Predatory Marriage

Predatory Marriage Chapter 1 – Leah de Estia

Chapter 1 – Leah de Estia

Before the wedding, Leah wrote a suicide note.
As words slowly filled the crisp piece of parchment paper, her heart sang a melancholic tune.

She was certain that she would die after the first night of her marriage.
A bride’s suicide would bring disgrace to her family.
But a dishonorable, ignominious death was what Leah wanted the most.

Death.

Is it what she deserved? A miserable end for a royal princess, who devoted her life to the country and to her royal family?  Her accomplishments and efforts turned into ashes the day her family sold her like a common good—in exchange for wealth.
No matter how hard she tried, at the end of the day, she was only a mere tool for other’s convenience.

Oh, but death would be a sweet escape from the life she was to face.

Chang Jeong-baek, the man betrothed to her, could easily pass as her father.
However, despite her exercising a veto, she was left without a choice.
The man was insanely powerful that her parents couldn’t refuse in giving her hand—or did they even hesitate in the first place?

When the royal family accepted Chang’s proposal, Leah vowed to retaliate.
To blemish the highest quality good prepared by the royal family which is herself.
It was the only revenge Leah, in her powerless state, could possibly do.

Horses were already saddled up.
Today, she would travel towards Chang’s home where the wedding would be held.

The arrangements have been made without her permission.
For the coming days, Leah pictured out what was going to happen in her head.
After a three-week-long carriage journey, she would arrive at Oberde.
There, she would exchange vows with an old Chang, share the kiss of oath and…spend night with him.

The face of Chang Jeong-baek, excited at the thought of having his filthy hands on his new, young bride, was drawn clearly in Leah’s mind.
Unpleasant shivers ran up her spine, disgusted to think that he, who looked like a toad, would ride her body.

But Leah already did the irreversible.
After their first night, Chang will find that his new bride is impure.

The virginity of the bride in Estia was considered most important than anything else.
Knowing that a deflowered bride was sold to him, to which he paid a great deal of wealth, Chang would be livid and thoroughly insulted.

He was not a man to trifle with.
His power extended even to the barbarians on the periphery.
Moreover, his fury was enough to strangle the nobles of the capital.
Therefore, the royal family, which had already lost all their power