Chapter One

Chapter One

I was already in the wedding hall at the town hall, where my fiancé David and I were supposed to get married. An hour passed, but David still hadn’t arrived.

I looked at the clock above me several times, unable to understand what could possibly be keeping him. My fingers trembled as I dialled his number once again.

He wasn’t answering despite my numerous calls. I didn’t want to imagine the worst. David had always been punctual. He knew how much this wedding meant to me.

Where had he put his phone?

Where was he right now?

A thousand and one thoughts raced through my mind.

I tried to stay calm, even though I was already losing patience.

A town hall employee was already inviting me to enter with my future husband, who was nowhere to be found, when my phone rang.

I sighed in relief, ready to tell David what I thought of his behaviour.

I quickly answered.

“David, where are you? Everyone is waiting for you…”

The words he spoke next shattered my heart into a thousand pieces.

“Diana… I can’t be with you anymore… I found someone else whom I truly love.”

I rolled my eyes, convinced that he was joking. And I really wasn’t in the mood for jokes.

“Hurry up… otherwise we’re going to be replaced,” I replied, ignoring his words.

“I’m serious, Diana… I’m about to board a flight to Dubai… I’m starting a new life there with Ophelia,” he added.

Without even realizing it, I left the wedding hall and found myself in the courtyard of the town hall, the phone still pressed to my ear.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked in a trembling voice.

Today was supposed to be the most beautiful day of our lives. I couldn’t accept that this day, the day David was supposed to arrive here at ten-thirty to take my hand and enter the wedding hall with me, was turning into a nightmare. Yet he was telling me that he was going to start a new life with another woman.

“David… it’s getting late. Please come,” I begged.

“Diana… it seems like you don’t understand… I’m not coming,” he replied.

Tears flowed uncontrollably, ruining my makeup.

“I don’t love you enough to want to marry you and live with you. The one I want to marry is Ophelia,” he added.

My heart sank.

I had already suspected David of cheating on me, but the love I had for him was so strong that I had preferred to ignore the signs. When he had proposed to me, I had been unable to hide my joy at finally being chosen.

“David… I love you so much… we can fix things… come, let’s get married… please… I’m waiting for you,” I pleaded.

He hung up without warning, leaving me to sink into pain.

He knew about my dream of getting married… and he had still chosen to shatter it.

I didn’t even know what hurt more. The fact that he had left me… or that he had left with another woman—who was none other than my best friend.

The two people I trusted the most had just betrayed me on the same day.

What a fool I had been…

I thought we were building a future together.

I clenched my fists, furious, and called my bank advisor to have our joint account blocked.

“I’m sorry, Miss Diana… he withdrew all the money.”

My head began to spin. He had taken everything from me: my future, my best friend, and even my savings.

I dialled his number again… but the call no longer went through. David had blocked me.

I crouched down in the courtyard, indifferent to people’s stares. I felt as though my heart had just been shattered into pieces.

I cried uncontrollably… when a conversation caught my attention.

“Where is she? I don’t see anyone,” a man said.

“Sorry, sir… I’ll contact her,” his assistant replied.

“I don’t have all day… I need this woman to settle this matter once and for all,” he shouted.

“I wouldn’t even be here if my grandfather hadn’t forced me to get married… Otherwise, he won’t let me run the company,” he added irritably.

“I thought you said she would be on time!” he shouted again.

“I’m sorry, sir… I’ll try to reach her again,” his assistant said.

I deduced that he had hired a woman through an agency for an arranged marriage.

But she hadn’t come after receiving an advance payment.

The phone rang again.

“Her agency can’t reach her… she’s unreachable. We should leave and reschedule another appointment,” the assistant suggested.

“I’m not leaving here without getting married,” he replied firmly.

His words echoed in my mind.

Getting married…

Those words suddenly struck me. I had just been betrayed by the man I loved, but I refused to let this day be nothing more than a memory of humiliation.

A completely crazy idea crossed my mind.

I slowly raised my eyes toward the man standing in front of me.

An employee approached me.

“Miss Diana? It’s your turn.”

My heart beat faster.

I took a deep breath, then walked with determination toward the man in the suit who was still waiting.

He looked up at me, surprised to see me approaching.

I looked straight into his eyes and uttered the most insane words of my entire life:

“Marry me.”

He froze.

“What?”

I clenched my fists to keep my emotions from overwhelming me.

“You’re here to get married, aren’t you? You need a wife. And I… my fiancé abandoned me today, on the day we were supposed to register our marriage.”

His expression changed slightly, as if he hadn’t expected such a proposal.

“You mean you’re ready to marry me?”

I nodded.

“Yes. We both need a fresh start today. You need a woman to honour your commitment to your family… and I need someone to help me turn the page.”

“Then let’s get married,” he replied. His eyes remained fixed on me.

I quickly went to the restroom to clean up my ruined makeup.

With nothing to fix my hair, I simply wiped everything off.

When I returned, he was still there… elegant in his perfectly tailored suit.

My heart beat slightly faster.

At least I wasn’t going to marry someone unattractive.

He was incredibly handsome… with piercing eyes like an eagle’s.

Even more handsome… and surely richer than David.

I followed him to the mayor.

The ceremony was quick.

The witnesses stood behind us.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the mayor announced.

I blinked, incredulous.

I had just gotten married… to a complete stranger.