Unwanted Love (ON HOLD)

Chapter 1: The beginning

WARNING:

This book contains violence, abuse, rape, mental health issues and anything that may be triggering to a person. If you're sensitive to this stuff, I would recommend you very kindly go find another book to read as there are many people triggered by this sort of content.

Thank you!

Maria's P.O.V

The obnoxiously loud ringing of my alarm sings through my ear as I dreadfully force myself up in bed. As soon as I pick up my phone from the bedside table, though, I see that it's Saturday today and, well- I've been graduated for nearly a month now. Pre-med here I come...

My phone buzzes me a reminder when I unlock it, notifying me that I'm supposed to be ready by now and that my best friend, Dana is here to pick me up for our day at the mall. AKA the day we spend all our grad money.

"Shit. Of course, I forget the day I've been looking forward to for the past month now. Typical.

With a grunt and groan, I roll myself out of bed and hurry all the way over to my closet where I begin rummaging through the many shirts and pants. So many clothes, but just not enough outfits here for a day like this. I want something that says: I'm an independent woman, not just some teenager anymore who doesn't have a hot fucking clue what she wants to do with her life. I'm going to be Dr. Andre. Doctor Maria Andre.

After a large pile of clothes on the floor, I finally decide on a pair of light blue skinny jeans, a black wrap around top a fleshy-pink long coat and a pair of laced, calve-high boots to top it off. I quickly brush out my hair, wash my face and brush my teeth before flying out the door and nearly go crashing down the stairs I'm in such as rush.

"Took you long enough." Dana crunches down on some honey nut cheerios as she gives me an up and down. She smiles, "Tryna impress someone are we?"

I give her a nudge in the shoulder and head over to the pantry and grab myself a breakfast bar, then a smoothie from the fridge. "Let's go before everyone else gets there alright?" I tell her and snatch up her car keys. "I'll drive!"

She rolls her eyes and munches on the last bit of her cereal. "Sorry, didn't realize we were in such a rush."

I too give off another infamous eyeroll and we leave out the front door.

After the mall...

"Cya loser!" Dana calls out from the window as she zooms off from my house. I wave her off begrudgingly and begin hauling my bags into the house.

When I walk through the front door, both my parents are sitting on the couch beside each other, hand-in-hand with two of the most serious looks on their faces I've ever witnessed. "Who died?" I immediately question. "Is Grandma alright?"

My mom, Sofia stands from the couch and nods. "Yes, your grandmother is fine. It's something else we need to talk to you about, Sweetie."

My dad follows her move and takes a stand with a hand on her shoulder and a sorrowful look plastered on his face that has somehow just aged a decade from the sadness he's showing. "There's really no easy way to say this, but, Honey, we've signed a contract for you- for us."

I chuckle nervously and sit down uneasily on the couch behind me, setting down the bags still in my hands. "C-contract?"

They both nod, but it's my mom who really breaks the news this time. "There's a man, his name is Luke Sanchez. His father is a powerful, Italian mafia lead and he is stepping down but, his son needs a wife to gain power. We made an offer that if we give you to the Sanchezs, our debt would be cleared and our company would gain more revenue."