like a bad joke that refused to be funny, no matter what. It refused to make sense no matter how many times it was said.

My father wanted me to marry his friend. Not just any friend, but a man old enough to be my grandfather.

A man whose hair was already grey when I was learning how to write my name.

A man who had watched me grow up and now wanted to own me. That thought alone made me feel disgusted.

And for the man I call my father. How could a father look at his daughter and decide she was something to be traded? Like a bag of rice. Like a contract. Like a price tag that could save a failing company.

My chest felt very tight, and before I could stop myself, the words slipped out.

“I won't do it.” I said, my voice shaking despite how hard I tried to sound firm. “I won't marry him.”

My father leaned back slowly, as if my words mesmerized him or rather my refusal entertained him. “You will get married to Lawson Clark . This family needs him.” he replied.

Silence filled his study room, and I spoke up again.

“Have you ever asked me what I wanted?” The question slipped out of my mouth before I could even swallow it back. My chest burned as I spoke. “Even once?-

And just when I thought that I mattered to me, that you don’t have to be related by blood to be called family, his words cut through my heart like a knife pierced through it.

“ Stop mistaking charity for love- he cut in and my mouth widened but words got stuck in my throat and for a flipping second, I became mute.His sharp gaze pierced through my eyes as he continued

“I took you in. I fed you. I clothed you. I saved you from that filthy place you called an orphanage. Everything you are is because of me. And now it time to repay me back”

He was right, you know. I was that child who had no family- not like I fell from heaven or something but the two people who brought me into this world neglected me the moment I was born. I didn’t even know them to ask why? But they did put me in this position and now I have to live my life indebted forever.

I slightly closed my eyes and took a deep breath, the only way I could calm my nerves at that moment.

“You know we don’t have to do something shameful just to build the company- “what?” He blinked his eyes

“Yes, I get it. The company is falling but I could try, just give me a chance for once and I promise to find a solution around it” I stated and my father looked at me with irritation on his face.

“This isn’t a conversation for you to decide. This is an order!” He continued. “It is bad enough that I let you bear my name and now you want to have my company?! You ungrateful orphan” his words landed on me like a slap and my eyes became teary.

It has been years but he never fails to remind me we were never related by blood. No matter how hard I tried, he still leaves that gap in between us.

“Then you shouldn’t have adopted me- I didn’t know when that slipped through my mouth but I continued regardless. “ Since all you wanted was a stand-in that could be traded in your deep shit- the slap came so fast on my face that I didn’t see it. I only felt it.

I felt pain on my cheek, my head was snapped to the side as my ears rang. My vision blurred instantly and for a second I couldn't breathe.

The pain inside my chest hurt so much more. I stood there frozen as pain wrapped around me.

Emily, my sister who had been sitting quietly on the couch, finally looked up from her phone. And a cunning smirk formed on her lips.

“Honestly, Dad, she should be grateful,” she said lazily. “Not everyone gets the chance to marry a powerful man. Especially someone who isn't really family.”

I turned to her. And Emily's eyes held no pity for me, instead it held satisfaction that she was finally getting rid of me.

She had always hated that I existed, that I took up space in a house she believed was hers alone.

*****************

I sat on my bed and stared down at my hands. They were trembling. I pressed them together, trying to hold myself in one piece. Being sold to a man old enough to be my father felt like a disaster, it didn't feel like a disaster. That was it. I didn’t want to think deep about it so I grabbed my laptop

My latest chapter stared at me from the dashboard, waiting. But I clicked on the comments instead.

There it was. The same username, the one I had always looked for. Nightreader27.

“Still here,” the comment read. “I don't know how you do it but, your words feel like home. Please don't ever stop writing.”

A small smile tugged at my lips before I could even realize how relieved I felt reading the comment.

Nightreader27 had always been there. From the first chapter to the first comment. Every update, without failing.

I didn't know if it was a he or a she. But somehow, knowing that my words inspired someone out there made me feel valued.

For a few minutes, I wasn't the adopted girl being offered up to save a drowning company. I was just a writer. Just Amelia.

I opened a new document and began to type when I heard a soft knock landed on the door. "May I come in sweetheart?" My adopted mum's voice followed.

I didn’t know if I wanted to talk or see anybody but it was her.

“Sure," my voice came out hoarse.

I closed my laptop and wiped the tears off my face. The emotions were still raw and it was suffocating me. I needed to get it out.

The door crept open and she walked in with a tray. She placed it on the table. My favorite - her homemade cookies and a glass of water. She then reached out, pulling me into her arms without saying a word and that was when I broke free. Tears flowing down my cheeks and my sobs shaking as I held tightly onto her and she rubbed my back.

"I understand how you feel but you need to keep the peace. What he did was unfair but he's still your father. Just do what he wants and he might change his mind," she said in a low voice.

My chest tightened at her word, how could she say that to me? She was supposed to be on my side.

“I’m so sorry, I wished I had the power to turn things around” she added and for a second I wondered if anyone really cared about me.