Page 30 of Bittersweet Legacy

“I’ll save myself, mom” I whispered closing my eyes. “I promise, even if it’s the last thing I do – I’ll save myself.”

Chapter 8

The next few days my brother kept his abrasive comments and dark looks to a minimum – I wouldn’t say he was treating me like a fellow human being but it was a step in the right direction. I thought it was his way to acknowledge what he was probably seeing as some act of loyalty

The Saturday following the introduction party, after having done all my homework thanks to my non-existent social life and my prison sentence, I decided to read a couple more pages of my mother’s journal.

I settled, tummy down on the bed, and delved into her world.

To be fair, the signs of the craziness were quite subtle before we exchanged our ‘I Dos’. Your father was a controlling man but not unkind when we were dating and I thought, quite foolishly I have to admit, that it came with the territory of being born within the rich and powerful. But I was not even out of my white dress when William gave me a small book that I had to learn and abide by because now I was officially one of them and wouldn’t be allowed the faux pas I was before. The book was titled ‘The Guide of the Perfect Socialite Woman.’ I tell you, daughter, I thought it was a joke, a sick twisted joke but it wasn’t – it was ridiculous and degrading and everything you can imagine.

Did he give it to you already? Have you learned it? I’m so sorry Esmeralda, more than I could ever say. How old were you when he found you? I hope you were old enough to know that there is so much more to being a woman than what your father will try to force upon you.

I was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

“Miss Esmeralda?”

“Yes…” I frowned, nobody ever sought me after my duties had been completed and for some reason, no matter how many times I invited her, Taylor refused to set foot in this house.

“Your father would like to see you in his office now.”

I grunted my approval and fell heavily on the bed looking at the ceiling. What kind of prank had Archie come up with now?

It took a few minutes to make myself presentable even if I hated it, no matter what my father wanted it was not good, I didn’t need to anger him even more by looking shabby.

“Come in,” my father’s commanding voice called from his office, I hated that cold voice, so clinical, so unloving. I felt yet another pang of sadness for Archie. He might hate me and love this rich, vain life but he didn’t know anything else, he didn’t know what love felt like.

“Father, you wanted to seeme.” My voice faltered as my eyes connected with Caleb Astor’s icy blue ones. If I’d thought he was giving me death glares before it was because he’d never looked at me the way he looked now.

Beside him, his father James had a little smile as if he’d just won the lottery, I didn’t particularly liked that.

“Yes, please have a seat.” He gestured to the brown leather sofa across from Caleb’s. “We have good news,” he added with a big smile coming to sit beside me, in a mirror of the scene across from me.

I looked at him silently, I was pretty sure that his idea of good news was completely opposite to mine.

“Caleb Astor just asked me for your hand in marriage and I agreed.”

I turned toward Caleb, not sure I understood.Marriage? To Caleb?

I burst into laughter.Oh, it had to be a joke, it had to be. I was laughing so hard I folded over but once I wiped my eyes and met Caleb’s darker scowl and his father’s surprise, I realised it was not a joke.

I looked at my father, he was radiating disapproval with his straight back, pursed lips and furrowed brows.

“Why are you laughing, Esmeralda?!” he snapped. “Caleb Astor is one of the most eligible bachelors in America, you should feel more than honoured to have been chosen by him.”

“It has to be a joke!” I exclaimed, jumping from my seat letting go of the little decorum I’d been faking for the past few days in the hope to win my phone and laptop back.

“Esmeralda…” My father said my name as a warning.

I shook my head. “No, he hates me – he doesn’t want to marry me any more than I want to marry him. No, it’s not happening I-”

My father stood up briskly. “Esmeralda, enough!” he ordered.

He turned toward Caleb and James. “Could you please excuse us a minute?” He asked them so calmly it was scary.

I looked at him in strange awe of his ability to switch moods instantaneously.

James nodded and stood up. “Of course, we will be outside the room.” He gave me a big jovial smile as he passed me. “It takes time to adapt, I understand,” he added, patting my shoulder gently.

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