The beast I married

You are getting married tomorrow, Ashley," Mr. Williams, Ashley's dad says to her sarcastically like it's no big deal, and Ashley stops on her track abruptly. She has just come downstairs to greet her dad after she heard his car drive into the compound minutes ago. Her heart stops beating for some seconds as his words replays in her head. Slowly, she turns around and face the man with a questioning look on her face.

What did you say, dad?" Confused, she asks with curiosity resounding in her voice.

"Your husband is coming to get you tomorrow by 12 pm. You should be at home." Ignoring her question, Mr. Williams further say as reaches out to his phone from the couch.

“You are joking, right?" She shakes her head in bewilderment while having a confused smile on her face. Everything is crazy and funny. Where's that suddenly coming from? What brought about her getting married? Why? To who? And besides, her dad is aware that she has a boyfriend whom she loves so much, so what's with the expensive joke?

"No, I'm not," He replies to her casually.

"How can I get married without my consent? I don't understand, dad. Where's all these coming from?" She questions as tears finally find their way down her cheeks.

"It doesn't matter. Do I need your opinion to do what I want?" He asks angrily, and she can't help the scoff that tears through her throat.

"We're talking about my life here, my happiness. Who are you to decide my life for me? All my life, I have always done what pleases you. I have lived for you, but not anymore. I won't have you ruin my life and my happiness. You know I have a boyfriend, and I..."

"And I care less about your boyfriend. Look, i am doing this for you. It's for your own good, so you better do the right thing," He cuts her off.

“I'm not getting married to anybody, dad. And that's my final decision," She yells at the top of her voice and with that, she scurries to the exit door and pulls it open as she storms out, slamming the door behind her. Hurrying over to the parking lot, she hops in her car and drives out of the compound, going to God knows where.

Ashley William is the only child of the William family. She had lived all her life for her father, believing that her mum passed away during child's birth. Ashley is a 22-year-old slim and average lady, she has blond hair and a cute pair of blue eyes, and her skin is almost pale white and milky.

After a long ride, she pulls over at the side of the road and reaches out to her phone that's just on the seat beside her. Scrolling through it for some seconds, she finally dials her boyfriend's number and waits for him to pick up. She has always done whatever her dad wanted her to, she has lived her life for him, but she won't give up on her happiness this time. Never again!

"Shit!" She curses under her breath and throws the phone back to the seat, hitting the steering wheel afterward. She has dialed her boyfriend's number for more than five times already, and he never answered any of her calls. This is unlike him.

Turning the car ignition on, she reverse and drives down to the nearest club house. It's Sunday, and the club is always rowdy on this day. Stepping into the clubhouse a few minutes later, she walks over to the bar and sits behind the counter. She order for a bottle of vodka, which she starts drinking directly from the bottle as soon as it was served to her. She dials her boyfriend's number a few more times, but he still didn't answer, so she finally give up trying to reach him.

A young man of about twenty-nine years old walks up to the bar, graced in all black. He orders a bottle of red wine, which he starts drinking from immediately without bothering to request for glass. Turning his gaze to his lef-hand side, he spots Ashley sitting and getting herself drunk. He stares at her for a while, scrutinizing her perfect body shape, and he can't help admiring her.

He watches as she gulps down another mouth full of alcohol, before he finally turns his attention to strippers that have been dancing for a while now.

Turning to look at Ashley again, he squints his eyes in shock as he find her still drinking nonstop. Suddenly, she stands up and staggers to the dancefloor, as she dances to the buzzing music, while screaming in excitement, but the young man can see that all those scream are as a result of the excess alcohol she has taken.

"She’s got some move," He whispers to himself and gulps down some wine. Standing up to his feet, he pays the bartender before walking up to Ashley.

“Mind if I join you?” He questions huskily, and Ashley chuckles. She places her hands on his shoulder and begin to whine her waist in rhythm to the music.

They both dance together for a a few minutes,

"Why don't we get a room, huh?" She suddenly pulls him close and slams her lips against his, kissing him passionately like her life depends on it.

The next morning inside a strange room.

Her head bangs as she tries to force her eyes open. Sitting up on the bed, she rubs her eyes and stare around the unfamiliar room, while she keep questioning herself where she is, and how she ended up here.

"You're awake?" She quickly snaps her head in the direction of the voice as realization dawns on her that she's not the only one in the room. Seeing a young man standing before the mirror, her eyes snaps open in shock, but she freezes on the spot when she realizes that she's naked under the duvet. In a flash, the previous night's incident replays in her head, and her heart sinks into her stomach. She had a nightstand with a stranger.

"Although you asked for the sex, I won't be so wicked not to give you some cash. You did a pretty good job last night. That was the best sex I ever had all my life. Hoping to see you soon again. We can do this again," He winks at her after he throws a bundled cash at her, while she stares at him as a drop of tears slid down the corner of her cheek. As much as she wants to tell him that she's not a call-girl, she feels like there's no need for that anymore. Besides, he already slept with her and it can't be undone.

Before now, she was battling with how to break the news to her boyfriend, and now, it's about the mischievous night? All thanks to her dad, her life has been ruined in just a couple of hours.

Still lost in thoughts, her phone suddenly beeps and she reaches out to it. Unlocking the screen, she freezes on the spot at the sight that welcomes her. Staring back at her, are the pictures of her boyfriend with another woman. The first is when he walked into the hotel with the woman, and the next is when they're on bed. Her heart tightens in pain as realization dawns on her. This was the reason her boyfriend never answered her calls.

Tears stream down her cheeks as she feel her world crashing down to her feet. With her hands trembling, she dials his number again, but he never answer her call. Has he been cheating on her all these while?

With tears in her eyes, she stands up from the bed then wear her dress and storms out of the room. She drives home straight, and her dad turns out to have been waiting for her for hours.

"You think you can leave the house just..."

"I'll get married," Her heart hurts deeply as she say those words to her dad. She has made up her mind to accept her fate and live with it...