Chapter one

The village of Willowbrook lay nestled in the embrace of rolling hills, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. Its cobblestone streets meandered through the heart of the countryside, where time moved at its own leisurely pace. The scent of blooming flowers filled the air, a reminder that spring had arrived once again.

At the center of this tranquil hamlet stood a quaint, centuries-old cottage.

Cassie came out of her house and made her way through the streets of Willowbrook to get potatoes for her mother,she heard some noises and she turned her head to see some children playing together.As she watched the children playing in the meadow, her thoughts drifted to the days where her and Alfred would play together.

Cassie's eyes sparkled with fond memories as she remembered their youthful dreams. She had always imagined they would grow old together, their love blossoming like the cherry blossoms that lined the village square.

By the time Cassie got back from the market ,it was evening so she went into her room and immersed herself in her world of books,she picked up a bookTitled'Eternal Echoes of love'

It was the story of a young girl who got separated from her lover by her family so they could her married to a rich man instead.

Whenever Cassie read the story she always felt pity for the young girl,Little did she know the same was about to happen to her.

A knock on the cottage door startled her from her reverie. It was her mother, Margaret, a woman who carried the weight of tradition in her every step. She entered with a solemn expression, her eyes a mirror of the age-old expectations that loomed over them.

"Emily, dear," Margaret began, her voice gentle yet laden with the weight of responsibility, "Your father calls for you"

Emily looked at her mother confusedly .

Her father rarely calls for because her father was someone who had always believed that female daughters were worthless.

Emily stood up and went to meet her father who was sitting on a wooden chair at the backyard of their cottage.

"Sit"she heard him say.

As soon as she took her seat,He started"Cassandra i believe you already clocked eighteen years of age,Am i right??"

"Yes father"Replied Cassie

"Then you should know that it's about time you get married"Her father said

"Yes Father" she said again

When a girl is eighteen then its time for her to get married.It was the way of Willowbrook, a tradition that had stood for generations.

"I have someone in mind Father"She said

"And who may that be?"Her father asked,His tone laced with danger

"Alfred,Father"

"The shepherd's son??"He asked

"Ye...ssss"she stuttered

Her father laughed out laugh before saying

"You don't get to decide young lady,by the way,A marriage proposal came in for you yesterday from the Peytons,they would like you get married to their son,Edward"

What??....

"But Father...."

"Do you have any objections,young lady?"He said raising one of his eyebrows

"Edward is way older than i am, besides I and Alfred love each other and we plan on getting married"

"That is just your wishful thinking,get ready,The peytons will be coming over next week monday to meet you"That been said Her father stood up and went back into the cottage.

Cassie stared into space for a period of time not knowing whether to cry or not .

She heard a sigh near her,she looked up to find her mother standing next to her.

"Mother, please talk to father,i don't want to marry Edward" Cassie implored, her voice quivering with emotion, "I cannot imagine a life without Alfred."

Margaret's gaze softened, for she understood her daughter's plight. "Tradition has kept this village strong, Cassie. Our family's prosperity relies on it. You know that."

Tears welled up in Cassie's eyes as she thought of the life she was being asked to accept, a life without the man she loved, a life bound by the expectations of a society that felt increasingly suffocating.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the cottage, Emily's heart felt as though it, too, was descending into darkness. The echoes of her youth whispered in her ears, urging her to defy tradition, to hold onto the love she cherished. But the path ahead was uncertain, and Cassie was about to embark on a journey that would test the very boundaries of her heart and the depth of her love for Alfred.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter 😊

This is my first time writing and i promise the chapters will get more longer as the story continues...

Don't forget to drop a comment on your thoughts about the first chapter

Love.kisses.hugs.