Tale of Too Good To Be True

Audrey's Memories

"I was married once," Audrey gulped down the entire vodka in her plastic cup.
Her phone had been ringing the entire time, it was Adam. She turned off her phone and sighed. "I got married when I was twenty two,"
"I don't know this about you," said Mary shockingly. "What happened?"
"I married an asshole, that's what happened! The marriage only lasted less than a year. You know, I wasn't always this girl. I used to be a helpless romantic, I dreamt about meeting a charming prince that would carry me off to his castle and we'll get married and lived happily ever after. And then I met Edward. Oh, Mary you have to understand I was brought up with the idea that girls ultimate goal is to get married, have a husband, kids and a nice house. It doesn't matter what we've accomplished or trying to accomplish as girls, if you're ended up as an old maid, you're nothing but a sad, lonely woman.
"I wasn't born in a rich family. My dad worked so hard to get me an education but you know how girls at that age, I always looked at what other people's have and felt so inferior compare to my friends who could afford some expensive make ups. I grew up wanting to be rich whatever's the way. You know, I used to say get rich or die trying," Audrey scoffed. She poured another shot and finished it up.
"In college I met Edward. Oh Mary, he was an heir to an automobile mogule. His family is rich beyond belief and he was handsome too, probably still is. Well, I didn't know what he saw in me but he dated me. I fell in love with him so badly although now I think I just love the idea of marrying a rich, handsome man. Anyway, Edward at first was a really romantic guy. He treated me like a princess. I was so proud that I scored a guy like him that when he asked me to marry him I instantly said yes. Oh, it was my dream came true. My family were all happy for me but come to think about it I don't think my dad was really happy about my marrying Edward. I think now maybe he wanted me to have a carreer first to put my education into use, you know. It was after all his blood and sweat that got me through college but it was Edward who proposed, the heir to all that wealth, I didn't want to say no. I could've have the life of leisure and wealth with Edward, why would I want to go out there and work my bones dry like everybody else. So, we got married.
"Maybe the signs were all there but I was too blind to see it. Edward has an elder sister, Nicole. Everybody said she was the nicest person ever but my God! She was so horrible to me. You see, Nicole got herself a boyfriend, a mere staff in her Papa's company. They loved each other, that I know for sure, I could see it. But Edward's parents weren't agree to the match and tried to force her to break things up with him. The weird thing was the parents though accepted me kindly. I was not in the same class as theirs but they were very kind and actually thrill when they heard about our wedding plan. Nicole was furious. It was funny really that I didn't see the sign right in front of my eyes. Edward's parents didn't care who he married as long as someone would took him away from their hands and that someone was me.
"I remembered how proud I was at my wedding day. I was the first to got married among my friends and to an heir too no less. Oh, jokes on me cause I just married the most horrible person ever lived. He didn't use his hands to torture me but he put me through hell all the same. It was like living with Satan.
"I remembered our wedding night. It was so painful," tears gathered in her eyes. "He was very selfish in bed. We never had foreplay, he would go in while I was very dry and finished just like that, wouldn't even taken the time to care about me, about my needs. It was horrible, I never came once with him. I tried to talk to him several times about it that I felt I might sounded like a pervert but he never heeded me. So I was left unsatisfied with him on top of that he was a lazy bastard. We did have servants, oh, and his parents gave us a mansion in Devon but he always made me feel horrible about myself. Always bringing up how I used to be poor and I have to thank him because he elevated me. He controlled everything I did, whoever I could and could not see. He took up all of my time just for his amusement. I felt like he was imprisoned me and the worst part is no one could see the bars.
"He never listened to me. Anything he wants goes but when I said something he wouldn't listen. He humiliated me in front of my friends and family. He would screamed and yelled at me for just one tiny mistake. Oh God, he was the one who made me realized that I don't like being married. I'd rather be alone, working to earn my bread than to stay with him for another minute. We've been married for six months when I started my plan to run away.
"I've done terrible things just to get away from him. I stole his money, little by little from his wallet, just a small change as my get away money. I degraded myself for him just to made him happy enough to allow me to buy jewelry for my save keeping. But I've done one thing that haunts me to this day. It was a week after I first planned my escape when I found out that I was five weeks pregnant. I was confused and miserable. I felt the baby would've just weighed me down," Audrey began to sobbed loudly. "So I got an abortion," tears filled her eyes and down her cheeks.
"I couldn't bear to carry that horrible man's baby. I hated him, I couldn't do it. Oh, God!"
"Oh, Audrey," Mary held her tightly.
"No one knew about the baby. I was so miserable, Mary. Six months later I came to London and started afresh. I hired a lawyer in Devon and got divorced from Edward. The day I left that cursed mansion was the last time I ever saw Edward."
"Now, my life is happy. I don't need love or men. I don't want to make the same mistakes over and over again. The last time I loved a man, I lost half of my soul for it. I learned my lesson,"
"But Audrey, maybe Adam is different?"
" That's the hard part, Mary, even if Adam is sincerely a good guy, I will never know it because I'm too scared to try it with him."
"Mary, promise me you will never marry in a rush. I know your mom has been badgering you with it but you can't never let her shamed you into one. Find the one for you and not just because you have to get married for the sake of being married but because you love him and he loves you sincerely."
"I promise,"