My True Love, My Beta
Chapter 1
Narrated by Aleli
The church bells ring out, announcing our exit from the ceremony. I’m holding onto the arm of my brand-new husband as our family and friends shower us with rice and rose petals.
Héctor opens the door of the limousine that will take us to our future home—a stunning two-story house, the kind every newlywed woman dreams of having to build a proper family, just as God intended.
Héctor is ten years older than me. According to my mother, that’s the ideal age gap for a marriage, so the man can provide for the family. I met Héctor when I was fifteen. I always knew he liked me. Every Sunday at church, he’d sit next to me, brushing my skirt with his sweaty hands. He was always a perfect gentleman, never disrespecting me. The son of a prestigious doctor, he followed in his father’s footsteps. Even though he pursued me from a young age, I didn’t reciprocate until I was seventeen, mostly due to my mother’s insistence. I was nearly done with school and wanted to pursue a career, but my father said a good woman should aspire to marry and build a home as God intended. My parents always drilled that into me—to aim to be a housewife, to find a good match. Héctor was always in their sights, so as soon as I finished high school, he asked for my hand, and we got married.
He carries me out of the limousine in his arms. It’s a beautiful summer night as we head up to our bedroom. Nerves overwhelm me—I’ve never seen a man naked before. Even though it’s the 80s and things are starting to loosen up, my family never let me have a boyfriend or go to a club.
Héctor begins to unzip my elaborate wedding dress.
“Relax, babe, just take it easy,” he says.
My dress falls to the floor, and instinctively, I cover my chest. A chilling smile spreads across his face, unsettling me. He starts to take off his tuxedo, soon standing completely naked. He grabs my hand and places it on his member.
“Feel how you turn me on!”
I swallow hard, my body trembling. My mother never talked to me about sex—it was always taboo at home. The little I know comes from my best friend from school, Sandra, who’s the complete opposite of my family.
“I love your breasts!”
Héctor kisses me hurriedly, pushes me onto the bed roughly, and starts licking my chest.
“P-please, stop,” I say in a timid voice.
“It’s our wedding night, Aleli. I have rights. Satisfy your husband!” he says, lifting his head to look me in the eyes.
I don’t say anything more. I just let it happen. He continues licking my chest, spreads my legs, and penetrates me forcefully.
“Ow, it hurts!”
“That’s normal. You’ll get used to it!”
He keeps thrusting hard. Tears wet my cheeks as anguish washes over me. It’s my first time—it hurts, but I guess this is how it’s supposed to be.
When he’s done, he collapses on the other side of the bed and starts snoring. I curl up on my side and cry silently, hoping the next time will be more pleasurable for me.
Days pass, and we’ve settled into our routine—well, Héctor’s routine, which is working at the hospital with his father. Mine is cleaning this huge house, cooking, washing, ironing. I barely have time to watch a soap opera on TV.
“Hey, Héctor, how was your day?” I ask, serving dinner.
“Fine! Has your period come yet?”
“Yeah. Sandra stopped by today and told me about some birth control pills. I’ve been thinking, what if I take them? I’m still young, I’d like to study and…”
“What kind of garbage is that friend of yours filling your head with? Listen to me, Aleli. Decent women get married and start a family, just as God intended!”
“I thought…”
“You don’t think! Leave that to me! We’re going to have a kid, and after that, we’ll have another so they can grow up together, just like my mom raised me and my brother!”
“Okay,” I say, lowering my head.
“And I don’t want you hanging out with Sandra anymore. She’s poisoning your mind!”
“No, please! She’s my childhood friend!”
“I don’t want to have to repeat myself!”
Weeks go by, and my life is so monotonous and boring. I clean, wash, cook, iron. I see Sandra at the market every day when I go out to run errands. That’s how we’ve arranged it with my best friend, so Héctor doesn’t get mad. He thinks I don’t see her anymore. When my mother found out he forbade me from seeing her, she was thrilled. She never liked Sandra or her modern ways.
“Hi, Mom, how are you?”
“Hello, dear. I’m glad your husband gave you permission to come have tea with me. How’s married life treating you?”
“Very well,” I say, putting on my best smile, just as she taught me.
“I’m glad! I suppose I’ll soon get the news that I’m going to be a grandmother?”
Before I can answer, my brother interrupts us.
“Mom, come quick, it’s urgent!”
She nods and heads to the study. I don’t know what secret business my father, Luis, and she have. Ever since I can remember, they’ve hidden things from me, but as a good girl from a good family, I don’t ask questions.
I stand up and watch the end of summer, the first leaves falling from the trees. It’s so nostalgic. I see the wind pick them up, lift them into the air, spin them around, carry them back and forth, controlling them however it pleases. That’s exactly how I feel.
Hey, dear readers, remember that this story is set in an era of significant societal change. Some people resisted modernization, while the newer generations embraced changes in fashion, music, and more. Divorce was only just becoming legal in some countries. I hope you enjoy it, and please support me with stars and hearts 😘😘😘😘