All Chapters of Caged Pheonix : Chapter 1 - Chapter 7

"Stop acting like a nerd and put this on. I've had enough of your excuses."Violet stood frozen before her mother, eyes lowered, fingers fidgeting as if searching for an invisible thread of courage—one more excuse to escape this nightmare masquerading as a wedding."Mom, I... I don’t want to get married. I—""And you think that matters?" her mother, Amelia Joseph, snapped, voice sharp as glass. "Violet, listen carefully. We didn’t adopt you so you could live in comfort without consequences. It’s time you paid us back. Your father needs this alliance with Mr. James William, and that means you marrying into their family. Have we ever treated you poorly? Didn’t we give you food, a home, clothes? This deal is crucial for our future. How can you be so selfish when everything is at stake?"As her mother went on about our family, Violet felt a cold smile tug at her lips—bitter, knowing. She had never truly belonged. Yes, they hadn’t abused her, but love? That was never part of the arrangemen

Ethan’s sudden calm eased the tense room. His father and aunt exhaled in relief, smiling proudly. Glasses were raised and clinked, except for Violet’s, which remained untouched. The hollow cheer echoed in her ears like a cruel joke.Her stomach dropped. She felt powerless, trapped. Meeting his gaze, she saw his teasing wink and sweet smile — a bitter lie that cut deeper than any words.____Violet’s POVA makeup artist was busy smoothing my face, but I barely noticed. The truth settled heavily on my chest: this was real. I was really getting married, to him, the person who had made my life a living nightmare.I looked around the bustling room. Everyone seemed to accept it, caught up in their excitement. My heart pounded painfully at the thought of being bound to someone who had caused me so much pain.Suddenly, my mother’s voice cut through the noise.“Oh, she looks beautiful. Can you please leave us alone? I need to talk to my daughter.”She closed the door behind everyone and sat be

After saying that, he didn’t even give me a chance to speak—he pressed his lips against mine. My eyes widened in shock and confusion. I couldn’t believe he kissed me. I was too stunned to react. And when he realized I wasn’t stopping him, he deepened the kiss, growing more passionate. I saw him close his eyes, moving his lips like he was genuinely enjoying it. His hand slowly moved from my wrist up to my face. Then he tilted his head to the right so he could kiss me more fully. I remained frozen. I didn’t know how to respond or what to do. It was the first time he had ever kissed me. And the worst part—this man doesn’t even like me. Didn’t he say just a few hours ago that he’d never kiss me? Reality hit me hard: I was married now. And intimacy... it couldn’t be avoided, not when I had to live my life with this man. But he didn’t even ask me if I wanted this. Was he doing it because he thought he had the right now? Does marriage give him permission to do whatever he wants? What wou

FlashbackI was walking to school when I spotted a kitten wandering into the road—right in the path of a speeding car. Without thinking, I rushed forward and scooped her into my arms, bracing for the worst.Tires screeched loudly as the car came to a sudden stop. I opened my eyes slowly to see the driver stepping out, furious."Hey! Go die somewhere else! Look what you’ve done to my tires!"I blinked in confusion and glanced at his car—there was no damage."Y-You were about to hit the kitten. I just—""DO YOU THINK THAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW?! I’m telling you, I won’t leave until you pay for the damage."I held the kitten tightly, standing up."Why should I pay for something that isn’t even damaged? If your tires are so precious, maybe you should put them in a museum."I mumbled that last part under my breath, but he still heard it."What did you just say?!""Nothing. I don’t have any money. I’m just a student.""What’s going on here?"A voice interrupted us.I turned and saw him—Ethan Wi