MasukDiamond’s POV
"The only reason I agreed to this marriage was because of my mom, Diamond. She's been pestering me to get married. I never intended for it to be anything more than that." My heart sank. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. So this was all just a game to him, I thought.
He didn’t really care about me; the picture-perfect wedding, the kiss, the touch, and all the promises he made in a short while were all facades. “What do you mean this wedding means nothing to you?” I asked.
“We’d get a divorce and terminate the contract when I find my soulmate.” He said it casually. “What the hell do you mean by when you find your soulmate?” I said, my voice rising.
“Don’t raise your voice at me, Debra.., and for your question, it won’t be answered, so just sign the fucking papers,” he yelled. The revelation crashed over me like a wave.
"Did I do anything wrong? Please don’t do this, Nicholas." I forced the words out of my mouth, my voice barely a whisper as tears streamed down my eyes. After all the weeks of anticipating this day to come, this is all I could get. A contract marriage?
I thought this was the gateway for me to start a new life and forget about all my past, but no, my life was just starting to get worse. “Sign it now, Debra..; I don’t have time to waste here,” Nicholas said with a stern look, handing me a pen as I choked back a sob.
I thought he was a good man, but it seems he’s showing his true evil self now. I just couldn’t believe it. I tried to argue with Nicholas, trying to make him see reason. But he wouldn't listen. He had other days to be cruel to me, but he chose to be on our wedding night. How could he do this to me?
My heart was breaking as I thought of what would happen if I went back to Debra's parents. They would surely find out who I really was in no time, and I couldn't risk going to jail again. I cried, not wanting to sign the papers but knowing I didn't have a choice.
After crying for what felt like hours, I finally took the pen from Nicholas. I wiped my tears away and signed the contract, sealing my fate for a life I knew would be nothing but suffering and pain. I looked up at Nicholas, who looked really devastated. I knew something was definitely wrong with him.
“We’d have our separate rooms and respect each other’s privacy; we’d only act like couples outside, but when we’re inside, we stay away from each other.”
“Then when my mom comes around or any family member, we have to share a room," Nicholas continued. "Anyways, that's it." He grabbed the bottle of alcohol and drank from it. "Happy marriage life to me," he mumbled before leaving the room. I was left alone in the room, feeling sad and confused.
This wasn't how I wanted my wedding night to be. I lay on the bed, tears streaming down my face. This was not the life I had dreamed of. I spent the whole night crying on the bed, my eyes puffy and red from all the tears. I didn't even realise it when I fell asleep.
When I woke up, I looked in the mirror and saw that my eyes were still swollen and red. I didn't have the appetite to eat, so I stayed in bed, crying some more. Then I heard a knock on the door. It was a maid telling me to come down for breakfast. But I wasn't hungry. I just wanted to stay in bed and cry.
So I dismissed the maid. As the afternoon came, my stomach started to grumble. I knew I had to eat or I would faint. I took a shower, put on a simple outfit, and headed downstairs for lunch. When I got to the dining room, I noticed I was the only one there, and it made me sad.
Nicholas must have already gone to work. I sat down at the table and took a few bites of food, but I didn't have much of an appetite. I couldn't stop thinking about Nicholas and how he had treated me. But as I sat there, I heard the maids whispering. "I bet she's the new plaything for Don Nicholas," one of them said.
"He doesn't love her. I think she only married him for his money. What a gold digger!" Hearing these words broke my heart. Not only was Nicholas being cruel to me, but the maids were saying mean things about me, too. They didn't know the truth about why I had married him, but they were still judging me.
I felt like everyone was against me. I was so angry that I pushed the food aside and headed back to my room. But as I walked down the hall, I couldn’t help but look around. I had nothing to do and was alone at home, so I decided to look around the house. I wanted to know more about Nicholas and his family.
I looked at the pictures on the walls and the furniture in the rooms, trying to figure out more about the man I had married. I kept walking and stumbled upon a room with the door slightly open. I entered the room, and it was obvious that it was Nicholas's room.
It had a beautiful view from the balcony. Standing there, inhaling the fresh breeze, I suddenly heard a voice and realised it must be Nicholas. We had agreed to stay away from each other, and now if he sees me in his room, he'll be so angry, so I didn’t have any other option but to hide.
I hid inside the wardrobe, closing the door quietly behind me. I watched as Nicholas entered the room, but then he wasn’t alone. I saw another person walk into the room, and it wasn’t just anybody, but a man. What the hell is going on here? I whispered to myself.
I wondered why they would enter the room holding hands. That’s a little too weird for men. It was obvious that Nicholas was really into this man from the way he let the man move his hands around his muscular chest and arms. I could see the hardness in his suit trousers.
“You’re so handsome,” I heard Nicholas whisper to the man in front of him, but it was loud enough for me to hear. “Then what are you waiting for? Kiss me already,” the other guy replied. And with that, I watched how Nicholas leaned in and gave him a kiss.
Did Nicholas even think about me before making out with a man in this house? No wonder the maids called me his plaything; this was who he truly was. Things were just getting worse by the day, so I married a man who is into men. I wouldn’t even call this a real marriage, though.
I didn’t know how I was feeling; tears began to well up in my eyes as I watched them make out. This was my husband, the man I fell in love with the moment I saw him in the club that night. But now he was kissing another man right in front of my eyes. I could feel their warmth from where I was hiding in the closet.
The tears I had been holding rolled down my cheeks as I continued to watch them make out. Why me? Why is all this happening to me? Even if I wanted to run away, where would I start from? I asked myself all these questions but couldn’t get any answers. My legs were beginning to hurt because I wasn’t really comfortable in the closet.
I tried to adjust myself so I wouldn’t fall off. “What’s that sound?” The other man asked Nicholas, looking directly at the closet. “It’s nothing, my love; don’t let anything distract you,” Nicholas replied. I let out a sigh of relief as Nicholas dismissed the issue because, if he had come to check, I would have been caught.
Things were starting to get really intense, as they were already naked. Nicholas pressed his body against the man, kissing his whole skin passionately. I felt fresh hatred grow as I heard the man moan with every touch.
I should be the one moaning at his touch, not some dude who looks like he has never been kissed in his life. “Desperate fool,” I cursed under my breath as I sobbed silently. The closet was becoming more and more uncomfortable, making it hard for me to breathe.
Should I come out and stop this? I thought to myself. “What if Nicholas punishes me for this? I bit my lower lips painfully, knowing I couldn’t come out now. And as I tried to adjust my legs again, I slipped and fell out of the closet, hitting my shoulder on the floor.
“What the fuck!” Nicholas yelled as they both tried to cover themselves with the sheets. “Who are you, and what the hell are you doing in my room?”
What is he talking about? “What do you mean by who am I?” I asked him, trying to get myself up from the ground. “Like I said, who are you, and what are you doing in my space?” he yelled.
“Are you like a maid or something?”
"No, I’m not,” I replied, my voice filled with confusion. Was Nicholas trying to deny me because of his man? "Why are you acting like you don’t know me, Nicholas?” I asked, my voice trembling.
"Please, can you get out? You’re interrupting our moment,” the other man said. “Please stay out of this and let me talk to my husband,” I replied angrily.
"Oh, I see where you get it all wrong. I’m not Nicholas,” he said, making me freeze.
River’s POVMy throat tightened as I scrolled through the pictures. It wasn’t just one. Not two. Not even three. There were so many of them, one after the other, like a cruel gallery of my past. Years had passed, so how on earth did he still have these? Why would Rowan hold on to them? My hand shook, the phone slipping slightly between my fingers, but I pressed my lips together and tried to mask it. I raised my head slowly, forcing my face to stay calm, and that was when I caught him. Killian. His phone frozen in his hand, his eyes locked on me like he had been waiting for my reaction.A cold rush spread through me, but before I could gather myself, Killian’s voice cut through the noise. “Anything wrong, River?” His gaze searched mine, steady and sharp, and I forced a smile that felt like it would crack my face.“No, Killian,” I answered lightly, slipping my phone quickly into my bag as if hiding away the weight of those images could erase them. “It’s nothing.” I lifted my chi
Killian’s POV“Please… please don’t!” I screamed, my voice breaking as she shoved me down the cold basement steps. My knees scraped against the rough floor when I fell.“I didn’t do it,” I cried, tears burning my eyes as I reached for her shadow in the doorway. “Please, I swear I didn’t.” But my begging meant nothing. Katherine’s face loomed above me, twisted with rage, her eyes full with hate I never understood. “Next time you’ll keep your filthy hands off my son,” she spat, her voice sharp enough to cut through my chest. “You little bastard.” The slam of the door echoed like thunder, sealing me in. Darkness closed in too quickly, and the air felt too thin, like it was being stolen from my lungs. But what broke me wasn’t the darkness, it was the face I saw just before the door shut. Rowan. Standing there behind her, his mouth curling into a cruel smile. My own brother. Watching. Enjoying it. Knowing he had caused this. My chest tightened, fear turning to a scream that clawed
Rowan’s POVThe early flight was the only choice. If I had stayed in that city, if I had stayed anywhere near River, I would have lost myself. I told myself distance would calm me, but even as the plane touched down, the storm inside me refused to die.By the time I walked into the house, the silence inside felt heavy. I didn’t care. I wanted nothing more than to lock myself away. My body ached from the weight of the day before, and the sharp throb behind my eyes refused to die down. I dragged myself to my room, didn’t even bother taking off my clothes, and collapsed on the bed like a boy who had been whipped by life itself. Nova wasn’t anywhere in sight. Of course, she wasn’t. My phone had been buzzing nonstop with her calls, but she wasn’t here right now to tell me what exactly she wanted. She had become a thorn I couldn’t pull out, always pressing, always clinging. There were times I asked myself if marrying her had been the biggest mistake of my life. I let my eyes fall sh
Rowan’s POVI had lost deals before, but never like this. Never to her.River stood across the table, her voice sharp and steady, every word cutting through me while the board leaned toward her as if she carried the sun in her hands. When the contract slid to her side, I felt something tear inside me. This deal was supposed to be mine. It was supposed to lift my company to the next level. Instead, I had just lost everything that mattered to me at that moment, and the person who took it away was my so-called ex-fiancé.Her eyes met mine when the meeting ended, cool and dismissive, as if I was nothing more than dirt under her shoes. The way she spoke to me, calm and controlled, like I was already finished, burned hotter than fire. I wanted to crush her. I wanted to wipe that look off her face and remind her who I was. But the truth hit me like a blade. She was not the same River I once knew. She was untouchable now, and I could not understand how.Yes, she had always been smart, m
River’s POV“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice trembling despite how hard I tried to steady it. He didn’t answer me. Instead, his eyes dragged over me slowly, deliberately.“Nice dress,” he said, voice smooth like silk soaked in venom. “Too bad you’re wearing it for the wrong man.” Before I could stop him, he pushed the door open wider and stepped inside like he belonged.“Hey” I stumbled back, caught between fear and confusion. “You can’t just walk in here.” My breath hitched as I backed up, one hand clutching the soft fabric of my nightwear close to my chest.There was something unhinged about him, the way he moved without blinking, the way he looked at me like he had a right to. I didn’t know what version of Rowan I was dealing with.One minute he acted like I was nothing. The next, he stared at me like I belonged to him. What was wrong with him? Where was my phone? I glanced around quickly, trying to remember where I’d left it.Killian wasn’t home. Thank God. It wou
River’s POVI sat at the far end of the long glass table, facing Rowan across the room. The boardroom was filled with quiet tension, the kind that settled deep in your chest.Around us, the other representatives and board members murmured softly, flipping through notes and tapping on tablets. Rowan kept glancing at me, his jaw tight, his eyes sharp with that familiar sternness I once mistook for passion.But I wasn’t afraid of him anymore. Whatever power he once had over me had shattered the day I chose myself. I sat still, my fingers loosely laced together on the table, my back straight, my heart steady.I wasn’t here to crumble. I was here to win.A voice cut through the quiet, pulling me from my thoughts. “Rowan Rune, you have the floor now to present your pitch for us,” the president announced.Rowan stood, smooth and confident, the way he always did when he believed the world belonged to him. He walked to the podium, his designer suit pressed to perfection, the projector lighti
Adylne's POV"Crystal, are you okay? What happened to you?" I ran quickly to my daughter...she changed her position to face me. "Why did you come in again?""But you don't look okay, I just thought I should check on you." I saw her sniff a bit, then dabbed her eyes, "I'm okay, you didn't have to,
Diamond’s POVI quickly punched the combination into the safe lock, praying my luck in life hadn't run dry yet. It clicked, and I almost screamed in joy. Finally, something good was happening to me. I opened the lock and saw some papers here and there, but nothing of interest to me. While going t
Diamond’s POVI stopped dancing soon after I heard the voice behind me. I knew that voice all too well; I yearned for it. I smiled and stood up, although I was a little bit tipsy, but I didn't care. I staggered and looked Nicholas in the eye; I couldn't quite understand his expression. The music s
Diamond’s POVI froze for a while as I watched him watch me take in the information before I scoffed. “What do you mean? You take me for a fool now?” I asked. My chest was already beginning to tighten from anger and sadness. He was about to speak, but I beat him to it. “See... I know that you said







