Chapter Five

That evening, the mansion felt strangely peaceful.

The tension from earlier had faded into quiet silence.

Natalie wandered through the halls absentmindedly until she stopped in front of a framed photograph resting on one of the walls.

It was Adrian and Maria.

Much younger.

Teenagers, maybe.

Maria stood beside him smiling confidently while Adrian looked noticeably colder even back then.

Natalie tilted her head slightly.

“So who exactly are you?” she murmured softly to the girl in the photo.

After everything that had happened, she still hadn’t fully processed the strangest part of all this—

Why did Maria look exactly like her?

Natalie sighed softly.

“She probably ran away because of that overly controlling man,” she muttered with a small laugh.

Unfortunately for her—

That “overly controlling man” was standing directly behind her.

“You find me controlling?”

Natalie nearly screamed.

She spun around quickly to find Adrian leaning casually against the hallway entrance.

“How long have you been standing there?!”

“Long enough.”

Natalie groaned softly in embarrassment before walking past him quickly.

“I was joking.”

“Mm.”

The corners of Adrian’s lips twitched slightly.

It was the closest thing to a smile she had seen from him so far.

Later that night, Natalie entered the bedroom quietly.

Adrian was already there sitting against the headboard with his laptop open beside him.

For some reason, the atmosphere between them felt different tonight.

Less hostile, quite…Softer.

Adrian looked up immediately when she entered.

“Hey.”

Natalie blinked slightly.

The softness in his voice caught her off guard.

“…Hi.”

As she walked further into the room, her foot suddenly caught against the edge of the rug.

Natalie gasped.

Before she could react, she stumbled forward directly onto the bed—

Right on top of Adrian.

Both of them froze.

Natalie’s face hovered dangerously close to his.

Their breathing mixed in the quiet room.

For several long seconds, neither moved.

Then Adrian spoke softly.

“You look different tonight.”

Natalie swallowed nervously.

“Different… how?”

His gaze slowly moved across her face.

“More beautiful.”

Heat instantly rushed into Natalie’s cheeks.

“Th-thank you…”

She quickly pushed herself up, completely flustered.

“I need to… um… powder my nose.”

Without waiting for a response, she practically ran into the bathroom.

The moment the door shut behind her, she stared at herself in the mirror.

“What was that?” she whispered breathlessly.

Adrian had always been Cold and Unreadable.

But tonight…

He seemed softer.

More human.

Natalie slowly touched her warm cheeks.

Then another dangerous thought entered her mind.

The mansion, The luxury, The comfort.

The servants answered her every call.

A life she had never even imagined having.

Slowly, Natalie looked back at her reflection.

“What if…” she whispered.

Her heartbeat quickened.

“What if I just become Maria?”

The thought terrified her.

But it also tempted her.

For the first time in her difficult life…

She finally had security.

Comfort.

And maybe…

Someone,  beginning to care about her too.

Natalie stared into the mirror for several seconds before finally whispering:

“Maybe telling the truth now would only destroy everything.”

Then she stepped out of the bathroom smiling softly.

Adrian immediately looked up from his laptop.

“Hi… hubby.”

Adrian nearly choked.

“Hubby?”

Natalie walked closer confidently.

“Well… I suppose I should stop denying reality.”

Adrian studied her suspiciously.

“That’s interesting,” he said slowly. “A few hours ago you claimed you weren’t my wife.”

Natalie forced a playful smile.

“I was still in denial then. But now…” she stepped closer, “I remember.”

For a moment, Adrian simply stared at her.

Then unexpectedly, he laughed softly.

“Well. That’s a relief.”

Something inside Natalie tightened painfully at the guilt.

But when Adrian looked at her again, his expression had softened completely.

“You know,” he said quietly, “this marriage was never only about the contract.”

Natalie blinked.

“I genuinely liked you.”

Her heart skipped unexpectedly.

“And I’m glad you accepted.”

Natalie’s breath caught slightly.

Because the terrifying thing was—

She wasn’t pretending anymore.

At least not entirely.

“I like you too,” she whispered honestly.

Adrian slowly reached for her hand.

“Can I kiss you?”

Natalie looked into his eyes.

Then quietly—

“Yes.”

The kiss started softly.

But within seconds, the tension between them deepened.

And before either of them could stop—

They consummated the marriage.

The next morning, Natalie woke slowly beneath the sheets.

A shy smile spread across her lips as memories of the previous night returned.

Beside her, Adrian stirred awake.

“Good morning,” she whispered softly.

“Morning, love.”

The nickname made her heart flutter unexpectedly.

Adrian stretched before sitting up.

“Work’s going to be busy today,” he said. “I may return late.”

“That’s okay.”

He smiled faintly before walking toward the bathroom.

The moment the door closed behind him—

A phone suddenly began ringing on the bedside table.

Natalie glanced toward it.

Adrian’s phone.

The caller ID showed an unknown number.

Curious, she picked it up.

“Hello?”

A female voice immediately spoke from the other side.

“Adriii baby, I’m sorry,” the woman cried desperately. “I shouldn’t have run away. I was scared, okay? Please tell me you forgive me—”

Natalie froze.

The voice continued shakily.

“I’ll apologize to Papa too, I promise. Please just let me come back home—”

Natalie’s blood ran cold.

Without thinking, Natalie quickly ended the call.

Her hands trembled violently.

Then slowly…

She blocked the number.

The bathroom door opened moments later.

Adrian stepped out, adjusting his watch.

“I thought I heard my phone ringing.”

Natalie forced a nervous smile immediately.

“Oh… it was nothing. Just a friend calling me.”

Adrian nodded casually.

“Alright. Don’t forget breakfast.”

“Okay.”

He leaned down briefly to kiss her forehead before leaving the room.

The moment the door shut behind him, Natalie’s fake smile disappeared completely.

Her breathing became uneven.

One thought echoed loudly inside her mind:

Maria was coming back.

And when she does …

Everything Natalie had started wanting for herself would be destroyed.

Her hands were still shaking.

Because somewhere out there…

The real Maria Daves had finally returned.

And she wanted her husband back.