A secret lover

 The ceremony came to an end. Theodore didn’t even pause before walking away from me, as if the vows we had just exchanged meant nothing at all. Family and friends gathered around, offering congratulations and wishing me a happy married life—words that felt hollow, almost mocking, against the ache settling in my chest.

A woman stepped forward, adjusting my veil with practiced fingers. Her voice was low, almost weary, as she said, “I did my best to prevent this disaster, but in the end, nothing worked.”

The woman standing before me was Theodore’s mother—Hailey Kingston. She had never liked me, neither before nor now, yet surprisingly, she didn’t hate me either. That hatred belonged to someone else entirely—Julia Kingston, the great sister of Mr. Theodore Kingston.

I never truly understood what Julia hated or envied about me. But I knew this much—I was jealous of her. She had everything I had only ever dreamed of: a loving father, a caring mother, a warm home, a complete family, countless friends. Everyone adored her.

My mother-in-law spoke again, snapping me back to reality.

“Anyway, let’s end this boring ceremony now. A car will pick you and Theo up shortly. You’ll head back to the mansion. You may go meet your family—we’ll be leaving soon.”

With that, she walked away.The next thing I knew, I was sitting in a car beside my husband, heading toward the Kingston mansion. Theodore glanced at me coldly. I avoided speaking, hoping for silence, but he broke it anyway.

“Now that you’re married to me,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery, “what about James? Are you planning to keep him as your secret lover, or have you already discarded him for money so you won’t get into trouble in the future?”

I knew he didn’t expect an answer. He only wanted to hurt me. Still, I replied.

“James and I are friends. Nothing more. There never was anything, and there never will be. And now that I’m married, it’s inappropriate for you to ask me such a question.”

What I wanted to say—that he was the only one I had ever loved—remained locked inside my chest.

He laughed, a cold, humorless sound.

“Oh, right. You’re married—to me. Does that make me your husband?” He scoffed. “How funny. But I’m sorry—I don’t consider you my wife. You’re just a forced order dumped on me. The one I love, the one who owns my heart, will always be Sofia. So don’t fucking try to take her place. so i would like you stay silently within your limits.”

“I know,” I said quietly.

I hid the sorrow carving a wound through my heart. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing my vulnerability.

By then, we had arrived at the mansion. He stepped out of the car, slammed the door, and walked away without even looking back.As I got out, an elderly man greeted me. He was much older than me, probably in his fifties. He smiled gently.

“Hello, Mrs. Kingston.”

I looked at him, startled. “Hello… and you are?”

“Oh, pardon my manners,” he said kindly. “I’m Kip, the butler of this house. Please allow me to guide you to your room.”and i silently follwed him into the mansion.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***