My Mysterious Husband

My Mysterious HusbandThe church was stunning—of course it was. Chandeliers dripped crystal from high vaulted ceilings. Golden candlelight danced across the ivory columns, and white petals lined the aisle in painstaking spirals.Aria stood at the altar in her champagne-colored gown, her heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with love.“This is ridiculous,” she whispered through clenched teeth. “Is this a prank?”“No, ma’am,” the priest said solemnly, not even blinking. “Mr. Vale has approved all arrangements. Including the proxy.”She looked down again and stared at the puppy.A small, fluffy, absolutely ridiculous golden retriever puppy sat at the altar in a custom-tailored tuxedo, tongue lolling out in pure joy. His leash was held by a man in a suit too sharp to be real, possibly a butler. The dog sneezed adorably.Aria turned to her mother, who stood off to the side dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. “Mom. Seriously. A dog?” she complains.“It’s all symbolic, swee

The morning air was sterile and humming with the rhythm of heart monitors, distant footsteps, and the low murmur of busy medics. St. Gabriel’s Hospital was alive again, and so was she—or at least pretending to be. Her long white coat fluttered slightly behind her as she strode past the nurse’s station, dark hair pulled back into a no-nonsense bun, her ID badge catching the light with every step.It had been three weeks since her last surgery. Three weeks since she’d left for her wedding.Three weeks since she married a man she barely knew.“Dr. Thorne!” called a voice, chipper and annoyingly familiar."Actually, it's Dr. Vale now," the other one chimed in with a mischievous grin, correcting her last name as if she'd just made a rookie mistake.Aria slowed, brows tightening with a sigh before glancing sideways. Lila, the resident nurse with too much curiosity and too little filter, leaned across the counter with a wide grin.“You’re glowing! Married life suits you.”Behind her, two oth

Morning light spilled gently into the bedroom, painting soft shadows across the walls. Aria stirred beneath the sheets, slowly opening her eyes to the quiet stillness around her. Her hand reached out to the other side of the bed, fingers brushing cool linen.Empty.Of course.A small sigh escaped her lips as the illusion faded. It was just a dream, she told herself. She thought she had heard him—Lucien—moving in the kitchen. She thought she'd smelled something warm and savory drifting into the bedroom.But dreams could be cruel like that.Pushing away the covers, she sat up and shook the thought from her head. “Don’t start again,” she whispered, brushing her hair back. Reality was waiting. She had work.She moved through her morning routine mechanically—shower, dressed, tied her hair, gathered her things. Piece by piece, she folded away the lingering traces of her dream and tucked them somewhere quiet.As she passed the kitchen, she paused, glancing in without meaning to.“But it feel

Lucien sat hunched at the end of the dimly lit bar, his fingers wrapped tightly around a half-empty glass of red wine. The rim trembled slightly as he brought it to his lips, but he didn’t seem to notice. His eyes were distant, lost somewhere in the swirl of shadows dancing along the wine’s surface. The low hum of voices and clinking glasses around him faded into the background—just noise, like the world itself was muffled behind a wall of regret.His jacket was still damp from the rain outside, clinging to his shoulders like the weight of everything he didn’t say. One foot tapped restlessly against the stool, a quiet rhythm of impatience or dread—maybe both. And as he stared into the dark depths of his drink, Lucien looked like a man chasing solace in a bottle, but finding only silence.He felt a tap on his shoulder. "Hey, what’s going on? You look a bit down," came a familiar voice.Lucien didn’t even have to turn around—he already knew it was Fabian Del Mundo, his childhood best fr

Aria received an invitation to a prestigious event hosted by their hospital, a celebration to honor its pioneering figures and major investors. As one of the most respected surgeons in the institution, her presence was expected.She arrived at the grand hotel in a stunning black gown, the fabric shimmering under the soft lights, a high slit revealing long, graceful legs that contrasted beautifully with her fair, radiant skin. Her face glowed with understated elegance, and heads turned as she stepped onto the red carpet, poised and breathtaking.Her gaze swept across the ballroom, taking in the glittering crowd—until it stopped, suddenly, at a familiar figure. Her husband.Lucien stood by the massive floral centerpiece, fingers absently circling the rim of his glass. The woman on his arm—Elena, a rising star among the hospital’s private investors—chattered animatedly. He smiled when it seemed appropriate, nodded when she glanced up at him. But his mind was elsewhere.“When was he invit