Forced Marriage: Thirteenth Wife
1. I Can't

"I can't." The young girl's hands clenched tightly. His voice was trembling, but it was very clear that he was forcing himself to say his feelings. "I-I can't, Mother. I'm not—"

"Roxanne's." Contrary to the look of doubt the girl, the woman called Mother justu looked at her sharply. "Have you forgotten what I taught you?"

The girl, Roxanne, held her breath and was suffocated by the gaze of the Mother.

"To survive, you need nothing but to sell yourself." Mother snatched Roxanne's wrist, looking at her growing sharper to intimidate.

"The world is not kind enough to give you food, clothing or shelter. You have to do everything yourself. You must beg, you must humble yourself as despicable as possible."

"Mother told you long ago now ... are you trying to make self-esteem useless?"

Roxanne held her breath, suddenly silent and pulled a hand from the woman.

She, the woman Roxanne called Mom, wasn't her real mother. She is the woman who took care of Roxanne from birth, because her birth mother rejected Roxanne's existence after being left behind by the man who impregnated her.

Even so, I'm not taking care of Roxanne out of affection or pity. It's all about using.

He says he will use Roxanne who has a beautiful face even at birth, and instead Roxanne can use him to survive in a world that leaves nothing for her.

"Do you think someone will come to pity people like us?" Mother gripped Roxanne's arm and shouted furiously. "You think there's an angel who's willing to help you or Mom?!"

No. gabe.

Not so.

Roxanne had seen it, how rotten and sickening this world was. She, Mom and people like them don't feel the same comfort as they do out there.

Pity is useless. Sympathy is a lie. Mom always told him that and showed Roxanne the truth.

"You should be grateful." Mom releases Roxanne's arm, turns the other way.

"People from rich families want to buy you and make you a wife. That was the best fate. Accept that without thinking about anything else."

Roxanne's clenched hands grew stronger.

Mom's right. The man who bought it said that Roxanne would marry his son—he promised to give him a lot of money if Roxanne agreed.

But ....

"I'm afraid" whispered Roxanne helplessly. "I'm scared, Mother. That guy, dia—"

"Then don't."

Roxanne looked up surprised. Finding the look of the woman's loveless eyes that she ultimately considers a mother.

"If you're talking about a rumor that he killed his wives, or about him beating his wife, or whatever bad news is—then don't make him do it."

Mother held onto Roxanne's chin, looking at her fixedly.

"Don't make him angry, don't offend him. Don't bother him, don't make him unhappy. If he says silence, then be mute until he says speak."

"...."

"Remember, Roxanne. Even if out there all women start saying that our equality rights are the same, it's just a stupid illusion."

"...."

"Men don't like equality and they like women who don't. So shut up like a rat, just do what you're told. Understood?"

Roxanne bit her lips hard without caring about the pain there.

She clutches Mom's clothes as a form of impingement of fear and desire for shelter, but Roxanne pulls her hand as quickly as possible.

"I understand."

Any nonsense about women's self-esteem and emancipation hasn't given Roxanne a comfortable life all along.

That's why he will only hear you also hear what he thinks is right.

*