Page 2 of Entrapped
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Do you need help?” he asked, gesturing to my long, cumbersome train.
I shook my head, forcing a smile. “I’ll detach the train. It’s rather heavy.”
The entire dress was too heavy, with its intricate beading and tight bodice. I could already feel the marks it was leaving on my skin. What I wouldn’t give to run upstairs, strip it off, and slip into a pair of comfortable shorts and a t-shirt. But that wasn’t my reality, and it never would be.
Colson snapped his fingers, and Evelina appeared almost instantly, as if she had been waiting for his command. “My bride needs to use the restroom. Please assist her.”
There was a softness in his tone when he addressed her, and when I saw the look in her eyes, my stomach twisted. She looked at him with such affection, a warmth that had never been directed at me. It was clear—there had been something between them once. Maybe there still was.
Evelina, with her long blonde hair and deep blue eyes, was everything Colson would have wanted. She was intelligent, elegant, a Russian beauty who seemed born to grace these halls.The only thing against her was her age—pushing forty, too old to be the bride Colson wanted for his arm.
“You need my assistance?” she asked, her voice laced with the heavy accent that only made her more alluring.
“I just need to get this train off,” I replied, heading for the house. I would have preferred my mother’s help, someone who could share in the burden of this ridiculous gown, but that wasn’t an option.
Evelina followed me into the library, her fingers deftly working on the train as soon as we were inside. She moved with a practiced ease, and I wondered how many times she had done this for Colson—how many times she had played the role of the perfect companion, the one I was now forced to be.
“You make a beautiful bride,” she said as she worked, her words smooth and polished like everything about her.
“Thank you. I hope never to do this again,” I said, my voice dry, the sarcasm barely concealed.
She let out a short, sharp laugh. “If Colson has his way, you’ll be married for a long time.”
I smiled bitterly, though it didn’t reach my eyes. If I had my way, I’d divorce him tomorrow, but I knew better. I was trapped in this marriage for at least five years, bound by duty and the demands of my family’s future. But I wouldn’t be a passive participant in this charade. I would make my sacrifices, but I would also have my revenge.
Little victories would be mine, slowly chipping away at the Ashworths’ empire from the inside. Colson didn’t know it, butthe woman he’d married was far from the docile bride he thought he’d tamed. This wasn’t over, not by a long shot.
Just before the meal was set out, Colson led me to the dance floor, his hand gripping mine with a possessiveness that sent a chill down my spine. As he pulled me close, the music began, signaling the first dance of our married life. The crowd around us watched with eager eyes, but all I could feel was the weight of my dread.
I moved with ease, letting him lead, the steps coming naturally to me. My father had taught me well. Despite his blue-collar life, he had been raised as the son of a wealthy financier, groomed for a life of privilege until everything changed.
His hands, once soft and manicured, now bore the calluses of a man who had been forced to work for everything. The contrast between his past and my present felt like a cruel joke. I could have been someone else entirely—if not for the Ashworths.
As Colson’s mouth brushed my ear, I stiffened. “I can’t wait to get you alone tonight. I’ve been so patient,” he murmured, his voice a dark promise that made my skin crawl.
A shudder ran through me, and I had to fight back the wave of nausea that threatened to rise. The thought of what awaited me later, of giving myself to this man who had ensnared me in his world of lies and deceit, made my stomach churn.
I regretted waiting until marriage, holding onto the naive belief that it would make this moment special. Now, I wished I hadgiven my virginity away long ago, even if it had been to some random guy in college, someone I could have forgotten.
But I was trapped in this moment, in this life I never wanted. As Colson led me around the dance floor, his grip firm, his smile for the crowd, I felt a deep, ache settle in my bones. I had played my part too well, and now, I was locked into a future that made me want to scream.
The applause of our guests, the soft music playing, and the elegance of the evening felt like a mask hiding the darkness that lurked beneath. This was my reality now, and as much as I wanted to escape, there was no way out—not tonight, not ever.
Chapter 2
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the lawn, I realized that Colson had vanished. Despite the crowd of over five hundred guests swirling around me, I felt utterly alone. The laughter and clinking of glasses seemed distant, like the soundtrack to someone else's life. I stood there, lost in a sea of people, until I felt a familiar arm wrap around me.
Logan pushed through the crowd and hugged me tightly, grounding me in the moment.
“What was that for?” I asked, trying to muster a smile.
“You look lost,” he said, his brow furrowed with concern as he guided me onto the dance floor.
I needed my brother’s support more than ever, but I couldn’t tell him the truth about what I’d found. If I did, I knew he would go crazy. Logan was prideful, and he’d had to swallow that pride more than once during his teenage years, letting girlfriends and their families pay for his trips. It had driven him to work harder than anyone I knew, trying to reclaim the life that had been stolen from us.
Our parents had instilled a work ethic in us that most of our peers couldn’t comprehend. We both had goals, dreams that had been reshaped by the harsh reality of our family’s downfall. Now that I was married to Colson, I was determined to achieve those goals, but in my own way.
I wanted out of this marriage, and if I could do it before the five-year mark, I would. But I needed a plan, something solid to ensure my family’s future. I couldn’t leave my father burdened with the loan on his business, and I wanted to see my mother’s dream of owning a bakery come true. Most of all, I wanted Logan to work for someone who wasn’t named Ashworth.
