Chapter 1: The Bride Who Lost Everything

"Sabi nila, kapag may kutob ang babae, madalas tama iyon. Ang problema... pinipilit pa rin nating maniwala sa taong unti-unti nang sumisira sa atin."

Tatlong araw na lang.

Three days before I officially become Mrs. Liam Castillo.

Everyone kept telling me how lucky I was.

"Kiara, grabe! CEO ang mapapangasawa mo."

"Sana all! You're literally living every girl's dream."

I would smile and thank them.

But deep inside, something didn't feel right.

For the past week, Liam had been acting differently.

He barely replied to my messages.

He always had meetings.

Business dinners.

Late-night calls.

Whenever I asked him if everything was okay, he would simply smile and say,

"Baby, I'm just preparing for our future."

And because I loved him...

I believed him.

Maybe love really makes people blind.

Or maybe...

It makes us ignore the truth that's already staring us in the face.

I had just finished my final gown fitting when my phone vibrated.

An unknown number.

I frowned before opening the message.

If you still want to know the truth before your wedding, go to Grand Luxe Hotel. Room 1808. Right now.

My heart skipped a beat.

I stared at the screen for almost a minute.

Who sent this?

Was this some kind of prank?

I almost ignored it.

Almost.

But something inside me kept whispering...

"Go."

Twenty minutes later...

I stood outside Room 1808.

My palms were sweating.

My heartbeat echoed louder than the hallway itself.

This was ridiculous.

Maybe Liam was meeting a client.

Maybe someone just wanted to ruin our relationship.

I reached for the doorknob.

It wasn't locked.

Slowly...

I pushed the door open.

"Liam?"

No answer.

The suite was quiet.

Too quiet.

Then I heard it.

A woman's soft laugh.

Followed by Liam's voice.

"You're impossible."

"Stop laughing."

"I'll kiss you again."

My entire body froze.

That wasn't the way he talked to business partners.

The sound came from the bedroom.

Every step I took felt heavier than the last.

Please...

Please let me be wrong.

Please.

I pushed the bedroom door open.

And my world ended.

Liam.

Half-dressed.

Kissing another woman.

The woman turned around.

She looked at me.

Then smiled.

It was Vanessa.

My cousin.

The same cousin who helped me choose my wedding gown yesterday.

The same cousin who kept telling me how excited she was for my wedding.

For a few seconds...

No one moved.

No one spoke.

Then Vanessa crossed her arms and smirked.

"Well..."

"I guess the surprise is over."

I looked at Liam.

Waiting.

Begging.

Praying he'd tell me there was an explanation.

Instead...

He sighed.

"As planned."

I blinked.

"What?"

"I was going to tell you eventually."

Every word coming out of his mouth felt like another knife stabbing my chest.

"You were going to tell me?"

"When?"

"After our honeymoon?"

"After we had kids?"

His face remained emotionless.

"I never loved you, Kiara."

Silence.

Everything around me disappeared.

"I stayed because marrying you was practical."

Vanessa laughed softly.

"You were just... convenient."

I felt my knees weaken.

Four years.

Four years of loving him.

Supporting him.

Trusting him.

All because I believed we were building a future together.

Turns out...

I was the only one building anything.

I slowly removed the engagement ring from my finger.

The same ring he placed on my hand while promising forever.

I walked toward him.

He stretched out his hand.

Thinking I was giving it back peacefully.

Instead...

I threw it straight at his chest.

It hit him before falling onto the floor.

"I hope she's worth it."

Vanessa rolled her eyes.

"Oh, please."

"You weren't even that interesting."

I smiled.

Not because I was okay.

But because I refused to let them see me break.

Then...

I slapped Liam across the face.

The loud sound echoed inside the suite.

Vanessa gasped.

Liam slowly touched his reddening cheek.

"You'll regret that."

I looked him straight in the eye.

"No."

"You will."

Without another word...

I walked away.

The moment the elevator doors closed...

The tears finally came.

I cried.

Not because I wanted him back.

But because I realized...

The man I loved never really existed.

Outside the hotel, heavy rain poured from the dark sky.

Within seconds, I was completely soaked.

People hurried past me carrying umbrellas.

No one noticed the woman whose entire life had just fallen apart.

I laughed bitterly.

Maybe this was fate's way of telling me...

Dreams don't always come true.

Sometimes...

They become nightmares.

My phone suddenly rang.

St. Matthew Medical Center

I immediately answered.

"Hello?"

"Miss Valencia?"

"Yes."

"This is regarding your mother's surgery."

My grip on the phone tightened.

"What happened?"

"We're sorry."

"Your payment deadline has already passed."

"If the remaining balance isn't settled by tomorrow morning..."

"...we'll have to postpone the operation."

"No."

I shook my head even though they couldn't see me.

"Please."

"Give me more time."

"I'm trying."

"I'm really trying."

"We're sorry, Miss."

The call ended.

I immediately opened my banking app.

Available balance.

₱3,284.

That was all I had left.

Every peso I saved for years...

Gone.

Wedding venue.

Photographer.

Flowers.

Invitations.

Everything.

For a wedding that would never happen.

I looked up at the dark sky.

"What else do you want to take from me?"

Just then...

A sleek black Rolls-Royce slowly stopped in front of me.

Its tinted window rolled down.

A deep masculine voice spoke.

"Miss Kiara Valencia."

I frowned.

"Yes?"

"I've been looking for you."

The man removed his sunglasses.

He looked like he had stepped out of a billionaire magazine.

Perfectly tailored black suit.

Sharp jawline.

Silver streaks in his dark hair.

Cold, unreadable eyes.

He looked older than me by at least twenty years.

But there was something about him...

Something powerful.

Something dangerous.

"Do I know you?"

He gave me a small smile.

"No."

"But I know everything about you."

My heart skipped a beat.

"What do you mean?"

"You were just betrayed."

"Your wedding is cancelled."

"Your mother needs surgery."

"And you're almost out of money."

I took one step back.

"Who are you?"

Instead of answering...

He opened the car door.

"Get in."

"I have a proposal."

I frowned.

"What kind of proposal?"

"The kind that saves your mother's life."

I stared at him.

Suspicion filled every part of my body.

"Nothing in this world is free."

His lips curved into a faint smile.

"Exactly."

"I don't give charity."

"I make deals."

My heartbeat became faster.

"What do you want from me?"

He looked straight into my eyes.

"I need a wife."

For a second...

I thought I heard him wrong.

"What?"

"A contract marriage."

"I'll pay for your mother's surgery."

"I'll clear all your debts."

"I'll give you a new life."

"In return..."

"You become my wife."

I almost laughed.

Was this some kind of sick joke?

"I don't even know your name."

The man extended his hand.

"My name is Alessandro Montenegro."

"And if you accept my offer..."

"You'll never have to cry because of Liam Castillo again."

My breathing stopped.

How did he know Liam?

Who exactly was this man?

And why did it feel like accepting his offer would change my life forever?

Little did I know...

The billionaire sitting in front of me...

Wasn't just a stranger.

He was the one man my ex-fiancé could never afford to disrespect.

His own father.

End of Chapter 1