#1. Prep
Authors note: the male lead's behaviour is rather unpredictable, expect anything.
How do you view your ideal marriage?
'Mine was arranged, signed, and sealed before I ever learned his name.'
Take a moment to think about yours.
Some people dream of marriage like it is paradise; broad-shouldered CEOs, golden children, a mansion glowing at the sunset. Others fantasize about a quiet life on a farm somewhere far away from humanity and their annoying faces.
Charisma Gilbert dreams of none of that.
Her ideal life is simple: an island, handsome butler and absolutely zero marriage.
So naturally, her father arranges a marriage with Dawnafore Delano, meaning Charisma is forced to marry the Delano family's second son, Camilo. She hasn't even seen this man and she already hates him. Or rather, she hates the idea of him, which is much stronger in her opinion.
The Delanos are Mexican royalty, money, power and influence while the Gilberts are English aristocrats.
A match made in hell.
And hell is exactly where charisma feels she is being escorted.
Training day
Today, Monday, May 12th, Charisma is being tortured by Eleanor white, also known by her official title: "the old hag."
Eleanor is apparently her marriage counsellor, though Charisma thinks executioner is more accurate.
Right now Eleanor forces her to balance four encyclopaedias on her head while walking the length of their oversized golf course.
Charisma's shoulders ache, her spine burns and every breath is pure humiliation.
Hag: "Do you plan to walk like that tomorrow? You are so disgraceful! Dawnafore Delano is the most powerful man in the world!"
Charisma rolls her eyes, holding the books in place, resisting the urge to throw all four encyclopaedias at the hag's forehead.
Hag: "Do not roll your eyes at me! Dawnafore Delano is ten times richer than Hill Mates and more influential than Elon Tusk! He created software money and you just happened to be marrying his son. In other words my dear, you hit the jackpot."
Charisma's inner voice hisses: 'Wow. She's annoying.'
She hasn't even seen this second son and frankly she does not want to.
She imagines some wrinkled tobacco-smelling old man with nicotine fingers and three strands of hair trying to survive on his scalp.
Her shoulders scream. She hisses in pain.
The Hag smacks her again with a disciplining ruler. "Pay attention!"
Charisma fantasizes about murder. It calms her nerves.
---
When training finally ends, Charisma retreats to her room- white carpet, marble floors, expensive décor that somehow makes her feel poorer, not richer.
Eleanor sits primly on her bed, joined by yet another hag- older, smelling strongly of spices and medicines.
Fantastic.
Her room permanently smells like ancient herbs and death.
'If murder were legal, I'd be celebrating my honeymoon already,' she thinks.
The second hag clears her throat.
Second Hag: "Ms Charisma, allow me to introduce myself-
'You may not!' Charisma thinks immediately.
Second Hag: "I'm Sarah Williams. Pleasure to meet you."
Her voice is calm. Too calm. It almost relaxes Charisma against her will. Sarah looks somewhere in her early seventies, entirely grey hair tied into a bun so tight that it practically lifts her eyebrows.
Eyes closed, as though she meditates before destroying people's lives.
Eleanor: "Charisma, you're a woman now-
Charisma glares. 'I'm literally twenty-one.'
Sarah: "Your purpose in this marriage is simple."
Eleanor: "Do not disappoint us."
Sarah: "Have as many children as your husband desires, and of course, you must pleasure him."
Eleanor: "If he wants twenty-five children, then you give him twenty-five! Besides that, you are not to deny him."
Sarah: "Unless!"
She opens her eyes at that word, her voice suddenly sharp.
Sarah: "-you're sick or on your period!"
Charisma stares blankly, deadpan, unimpressed. 'So basically I will be nothing but his sex toy or rather a vending machine. Great.'
Sarah places her hands on her lap politely. "Now then, my child-
Charisma's brain combusts. 'When exactly did I become your child, hag?!'
Sarah: "Apart from the bedroom matters, you must learn to love him. We know you don't speak because of the incident."
Eleanor: "But please, dear, give your husband the privilege of hearing your voice."
Charisma rolls her eyes loudly enough to echo through the room. She hasn't spoken to her family in three years, why would she suddenly gift second son with her voice?
Sarah spots the eye roll. Her eyelid twitches. She lunges forward with surprising energy for an old lady.
Sarah: "You no good disgraceful, disrespectful demon child! Let me at her!! Let me ather! Let me give her a piece of me!!!"
Eleanor grabs her before she murders Charisma on the spot.
Charisma remains eerily calm. She lifts two fingers in a peace sign and sticks out her tongue before strolling out like a professional menace.
---
After the hags leave, Charisma storms into her room and slams the door hard enough to make the chandelier tremble.
Gabriel, her beloved butler and the only human she respects, stands there folding her clothes with surgical precision. His platinum fair hair tied back, icy blue eyes focused like he is doing heart surgery rather than laundry.
Gabriel: "Rough training?"
Charisma nods dramatically. Dropping face first into her pillow. Gabriel finishes up with her laundry and walks towards her. He sits on the bed next to her and fixes her hair gently, sliding the pins in place. He always does it better than the hags.
She will really miss him.
Gabriel: "Your dress is ready."
When she looks at the dress she frowns, 'there is no way I am wearing that dress.' She promised herself.
---
At night fall.
Charisma stands as still as a statue in the courtyard, watching the clouds shift and swallow the moon whole. Darkness settles over the Gilbert mansion and she finds it strangely entertaining, almost satisfying.
This is her last night here.
Tomorrow she marries the Second son.
And the thought of having children with a stranger makes her stomach twist violently.
She feels a warm hand slip into hers, Rachel.
Her eldest sister. It has been ages since they last saw each other and despite herself, Charisma's eyes soften a little.
Rachel lives in Costa Rica now with her husband, Alexander Blunt, a business tycoon and their three beautiful children.
Their marriage was arranged too but somehow they ended up deeply in love.
Disgustingly cute, in Charisma's opinion.
Rachel smiles and leads Charisma to a bench under a pine tree.
Rachel: "I bet you're so excited!"
Charisma shakes her head. "Not at all."
Rachel looks so much like their mother that Charisma feels a tiny pang of softness she immediately suppresses.
Rachel: "Oh, maybe you're nervous."
Charisma: "No, I just don't like all fussing the old hags are doing."
Rachel: (laughs.) "Old hags? You mean Sarah and Eleanor?"
Charisma: "I think I am going to run away, buy an island and hire a butler."
Rachel: "Wow, that's a wild dream you've got there. I don't think Camilo Delano is a terrible person."
Charisma: "I don't care about his personality whatsoever. I am just not keen on marriage or romance."
Rachel: "Well it's settled. Father doesn't care about what you want, so I'll just be here to support you."
Charisma stays quiet. Rachel has changed. Matured. If this were the old Rachel, she would be suggesting escape routes, forging papers or planning an assassination attempt on Second son.
Charisma sighs deeply, stands up and waves goodbye as she walks away. Rachel remaining seated beneath the pine tree, watching her go.
