Chapter 2:The architecture of silence

OLIVIA POV

I didn't sleep at all after Blake whispered her name. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard

him moan "Aria," and it felt like a knife twisting in my chest, reminding me that even after

six years, I was still just a ghost to him. By 6:00 AM, I was out of bed, scrubbing my body in

the shower until it was red, trying to wash away the feeling of his hands and the sound of

his betrayal.

I dressed in a sharp, cream-colored suit, pulling my chestnut hair back into a tight, perfect

bun. I looked in the mirror and saw the woman the world knew as Mrs. Sterling, the calm,

elegant power broker who kept the empire running, but my hazel eyes looked dead. I had to

be strong, I had to be perfect, because today was just another day of playing my role in his fake life 

I walked down the wide marble stairs of Crest Estate, hearing the familiar sounds of the

house waking up. Madam Chen was already in the kitchen, her face was kind but her eyes

worried as she handed me a cup of tea. She knew me better than anyone; she saw the

cracks in my mask, but we never spoke about it.

"The young master is in the library, Madam," she whispered, and I nodded, heading toward

my son.

Nathaniel was only six, but he had his father’s dark hair and my quiet, observant nature. He

was sitting at the massive oak table, surrounded by his books, looking so small in such a big,

cold house. I kissed his forehead, breathing in his sweet, innocent scent, and for a second,

the pain in my heart eased.

"Good morning, Mommy," he said, not looking up from his drawings. "Is Daddy coming for

breakfast?"

"He’s busy, Nate, you know how he is," I replied, the lie tasting like ash in my mouth.

Just as I sat down, the heavy front doors swung open, and Blake walked in. He looked

powerful, his charcoal suit fitting him perfectly, his face was like stone. He didn't look at

me, he didn't apologize for the night before, he just sat down and opened his tablet.

"The Singapore merger is stalling, Olivia," he said, his voice was cold and flat. "I need you to

fix the legal discrepancies by noon. You know how to handle the board members better

than the lawyers do."

"I'll take care of it," I said, my voice steady, though I wanted to scream. I was his wife, but I

was also his most valuable employee, the one who cleaned up every mess he made.

The doorbell rang, a sharp, loud sound that made me jump. Madam Chen went to the door,

and a moment later, a woman walked into the room. She was wearing a soft pink coat, her

long black hair falling over her shoulders in waves. She looked fragile, her eyes red as if she

had been crying for hours.

It was Aria.

"Blake," she sobbed, her voice trembling. "I’m sorry, I didn't know where else to go. He... he

hit me again. I had to leave London."

Blake was on his feet in a second, his face was filled with a look of concern I had never seen directed at me. He rushed to her, taking her hands in his, his eyes searching hers.

"Aria..what are you doing here? he asked..

"I have nothing left, Blake. You said at your mother's funeral that you’d always protect me,"

she whispered, leaning her head against his chest.

I stood there, frozen, watching my husband hold his first love in our dining room. The

disrespect was so thick I could barely breathe.

"She can't stay here, Blake," I said, my voice shaking with rage. "We have a life, we have a

son. You can't just bring her into our home."

Blake turned to look at me, his eyes turning back into ice. "She has nowhere else to go,

Olivia. She’s staying in the guest house. It’s not up for debate. I owe her everything."

"You owe her?" I laughed, a bitter, sharp sound. "What about what you owe me? Six years of

my life, Blake. Six years of being your shadow."

"Don't be dramatic," he snapped, dismissing me with a wave of his hand. "Aria is a guest. You

will treat her with respect, or you can leave."

Aria looked at me then, a tiny, triumphant smile flashing across her face for just a second

before she went back to acting like a victim. She looked at Nathaniel, who was watching

from the door.

"Is this your son?" she asked softly, walking toward him. "He’s so handsome, just like you,

Blake."

I watched in horror as Nathaniel, who was usually so shy, smiled back at her. She reached

out and ruffled his hair, her touch light and motherly. In that moment, I realized she wasn't

just here for Blake; she was here to take everything that was mine.

Blake led her out toward the gardens, whispering to her, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I

felt like I was disappearing, like the "Ghost in the Bed" was finally fading away into nothing.

I needed to clear my head, so I went to Blake’s private office to finish the work he wanted. I

sat at his desk, the leather chair smelling like him, and I felt a surge of hatred. I started

looking for the Singapore files, but as I pulled out a stack of papers, my hand hit something

hard under the desk.

It was a small, hidden latch.

I pressed it, and a secret drawer clicked open with a soft thud. My heart started to race. I Know Blake had secrets,but I never thought he would hide them here.

Inside the drawer, there were no business files. There was a manila folder with my name on

it. I opened it, my fingers trembling as I pulled out the papers.

It was a flight itinerary.

My breath stopped in my lungs as I read the details. It was a first-class ticket from London

to New York, booked in the name of Aria Collins.

The date of the booking was three weeks ago.

Beside it was a note from Blake’s personal assistant, written in messy handwriting. It said,

"Mr. Sterling, the guest house is ready for Ms. Collins. She will arrive as planned on the 14th.

The 'abusive ex' story has been planted in the London papers as you requested."

My blood turned to ice, and the room started to spin.

Aria hadn't shown up today by accident. She wasn't running for her life. This was a setup.

Blake had planned her return for weeks; he had paid for her flight, and he had even created

a fake story to make me feel sorry for her.

He hadn't just brought his mistress back; he had staged a whole play to bring her into our

home while I was still his wife.

But that wasn't the worst part.

I flipped to the last page in the folder and saw a legal document that made my heart shatter

into a million pieces. It was an amendment to our marriage contract, signed by Blake and

his father months ago.

It stated that if I were to ever leave Blake, or if he divorced me for "instability," I would not

only lose my settlement, but I would lose full legal custody of Nathaniel to the Sterling

estate immediately.

I wasn't just a contract wife, I was a prisoner, and the man sleeping in my bed had been building my cage for years.