"No. No absolutely not! , I cannot marry eric. I have my own choices, and I refuse to marry him," I shouted at my parents, my voice trembling with anger and frustration.
"Selene, can't you do even this much for your dad?" my mom replied sharply. "What is so wrong with eric? He's good looking, and he's going to take over his father's company. Marrying him would make things so much easier for your father when it comes to business dealings with eric's family. Surely, Selene, you can do this much for your father."
"Say whatever you want, Selene but you will marry Eric," my father said firmly, his voice laced with anger. Without waiting for my response, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving behind a heavy silence.
"Mom…?" My voice trembled as I looked at her, desperate for some understanding. "Don't my feelings matter to you at all? Are you really going to marry me off to Eric just for your and dad's convenience?"
Tears welled up in my eyes as my voice cracked. "What about my feelings, mom? You can't do this to me… please, you can't."
"Selene, try to understand," my mom said softly, placing her hand gently on my shoulder. "I'm sure your life will be very beautiful after marrying eric."
I immediately brushed her hand off, stepping away as if her touch burned.
"Mom, I'm not going to marry him. Do whatever you want I won't change my decision."
For a moment, she just stood there, silent, her expression unreadable. Then, without saying another word, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with the storm raging inside me
I couldn't understand what I was supposed to feel should I cry, or should I be angry? Both emotions were rising inside me with every passing second, suffocating me.
I closed my eyes and sank down onto the edge of the bed, my hands trembling slightly. I wish all of this were just a dream, I thought. I wish I were still a little girl, with no burdens weighing me down.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and reached for my phone. I don't even know why my fingers moved to the gallery, but they did almost instinctively.
And then, there it is
a picture of Felix and me.
Of course… my parents would never understand. They never cared about my feelings anyway.
With trembling fingers, I deleted every picture of Felix and me. I knew it was pointless to hold on , my parents would never accept him… never.
I tossed my phone aside and collapsed onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Do my parents even love me?
If they do… then why are they doing this to me?
A bitter thought crept into my mind. Why can't I just be a normal girl? A girl from a middle-class family, with no burdens of status, no pressure to carry forward her parents' business deals… no expectations to sacrifice her own happiness.
It felt as if… I was being sold.
Tears streamed endlessly from my eyes, no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. The more I resisted, the more they fell silent, helpless, and unstoppable.
I lay there in the same position, unmoving, as time slowly slipped away and night fell. The darkness of the room matched the heaviness in my chest.
After a while, I heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching my door. Mom, I thought instantly.
I quickly turned onto my side, shutting my eyes, pretending to be asleep.
"Selene? …Selene?" she called softly as she stepped into the room.
I didn't move.
There was a brief silence before she spoke again, her voice calm, almost indifferent. "Dinner is on the table."
It was as if she already knew I was pretending.
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind her.
It felt like my appetite had completely vanished. How could I possibly marry Eric? I hated him… I didn't like him at all.
Why can't any of this change?
I squeezed my eyes shut, frustration building inside me. I wish my parents had just asked me… what I wanted, who I wanted to marry.
A sudden thought crossed my mind. What if Eric refuses this marriage?
Then everything would be fine… wouldn't it?
Should I ask him?
Finally, I pushed myself up and grabbed my phone. I had his number blocked—but now, I needed to undo that. I just hope he hasn't blocked me too…
I unblocked his number and quickly dialed him.
But of course… just as I had feared—
He had already blocked me.