Married To His Secrets

Sophia downed yet another glass of beer and slammed it onto the table with a heavy thud. The crystal rang out, sharp and fleeting before the loud music and wild partying in the club swallowed it whole.She barely flinched at the bitter aftertaste. Instead, she reached for the bottle again, her hands trembling. The lights blurred as tears threatened to fall, and she forced them back with a rough swipe across her cheek.On the eve of her wedding, she chose to drown—not in love, but in liquor. Her uncle would be furious if he ever found her here. Edward. The name burned through her chest. How could he? After everything?They had been together since high school, and she had sacrificed everything for him. She remembered the boy who once held her hand shyly, who whispered promises of forever under the oak tree near campus. Now, he was a man she hardly recognized—Managing Director of Regal Enterprises, sharp suits, sharper words, and an arrogance that only wealth could buy.And worst of all

Sophia’s heels clicked softly against the marble floor. Her hand rested stiffly on Gray’s arm as he led her down the aisle, her face blank and void of emotion.She didn’t look at him, didn’t trust herself to. If she did, she might yank her hand away and run.His grip was tight, just like his plans for her life. He didn’t even bother pretending to be gentle.They had been waiting for the groom in the bridal room, but Edward had been taking too long. So, impatiently, Gray forced her to march to the altar before the groom, saying the bride had no reason not to go first.Her wedding dress, which was both beautiful and heavy, dragged behind her like a chain. She kept her eyes straight ahead, forcing herself to move even though every instinct screamed for her to turn and run.The church was filled with unfamiliar faces, dressed in their finest and packed into polished wooden pews. Some craned their necks to get a better look at her, while others whispered behind cupped hands. Sophia was ce

The trip to City Hall passed in a blur, and before they knew it, they had arrived. Liam stole a fleeting glance at Sophia before stepping out of the car. She followed closely behind, eyeing him warily as he walked ahead of her.She barely registered the quick glances people gave her as she shuffled through the entrance doors, while Liam kept his distance instead of steadying her as she walked.Her wedding dress trailed behind her, ripped at the hem and stained with blood and dirt. But she held her head high, pretending this was all part of the plan.The lobby was stark and impersonal, washed in the pale glow of fluorescent lights. The faint hum of an old ceiling fan, mingling with the distant click of keyboards, only made the moment feel more unreal.At the counter, the clerk looked up, startled, taking in the sight of them. Sophia was certain the woman’s wide-eyed stare was shock.Liam cleared his throat awkwardly, forcing a casual smile.“We, uh… we’d like to get married,” he said c

The apartment building was unremarkable—gray concrete, narrow hallways, the faint smell of old paint and someone's dinner drifting through the air. Sophia followed Liam up three flights of stairs, her suitcase dragging behind her with a dull thump on each step.Her legs felt like lead. Everything felt like lead.Liam stopped in front of a door marked 3B and pulled out a key. The lock clicked open, and he stepped inside, holding the door for her.Sophia hesitated at the threshold, her breath catching. This was it. This stranger's apartment. Her new... home?The word felt wrong in her mouth.She stepped inside.The apartment was small but functional. A modest living room with a worn couch, a coffee table, a TV on a simple stand. The kitchen was visible from the entrance—compact, clean. A short hallway led to what she assumed were the bedrooms.Sophia's eyes swept the space. The couch looked barely sat in, the cushions still plump and perfectly arranged. The coffee table had no water rin

Three days passed in a strange, uncomfortable rhythm.Sophia learned that Liam was a morning person—up before dawn, coffee made by the time she stumbled out of her room. She learned that he was unnervingly quiet, moving through the apartment like a ghost. She learned that he left every day around eight and didn't return until evening, offering no details about where he went or what he did.And she learned that living with a stranger was exhausting in ways she hadn't anticipated.Not because he was difficult. He wasn't. He gave her space, didn't ask intrusive questions, didn't hover. But that was the problem. The apartment felt like a waiting room—two people occupying the same space, careful not to touch, not to get too close, not to make this arrangement feel like anything more than what it was.Temporary.On the fourth morning, Sophia's phone buzzed while she was brushing her teeth.She nearly dropped her toothbrush.An email. From Vertex Media.Her heart hammered as she wiped her m