MasukLater that night, Sahara was about to enter the master’s bedroom when she heard voices from inside. The door was slightly open. And she heard everything. “I already told you I’m married, Rocsan,” Leaf said on the phone, his voice soft—almost affectionate. “You still came anyway.” Sahara froze. Her hand trembled against the door. “I don’t love her, okay? We were forced into this marriage because of our families.” Her heart dropped. It felt like something inside her cracked open. “That’s why I’ll file a divorce after three months. Don’t worry.” Sahara stumbled backward, unable to breathe properly.Rocsan.So that was her name. The woman he truly loved. Her vision blurred as she ran away from the door, her heartbeat drowning everything else. Three months. He was going to leave her after three months. Her knees weakened, and she almost collapsed. How was she supposed to make him love her now…when his heart already belonged to someone else? She had no friends to turn to. N
The next morning. Despite everything that had happened the day before, Sahara still woke up early. She quietly got out of bed and headed downstairs to prepare breakfast before her husband left for work. There were no household staff in the house, so she handled everything herself—from doing the laundry and cleaning the house to preparing meals.Wifely duties, huh? Leaf almost scoffed when he walked into the kitchen and found his wife busy cooking. She was wearing a simple white tank top and a pair of denim shorts. Nothing extravagant. Nothing intentionally seductive. Yet the sight of her still affected him. His gaze lingered longer than it should have. He didn't understand why she had this effect on him. Even dressed so simply, she looked effortlessly beautiful. For a moment, he simply stood there watching her. Then he cleared his throat. "Ahem." Sahara immediately turned toward him. And just like that, Leaf found himself frozen. A few strands of hair had escaped her pon
Sahara walked unsteadily into the bathroom, barely aware that she hadn’t even brought any clothes with her. It didn’t matter. Nothing really did in that moment except the tight ache in her chest and the tears that kept slipping down her face without warning. The moment Leaf mentioned her name—Rocsan—something inside her broke all over again.Rocsan.Her first love. The one she never truly let go of. The memory didn’t just hurt; it cut deep, reopening wounds she thought had already healed. She pressed a hand against her chest as if it might somehow ease the pain, but it only made her tremble more.Why did it still hurt like this?Even after everything, even after all the time that had passed, she still found herself falling apart at the mention of her name. Her tears came quietly now, steady and unstoppable, as she stood there trying—and failing—to hold herself together. She was her rival for the attention of the man she loved. Leaf was the same age as her. They had grown up in the
She couldn’t speak after hearing his words. It felt like something inside her had gone completely still—like her voice had been taken from her, leaving only the unbearable weight in her chest. She knew she had been wrong. She knew she had hurt him. That truth was something she could never escape. But she never expected this version of him. Not like this. Not where there was nothing left of warmth in his eyes. She didn’t fight anymore. Not because she didn’t feel fear, but because something deeper had already broken in her. The hope she had been holding onto…the belief that maybe, somehow, he still cared for her even a little. It was gone. “Leaf…” she whispered again, but this time her voice was smaller. Fragile. Almost like she was calling out to someone who no longer existed. He didn’t respond. He only moved closer, and even without words, the distance between them felt final—like a door quietly closing that could never be opened again. Sahara’s hands trembled at her sid
Sahara wanted to leave—but she couldn’t. No matter how heavy her heart felt, she found herself trapped by everything around her. Her parents. His family. Aunt Sharlene, who had always adored her and openly approved of her for her only son. Everyone had already accepted her as part of his life. And worse—there was no hiding it. Both of their parents knew she had openly liked him for years. The thought made her chest tighten painfully. Her eyes burned as her mind drifted to her father, Quinn. He was sick. Weak. The last thing she ever wanted was to add stress to his already fragile condition. She couldn’t tell him the truth—that her marriage wasn’t what everyone believed it to be. It was only for a show. That it didn’t feel like love at all. “Can I eat now? ” The voice pulled her back to reality. She blinked and slowly turned around. Her husband was standing there, irritation clearly etched on his face. Just seeing him made her heart jump painfully in her chest. She quickly turn
Sahara sat quietly in the passenger seat, staring out the window as the city blurred past. Her mind felt exhausted. Beside her sat the man who was now legally her husband.Her husband.The word still felt strange. Neither of them had spoken since leaving the courthouse. The silence inside the car was suffocating. Sahara tightened her fingers around the folds of her dress and swallowed hard. She didn't know what would happen once they reached his house. Would they share a bedroom? Would they pretend to be a real married couple? Or would he avoid her completely? Leaf hadn't said a single thing. Not after the wedding. Not after signing the papers. Not after slipping a ring onto her finger. Nothing. The only thing he had done was nod when her father instructed him to take his wife home.His wife. The title should have made her happy. Instead, it made her chest ache. Earlier, while they stood before Judge Charlson exchanging vows, she had almost allowed herself to hope. The judge







