The chapel bell rings

The sound of the wedding bells echoed through the grand cathedral, a haunting melody that seemed to mock Sophia's very soul. She walked down the aisle, her feet heavy with reluctance, her heart weighed down by the secrets and lies that had led her to this moment.

Eric's eyes gleamed with triumph as he watched her approach, his smile a cold, calculated smirk that made her skin crawl. Her parents beamed with pride, oblivious to the fact that their daughter was sacrificing her freedom and happiness on the altar of their ambition.

As Sophia reached the altar, Eric took her hand, his grip like a vice, his fingers digging into her skin like claws. She felt a shiver run down her spine as he leaned in to whisper his vows, his breath hot against her ear.

"I promise to love and cherish you, to protect and control you, to keep your secrets and hold your fate in my hands," he whispered, his words a sinister parody of the traditional vows.

Sophia's heart screamed in protest, but her voice was silenced by the weight of her circumstances. She was trapped, bound by the chains of her own making, forced to surrender to the darkness that had haunted her for so long.

The priest pronounced them husband and wife, and Eric's lips claimed hers in a cold, calculated kiss. Sophia's heart died a little more with each passing moment, her soul trapped in a prison of her own making.

As Eric lifted her up, Sophia felt a wave of humiliation wash over her. She was a prisoner, a trophy to be displayed and paraded around for all to see. The cheers and catcalls from Eric's friends and family only added to her shame, their raucous laughter and applause a stark contrast to the silence and submission she felt inside.

She hung limp in Eric's arms, her body a dead weight, her mind racing with thoughts of escape and rebellion. But for now, she was trapped, a helpless pawn in Eric's game of power and control.

The gold-plated carriage awaited them, its opulent interior a gaudy display of wealth and excess. Eric deposited her onto the velvet seat, his hands lingering on her waist as he gazed into her eyes.

"You're mine now, Sophia," he whispered, his voice low and menacing. "Forever and always."

The carriage door closed behind them, and Sophia felt a sense of despair wash over her. She was trapped, a prisoner in a gilded cage, her future stretching out before her like a dark and endless abyss.

Sophia's heart sank as Eric's words dripped with condescension and control. His "demands" were nothing short of a prison sentence, a list of rules and regulations designed to strip her of her autonomy and individuality.

"Remember, my dear," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "it's better than burning at the stake, isn't it?"

The jest was a cruel reminder of the fate that awaited her if she failed to comply. The threat of the pyre, the flames that would consume her for her "witchcraft", hung over her like a constant shadow.

Sophia's mind raced as she tried to process the enormity of her situation. She was trapped in a living nightmare, forced to submit to Eric's whims and fancies under the threat of violence and death.

The carriage ride seemed to last an eternity, the silence between them thick with tension and unspoken threats. Sophia's heart was heavy with despair, her soul screaming for freedom and escape.

Sophia's hand remained limp and unresponsive, her eyes fixed on some point beyond Eric's shoulder, her mind a thousand miles away. The kiss on her hand was a cold, calculating gesture, a reminder of the duties she was expected to perform as his wife.

"Remember, Sophia," Eric said, his voice low and menacing, "you have your duties to attend to. Tonight, and every night. Do not forget."

The implication was clear: she was to submit to him, to perform her wifely duties without question or hesitation. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, her heart heavy with the weight of her situation.

Sophia's response was barely audible, a stiff, forced acknowledgement of his demands. "Yes, Eric. I remember."

The carriage continued on its journey, the silence between them oppressive, the tension palpable. Sophia's mind raced with thoughts of escape, of rebellion, of freedom. But for now, she was trapped, a prisoner in a gilded cage, forced to endure the whims of her husband.

Eric then continued lightly kissing her body

Sophia's body remained stiff and unresponsive, her mind recoiling in horror as Eric's kisses traced a path down her neck, her shoulders, her arms. Each touch was a violation, a reminder of the control he wielded over her.

She felt like a puppet on strings, forced to dance to Eric's tune, her movements jerky and unnatural. Her eyes fixed on some point beyond him, her gaze unfocused, her thoughts consumed by a desperate longing for escape.

The kisses continued, a relentless assault on her senses, each one a reminder of the prison she was trapped in. Sophia's heart raced with fear, her mind screaming silently for help, for rescue, for freedom.

But the kisses didn't stop, didn't slow, didn't falter. They continued, a merciless reminder of Eric's power, his control, his dominance. Sophia's body felt like a mere shell, a husk of its former self, a puppet forced to endure the whims of its master.

Sophia's eyes blazed with a fierce, otherworldly intensity, a bright blue hue that seemed to burn with an inner fire. She hoped to unsettle Eric, to make him recoil in shock or fear. But instead, his gaze remained fixed, unyielding, and eerily devoid of emotion.

His eyes were like two black holes, voids that sucked in all light, all feeling, all humanity. They seemed to stare right through her, as if she were nothing more than a mere specter, a ghostly apparition without substance or presence.

The lack of response, the utter absence of emotion, was unnerving, chilling. Sophia felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized that Eric's eyes were not just empty, but also soulless. They were the eyes of a man who had long abandoned his humanity, his compassion, his very soul.

In that moment, Sophia knew she was in grave danger. She was trapped in a living nightmare, a prisoner of a man who was no longer human, but a monster, a creature devoid of feeling, of empathy, of love.