Chapter 1: The Wedding That Wasn’t Hers

The wedding was meant for Elara.

But she never returned.

In the bridal suite, Aira stood in her sister’s white gown, waiting—until the door opened.

Kael stepped in.

“I know your sister ran away,” he said, calm and precise.

“And I know why.”

Aira’s heart dropped.

He held her gaze.

“If this wedding doesn’t happen, I lose everything. My father’s deal. The company.”

Silence.

“Marry me.”

“No,” she said instantly.

Outside, voices rose. Time was collapsing.

Kael didn’t move.

“If the truth comes out, your sister is finished. Her name, her future—gone.”

Aira clenched her fists.

He wasn’t asking.

He was cornering her.

“Fine,” she said at last.

“But on one condition—after this, you let me finish my studies. You don’t control my life.”

A pause.

Then—

“Agreed.”

His answer came too easily.

Minutes later, the music began.

Aira walked down the aisle—heart heavy, choice already made.

Kael watched only her.

Rings. Vows. A promise built on pressure.

A marriage bound by a secret… and a threat.

The veil lifted.

Shock spread.

“Aira?! Where is your sister?!” her mother demanded.

Aira didn’t look away.

“I married him. Because I wanted to.”

The lie burned.

The slap came—

and stopped mid-air.

“Don’t touch her,” Kael said coldly.

“She’s my wife now.”

Disowned in a breath, Aira lost everything.

Kael took her hand—

steady, unyielding—

and led her away,

not as a mistake…

but as a move he was willing to make.

Silence followed them.

The car moved through the night, but inside, nothing moved at all.

Aira sat beside Kael, her eyes fixed ahead, her thoughts loud enough to break her.

Just hours ago, she had a family.

Now… she had a stranger as her husband.

And a life she never chose.

The car stopped.

A massive house stood before her—cold, distant, almost intimidating.

“This is your home now,” Kael said.

No emotion. No warmth.

He didn’t wait for her reply.

He walked in… and disappeared.

Aira stepped inside slowly.

Everything felt unfamiliar. Heavy.

She stood there, alone… until the silence broke her.

Tears slipped down.

“Why did this happen to me…?” she whispered.

A knock.

The door opened.

A woman walked in—graceful, sharp, and composed.

Elena.

Kael’s mother.

Her eyes scanned Aira from head to toe.

“So, you’re the girl he married,” she said calmly.

Aira lowered her gaze.

“I didn’t expect this,” Elena continued, her voice soft but firm.

“But if you’re here, you need to understand this family.”

She spoke of their name. Their rules. Their reputation.

Every word felt like a warning.

Aira listened quietly… until—

one sentence made her freeze.

Something about Kael.

Something about this house.

Something… she didn’t know.

Her eyes widened.

Confusion. Shock.

A strange fear settled in her chest.

Upstairs, the sound of a door opened.

Kael had returned.

And suddenly, Aira realized—

this silence… wasn’t peace.

It was the beginning of something

she wasn’t ready to face.

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