Becoming Mrs Astor

CHAPTER 1

ANYA'S POV

"Mother says you should get dressed. Mr Baron will be here soon."

Eleanor's statement was confirmation of what I knew was going to come eventually. My parents had decided to marry me off to an old, pervy loser.

"Tell her I am indisposed."

"Anya-" My younger sister started to speak, most definitely to try and reason with me.

"I am indisposed, Eleanor. Tell mother." My emphasis on 'mother' was a reminder to Eleanor that the person we were referring to was not our mother, she was a beautiful witch called Adline; the woman that birthed us was in fact long dead, and the sorry excuse for a father that I had could not wait to wife up the young lady who had caught his fancy while my mother battled with her mental health.

My younger sister shrugged and walked out of my room while I prepared myself for the storm that was fast approaching.

My door burst open a few seconds sooner than I had anticipated and my sneering stepmother stood in the doorway.

"You will get dressed at once, young lady! You-"

"Mother," I said sweetly, my tongue laced with sarcasm, "I am feeling unwell. What is it about this visit that is so important, I have to leave my bed?"

"Don't play silly games with me, girl."

I chuckled at her calling me 'girl' when she was not more than five years older than me. I understood marrying a rich man for his wealth but she didn't have to play this silly role of a faux mother.

"Look, I'm feeling under the weather, and you are not going to make me come meet your guest, unless you want to run the risk of me throwing up all over him. What's Baron coming here for anyway?"

"You don't know? And your father always praises you for your intelligence."

"Well, I guess he's wrong, and the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree, otherwise, how did he end up with..." I swallowed the 'you' for dramatic effect

Her breathing intesified and she said "Just you wait" before turning on her heels and stomping out. I revelled in my victory over her. Pissing her off did me no good, because Father always took her side, but the satisfaction of prevailing over her was enough for me.

Soon, Eleanor returned to my room with another message.

"You pissed her off, didn't you? Father is calling you to his chambers."

I rolled my eyes and rolled off my bed. When mom was alive, Father used to be just 'Dad' and his 'chambers' was his room. We spoke to him and about him in a very formal manner, and I would have it no other way. I didn't bother trying to even appear sick because it wouldn't matter; Adline had him around her thumb, and what she said stood. I could bet my entire inheritance that marrying me off to Baron was her idea.

"What is the meaning of this behaviour?" He barked the second I walked into the room. Later, I would realize that those were the first words he spoke to me that day as we had not even said hello to each other since we woke.

"What behaviour, Father?"

"Why won't you dress to receive your suitor?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know I had one."

Adline scoffed.

"Look, Anya, I'm in no mood to entertain your haughtiness. Go up to your room, get dressed and be ready to welcome Mr Baron. He has asked me for your hand."

"And what was your response?"

"What do yo think? Don't waste any more time. He is already on his way."

"Then I'm afraid he is going to be disappointed."

"What?"

"I am not going to marry Baron, so I see no need to participate in this debauchery."

Adline chirped in. "Don't you have any respect?"

"I do, and I wouldn't be inserting myself in a father and daughter conversation, 'Mother'."

"How dare you, Anya? You disrespect her, you disrespect me!" My father rose to his feet now.

"I sincerely apologize, Father." I bowed my head slightly. "But on the matter of Baron, I will not marry him, and you can not make me."

I walked out to their utmost shock. I too was shocked at my guts even though I had been preparing myself for this moment for years.

I raced to my room and locked the door behind me, because my father would definitely come banging on my door.

"Open this door this minute, Anya!" His knocks were frightening; I had not seen or heard him with such a temper in a long time. He often had what seemed to be a very rehearsed aloofness from us. "Open this door or I will kick it down!"

"I will not, Father! I will not marry that old fool too!" Despite my bravery, tears were forming in my eyes as I spoke.

Truly, he kicked the door in and grabbed me by the shoulders.

"Are you crazy? Do you think you have a choice? It is already done! Finished."

"No! No!" I shook my head vehemently tears were flowing freely now.

"Why, Anya?" He had calmed down a little now, and seemed to be genuinely asking. What did he expect to hear apart from the obvious? Gee, I dunno, Father, I don't want to live the rest of my life with some ogre over twice my age. I was just twenty. How could they expect me to willingly walk into this death sentence?

"Because... because, I'm pregnant."

His hands dropped from my shoulders.

"What did you just say?"

I shook slightly from fear. What in God's name was I doing? I swallowed a lump of saliva and doubled down on my lie.

"I'm- I'm pregnant, Dad."

I said 'Dad' instead of Father in attempt to better sell the lie. His eyes widened even further now.

"What- what, how?" He sat slowly beside me on the bed, his eyes staring to space. Adline was watching us from the door.

"For who?"

I said the first name that came to my mind. "Abram Astor."