I sat in my room, contemplating about the sudden turn my life had taken. It was difficult for me to believe that my step-father had arranged for me to marry Jacob Smith, but not as difficult as it was for me to picture myself as the wife of Jacob Smith.

After I had made dinner for the Smiths, they had left soon after. Mrs. Smith had insisted I go dress shopping with her and talked about hiring a wedding planner and all. To all that, I merely nodded, not trusting myself to say anything as I was afraid I would start crying. However, I had declined the offer of dress shopping as I intended to wear my mother's wedding dress at my wedding. I wanted my mom to be there for me at my wedding; and the dress was the only way I could have her with me.

Feeling my bottom cramping up from sitting on the chair for so long, I stood up from the chair and went over to my bed. I slipped inside the comforter and had just grabbed the novel I was currently reading from the nightstand next to my bed, in order to distract myself when my phone rang. Frowning at the unknown number, I hesitantly answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Emila?" a deep voice said from the other line.

"Yes, who's this?" I enquired, the frown not leaving my face.

"It's Jacob." my breath hitched at hearing his name.

"Jacob?"

"Yeah, you know...I came to your house..."

"Yes, I know who you are, how are you?" I asked him.

"I'm alright," he responded flatly.

"Umm, not to sound rude, but is there any specific reason that you called?" I enquired curiously.

"Actually yes, I wanted to talk to you about something," he answered.

"Yes?" I prodded.

"I wanted to ask whether you were aware of the reason as to why we're actually getting married?" he queried.

My heart picked up its pace at hearing his words. Was there any other reason than dad wanting to strengthen his relationship with the Smiths? What did Jacob knew that I didn’t? Was it something worse?

"Umm no," I muttered softly.

"I see, well would you like me to tell you?" he asked.

"Yes please, if it's alright with you," I answered softly.

"Well, we are getting married because your father is indebted to my father, and in order to pay the debt he has decided to give you to us," he informed me flatly, with no hint of emotion in his words whatsoever.

I thought my heart couldn't break any further after what my step-father did, but Jacob's words—this new revelation crushed my already battered heart to smithereens. My step-father was selling me. Using me to pay a debt he owed. Did he not consider me human? Was I worth so little? I was being used to pay off a debt and I had no say in it. Why was he doing this to me? Why did he hate me so much? What did I do to him that made him hate me so much?

"Hello? Emila, are you there?" I didn't realize I was lost in my thoughts until Jacob's voice penetrated the fog of gloom in my mind.

"Uh yes, I'm here, sorry I was thinking about something," I answered softly, trying to keep my voice from breaking. The last thing I wanted to do was let Jacob know I was crying. He could never see or hear me cry, it would ruin everything.

"So did you hear what I said?" he questioned softly, causing the tears to spill faster from my eyes.

As another tear spilled from my eye I nodded until I realized that Jacob couldn't see me. "Yes, my father is indebted to yours that's why we're getting married," I repeated what he said earlier.

So you're okay with it?" he enquired.

I wanted to yell and scream. To let not only Jacob know, but the whole world how I was not okay with this. But I knew it wouldn't matter. It was either marrying Jacob or living on the streets, because if I did not marry Jacob then my step-father would kick me out. Even though my step-father didn't say anything to me, I knew he wouldn't hesitate to throw me out of the house. I was a nuisance to him after all.

"Yes, I'm okay with it," I answered reluctantly as the tears continued to spill freely from my eyes.

"Good, it's not like you have a choice. We're getting married regardless of what you want," Jacob stated making me wish my mom was here, she would never allow my step-father to sell me like this.

"I know," I muttered softly, wanting to be anywhere but here.

"Well in that case, I would like to meet with you alone to discuss some things, is tomorrow okay with you? he asked, leaving me little choice in the matter.

"Uh yes, okay, tomorrow would be fine," I replied reluctantly. God knows what he wanted to discuss with me, but whatever it was I wanted to get it over with.

"Okay fine, I'll pick you up at 1:00 pm tomorrow," he told me.

"Yes okay, see you tomorrow," I muttered softly.

"Bye." he hung up without waiting for my reply.

I threw the phone on the side and finally gave into the despair and hopelessness. I finally let loose the tears that were already spilling freely from my eyes while I was talking to Jacob.

I never wanted this. Never wanted to be given to someone as an object to pay a debt. But that was exactly what I was. My step-father didn't consider me human. To him I was just another possession he wanted to get rid of. My mom wasn't alive, so I had no one to fight for me.

Grabbing the picture of my mom from the nightstand, I clutched the frame tightly against my chest and cried for everything that was being taken away from me.

I hated my life.

Because my life was not my own.