Chapter 239
Neilla couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her father, who had always been so kind and gentle, was saying such terrible things.
“He said that he was just trying to express his affection. He’s a good man, and he’s going to be your husband. Why are you acting like that? You’re making me look bad.”
“That’s not it! He… he touched me without my permission! I was scared…!”
“That’s enough! I’m tired of hearing your excuses. It’s all your fault for leading him on with your coy behavior. You should be ashamed of yourself!”
Aljan’s voice was harsh and cold. Neilla was terrified. Her father had never spoken to her like this before.
“I… I didn’t…”
“Don’t lie! I saw how you were looking at him. You were practically begging for his attention. You’re just a spoiled brat who doesn’t know how good you have it!”
Aljan’s words were like daggers, piercing Neilla’s heart. She felt like she was being torn apart.
“I… I hate him! I don’t want to marry him! Please, Father, don’t make me do this!”
Neilla pleaded, tears streaming down her face. But Aljan remained unmoved.
“You will marry him. It’s a good match, and it’s what’s best for the family. You will learn to be a good wife, and you will learn to obey your husband. That is your duty.”
With those final, cruel words, Aljan turned and left Neilla’s room, leaving her alone in the darkness, her heart shattered into a million pieces.
Neilla staggered for a moment, unable to accept what her father had said.
“That man pulled me roughly, tried to take off my clothes…”
“Neilla.”
Aljan gently took Neilla’s hand and met her eyes. Neilla looked up at him with teary, reddened eyes once again.
“I, I hated it so much then. I don’t like things like that.”
She said, unable to control her trembling body. She felt dizzy.
“Neilla. That’s what happens when a man and woman are in love. Once you get married, you’ll have to live like that, with your bodies touching every day. I admit your future husband was a bit hasty this time, but you can’t just put up a wall and reject him like that. Your husband-to-be fell and got seriously hurt because of you. It was hard work for me to appease him and send him away.”
“……”
“If you just go through with this marriage, you’ll live a much richer and happier life than I ever have, without any hardships. Huh? You won’t find a husband like this again.”
Neilla was speechless at his words. She didn’t know what to do. Her head was spinning, and she felt suffocated.
“Neilla, that’s what married life is like. You can’t get along perfectly with your partner from the beginning. So, just bear with it a little and be a good girl, okay? Your father is doing all this because he loves you.”
“Yes…”
In the end, Neilla obediently replied again.
That night, she buried her face in her knees and thought. What was wrong?
She hadn’t done anything, but everything was going against her will. It was too hard.
That man said he was doing that because he liked her, but she couldn’t accept it.
That wasn’t the look of someone who loved her. She even doubted if he saw her as a person. Tears welled up as she thought about going through that again, or even worse.
She carefully lifted her arm and looked at the bracelet. The amulet that Priest Mana had given her was shining on her arm. She carefully turned the pendant and opened it, and said,
“I want to escape.”
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