Chapter 1 Arianna's Pov

• My life could have turned out better if I didn’t fall for Ivan’s fake charms.
• But now it was too late to turn back. His family had me turned from heiress to slave.
• The scars on my body and tears stains on my face were the trophies I had amassed in a year of marriage. Sometimes, the pain was so great that I couldn’t even bring myself to cry anymore. All that was left was for my will to live to get taken away. But what could I—
• “Arianna!” Elana’s high-pitched voice suddenly cut through my thoughts, and I jerked away from the window just in time to meet her eyes glaring at me from the door.
• “You know the guests just left. Who is going to clear the table and do the dishes?” She hissed, her cold eyes piercing my soul.
• “But Elena… the maids could do—” The words were barely out of my mouth when her cries filled the room.
• “Have you lost your mind, you worthless pig?” She hissed. “Do you dare question me?”
• With the way her tone was increasing, I realized that she would only draw the attention of my mother-in-law, which would mean even more trouble for me.
• “Please, forgive me,” I said with my head lowered —just like she liked it— “I will go do it right now.”
• “Better!” She hissed, before she stormed out of the small room I occupied in the big house.
• In the beginning, it was hard to understand why Elena, who was my cousin, got better treatment in a house that was supposed to be mine.
• She and Ivan’s mother had created a team, and I was the thorn in their lives.
• I started heading to the kitchen, my heart heavy with accumulated pain. I could only hope that my pain would one day end but even that seemed to be too far-fetched.
• I was only a few more doors to the kitchen, when one of the maids appeared before me and bowed.
• I blinked in reflex and narrowed my eyes at her. “Is something wrong?” I asked, my voice already shaking because if anything was wrong in the house. It was surely going to fall back on me.
• Fortunately, the maid shook her head.
• “Everything is fine. But Mr. Ivan has requested your presence in his room. He says that he needs help with something.”
• The fear I had stopped but was replaced with anxiety.
• Ivan and I never shared the same room after our marriage mistake of a marriage. He had made it clear that he didn’t want me. He had only married me for my inheritance and as soon as he got those into his hands, I became nothing but a plaything to him and a slave to his mother.
• And for him to call for me, it only meant one thing; he didn’t need my help with anything. It was time for his games, and I was the toy.
• “Thank you,” I muttered to the maid as I helplessly turned to the direction of Ivan’s room.
• My legs were already trembling, and I could still feel the ache from the last time. My body was dying yet, I had to keep up this façade of a life that I had blindly chosen for myself.
• As I got to the door, I took a deep breath and stepped in.
• His tall frame was by the window, smoking his last stick and as I closed the door gently behind me, he put out the cigarette and turned to me. His brown eyes darkened as he set them on me.
• The thrill I once fantasized feeling was long gone and all I felt was pain and heartache.
• “You called for me…”
• “You already know why you are here, Arianna…” He retorted as he slowly took off his shirt and walked to the bed.
• “Strip.”
• A single tear escaped my left eye, but I quickly wiped it away. It was useless crying. This was my life and the sooner that I accepted it, the better it would be for me.
• With trembling fingers, I pushed off my excuse of a dress and remained before him with faded underwear.
• His eyes got even darker as he loosened his belt and sat on the bed, spreading his legs as he watched me.
• “Don’t make me cut it off your skin, Arianna… Get naked for me.”
• I knew this was going to happen, yet my heart still cracked at the last command. I took off the rest of my clothes and moved closer to him.
• “Make me feel good…” He ordered, causing my heart to skip painfully as I knew what was coming next.
• “On your knees.”
• With my shaky limbs, I got on my knees and gently took out his waiting cock. I pushed my pain away and took his entire length in my mouth.
• Ivan grabbed my neck and squeezed as he moaned in pleasure; “Good girl.”
• I closed my eyes and tried to pleasure him as best as I could, but as usual, his excitement only came from inflicting pain on me. He slapped me hard on the cheek and threw me across the bed.
• “Ivan…” I whimpered silently as his lust grew even stronger.
• “You are going to enjoy this one, Arianna. I promise,” he muttered lustfully as he cuffed my hands to the bedpost.
• I was sprawled on the bed, and he got on top of me to relieve himself. His penetration was painful, and I dared not cry out for that would only earn me more slaps, which he thought was supposed to be pleasurable.
• It was always like this. I was his wife, but he treated me like a sex slave; a thing he could treat however he wanted.
• Fortunately for me, it was always over before long.
• “That was awesome, Arianna,” he moaned.
• He pushed himself off me and unlocked the cuffs before tossing me off his bed like a toy he was bored of; “Leave. I am sure you have things to do for my mother.”
• As usual, I didn’t complain. I quickly slipped on my clothes and with my heavy heart, I rushed out of the room, hoping my pain was finally done for the day.
• But I was wrong.
• As soon as I got out, I collided head-on with Elana’s cold glare. While I tried to process what was happening and why she was there; I felt hot scalding water pour all over me.
• “Damn it, Arianna! How can you be so careless?” She hissed, when we both knew she splashed the water on me on purpose.
• The skin around my hands was burning and my thoughts ran dry as my body tried to process the pain.
• I couldn’t even reply to her as she pushed me, forcing me to look into her eyes.
• “I was taking that water to Mrs Walker. Look at what you have done! Now, what am I going to tell her?” Elena hissed and I opened my mouth to speak but Mrs Walker, my mother-in-law’s voice filled the corridor, drowning whatever I had planned.
• “And what did that —disgusting rat do now?”
• My brain forgot about my pain as I began to shake in fear as she appeared before me.
• Elana quickly explained to her what had happened —of course in her own version of lies. As she finished her narration, Mrs Walker’s eyes were burning with rage. She grabbed the empty mug from Elana and threw it in my direction.
• Luckily, it didn’t break, but my stomach suffered from the impact and my already burned hands had no choice but to hold on to it.
• “You hopeless pig, even the beggars on the streets are better than you! I don’t know why Ivan has refused to just divorce and forget you. You are such an embarrassment.
• Worthless things like you belong in the sewers with the rats!” she yelled. “Now, take that mug and go clean up the kitchen instantly!”
• My hands were stinging badly and each second brought even more discomfort like my cells were dying, but I dared not complain.
• “I am sorry,” I whimpered, as I scurried away from them.
• When I got to the kitchen, I let my tears drop.
• Two years ago, my life was perfect. I was a college student in my finals and Ivan was the best thing that happened to me. I thought it was love at first sight, little did I know that he was only after me for the money. Now that he had it, I was nothing but trash.
• What sort of life was I living?
• The tears soaked my chest, and I couldn’t help but remember the brutal way he took my body and then his mother… my eyes went to the burns on my hands. I had to endure the pain even as I washed the dishes because abandoning it would only bring more trouble.
• Again, I asked myself if this was what living was about? Would it not be better to die?
• I was tired of everything. I was tired of the pain, and I wanted it to end.
• My trembling fingers picked up the knife between the dishes and I placed it against my wrists, contemplating my next move as the knife slowly cut through my already damaged skin.
• I thought of Kylian, my younger brother. He had tried to stop me from blindly tying my life to Ivan. But I was so stupid. I thought the world was filled with sweet and kind people. I got deceived by his sweet words and beautiful smile.
• My emotional turmoil increased my clumsiness, and my fingers pressed the knife harder over my wrist. Blood gushed out rapidly and in a matter of seconds, my vision started twitching.
• It wasn’t long before I collapsed to the floor, happy to end it all.
• I heard the screams somewhere and as my body went in and out of consciousness, I was moved to the ambulance and taking to the hospital. Then everything was silent again.
• I was out for hours and I thought I had finally gotten what I wished for when the beeping sound of machines pulled me back to consciousness.
• My eyes fluttered open and I was confused to find that I was in some kind of hospital with a very handsome man staring down at me.
• “Who are you?” I mumbled as I watched his strangely white hair and eyes so blue, they sent currents through me.
• He smiled and stretched out a folder to me. “I am Ryven Castillo and I am here to offer you a chance at revenge.”
• “W—what?” I whispered, as I sat up.
• "I need a bride. And you need to get out of that abusive marriage," he said in a tone that was too serious to be a joke. “So, what do you say?”