SOPHIA CASTILLO

I groaned silently as I woke up. I felt pain in my left arm and I knew it was because I slept on it. I set my foot on the tiled floor and yawned.

"I see you are awake."

I froze when I heard Adrian's voice. I looked towards the direction his voice came from to see him all dressed up with his hands in his pants pocket.

"Good morning...sir," I greeted him, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Good morning? What is good about the morning? The fact that I have to wake up and see your face every day or the fact that we share the same room? Which is it, Sophia?" He asked.

He was speaking calmly as always, yet it made me nervous.

"Do you know what time it is?" He questioned and I looked around the room to find a wall clock or an alarm clock.

He began to walk toward me and my body stiffened.

"I will tell you the time," he raised his hand to look at his wristwatch.

"It's fifteen minutes to ten," he said and I gasped.

I couldn't believe I slept that long, but I guessed it was because of the stress I went through yesterday.

"You must feel so comfortable sleeping on that couch, don't you?" He chided and I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat.

Every step Adrian took toward me made my heart race faster than normal. I was nervous.

I didn't want him close to me. I felt my eyes blur from tears that formed in them.

My eyes locked with Adrian for the shortest seconds before I quickly looked away from fear.

"There she goes again, crying as always. Don't you get tired? Why do you keep doing this? It only makes me disgusted if you do not know that. It only makes me angry. I mean if you didn't want to marry me, you could have said so. I guess your sister has a better conscience than you do because I mean, you are so good at the game," he snarled.

"That's not true," I said in a whisper.

"What did you say?" he asked me. He was now squatting in front of me.

"That's not true," I repeated myself.

"Then what's the truth? I mean your father's company was at the edge of bankruptcy and to save his company, he came to my grandfather and, in return, my grandfather offered to help him if one of his daughters got married to me. Now here is what I am saying. I am asking what father would marry his daughter off without a reason? I mean I wouldn't do that to save my company. It's like selling my daughter in exchange for my company's growth, and for his daughter to agree, she also has a part to play," he expatiates.

I clenched my fist. I had not noticed I was crying until a bead of tears touched my skin

"You know nothing," I told him.

"Really? I know nothing? I mean why are you married to me? How old are you again? I mean if you didn't have a part in any of this, you wouldn't get married at this age. Your..."

"You don't know anything!" I exclaimed in anger, cutting him off from saying any more words.

I realized what I had just done as my little action had taken him by surprise. I ran into the bathroom, not wanting the same space as him.

I began to cry out there.

I was tired of holding it, I was tired of acting strong when I am not. I was tired of being accused. From the moment he set his eyes on me, all he did was accuse me and call me names that I am not.

After crying my heart out in the bathroom, I went back to the room to see that Adrian was gone and it made me feel at ease as I did not know how to face him, not after raising my voice at him.

I walked out of the room and down the stairs to go find something to eat. I didn't know anywhere in the mansion and so I didn't know where to go when I came down the stairs, but luckily for me, a maid walks by.

"Good morning madam," she said to me and I smiled back at her.

"Good morning," I replied politely.

"Please where is the kitchen?" I asked.

"I will show you where the kitchen is, kindly follow me, but first what do you need? I could get it for you," he suggested.

"Do not worry. I will get what I want by myself. You do not have to worry, and thank you," I said to her.

She nodded her head. "Okay, ma'am. Kindly follow me," she said and I followed behind her.

Just as I reached the entrance of the kitchen, I heard whispers, but what caught my attention was my name.

"That's her name?" One of the maids said.

I couldn't see their faces as they were backing me.

"Yes. Sophia. You should have seen the way Sir Adrian kept a distance between them. He wasn't happy at all," another maid said.

"What's worse is, I was passing by their room this morning and I heard voices. I wonder what could be going on," the maid sighs.

"I just feel for her. When I asked if I should call her for breakfast this morning, he said not to bother. He didn't seem to care. I mean he has always been cold to everyone, but at least he should show mercy to the poor girl," the first maid who spoke said.

The maid that directed me to the kitchen cleared her throat, getting their attention. They all turned to look at her and I did not miss the surprised expression on their faces the moment they saw me.

They quickly bowed their heads and greeted me. "Good morning Madam," they said simultaneously.

SOPHIA CASTILLO

I suddenly lost my appetite to eat. It wasn't that they said anything bad about me, but I hated looking pitiful.

I smiled weakly at them before turning on my heels to leave.

"Ma'am," I heard the voice of the maid that brought me to the kitchen and I halted on my track.

I tilted my head to look at her. "Yes," I answered.

"Aren't you here to get something? I mean if you changed your mind, I could bring something for you to eat in your room," she said to me.

I smiled at her gratefully. "Thanks but I'm fine. I will let you know when I am hungry," I told her and continued on track.

"What's your name?" I asked the maid, halting on my track once again.

She smiled at me. "Sarah," she said and I nodded my head.

Hearing her name reminded me of my older sister.

I walked away quietly into the room. I haven't been able to do anything since morning because of Adrian.

I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and took my bath before coming out to wear the same clothes Adrian gave me to wear yesterday.

I was yet to get my clothes from my parents' mansion and I didn't have anyone to drive me there and no money to go to my parents' place.

I sat down on the floor and hugged my knees while crying in silence

**

TWO WEEKS AGO

I knocked on the door of my sister's room. It was time for breakfast and she was yet to come down.

"Sarah, are you in there?" I asked before knocking on the door again when I got no reply.

"Sarah!" I called again.

When I didn't get a reply for the third time, I opened her door and went in.

"Sarah," I called as I stepped my feet into her room. It was unlike her to not be down for breakfast by this time.

She is the one who wakes me up all the time.

I sighed when I removed the duvet and saw that she wasn't the one sleeping but on pillows. I furrowed my brows in confusion as I wondered why she would put pillows under her duvet.

I wasn't hearing the shower run but still, I went to the bathroom to see if she was there and she wasn't. Panicking gripped me when I didn't see her on her balcony or any other place. This was unlike her.

I ran out of the room to go inform my parents.

"Mom, Dad," I called for their attention.

They both tilted their heads to stare at me.

"Yes?" They answered simultaneously with a questioning look on their face.

"What is it?" My mother asked.

"Sarah is not in her room," I informed them.

"What do you mean by she is not in her room?" My father asked.

"Sarah is not in her room. I checked her bathroom and balcony but she isn't in her room," I said.

My mother got up from where she was alongside my father and we all went back to her room to search for her.

We couldn't find her. My mother went around the mansion to check for her but she wasn't there.

"I can't find her, I...I saw her sleeping last night before I went to bed," my mother said frantically.

"She wasn't the one sleeping. She put pillows under her duvet to make it seem like she was the one,"  I told them.

My mother gasped. "Sarah...no... No. It's not possible," my mother shook her head vigorously.

My eyes darted to the pillow and I saw a letter under it. I furrowed my brows before attempting to take the paper.

After taking the paper, I gasped when I saw the heading.

                              Dear Mom, Dad, Sophia,

I am sorry to have left this way without informing any of you. I am sorry, but I can't do it anymore.

I can't get married to Adrian.

He is not a human being.  He is a beast and a heartless person and I can't continue to act like I am alright when I am not.

I can not marry him also because there is another in my heart and I look forward to a happy future with him.

Please do not look for me because I will be alright.

I'm sorry once again and I love you all.

****

Tears streamed down my cheek as I recalled how it all started and why I had to marry Adrian instead of my sister.

My father refused to marry Adrian as he feared I might run away like Sarah if I did, but I was adamant.

Not only was he going to go to jail if he wasn't able to give back the investors their money, but we were also going to be rendered homeless and I couldn't bear that and so I persisted that they let me marry him.

I begged my father for days before he agreed.

From the day I met Adrian till the very moment, all I felt was pain and I understood why my sister had to leave.

I wipe the tears from my eyes quickly when I hear the sound of the door opening.

I raised my head to see that it was Adrian and now he was standing in front of me with a blank expression on his face.

"Are you seriously going to cry all the time? Why are you doing this? Do you think I will pity you if I see you cry?" He asked before squatting down to my height level.

My eyes locked with him and I shuddered a little.

"Do you know the kind of people I hate the most?" He asked rhetorically.

"I hate people who cry the most and people who always want to play the victim and you know why?"

"It's is because those people are very dangerous and you won't even see it coming when they want to stab you because they know how to manipulate others very well," he said, making emphasis on his eyes words while staring deep into my eyes.

SOPHIA CASTILLO

If one didn't know Adrian, it would be easy to fall in love with his eyes.

He has the most beautiful blue eyes. They were very attractive and blue being my favorite color has never looked this attractive.

But when you get to know him and you stare into his eyes, all you want is to never look at them ever again.

I remember the first time I saw his eyes, I fell in love with them, but after the way he treated me, blue became the ugliest color to me.

His eyes mortify me all the time I look at them because all I can see in them for me is nothing but disgust.

"Get up," he demanded as he stood back on his feet with both hands in his pants pocket.

I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"I won't repeat myself, Sophia," he said firmly and I quickly got up on my feet.

"Good," he said before leaning towards me.

"I won't be tolerating your attitude anymore. I do not want a repeat of this morning Sophia. You are not to raise your voice at me, never. Am I clear?" He said firmly and I nodded my head while fidgeting with my nails.

I was nervous. He stood too close to me for my liking and it only made the knots in my stomach tighten.

"I need words from you, Sophia. I do not appreciate you nodding your head," he said.

"Yes...sir," I said.

"Good," he nodded his head before standing up straight.

"Firstly, I want you to go in there, take your bath and get rid of these pajamas," he demanded.

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat.

"I already took my bath," I informed him.

"Really? So why are you still dressed in this?" He asked.

"I haven't gotten any clothes to wear," I answered him.

"Follow me," he said and began to walk.

I hesitated for some seconds before following him.

Adrian opened the door and went in and I followed him in. I was surprised to see that there was a dressing room in the room.

I didn't know about it. After all, I was new to the mansion. I didn't know anywhere in the mansion yet.

"Those are your clothes, you can wear any of them," he said pointing at feminine clothes hung on a rack.

I blinked my eyes in surprise.

Those weren't my clothes and I never got any of them, so I wonder who got them and how they knew my size when I went through the clothes.

I clear my throat, getting Adrian's attention.

"If you do not...mind...me...asking. I...," I trailed off not knowing how to ask him the questions I have in my heart.

"What is it?" He asked in a deep voice and I shuddered.

"Who got the clothes?" I asked after mustering some courage.

"That shouldn't be your problem. Change into them and come down for dinner," he said before turning on his heels to leave the room.

I heaved a sigh of relief once he was out of the place. I was still curious to know how they got the clothes for me and how they knew my size, but if one thing I knew, it was that Adrian didn't get any of them for me.

"Come in," I said after hearing a knock on the door.

The door opened and Sarah came in.

"Good evening ma'am. Sir Adrian asked me to get you," she informed me and I nodded my head.

"Okay."

I followed her up the stairs and into the dining room.

"So what took you long?" Adrian asked the moment I stepped my feet into the dining table. 

"I..I.." I was cut off by Adrian.

"Just hold it. I do not want to hear it. Come sit down," he demanded.

I did as told and sat down opposite Adrian on the table as I didn't want to be close to him and lose my composure.

The last time I had dinner with Adrian before our wedding and broke a plate because he had made me nervous, he made me feel worse than I already was and I had no intention of repeating that mistake.

The moment my eyes landed on the food, I felt my stomach grumbling. I hadn't eaten since morning and I had no appetite either, but now I am feeling very ugly.

After the food was being served, I began to eat.

I stopped eating when I felt Adrian's hot gaze on me.

I swallowed the food in my mouth down my throat with struggle as I wondered why Adrian was staring at me for.

"You never seize to prove me right. I mean take a look at how you are eating, like a poor woman touching wealth for the first time. Without control, you are devouring the food like a hungry lion who has been starving for days," he claimed and I clenched the fork in my hands.

From the moment I met Adrian, all he has done is ridicule me. All he has done is call me names that I was not and find fault in everything that I do.

I had to tolerate all of this because he had a point. I married him to help my father, but what he was wrong about was my father conniving against him.

"Are those tears I see in your eyes?" He asked.

A bead of tears landed on the table and I quickly wiped them away.

"Oh spare me that. Why do you have to cry all the time? Is that some talent of yours or what?" He chided.

I lifted my head and my eyes locked with the eyes of the maid who was standing behind him. She was looking at me with pity and I hated it and so I got up from the table and ran back to my room.

I hate you, Adrian. I hate you so much.