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The Mask Shatters.

Author: Preshy
last update publish date: 2026-03-20 03:59:05

~ Amara ~

The Obsidian was a place built of polished black stone and the kind of hushed, expensive air that made me want to hold my breath. It was the centerpiece of Raventport’s dining scene, a cathedral for people who traded in power and didn't mind the cold. I sat at the circular table, my back straight, my hands folded tightly in my lap beneath the white linen tablecloth. My dress was a deep, midnight blue—chosen by Helena’s personal shopper, of course. It was stiff and uncomfortable, the
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  • Bullied Wife In A Contract Marriage    The Drive Home.

    ~ Gideon ~The interior of the Maybach was silent, a vacuum of leather and expensive climate control that usually served as my sanctuary. Tonight, however, the silence felt different. It wasn't the productive, focused quiet I used to build empires. It was heavy.I looked at the empty seat beside me. Amara had left the charity auction without a single word to me. One moment she was standing there, the target of Selene’s practiced barbs about her "lack of an artistic eye," and the next, she was gone. She hadn't made a scene. She hadn't even looked at me for help. She had simply evaporated into the Raventport night.I adjusted my cuffs, the gold links catching the dim light of the passing streetlamps. My phone vibrated in my pocket—a notification about the Tokyo merger—but for the first time in months, I didn't reach for it.Beside me, Selene was humming a light tune, tapping her manicured nails against her clutch. She looked perfectly unbothered, her posture elegant and her expression v

  • Bullied Wife In A Contract Marriage    The Charity Auction.

    ~ Amara ~"You really should bid on the landscape, Amara. It matches your... understated personality," Selene said, her voice carrying across the silent gallery.I kept my eyes fixed on the oil painting in front of me. It was a study of a shoreline at dusk, the gray waves blending into a gray sky. Beside me, Gideon didn't even turn his head. He was reading the brochure, his thumb tracing the edge of the glossy paper. The auction hadn't officially started, but the social pre-game was in full swing."I think the colors are quite peaceful," I whispered. My voice felt thin in the vast, marble-floored ballroom of the Ravenport Arts Center.Selene let out a sharp, tinkling laugh that drew the attention of a nearby couple. "Peaceful? It’s depressing. It looks like a room with the lights turned off. But then again, you’ve always had a flair for the invisible, haven't you?"I looked at Gideon. I waited for him to say something—anything. A simple 'that's enough' would have sufficed. Instead, he

  • Bullied Wife In A Contract Marriage    A Secret Sanctuary.

    ~ Amara ~The wrought-iron gate of the Linden Row warehouse creaked as I pushed it open. The sound was rusted and loud, a sharp contrast to the silent, oiled hinges of Moore Crest. Here, the air didn't smell like expensive jasmine candles or floor wax; it smelled of diesel, old cardboard, and the metallic tang of hardworking trucks. I took a deep breath, letting the gritty air settle in my lungs. It felt more like home than the mansion ever would. I found Noah in the small glass-walled office overlooking the loading bays. He was hunched over a laptop, his brow furrowed in a way that reminded me of our father. When he looked up and saw me, his expression shifted instantly from stress to a sharp, pained concern."Amara," he said, standing up so quickly his chair scraped against the linoleum. He didn't wait for me to reach him. He met me at the door and pulled me into a hug. His flannel shirt was rough against my cheek, smelling of woodsmoke. I closed my eyes, letting my shoulders drop

  • Bullied Wife In A Contract Marriage    The Boardroom Breach.

    ~ Gideon ~ The glass walls of the executive boardroom at Helix Tower usually offered a sense of clarity. From this height, Ravenport City looked like a complex machine that I alone understood how to operate. I adjusted my cuffs, the silver links clicking as I sat at the head of the polished obsidian table. Ten of my top executives sat before me, their faces illuminated by the blue glow of their tablets. We were forty minutes into the quarterly projections for Moore Holdings, and the air was thick with the scent of expensive espresso and ambition. "The numbers for the Linden Row redevelopment are slightly below target," Rolan, one of my top executives said, tapping a stylus against his screen. "We need to tighten the margins on the logistics side. The Kline subsidiary isn’t as lean as we’d hoped." "I’ll review the internal audits by Friday," I replied, my voice level. "If the overhead doesn't drop, we'll begin the phase-out of the legacy staff. I want efficiency, not sentiment." A

  • Bullied Wife In A Contract Marriage    The Ghost of a Wife.

    ~ Amara ~ The silence of Moore Crest used to feel like a heavy blanket, but now it feels like a thin, cold mist. It follows me through the halls of the east wing and settles in the corners of the rooms I inhabit. Since the fitting room incident with Selene, I have learned a new level of quiet. I do not just speak less; I aim to exist less. I am becoming a shadow in my own home, a ghost that Gideon Moore paid millions of dollars to keep in a gilded cage. I spent most of my morning in the library. It is the only room in this house that doesn't feel like a stage for a performance. The scent of old leather and mahogany is grounding. I pulled a heavy chair into the farthest corner, hidden behind a row of encyclopedias that haven't been touched in decades. I didn't pick up a novel today. Instead, I reached for a thick volume on corporate mergers and acquisitions. If I am to be a "line item" in Gideon’s life, I want to understand the language he uses to define me. "Liquidated assets," I

  • Bullied Wife In A Contract Marriage    The Fitting Room.

    ~ Amara ~The boutique smelled of lilies and expensive floor wax. It was a scent that usually made me feel like I was intruding on someone else’s life. Today, it felt like a cage. Selene had practically dragged me here, her hand firm on my elbow as she guided me through the glass doors of 'L’Étoile'. She claimed it was for the Moore Family Foundation Gala, an event where my appearance was apparently a matter of national security."You really must try this one, Amara," Selene said, her voice dripping with that artificial sweetness she used as a weapon. She held up a gown that was little more than a slip of silver silk. "Though, I suppose we’ll have to see if the proportions work. Some silhouettes are less forgiving to... modest frames".I took the dress without meeting her eyes. I had learned that looking at Selene only gave her more to mock. "Thank you, Selene. I'll try it on"."Do be quick, darling. Gideon has a very tight schedule, and we wouldn't want to keep him waiting when he ar

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