A Broken Bride

At 3:00 a.m, everything around me was blur. My head throbbed violently, and every inch of my body screamed in pain as I struggled to pull myself off the floor. Daniel’s kicks had left me badly wounded. Blood streamed from the cut on my forehead, running down my face and dripping onto the clothes I had worn that night.

But the pain in my body was nothing compared to what I felt when I heard the moan sound coming from our room.

I froze.

Then I rushed toward the door, my heart pounding wildly against my chest. I tried the handle, but it was locked.

“Daniel?”

I pushed against the door with all the strength I had left.

“Daniel, please… open the door.” I cried out loudly.

I banged on it again and again, my voice breaking with every word. But the door remained firmly shut.

And then I heard it.

The moans grew louder, cutting through me like knives. I covered my ears, squeezing my eyes shut, desperately wishing the sound would disappear. But it wouldn't. No matter how tightly I pressed my palms against my ears, the sound seemed trapped inside my head.

Inside the room that was supposed to be ours. The home where I was supposed to feel loved. In a marriage I thought would last forever.

“Daniel, please!” I yelled, pounding against the door. “Please, open the door!”

But he refused.

Eventually, my strength gave out. I slowly dragged myself away from the door and stumbled into another room. I collapsed onto the bed, my body trembling uncontrollably as tears poured down my face.

I cried until my chest hurt, until I could barely breathe. For two whole days, I didn't leave the room. I didn't eat. I didn't bathe. I barely moved. I simply lay there, staring into nothingness, holding on to the smallest hope that maybe Daniel would come looking for me. Maybe he would realize I was gone or probably miss me.

Maybe he would remember that I was his wife.

Maybe, just maybe, he would change his mind.

But he didn't.

Night after night, I heard the sounds of moans and pleasure coming from my matrimonial room. Each sound tore another piece of my heart away, while I remained curled up in the darkness, completely helpless.

I couldn't understand how the man I loved so deeply could become the same man who had left me bleeding on the floor.

I was still stained with the blood from our wedding night—the very night Daniel had kicked me until I lost consciousness.

Lying there in that room, broken and empty, my mind wandered back to the past.

To the Daniel I used to know. The same person who protected me, who looked after me. The Daniel who would stare at me with that helpless little smile that made my heart race.

I remembered the way he used to look at me, as though I was the most precious thing in his world.

I remembered how safe I had felt in his arms.

How loved I had felt.

How foolishly, completely, and hopelessly I had trusted him.

And that was what hurt the most.

Because the man whose memories I was clinging to was the same man who was now breaking my heart piece by piece.

I had fallen head over heels in love with Daniel.

I just never imagined that one day, loving him would become the very thing that destroyed me.

That evening, I finally gathered the courage to stand up for myself. I was completely done. I couldn't take the insults and humiliation anymore.

I went to the bathroom, and as I stood under the shower, I began thinking of ways to escape the hell I was trapped in. I knew how powerful Daniel was, and I also knew that a divorce would destroy his reputation in this city.

That was it. That was going to be my weapon.

I was going to divorce him.

Thankfully, I had my own business, so I didn't have to depend on him for survival. It was becoming painfully clear that, from now on, I was on my own.

I was determined to ruin Daniel's life, even though a part of me still loved him. I wanted to see him crawl back to me, desperate for my forgiveness, as though his life depended on it.

But first, I had something to do.

Daniel wasn't around when I went back to the room to get my dress. I took the one I had been wearing and threw it into the fireplace, watching as the flames consumed it.

Then I slipped into a red, body-hugging gown that accentuated my curves. I curled my hair and applied makeup, doing my best to hide the wrinkles that had appeared on my face from all the crying. Finally, I put on a huge pair of glasses.

Everyone thought Daniel and I had gone away on our honeymoon.

But little did they know that, behind closed doors, I had never been treated like a bride by my so-called husband—not to mention being treated like a wife.

I picked up my car keys and drove straight to Lucas's office—Daniel’s younger brother.

“Such an unexpected visit, Camilla,” Logan acknowledged as I walked into his office.

A few of his employees were still around, so I closed the door behind me and pulled down the blinds.

“Okay…” Lucas dragged out the word, studying me carefully. “What’s going on, Camilla? Are you okay?”

He walked around the desk and leaned against the edge, crossing one leg over the other as he folded his arms across his chest. His suspicious gaze never left me.

I sat down in the chair opposite him, crossed my legs, relaxed against the backrest, and met his stare head-on.

“I’m going to divorce your brother, Lucas” I said.

The moment the words left my mouth, I expected him to be shocked—perhaps even surprised. After all, Daniel and I hadn’t even been married for a week.

But Lucas said nothing.

He remained silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he stepped closer to me and gently removed my glasses.

“If he did this to you, then I completely support your decision,” Lucas said.

I narrowed my eyes, searching his face to determine whether he truly meant it.

I had always known that Lucas and his brother didn’t get along, but I never realized the hatred between them ran this deep.

Then again, I didn’t care.

I stood up and took my glasses back from him, putting them on.

“Meet me at C’ornells Restaurant. My lawyer and I will be waiting for you,” I said.

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked out of his office, my shoulders held high and my head held even higher.