Page 57 of The Favorite Girl

“This is made from all the caged girls that didn’t obey, right?” I looked over my shoulder at Bradley, who had removed the trash from the bin in the corner of the space.

“I don’t know,” Bradley continued to clean.

“Okay.” This wasn’t the time to pry and push him. Tonight, he had to watch as his sister was forced to marrying some old psychotic man, and there was nothing any of us could do about it.

We cleaned and left the room. Heading down a long, winding hallway, I kept wracking my brain to think of something, anything to say to Bradley. But just as I thought that I could convince Bradley of some genius plan to escape, Mrs. Ivory appeared.

She was wearing a fitted white dress, paired with white gloves to her elbows, and when I studied her hair, my blood froze.

It was one of the wigs I had brushed. One of the wigs made from the girls trapped here.

“Demi! My love! It’s your first family wedding tonight. I cannot believe Ian had you cleaning. Foolish man. Come with me; Becca has your outfit and everything. Conrad is simply thrilled to be attending the ceremony with you. Bradley, this one is so special to you, too. Go on and freshen up. We have plenty of people working to make it wonderful.” Mrs. Ivory swatted Bradley away while she gripped my wrist tightly.

“No, wait. Bradley!” I called out and tried to wiggle out of her grasp, but she jerked me so hard that I cried out in pain.

“Stop being a silly whore, Demi.” Mrs. Ivory’s eyes filled with anger as she dug her nails into my tender flesh. “You’re going to be my daughter-in-law. You’re going to be my Conrad’s wife. You better hope we see blood on your wedding night, or we’ll make sure you do bleed,” she seethed as splatters of her spit hit my mouth.

I didn’t even check to see if Bradley had left or was still there. I looked down at Mrs. Ivory’s fingernails that were deep in my wrist. She slowly moved her hand off mine, leaving tiny, crescent-like grooves behind.

“Shall we, my darling Demi?” Glancing up at Mrs. Ivory, fear grew inside me as she smiled, pretending like she didn’t just say the most terrifying thing.

Was she referring to seeing blood to prove I was a virgin? But most of all, what did she mean by we’ll see blood? Being forced to marry Conrad was one thing, but having to lose my virginity in front of his entire family…? No, this had to be a sick joke…

“Demi!” Becca’s voice broke me out of the whirlwind of fear and consuming thoughts. I didn’t even realize I had made my way with Mrs. Ivory to her room.

“Make her look beautiful. It’s her first family wedding, Becca dear.” Mrs. Ivory pushed me toward Becca and immediately left.

“Oh, you’re going to have the best time. I wish I could attend,” Becca chirped as she shoved me into her salon chair.

I was emotionless, yet again; my mind and body felt divided. I wanted to run. A simple act that was completely unattainable in my situation. Even if I could run, there was nowhere to hide. I thought I was hiding here, tucked away from a group of men who profited by selling and abusing women. I thought I was hiding away from the man who essentially forced me to kill my sister. I was forced to put her out of her agonizing pain the same way a vet does to an animal.

But I was never in hiding, and they had found me. Trent and the Ivory family were interconnected. From Nashville to Charlotte, they were all working together.

“How are you enjoying your new hairstyle? I think it’s so gorgeous on you, girl!” Becca was moving around me in circles, poking and pulling at my hair and face.

“Becca, you know they’re forcing one of those girls… the caged girls, to get married, right? This isn’t a wedding you’d want to attend. This isn’t a wedding at all…”

Becca began layering makeup on my face with a sponge, humming to herself while completely ignoring me.

“Becca!” I swatted her hand away from my face, catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The stress and fear were plastered all over.

“You know what your problem is, Demi?” Becca put her hands on her hips and looked at me with pursed lips. “You don’t realize that when you’re in a hole, it’s already dark. It’s already hard to breathe. No one can see you or help you. So why would you scream if you’re never going to be heard?”

I sucked in a breath of air as Becca’s otherwise optimistic demeanor shifted to one that made me feel all the more nervous.

I was nervous because she was speaking the truth. For once, she wasn’t lying to herself or to me.

And that’s the thing… the truth will always be more terrifying than a lie. Because the truth can’t be altered, but a lie can.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-SIX

Conrad was waiting outside the room for me when the door opened. He was wearing a designer tuxedo, and although I didn’t want to admit it, he looked extremely handsome—like the kind of handsome that made you forget what he was capable of.

“Demi, wow…” he breathed as I looked at the floor. Becca had left my hair in the sleek, simple bun but put a hefty amount of makeup on my face. I was wearing a fitted, short white dress, covered in tiny pearls.

I missed color. I never realized how much color my life had before it was stripped away, and I was living a life of blinding white and pain.

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