LOGINI walked into the dining room expecting to be alone.Instead, Marcus was already sitting at the head of the table, calmly reading his newspaper. The sight of him made my stomach twist.He looked up as I entered. “Good morning.”I didn’t reply. I pulled out my chair and sat down slowly.The maid walked in carrying a fresh pot of coffee. “Good morning, ma’am. Shall I serve breakfast now?”Marcus raised his hand without looking at her. “No. Leave the tray. We’ll serve ourselves. You can go.”The maid nodded quickly and left, closing the door with a soft click. The room suddenly felt smaller.I stared at the plate in front of me. Fresh fruit, warm croissants, scrambled eggs with herbs. Everything looked beautiful. It made the lie of our marriage feel even heavier.Marcus poured coffee into his cup. The rich aroma filled the air. “I’ll be away for three days,” he said casually. “Important meetings in Rome. Donors, party leaders, strategy sessions. Call me if anything comes up.”I gave a sm
“You should be excited,” Marcus said as we drove through the tall iron gates. “Mother will be especially happy tonight.”His cheerful tone sent a chill down my spine. I knew that voice. It usually meant he was planning something I wouldn’t like. I sat quietly in the passenger seat, staring at the grand mansion ahead. The Hale family estate looked perfect as always, with its manicured gardens and glowing lights. It was the kind of place that screamed old money and power. I had always felt small here, like I didn’t quite belong.We stepped out of the car. Marcus placed his hand on my lower back, guiding me forward like the perfect husband. The heavy wooden doors opened before we even reached them. Marcus’s mother, Elena, stepped out first. She pulled her son into a warm hug, kissing both his cheeks.“My dear boy, you look wonderful,” she said with real affection.Then her eyes moved to me. The warmth disappeared. “Lilah,” she said with a polite nod. Nothing more.I forced a small smile.
A loud phone ring shattered the peaceful silence in Damien’s apartment.I jolted awake, heart pounding. For a confused second, I didn’t know where I was. Then it all came rushing back. I was still on Damien’s sofa, his arm resting loosely around me. Panic hit me like cold water. I had stayed far too long.I gently slipped out from under his arm and hurried into the hallway, grabbing my phone from my bag. Marcus’s name flashed on the screen. I answered quickly, closing the door behind me.“Where the hell are you?” Marcus snapped before I could speak. “I’ve called you six times. We have dinner at my parents’ estate tonight. Seven sharp. You were supposed to be home hours ago.”I glanced at the time and felt my stomach drop. It was already late afternoon. I had completely lost track of everything.“I’m sorry,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I fell asleep at the hospital while visiting Mama. I didn’t mean to stay this long.”Marcus let out a sarcastic laugh. “The hospital. Right.
I woke up alone.The bed felt enormous, the sheets cold where Marcus usually slept. Morning light filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across the floor. I stared at the empty space beside me for a long moment, waiting for the familiar ache of sadness or confusion to hit me.It never came.Instead, there was only a strange, quiet emptiness. After last night’s slap, the open marriage agreement, and the way he had looked at me like I was nothing, something inside me had finally shifted.I dragged myself out of bed, showered, and dressed in simple clothes. As I brushed my hair, I caught sight of the faint bruise on my left cheek. I touched it gently. It was still tender.Downstairs, breakfast waited on the table, but I had no appetite. My phone rang. Marcus.“Good morning,” he said cheerfully, as if nothing had happened. “My parents want us for family dinner tonight at seven. Important guests will be there. Dress nicely. I’ll pick you up at six.”I stayed quiet.“You okay?”
The car door had barely closed before Marcus’s anger filled the entire space like thick smoke.“How dare you humiliate me in front of everyone?” he hissed, gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. “Kissing a stranger right there where people could see? Have you lost your mind?”I sat frozen in the passenger seat, still wearing my mask, my heart pounding from everything that had happened. The taste of the stranger’s kiss still lingered on my lips. For the first time in years, someone had made me feel wanted, even if only for a few seconds. And now Marcus was acting like I had committed a crime.“I humiliated you?” I said, my voice shaking with disbelief. “You had your tongue down Tessa’s throat in the middle of the party while I was supposed to stand there smiling like a fool. You’re the one who wanted an open marriage, Marcus. You signed the papers with me tonight. So tell me, how is this different?”He laughed coldly, speeding through the quiet streets of Milan.
I stood in front of the mirror adjusting the black lace mask over my eyes. The elegant masquerade gown hugged my body perfectly, but I felt nothing. No excitement. No joy. Only a deep emptiness that seemed to grow heavier with every passing minute. Tonight was Senator Rossi’s birthday gala, one of the most important events of the season, and I was expected to play the role of the perfect wife once again.Marcus walked into the room holding a folder. “Sign it before we leave,” he said, placing the papers on the dressing table.I stared at the document. The open marriage agreement. My hands started shaking as I picked up the pen. “Marcus, please… don’t make me do this.”He stepped closer, his voice low and firm. “Your mother’s next treatment payment is due in three days. Sign it, Lilah. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”The threat hung in the air between us. I thought about my mother lying unconscious in that hospital bed, completely dependent on the money Marcus controlled.
I sat beside my mother’s hospital bed, holding her frail hand in mine. The machines beeped softly in the quiet room, steady and unchanging. For the first time since yesterday, I let the tears fall freely. They rolled down my cheeks without shame, dropping onto the white hospital sheets.“Mama,” I w
Lilah's POV.The doctor’s voice was quiet.“The test is negative again, Mrs. Hale. I’m sorry.”I sat on the exam table, the thin paper crinkling under me. My chest tightened. That familiar sting hit deep, like an old wound opening up again. Negative. Again. I stared at the floor and tried to breathe







