Heartless (Random Updates)

Chapter 1

"Today is the day, are you ready?"

Jennifer looked up from her plate where she was pushing her food around and nodded, "Yes, Mother," she said softly as she laid her fork down. "I just have few more minor things to take care of but it won't interfere with the plans."

"Very good," her mother said before sighing, "We must do something about your hair, it is in utter mess. Why didn't you brush it before coming down?"

"I apologize, Mother," Jennifer said pushing a strand of long pale blonde hair behind her ear. "I did brush it—"

"Are you arguing with me?" her mother gasped in shock.

"No Ma'am," Jennifer said quickly looking down at her plate.

"Go to your room and finish getting ready," she glared, "we mustn't be late."

"Yes Ma'am," Jennifer said setting her cloth napkin upon the table and standing. She nodded her head to her father, "Father," she said softly before leaving the room.

"Nothing can go wrong today," her father said staring at his wife coldly.

"Yes Dear," her mother said before taking a sip of her water. "Everything will go according to plan."

"It better," he said coldly as he dropped his napkin onto the table and left the room.

Olivia sighed, took a drink of her wine, then sat her napkin on the table before standing and leaving the now empty room. Spotting the head maid at the foot of the stairs, Olivia walked over to her, "Everything must be perfect today, Regina. Nothing can go wrong."

"Yes, Mrs. Watson," Regina said as she checked something off on her clipboard.

Olivia walked up the stairs, and entered her daughter's room without knocking. "Mother," Jennifer said as she watched her mother through the mirror on her vanity while brushing her hair.

"Are you done packing your things?" Olivia asked looking around the spotless room.

"Yes Ma'am," Jennifer said setting the brush in the box on the vanity.

"Good," Olivia said as she came to stand behind her daughter.

Jennifer locked eyes with her mother in the mirror. They had matching ice blue eyes which contrasted drastically against their straight deep chocolate hair. Whereas her mother had let her olive complexion fade over the years by staying out of the sun, Jennifer embraced her skin tone and loved to sunbath when she could or go hiking or something to be outside every chance she could. Her mother's hair only went to her shoulders but Jennifer's went to right below her bra strap.

There was a knock on the door and a maid came in holding a silver tray. Olivia took the small box off of it and the maid quickly left the room, shutting the door behind her. Olivia held out the box and Jennifer took it from her. "Mother," she whispered.

"Happy 19th, Jennifer," Olivia said as she watched her daughter open the box. Inside was a heart locket with a W engraved on it. Jennifer opened the locket to find a picture of her parents on one side and her grandparents on the other.

"Thank you, Mother," she said as she held it up.

Olivia took the necklace and fastened it around Jennifer's neck before fixing her hair then placed her hands on her shoulders while watching her in the mirror. "Today is a very important day, Jennifer. It is the day you become a woman and follow along in our traditions. You have been preparing for this moment all your life. I know you will make your father and me proud." Jennifer barely nodded as she watched her mother's reflection. "Everything I have taught you is what my mother taught me and her mother before her and so on. This is the way life is for us."

"I know, Mother," Jennifer whispered.

"Tell me," Olivia pressed. "Prove to me that you remember."

Jennifer took a deep breath and stared at herself in the mirror, "My role in life is to be the perfect trophy wife for my husbands," she said with no emotion. "My father will pick the perfect men for our family and I will never question my father's decisions for me. While my husbands will provide everything I need, they will never love me. Love is not real so I will never expect to receive it. I will always look perfect for my husbands so I will not bring dishonor upon them, nor will I ever question their decisions since they know what is best. I am meant to be seen and not heard and will always be available to them for whenever they need me. I know that even though I will provide them with heirs when they decide, it will not mean anything because I am merely a trophy wife and they do not and will never love me."

"Very good," Olivia smiled proudly.

The door opened, causing both to turn to see who entered.

"It is time to leave," her father said as he stood in the doorway.

"Yes Father," Jennifer said standing.

"The maids will finish packing up your room and send your things to your new home."

"Yes Father," she said as she followed out of her bedroom for the last time ever.

The car ride to the wedding venue was filled with silence as Jennifer's mind swirled. She wondered what her dress looked like. She hoped the decorations were something she liked but she knew she couldn't question her parents about anything. They would just tell her that her future husbands planned everything and that was all she needed to know.

After two hours, the car finally slowed to a stop and the door opened. Her mother grabbed her arm and pulled her into a dressing room. She sighed in relief when she saw the gorgeous dress hanging up waiting for her. She felt beautiful in the dress and forced back a comment when her mother pulled the veil over her face.

Her breath caught when she saw 9 men standing at the end of the aisle in tuxedos by the priest. She saw no emotion in any of them but she already knew not to expect anything. The whole thing went by fast and before she knew it, she was repeating back everything the priest told her to. At the end each of the nine men kissed her cheek then surrounded her for the obligatory pictures.

She remained silent and kept the smile on her face like it was expected. As she danced with her mother she looked over her mother's shoulder and saw her now husbands hand an envelope to her father and he handed them a different, thick envelope. She wondered what that was about but knew she better than to ask.

When the reception was over, she hugged her parents goodbye for the last time since she didn't know when she would see them again, then got into the limo with her now husbands. None of them spoke to her so she just looked out the window and watched the scenery pass by.

After a couple of hours, the limo pulled up to something that resembled a castle to her. The driver held the door open for them as they exited. She followed them up the stairs and entered the house.

"Your room is upstairs and at the very end of the hall on the left-hand side," the man with grey eyes and black rimmed glasses spoke straightening his tie.

"Yes Husband," she said softly as she looked around trying to take everything in from where she stood. "Thank you."

The men looked at one another then went their separate ways. She watched them leave then headed up the stairs to go to her room. Finding it, she took comfort in seeing her belongings already there waiting on her to unpack and put away. She thought about everything that just happened to her as she changed into something else. She knew what to expect but still the silence from her now husbands hurt her. They really are heartless.