MABEL'S POVMy phone rang, I saw the number on the screen and my stomach dropped. It was Stefan's mother. I knew she was going to ask me to do something I didn't want to do. I considered not answering, but I knew that would only make things worse. So I picked up the phone and said, "Hello?" "Mabel, dear, it's Stefan's mother. I have a proposition for you, I need you to do something for me," she continued. "I need you to come over to our house and spend the night with Stefan. I know it's a big ask, but it's important to me." I felt my heart sink. "Why?" I asked, my voice small. "I need to make sure that he will abide by my orders, I need him to know that he's not going to do anything stupid. And I think that you might be the one to make that happen by doing what i ask of you." I didn't know what to say. "I don't know if I can do that," I replied back to her." Remember your family bankruptcy!" she blurted out.I knew that my parents were struggling financially. And I knew that they

STEFAN'S POV"Mabel have agreed to the marriage, and so will you!" Mom yelled at me over the other end of the phone. I hated everything about Mabel. Her arrogance, her entitled attitude, the way she always acted like she was better than everyone else. And now, I was supposed to marry her? I couldn't do it. I just couldn't.I tried to collect my thoughts, to figure out what to say. I couldn't believe my mother would be so heartless to agree to this. She knew how I felt about Mabel. We had argued about her over the weeks, I never agreed to get married to her. I couldn't understand why she would do this to me. "Mom, you can't be serious," I said, my voice shaking. "You know how I feel about Mabel. There's no way I can marry her." There was a long pause on the other end of the line. I could almost hear my mother's brain whirring, trying to figure out what to say."I know you two have had your differences," my mother finally said, "but I truly believe that this is for the best. You're b

MABEL'S POVI got out of bed, the morning light streaming through the window. I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to imagine what my life would be like as a married woman. I felt a surge of panic, and I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down. I knew I couldn't let my anxiety get the best of me, not on this day of all days. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes again. I had a lot of work to do before the ceremony, and I couldn't afford to waste any time.I went into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the hot water wash over me. As I stood there, I tried to clear my mind, focusing on the feeling of the water on my skin. I tried to imagine myself as a bride, walking down the aisle towards my future. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt like I was suffocating. I turned off the shower, the panic rising in my chest. I had to get it together, I had to be strong. But I felt like I was on the verge of losing control. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to c

STEFAN'S POVAs I began my day, I was surprised by the reaction I received from my fans. They seemed thrilled that I was married, and they wanted to hear all about it. I was more than annoyed to oblige, telling them how I had met my wife and how we had fallen in love, they forced me to say. I even mentioned how we had a bit of a rough patch, but we were working through it. I knew I was playing with fire, but I couldn't help myself. I was caught up in the moment, and I felt invincible.But as the day wore on, I started to feel a sense of unease. I tried to ignore the feeling, but it wouldn't go away. As I did my photo shoots, I felt like I was being watched. I kept glancing around, but I didn't see anyone out of the ordinary. Still, the feeling persisted. I started to feel like I was being followed, and I couldn't shake the sense of foreboding. I finished up my last photo shoot, I finally saw who had been watching me. It was Mabel. She stood in the corner of the room, her arms cross

STEFAN'S POVI sat there, my head spinning. My thoughts were a jumble of emotions, and I couldn't make sense of any of it. I didn't know what to do, and I felt paralyzed with indecision. I thought about my life here, and all the people I would be leaving behind if I moved to the new house with Mabel. I decided not to care about anything anymore, be it my mum, or Mabel. The gruesome accident that I had have thought me to enjoy life, because life really is short.I thought about my life there, and all the new opportunities it would bring. But I also felt scared and uncertain. I wanted to make the right decision, but I wasn't sure what that was."I would move into the house, but we'll live like stranger's our rooms apart, everyone minding their own business. Sleeping with her and getting a child as my mum wanted was out if the question, because I won't and would never."I met up with my friends at the golf course, and we headed out to the first tee. As we walked, I tried to clear my head