Zia, a strong-willed and independent young woman, feels trapped by her wealthy parents' plans for her life. When they arrange a marriage with a billionaire to secure a business deal, Zia takes a stand and escapes to a party, where she meets a charismatic stranger. In a moment of liberation, she shares a passionate night with him. The next day, she makes a bold decision to leave her suffocating life behind and forge her own path. However, a month later, she discovers an unexpected consequence of her impulsive night: she's pregnant. Determined to raise her child alone, Zia faces unforeseen challenges and finds herself entangled in a complex web of relationships with three men. As she navigates this precarious situation, she must confront the ultimate question: will she surrender her independence to secure a stable future for her child, or will she find a way to maintain her autonomy and build a new life on her own terms?
Chapter 1 DECISIONS
"Mum I can't believe you agreed with dad, clearly you are being irrational. Please you can still beg him you're his wife” I pleaded with my whole body, I was on my knees holding the hem of my mother's dress, tears and snot all over my face, dripping and adding to the puddle on the floor
“Zia get up from that floor, you are embarrassing me, if one of the workers come in they are going to find it rather uncanny” my mother replied unbothered by my state but of course as usual by the things around her
“I can't marry him, I'm only 23, I still have years to plan, I don't even know him.” my voice cracked
“You will get to know your husband as time goes on, how do you think your father and I became acquainted? We were never lovers''
“And you still aren't. I don't want to live a life like that, rich but with no soul, no love, no empathy”
“One word from you Zia and I will get the security to drag you on that floor to the basement”
“It's no use anyway, I feel like a rag, used and dumped. As usual” seeing there was no use reasoning with my mother, I got up and walked with my head hanging low and my mother's stare burning my back.
It was insane. They were insane. My family was insane. I was supposed to get married to a man I have never met before by tomorrow. I knew my parents were crazy and I knew they were capable of doing the extraordinary, but this was just out of hand, because of a business deal. They are selling their only daughter and child. I slammed my door as I got in my room but stopped halfway and collapsed on the floor and broke down into tears again.
What was I going to do as a wife? Probably get beaten up every single day, like my mother and get expensive clothes and jewelry thrown at me. Go to Galas and parties and fake conversations for the rest of my life. I wanted to be an artist. It's always been my dream, I draw every single scenario I come across. It's my little escape from this horrible world and right now it'll be taken away from me. What if my husband doesn't like art?
“Heyyyyy girlllll” my computer came on and my best friend was on the screen, she called me through Skype, I was still crouched at the corner and the noise of her background filled my room
“Are you here?”she said again trying to get away from her noisy background. She was at a party for the umpteenth time and I was so jealous. Mika was my only friend and like a sister to me, she was the Cook's daughter and she was someone I looked up to. We've been friends since I was ten and she was eleven and she always tried to make my life less miserable. My father banned her from crossing our door because when I was eighteen, she took me out to a party. I had never felt so alive, I felt eighteen. My father came with escorts, made a scene and dragged me out. Banning Mika for life. She never came but she always reached out to me. Like now.
Finally she sighted me at the door and she spoke again
“Are you okay?” I looked at the camera and tears dropped out
“Zia? What's wrong?” She said getting worried
I got up and walked to the desk where my computer was placed and I sat on the chair, my face coming into view
“Zia, oh my Goodness what happened??” her noisy background was muffled and her face creased with worry, I shook my head
“Nothing just my amazing family doing wonderful things”
She groaned “what did they do Zia”
I shrugged
“Selling their daughter”
“What!?”
“You always said I was old enough to get married, so you are invited to my wedding tomorrow” I said sarcastically
“WHAT!?”
I shrugged to her response
“Omg what!?” She said again and continued
“You are what?!”
This time I couldn't hold the tears
“My father came to me today-” my words broke, she waited patiently for me to speak
“He came to my room and told me I was getting married tomorrow, it was a big business deal and I was the seal to the deal.”I stopped, her eyes widened and she whispered
“The inhumanity” she said bitterly
“I cried to them, my mum, dad. Begged them to reason, I told them it was my life but they didn't listen”
“That's horrible”
“I wish I was you” I cried “I wish I was you” I said repeatedly over and over
“You can't get married tomorrow, it's not possible “
“Unless you are God I don't think anyone can convince my father not to do anything”
“Zia, do you want to come to my party?” Mika said out of the blue
“You're crazy,”I replied almost laughing. I stood up absentmindedly and stopped “if I'm getting married tomorrow it's only fitting I have my final fun right?”I said not talking to Mika but she responded
“Exactly like a bridal shower”she completed
“Yes! But just me and you” I said and continued “I'll dress up and I'll call you when I'm on my way, you'll send me the address of the party and we'll-”
“Stop”she said laughing “you're really doing this??”
I squinted “yes”
“You know it's a party, definitely filled with boys, men, different kinds, would you resist them because you are supposed to be engaged”
“Mika don't get in my head. You brought this up so you shouldn't try to stop me now” I said
She sighed “okay fine. I'll send you the address, there's still time. I'll give you an hour to get ready and I'll call you” I nodded trying not to freak out and not believing this was actually happening
“And please Zia be careful. Your dad-”
“I know I will. Thank you Mika”