“Simone!” My mother gasps in horror as I walk through the front door. I tried to wipe up as much smeared makeup as I could in the car, but there wasn’t much hope for the mess that I am this morning. “Where have you been?” she snaps, but I ignore her and head up the marble stairs to my bedroom. She follows, the click of her heels drilling into my head.

“Please tell me you didn’t do what I think you did?” she whispers.

“Depends, what do you think I did? I did a lot last night,” I laugh, and then wince. Everything hurts.

Walking into my room, I head straight to the bathroom. Pulling off the itchy dress I step out of it and turn the shower on. Resting my head on the tiled wall, I realize I forgot my lingerie at the hotel. Oh well, it’s not like I’ll be needing it anytime soon.

Mother flurries into my bathroom, her long braid swishing between her shoulder blades, and her red gown flowing behind her.

She shuts the door behind her, worry wrinkling her face when she looks in my direction. My being naked not affecting her at all.

“Can this please wait,” I beg. I just need some sleep, Advil, and for her to go away.

Her eyes widen to saucers, her hand coming to her mouth to stifle a gasp.

Gazing into the mirror to see what has her in such a horror, I spot a hickey on my collarbone. It’s very light, but definitely a hickey.

I turn away from her and rest my hand on my shoulder. My arm covering it.

“If you,” she hesitates. “If you gave yourself to another man last night thinking it would make this whole thing with Veer go away, you were very VERY wrong!” she snaps, her eyes filling with tears. My heart skips a beat, worry stabbing me in the chest.

“Why?” I face her head-on, not caring what she sees.

“Veer has told everyone in the last twenty-four hours he is to marry you. He has a wedding coordinator coming to organize everything you desire for the perfect wedding. Simone, if you make a fool of him… he will kill you and your father for setting him up for a false arrangement.”

I look at the floor, not thinking about the fact Veer would retaliate in such a way. I figured I would take the virginity out of the cards and he would move on to a new woman. How naïve of me.

“Oh God, you did, didn’t you? You went out there and- and laid with another man—” She begins to cry, not helping my anxiety.

“Mom!” I snap at her, and she flinches. I slept with two men actually, but I don’t tell her that. She’d likely have a heart attack. It’s still taking me time to wrap my head around what the hell I did last night. “I’ll figure something out. I always do, right?” My question is weak, and Mother and I know it. Her lips stretching into a fine line, and she nods to me. I have no idea how to fix this. I gave something away I cannot get back.

Turning my back to her I step into the warm water cascading from the showerhead. She pulls the curtain closed and leans against the wall next to the shower.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. The sound of the water hitting the floor of the shower muffles her words. “I know Veer is not the man for you, but we are blessed with many things, Simone, and having an arranged marriage isn’t the worst.” The way she says the words, I can tell she doesn’t mean it. It sounds like something my father would say.

I scoff at her attempt to lecture something she has no idea of. “That’s easy for you to say.”

“Your father wasn’t my first choice either, it was arranged,” she informs. The warm water hitting my back suddenly feels cold at the news.

I pull the curtain open to look at her, this is the first I’ve heard of this.

“What?”

She smiles fondly. “I hated your father when I met him. He was so arrogant, and bossy. Telling me how we were going to get married, that I was moving in with him and leaving my family. It wasn’t until I had you that I really fell in love with him. He was so nurturing and caring. Our stubborn walls broke down over time, and we saw each other for who we really were.” Her face glows as she recalls her and Dad’s past.

Wet hair in my face, I look at my mother in a whole different way. I don’t know if she’s strong or brave for living with a man she hated.

Lifting her head, shoulders back, she shakes her head.

“Don’t be a fool, Simone. You’re very stubborn, and your worst enemy at times. I fear I can’t save you this time, my dear.” She shakes her head and walks out of the bathroom with streams of tears down her tanned cheeks.

Stepping back into the water, I close my eyes. My heart beating with fear that I may be killed by my future husband. That I took things into my hands and killed my own life in the process. It’s a never-ending domino effect. I fucked everything up.

I slap at the tile, screaming as I throw hair products across the shower.