What was happening? Why was it happening? Was it destiny? Or my bad luck? Why did he choose me? There were plenty of girls in this world, why me?

The funny part was that I didn't have a say in it. I felt worthless being ordered around like that. Like I didn't have any feelings. Like the typical stereotypes who claimed that women didn't have the same power as men.

As if the woman that gave you birth wasn't strong enough.

I had cried a lot in the past few days. I thought I had lost the ability to cry more.

However, I had realized the pain in my heart was too fierce. Tears continued streaming from my eyes each passing second.

With trembling hands, I opened the door to my room and took desperate steps to the bathroom at the end of the hall.

I locked the door after me and looked at myself in the mirror. I stared at my eyes, holding an intense gaze which scared myself.

My once green/blue eyes filled with life looked dull. I couldn't find any emotions in them. I couldn't feel any emotions other than fear.

A pin drop silence fell on my ears and I could only hear my loud heartbeats, as if there was a thunder going on inside it.

My attention soon moved to the tap, where I could hear water drops hitting the surface one after another.

At that moment, I was loathing the drops. Jealousy started rising inside of me as I watched the drops with determination. The only wish I had was to be as lucky as the water drops and find a surface that I could disappear into. A hole, anything which would make me disappear from here and hide from his eyes forever.

My mind wandered off to everything that had happened during the past month. The only wish I had at the moment was if I could rewind back time and make it stop just before that despiteful day that I laid my eyes on him.

One month ago, If I had heard of what a joke life would present me with, I would laugh. I would think that a twenty years old happy and carefree girl named Jasmin wouldn't fall the victim of anything that didn't please her.

I guess, life didn't always go as planned.

I lived a pretty normal life in a city called Rosew. The city I grew up in. The city I had so many memories in. I was pleased living there with my parents and little brother, even though the city was in the hands of a big family.

The Aydin family had been ruling Rosew in all kind of ways. From politics, to business, to every small movement happening in the town. Their ancestors had been doing it for decades. They were the only strongest family in the town with contacts all around the world.

Most of the residents of Rosew supported and looked up to them. Which was why they had succeeded so much.

I had never come across any of the family members before....except for the one that I came face to face with just a month ago.

One of the reasons I had never met any of them was because they lived on the other side of town, a good bit away from my home. Even if I had come across one of them, I wouldn't recognize them because I was never interested in knowing about them.

Me and my family were peacefully living our lives. We were not over our dark past but we had accepted it and learnt to live with it.

Then, the day came. When I first met him. The mad man who had taken it as a task to ruin my life.

~1 month ago~

I heard some shuffling and people talking in the living room but ignored it, thinking it was my father's guests since my uncle was here visiting us from another city. I went back to typing on my laptop.

The worry inside of me started to rise when the people started talking louder. It made me wonder if there was a fight going on.

I had dropped my laptop to the side and went to check the living room. Halfway there, my steps halted as a unfamiliar voice spoke up in a very disrespectful manner and with his voice raised, almost screaming his words out.

''I don't f*cking care if it was you or your brother. I want them back." The unknown man spoke and my heart had started to beat faster and my palms started sweating.

Thoughts of my father raised in my mind, playing with my emotions. My father was a well respected doctor with a well respected family. What kind of business could he possibly have with that man?

"Don't raise your voice in my house again young man or I will forget who you are." My father hissed in disapproval.

My steps quickened and soon I was at the entrance of the living room which was also in front of the main door to the house. From that spot, I could see everything and everyone.

At least five men dressed in black had been scattered around in the living room with guns around their bodies.

In the middle was my uncle, his back had been towards me and in front of him stood another man. I guessed it was the mannerless man who was shouting earlier.

I had tried to see who he was but couldn't make out his face since my uncle covered him from my view.

''I beg you. Let my son go." My uncle pleaded calmly in front of the man.

I stayed there in shock. Not knowing what to do about the situation. The unknown man was obviously a man with a lot of power. The men with guns around him had explained that already.

Suddenly, the dreadful moment I wished never happened took place. As I was standing there watching my uncle plead, bringing tears to my eyes, something unexpected happened.

My uncle had moved to the side and I was met with the sight of the unfamiliar man.

I stayed frozen and debated if I should've run to my room or stay. At the time my feet had given up, making me stand still. Not daring to breath, let alone move.

As I looked in his eyes I realized he was looking at me with slightly shock and disbelief. His dark eyes had widened a bit, staring at me intensely.

My eyes moved to my uncle who was stressfully going through his phone and I felt a pang in my chest at seeing him like that.

The man had followed my gaze as he looked at my uncle and after a moment, his eyes returned back to me. My uncle was pleading him to set his son free, but the man ignored him. He just stared at me with nothing but hard eyes.

The whole situation made me uncomfortable and just as I planned to walk towards my father, the man spoke up.

''Either get me my men, and take your son with you. Or get me my men, and don't take your son with you.'' It took me a few seconds to understand what he just said.

He then proceeded to walk towards the main door behind me. I had taken a few steps to the side to give them space to leave.

I felt his gaze on me the whole time, and when he was near the door, my heart had stopped together with his footsteps. After having an inner argument with myself, I decided to look up only to find him staring at me.

I didn't remember how but I rushed to my father and was in his embrace in seconds. I glanced back at the door only to find it's surroundings empty.

~Present~

After that day, nothing in my life went right. Whenever I came home from university, I would see the same man leave my house.

When I asked my father about him, he would just answer that the man visited us because they were discussing something important.

I had told my father about how I didn't like the whole situation. I was worried after everything that had happened with my uncle and him.

It made millions of questions rise in my mind. I had wondered why he was visiting us and what the important task could be.

My father wasn't making it better since he wouldn't tell me anything other than not to worry.

One day, the man had come to our house again to discuss some things with my father.

He was seated on the couch as he waited for my father. His right ankle over his left knee, looking at me as if I was some sort of entertainment when I had stepped inside.

I remember I had just came home from university and the already tired and stressful day had made me lose my temper finding the mannerless man in my living room.

My eyes flared up and I had sensed my cheeks tint red from the anger. Throwing my bag on the floor I had dashed towards him.

He had just stared back at me blankly as I strode towards him. Just as I was ready to curse his existence, my father had come in between.

The man had been saved from me that day but I had promised myself that the next time I saw him I would make sure he regretted stepping into our house.

My mother had been worried and asked my father what was happening. My father just replied with everything was okay. Even though, nothing was okay.

My whole world turned upside down in seconds when the psychopath announced something a few days ago.

He had announced it with so much confidence, so much arrogance, so much pride that I started to doubt his mental health.

According to him, he wanted to marry me.

Yes, he announced our marriage. He didn't even ask me if I wanted to marry him, he just announced.

Today, almost an hour ago, he had talked to my parents and decided he would bring a holy man to perform the rituals of marriage, to my house.

I had felt dizzy and nauseous just by overhearing the conversation. Anger had taken over me and I had went back to my room.

Just as I was about to open the door to my room, I had felt a presence behind me. I swung around and saw the man who was keen on ruining my life.

Gathering all the courage and telling myself to be strong, I lifted my chin and stared at him straight in the eyes icily.

"From the looks of it, you heard everything you were supposed to hear. I know it's a big shock for you, but just do as I say and everything will go smoothly." He clarified, his words making my anger boil. ''We will get married in a few days.'' He announced, unapologetically.

"You can marry me over my dead body." I spat in disgust.

''Why are you crying?'' He asked suddenly, his face continued being blank.

I hadn't even realized the tears had escaped my eyes. It made me hate myself, how could I be so weak?

"I'm not getting married to you. Get that in your head. If you don't leave me alone I will file a complaint and I will go as far as I can." I said curtly, making sure he understood how serious I actually was.

"How far you go, the only person you will come up to will be me. The person who has more power than me in this town hasn't been born yet. You're aware of that already." He replied, still not showing any form of emotions on his face.

His words rang alarm bells in my head. He was right. He was completely right.

"Why are you doing this..." I let out, my voice breaking. I wanted to strangle the man in front of me for making me so weak and scared at the same time.

"For my own good." He replied.

I couldn't control my emotions anymore and the fact that he was so unbothered and heartless disturbed me to the core. My hand reached to the vase put on the cupboard in the hallway.

Just as I was about to smash his head with it, he caught my hand in a quick reflex and the vase dropped beside me, shattering in pieces beside our feet.

I yanked my hand away from his and glared daggers as he just stared back at me with no emotions.

"Do-not-touch-me-again." I spat out each word. "Do not even try." I warned. If only I had smashed the vase on his head.

"You'll be my wife in a few days." He confirmed, almost challenging. I realized I had hurt his ego by pushing him away.

His words scared me but I didn't show that to him as I swung around. I felt a sharp pain in my foot and winced.

I realized I had stepped on the shattered pieces with my bare feet. I could feel the blood oozing out.

"What the f*ck?" I heard him let out behind me and I could feel him getting closer.

I dashed inside my room and closed the door on his face, making sure to lock it quickly. I heard him curse to himself so faintly, making my heart racing even more.

Here I was, an hour later, feeling jealous over the water drops emerging from the tap.

The wounds on my feet had stopped bleeding but I hadn't treated them yet.
My feet were in pain, and it helped to keep my mind on the physical pain for a few minutes at least. I would rather choose the physical pain over the mental one I was feeling at the moment.

I loathed him for making me feel this way. He was marrying me and I couldn't do anything about it. No one would be able to help me. Not my friends, not my cousins, not my parents.

He ruled everything in the city. Everything.

Shaking my head, I pulled the tap and splashed cold water on my face. I heard soft knocks on the door and knew it was my mother. Once I dried my face I opened the door to see both my parents there.

"Jasmin." My father let out worriedly. "He said you've hurt your feet, let me see." I sighed and sat on the side of the bathtub. I put my feet on the shower stool and my mother gasped.

"I'm sorry.." I muttered, not having any energy to think of any other words coming out of my mouth.

My father left to bring the first aid kit. Even though he was a doctor, the concern on his face wasn't because of his profession. He was suffering as a father, seeing me like this.

My mother cried and I didn't know how to comfort her. I was just as broken. "Did he leave?" I asked suddenly, referring to Walid.

She stopped crying after a moment and wiped her face with her shawl. "Yes, he said you locked yourself in your room and wouldn't let him in to help you. He was about to call a doctor but you father said he'll take care of it. Then he left, saying he will be back in a few days..." She trailed off, tears forming in her eyes again.

I sighed and looked away. Bitting my lower lip I thought of ways to get out of it, but found none.

''I'm really sorry dear. I'm really sorry. You're forcefully getting married in front of my eyes and I can't do anything.'' I heard her sob and I couldn't stop the tears. I wrapped my arms tightly around her as tears escaped my eyes.

''Mom.." I cried and tried to speak properly. ''M-mom I don't want to get married...." I was fully crying and I couldn't stop.

I felt horrible for making her cry even more. Instead of trying to reassure her, I was making her cry more.

I just couldn't control my emotions. I was devastated...

~

The days passed in a blur and I hadn't stepped out of the house.

My mother had packed my bags, her hands trembling as she had shed tears.

I hadn't met anyone, not even my friends, during those long painful days. I was just waiting....waiting for my life to turn into hell.

The man I loathed also informed us that the marriage would take place tomorrow. The news had broken me completely.

I was getting married tomorrow. I was forcefully getting married tomorrow, to a criminal.