Chapter 2 The spiral

Celia

I couldn't believe the direction my life was currently headed. In just a couple of moments, my entire life had been turned upside down.

I had to break up with my boyfriend of two years to marry a psychotic man whom I barely knew. How did things even get to this point?

I was in so much despair that I didn't even bother taking a car and even though Ian's apartment was a bit far, I walked.

The rain began pouring in unforgivable torrents, but I barely felt it as I was too deep in thought.

By the time I got to Ian's place, I had been soaked from head to toe and my hand trembled as I raised it to knock on the door.

After I knocked twice, the door opened, revealing Ian and his eyes went wide when they landed on me.

"Celia?! What the hell?!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise and dismay as he quickly ushered me into the house.

"What in the world happened? Why did you come in the rain?!" His voice was filled with concern as he rushed into the room and came back with a towel in his hand before proceeding to dry my clothes and damp hair with it.

I let out a sad sigh, my eyes filling up with tears once again. "Ian, please stop." I pleaded, my trembling voice barely above a whisper.

Ian slowly raised his head, his eyes meeting mine. "What's wrong, Celia? Why are you crying?" He whispered, reaching out to wipe the tears from my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ian, but I'm breaking up with you." My heart clenched tightly in my chest as I managed to get those dreaded words out.

Ian's eyes slowly widened in confusion and horror. "What? You're breaking up with me? Why?!"

My throat instantly constricted as more tears slid down my cheeks. It was so difficult to get any more words out.

"Please, don't do this, Celia," Ian pleaded, grabbing my hands frantically.

"We can fix this. We can fix whatever happened. Just don't break up with me. Don't leave me." Ian's voice wobbled and he was on the brink of tears which made me cry even harder.

"I have to do this. I don't have a choice."

"But why?! What did I do?"

"It's not your fault, Ian. You didn't do anything wrong. I have to do this for my father. For the sake of his company. I have to marry someone else to save my family."

Ian froze as his expression slowly turned dark. "You're getting married?"

"You have to understand, Ian. If I don't, my father's company will go under!" I yelled defensively.

"So after everything we've been through together, you're just going to marry some other man?"

"I'm not doing this because I want to. I don't have a choice!"

"You always have a choice, Celia!" Ian yelled, anger dancing in the pools of his eyes as he ran his fingers through his hair in an agitated manner.

"Why do you never stand up for yourself? Why do you let them keep doing this to you?! First, you gave up your dream to become a writer just to help your father run his company and now, he's marrying you off to save said company?!"

"I'm doing this because it is my responsibility! I will not be selfish and just watch everything my father built go up in flames!"

"Don't do this to me, Celia. Please."

"I'm sorry, Ian, but I have no choice."

Ian was silent for a second and it looked like he was holding back tears.

"You're really going to do this? You're going to marry someone else, after everything we've been through. After all the years we spent together?" Ian whispered, his bloodshot eyes filled with disbelief and I couldn't help but feel intense guilt eat at my insides like a plague.

"I don't have a choice." I repeated weakly, aware of the fact that it was all an excuse.

"Get out," He growled. "I never want to see your face again."

"Ian-"

"Get out!" He exclaimed, his eyes flashing with anger and disdain before he slowly turned his back to me.

I gulped, my body trembling as I slowly pulled off the towel and placed it on the couch. "I'm so sorry, Ian." I said in a choked voice before running out of the apartment, back into the rain which still poured mercilessly.

I kept running as tears slid down my cheeks, my heart pounding against my chest.

I wanted to hate my father. Because of him, I had to bury my dreams of becoming a writer and help him at the company instead and now, I lost the love of my life and it was all because of him once again.

My life was on the verge of getting ruined all because of him and his company, but I couldn't bring myself to hate him.

He had gone through so much. He lost my mom and had to raise me all by myself before he finally met Victoria, my step-mother and Nora, my step-sister.

The loss of my mother was a huge blow, but when Victoria and Nora arrived, I thought all was right in the world again.

I was happy to have gained another mother and sister, but my dreams were soon crushed when I found out that they were not who I thought they were.

The two women were horrible people who would not hesitate to bully me every chance they got when dad was not there to see it.

The greatest mistake I ever made was trying to stand up for myself. To teach me a lesson, my step-mother pushed me down the stairs, almost killing me in the process, but miraculously, I survived.

When dad found me heavily injured in the hospital, Victoria and Nora did not hesitate to tell him that I slipped by accident and I couldn't dare tell him otherwise.

That day, I found out the hard way that my step-mother and sister could easily kill me if I tried to stand up for myself. I had no choice, but to keep my mouth shut out of fear and do whatever they told me to.