C6 Inspect the Goods!

Inspection?

Evelyn realized they had never seen her as a human being.

Ha!

Such a laughable family.

Sitting on the bed, her gaze was murky, unfocused.

She wondered if she could reach out to that uncle named Leslie for help.

But after patting herself down, her phone was nowhere to be found.

It must have been left in the living room.

Now she was in trouble.

Trapped on the 15th floor, there was no escape.

As dusk settled in, her stepmother came in with a meal: "Evelyn, I'm doing this for your own good. Marrying this man means you'll never have to worry about your future."

"Why don't you marry him then?" Evelyn retorted with a scornful look, her anger boiling over.

"You..." Her stepmother, fuming, raised her hand but ultimately couldn't bring herself to strike.

"I won't stoop to your level tonight." Biting her lip, her stepmother set down the plate and stormed out.

Evelyn's stomach growled at the sight of the food; she hadn't had a bite or a sip all day.

She was starving.

Grabbing the plate, she devoured the meal with abandon.

Food was one thing she'd never quarrel with.

Meanwhile, Evelyn's phone lay on the living room sofa.

The screen lit up with a message: "Are you okay?"

Saved as Prince Charming.

It was Leslie's number, a nickname she hadn't gotten around to changing.

Lucille, who was in the living room, caught sight of the message.

Prince Charming?

The man Evelyn fancied?

She dialed the number, and the call connected swiftly.

A voice, deep and seductive, asked, "Evelyn, is something wrong?"

The voice was enchanting, tugging at the heartstrings.

Lucille was momentarily taken aback.

But she quickly snapped back, speaking into the phone with irritation, "After tonight, Evelyn will be a married woman. It's best you stop calling her."

With that, she hung up.

Soon after, a portly man with greasy skin and large ears entered the home.

He appeared to be in his thirties.

He was the fiancé Willard had chosen for Evelyn.

The family ushered the man in with great reverence and escorted him to the threshold of Evelyn's room.

Evelyn, seated at the edge of her bed, rose with a wary gaze fixed on the door. "Who are you?"

Peeking out from behind the man, Willard chimed in cheerfully, "Evelyn, meet your future husband."

Husband?

Panic surged through Evelyn. Why had they brought this man into their home?

The man's face was plastered with a smile, but his eyes betrayed ill intentions as he approached the bed. "Evelyn, after tonight, you'll officially be my wife."

After tonight? Was he planning to spend the night? What exactly were they up to?

As the implications dawned on her, Evelyn bolted for the door.

But she was swiftly intercepted by Willard. "Evelyn, be a good girl. Dad's only thinking of what's best for you."

What's best for her?

Was it truly for her benefit to invite a predator in to defile her purity?

Oh, but what did purity even mean in Willard's eyes?

With a nudge, Willard pushed Evelyn toward the man and shot him a knowing glance. The man caught on and seized Evelyn's wrist.

Desperation set in, and Evelyn, drenched in a cold sweat, cried out towards the door, "Dad..."

The response was the sound of the bedroom door locking. Willard's voice carried through, full of feigned compassion, "Evelyn, Daddy's doing this for your own good. We'll step out now and return after you two have finished."