Sentenced to Marriage by MadlainQ

Facing the enemy 

Callan stood in front of me, his eyes looking at me with an odd sadness and pain. He had no jacket on. His shirt was half–unbuttoned, and its sleeves were rolled up. The sleekly combed hair he had before was now ruffled. As he stepped toward me, I could smell alcohol in his breath. 

“Why are you with him, Cora?” he asked softly. 

“W–what?” His painful tone caught me off–guard more than his words. “Is it because I have never told you that I’m a Winton?” He stepped closer, his eyes tightly locked on mine. 

“What are you talking about?!” I stepped back, desperately trying to keep my distance. 

He sighed heavily and sat on the bed. “It was my Grandfather‘s idea. He forced me to use my Mother‘s name, scared that I would somehow dishonor the Winton name by involving myself in scandals while away from home. Only the professors knew that my name wasn‘t Garrod.” 

“Why are you telling me this? Why now?” I took another step back and found myself leaning against the wall. 

“I should have told you who I am...” he mumbled. “Would it change anything? You dumped me, remember?” I huffed. He pulled himself back up to his heels and lurched to grab me by my arms. “I had to! Grandpa would have disinherited me if I wanted to marry someone who… who...” 

“Someone like me?” I scoffed. “Someone without money or connections?” 

He lowered his head, stroking down my arms‘ length with his fingers, making me flinch. 

need to leave,” I said, his touch nauseating me

Cora,” he whispered. “My family has already met you... We

him away, disgust painting my face. “You‘re delusional! You cannot possibly think that I would come back to you?!” How could he talk about getting back together, let alone marrying?! There were days when I wished he had proposed, but it was long before I realized how abusive

to leave,” I

of what Callan was capable of. He had always been unpredictable and cruel, and I could only imagine what could come to his sick head at the moment he was drunk, frustrated, and angry. I was in his territory, in his family house… I wished that he would just go away, but I also knew that the chances for that to

were weaker by the

body wrapped in a silk nightgown. “Does he know what you

rid of the shivering” Don‘t go there, Callan, please...” “Admit it, you loved the way I fucked you. It did feel good, didn‘t it?” He stepped closer, his lustful gaze examining my every curve. “I don‘t want to remember anything about you!” I screamed,

embrace as he tried to

I screamed, tilting my head away and trying to slap him,

always.” His icy laugh brought back the worst memories

him. 

but his grip only tightened. A moment later, I found myself withering and helplessly fighting against his strength. “Let go, you psychopath!” “Cora?!” I heard Aren‘s voice coming

I bit his hand. “Aren! Help!” Aren rattled the door handle violently, but it was locked. Callan smirked mischievously, his cold, predatory eyes locked on me. “You bastard!” I used all

me go!” I yelled as he threw himself at me,

trying to force the door. The door hinges bounced as he rammed it again and again. I screamed and cursed at Callan, but he didn‘t stop. I tried to kick him, but he restrained me. My weak body couldn‘t match his strength and the body weight of an over–six–foot–tall man. His sleazy hands went underneath the silk of my gown, touching my thighs and trying to slide between them. Suddenly, the door broke, and Aren barged into the room, his eyes blazing in fury. Callen jumped away from the bed, a wicked grin curving his lips. “She let me in herself. She was the one who seduced me,” he

Faring the party 

strength of Aren‘s hit knocked Callan down to the ground. Callan jumped back to his feet with an enraged growl as he lurched at Aren, trying to rain him down. Aren punched his ribs, and a split second later, threw Callan over his shoulder. I gasped, barely registering his movements. Once Callan hit the floor, Aren started punching him again and again, turning his face into a bloody pulp. As I observed his rage–soaked movements, a stabbing pain pierced my chest. My pain wasn‘t for Callan, but for Aren–I didn‘t want him to dirty his hands because of me. “Stop! You‘re going to kill him!” I cried out. “Please,