CHAPTER TWO

The room was shrouded in darkness, with only the faint glow of a table lamp illuminating Felicia's solemn silhouette. She sat by the window, her eyes fixated on the moonlit garden outside, lost in her thoughts. Empty snack wrappers littered the floor around her.. She had Locked herself in her room for three days now, locked away from the world. She had retreated into her own solitude, refusing to come out and face the reality of her impending marriage to Raphael Gallagher. Her room had become her sanctuary.

Suddenly, a soft but persistent knocking broke through the silence. Three gentle raps, followed by a pause, and then the pattern repeated. It was Tina, who had been both friend and confidant to Felicia for as long as she could remember.

"Felicia," Tina's hushed voice called from outside the door, "it's Tina. Can I come in, please?"

Felicia didn't respond. She remained fixed in her chair, her face turned away from the door. The knocking continued, more insistent now, as Tina's concern deepened.

"Miss Felicia," Tina pleaded, "you haven't eaten properly in days. Please, you need to take care of yourself."

Still, there was no response from within the room. Tina took a step back from the door, her worry etched on her face. She knew Felicia well enough to understand that this was more than just a passing mood.

With a heavy heart, Tina continued to speak through the door. "I know you're hurting, Miss Felicia, but shutting yourself away like this won't make things better. Your parents are worried about you."

Inside the room, Felicia's shoulders trembled ever so slightly. She didn't care! She just couldn't bring herself to care about anything not when her life was about to be taken from her.

Tina decided to take a different approach. "Miss Felicia, if you won't open the door, then at least promise me you'll eat something. Please, for your own sake."

Silence hung in the air for a few moments longer before Felicia finally whispered, "Tina, just leave me alone please. I'll... I'll consider it."

Tina nodded, even though Felicia couldn't see her. "Please don't forget that we're all here for you."

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As days turned into a solitary blur, Felicia's father, William, could no longer bear the heavy silence that had enveloped their home. He knew he had to make amends for his harsh reaction.

Quietly, he made his way upstairs, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. He stood before his daughter's locked door, a deep sigh escaping his lips. He knew he had to find a way to reach her.

He knocked gently on the door, his voice soft and filled with remorse, "Felicia, my dear, it's your father. Please, can we talk? I need to apologize for how I reacted. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Inside the room, Felicia sat on her bed staring at the closed door.She heard her father's words, but her heart was heavy, and she didn't know if she could forgive him so easily for this contract marriage and for hitting her.

William leaned against the door, his own heart heavy with guilt. "I understand, Felicia. I want you to be happy, more than anything. But there are things we must consider as a family. It was wrong of me to slap you... And for that I'm really sorry....You know I've never laid a finger on you, I just couldn't Bare the thought of you... my only daughter.....choosing death over this marriage"

She remained silent as her father spoke.

William cleared his throat, his voice taking on a softer, more contemplative tone. "Felicia, do you remember that time when you were just ten years old?"

A faint, nostalgic smile tugged at the corners of William's lips as he began to recount the memory. "You had locked yourself in this very room, just as you have now, for seven long days. We were all so worried about you. Your mother and I had to knock down the door to get inside, and there you were passed out on the bed from hunger and dehydration"

 Felicia stood up from her bed, and sat at the back of the door, listening intently, a small smile playing on her lips. For months after her first door-locked tantrum, her father had treated her with the utmost care and sensitivity like she was going to disappear.

"You were a child, yes, but what I'm trying to say is that you've always been strong-willed, Felicia. You've always known what you wanted, and you've never been afraid to fight for it."

William placed his forehead on the door, his hand resting gently against the polished wood. "Felicia, we will find a way through this together, as a family. Your happiness matters to us more than anything."

 "Please, Felicia," her father pleaded his voice soft and desperate, "just make a sound, any sound, so I know you're okay." He urged.

Felicia heart was softened by her father's vulnerability, she let out a sigh. "I'm alright, Father," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sir Charles breathed a sigh of relief, but he couldn't help but ask tentatively, "Will you come out now, my dear? We can work this out together."

Felicia, however, wasn't willing to yield so easily. "Father," she answered firmly, "I won't come out unless you promise me one thing. Promise me you'll cancel the wedding."

Her father's face fell, and he hesitated before replying, "Felicia, it's impossible to cancel the wedding at this point. The preparations are already underway, and the wedding is scheduled for just a week from now."

Felicia's resolve remained unshaken as she stared at the floor "Then, Father," she responded resolutely, "I won't leave this room until you find a way to make it possible.