Life Happens

Kate POV 

I walked through the mansion like a ghost, my heels clicking softly against the marble floor. Every room was bigger than any house I had ever seen. Chandeliers hung like frozen waterfalls of crystal, and gold accents glinted in the soft lighting. It should have amazed me, but it didn’t.

I felt… small.

Servants hovered nearby, their eyes darting nervously toward me. They didn’t smile, didn’t speak unless spoken to. Almost like they were afraid of me— or maybe afraid of him. My stomach twisted.

“Kate,” a young maid whispered softly as she adjusted a throw pillow on the couch. “If you need anything, just call.”

I nodded, forcing a smile, but inside I was shaking. I didn’t belong here. Not really. This wasn’t home. I wasn’t his wife. I wasn’t anyone’s bride. And yet, everyone treated me like… like I carried a storm behind me.

I wandered deeper into the mansion, trying to calm the storm of thoughts in my head. But as I passed the servants quietly preparing for the evening, I overheard whispers that made my blood run cold.

“Did you hear what happened to the last woman who betrayed him?” a butler said in a hushed voice.

“She… she disappeared,” another replied, eyes wide with fear.

I froze mid-step. My heartbeat slammed against my ribcage. Disappeared?

“And what about Mr. Wolf’s enemies? They say he doesn’t forgive.”

“They don’t. Not ever. No mercy.”

My stomach churned. I had married a man who wasn’t just cold—he was dangerous. I swallowed hard, trying to push the fear down, trying to remind myself I had to stay calm. But the whispering continued to echo in my mind like a warning I couldn’t escape.

Later that evening, Aiden told me we were attending a dinner party.

I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to leave the safety of the mansion— or whatever safety meant here— but his silence made it clear: refusal wasn’t an option.

The car ride there was quiet, almost suffocating. I stared out the tinted windows, trying to process the reality of my life. One day ago, I was a normal girl with a stressful job, a brother I worried about, and a sister who ran away from responsibility. And now… now I was the wife of a man everyone whispered about in fear.

When we arrived, the grandeur of the estate hosting the party made the Wolf mansion look small. Crystal chandeliers lit the room in a warm glow. The guests were wealthy, elegant, perfectly dressed, moving with practiced grace. I felt painfully out of place in my modest gown, my hands clammy, my pulse racing. 

Aiden didn’t seem to notice— or maybe he just didn’t care.

We entered the room, and the whispers started immediately. 

“He’s brought his wife?”

“She actually looks… normal.”

“Do you think she will survive in this world?”

I wanted to melt into the floor. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to scream. But then, out of nowhere, Aiden’s hand brushed against mine, and before I could pull away, he pulled me close.

“Relax,” he murmured softly, his cold eyes on me. “You’ll survive. I’ll make sure of it.”

I froze. The contact should have felt comforting, but it didn’t. Not really. It was too deliberate, too controlled, too… like a performance. His fingers brushed mine lightly, and my stomach flipped against my will. I wanted to hate him for the way he made me feel—so wrong and yet so alive—but fear kept me rooted in place.

Guests watched us closely, whispering to each other.

“He actually likes his wife.”

I wanted to laugh bitterly. Like he liked me. This was a show, and I was the unwilling actress.

The dinner passed in a blur. Aiden’s presence was constant, quiet, and dominating. Every glance he gave, every subtle gesture, reminded me that I had no control here. And yet… I couldn’t stop noticing the way his sharp eyes lingered on me, measuring, studying, unrelenting.

When the party finally ended, I was relieved to be back in the quiet of the mansion. I tore off my gloves, pulled at my dress, and paced the room. I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Why are you doing this?” I demanded, finally confronting him in the study. My voice shook, but I forced it to sound strong. “Pretending to be affectionate, putting me through this… why?”

He didn’t answer. He simply watched me, his sharp gaze tracking every movement. The calm, controlled aura that made everyone else fear him pressed down on me like a heavy weight.

I wanted answers. I wanted to cry. I wanted to hit him. But I was frozen, captivated, terrified.

“You’ll understand soon enough,” he said finally, his voice low, deliberate, almost predatory. 

I swallowed hard, my pulse spiking. “Understand what?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“Why I chose you,” he said, and the faintest smirk curved his lips.

My stomach twisted into knots.

The mansion, the whispers, the cold looks of the staff, the fake smiles at the party— all of it came crashing down on me at that moment. I was married. To a man I didn’t know. To a man who could be dangerous. To a man whose presence made my heart race even as my mind screamed danger.

And somehow… I knew, deep down, that nothing would ever be the same again.