prologue

It was during the time of winter, the environment was covered in ice and the air was very cold , Ashley shivered as she pulled her jacket closer to herself in order to keep herself warm, curse her for not wearing warmer clothes but she was in a hurry, and she needed to get to her destination fast , despite being so cold she walked elegantly across the street, her strides were fast but composed , turning a corner her eyes lit up as she spotted the gates of her home, the same home she had grew up in , anyone would gasp upon first sighting of the house as she was up in front, it was worth 1000,0000, 000$ , yep , her father was very rich but no one would have guessed that she was a trillionaire's daughter moreover the house was very beautiful

"Welcome back young miss* William the family's Butler greeted warmly as he helped her take off her coat

"Thank you " Ashley replied with a sigh as her body was beginning to feel warm from the heat in the house, stretching she yawned as she took a sip out of the wine William had given her earlier, gosh she wanted to go to sleep so bad but alas her parents had called in a meeting with them , what they wanted to talk about, she had no idea but she had a feeling that she wouldn't like it

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And yes she very much didn't like it

*Crash!* The sound of breaking glass echoed the room as an expensive vase which she had run into fell into pieces. But she didn't care , she was in too much shock, Ashley bit her nail as she suddenly felt the temperature around her drop .

" No no no , this has to be a joke, I'm not getting married!! And not to Duke Silver of all people!" She shook her head refusing to believe the news she had just heard , besides she was already engaged! Her parents, calm and stotic, showed no surprise at their daughter's reaction instead, they sipped Thier tea casually as Ashley began to hyperventilate on the spot , her father sighed in annoyance and set his cup down before glaring sternly at her

"Ashley, calm down its not a death sentence, besides we're doing this for the family...as much as it pains me we have no choice" Ashley felt her jaw drop as she slowly started to feel rage, no choice!? No choice!? No choice he said!? He had no choice but to give her away so easily!!? And what the heck was he talking about? That marrying Duke Silver Clifford was not a death sentence!!? Getting married to a man who has had about 5 wives who died mercilessly in his hands!? The same cold Duke who was known as a war dog? A merciless and bloody tool in the hands of the emperor, many wars had been won by him single handedly, not to talk of how he killed daily as if it were nothing, someone whom the whole nation fears! That same person....they wanted to give her away to him , she already knew that she meant little to nothing to her parents but did they really have to stoop this low? Besides she loves her fiance , Christopher was the perfect man and they both loved each other, he was literally the only one thing that made life worth living for her , separation from him felt like death to her , angry tears slipped from her eyes as her knees buckled causing her to fall on her knees, she bowed lowly prostrated even so that they could know how much this meant to her , forget the rage she had she was willing to do anything to not get married to that monster in the form of a man

"Please.." she choked back a sob

"Please don't let me get married to him , I'll do anything! I beg you , I can't break off my engagement with Christopher-"

"SILENCE!" Her father yelled causing her to flinch , she heard his heels clack as he stood up and hovered over her

"You will not speak of that cursed engagement in my house" he lowered his voice into a whisper as he continued

"Do you want to get us killed?" Ashley didn't understand, she felt her heart break , crawling she held her father's shoes weeping profusely

"Please...I beg of you.." silence filled the room and if Ashley was looking she would have seen the pained looks on her parent's faces , Ashley felt her mother walk towards her

" Ashley..." Her mother's voice was nothing short of a whisper, afterall she was trying hard not to break into sobs as well, she was trying to be strong, Ashley felt her mother's wrinkly hand wrap around her as she was pulled up and given a hug , a tight one full of grief and sorrow , but Ashley didn't feel their sorrow she just felt more coldness , in her mind, her mother was mocking her and smiling at her sadistically but she didn't move,no , she didn't want to get hit again, meanwhile Ashley's mother gulped as she prepared to tell her daughter more bad news , her husband stood beside her giving her an approving nod , he too felt his heart break slowly

"Ashley.... Christopher has broken the engagement a long time ago, ever since you left for your studies"

"What?" Her eyes watered and shock electrocuted her system, he what ? And as if that was not enough another bombshell was thrusted at her thus shattering her completely

"He's engaged to someone else now , they're getting married tomorrow" Ashley shook her head in denial, no , it wasn't possible it wasn't true , that wasn't the reason he hadn't been responding to her messages for the past six years, that wasn't why he had never visited her once, that wasn't why he never picked a call, that wasn't why she saw pictures of him with another woman on social media, all this time she had always been in denial , true they had an argument before she left but she had thought that they would have made up again....all this time..had she really been a fool ? Ashley's chest tightened with unexplainable pain , words could not describe it , she was feeling so much sadness , why? Did he? Ashley shook her head back to denial once again, no , her parents were lying she had to see for herself

"Ashley... we're so sorry" she heard her mother say sadly as she stroked her hair, but all that Ashley felt was more pain and fear .

"I'm pregnant Ashley" Another bombshell was dropped, Ashley's eyes widened as her mother continued

"We are threatened Ashley* the said girl felt her heart drop

"... what?"

"The Duke threatened to kill us if we didn't hand you over ".... It all made sense now, her life was the price for another, an unborn child.. she wasn't surprised , Ashley lowered her head feeling so much pain and disappointment, she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming emotion of hatred and bitterness, most especially defeat... she really was alone know... Ashley softly removed herself from their embrace which felt like hell .

"Alright I'll do it" she mumbled causing both parents to sigh in relief, they were afraid that she would have put up a fight , neither of them knew what was truly going on in Ashley's head .