LOGINShare
You Were Never My Choice
Last Updated:
2026-02-23 04:49:39
Ava did not sleep.
She lay awake the whole night, staring at the ceiling of the large guest room.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the contract.
One year.
No love.
No pregnancy.
Separate lives.
The words felt like chains.
When morning light slowly entered the room, she finally sat up.
Today was her first morning as Mrs. Cole.
She touched her wedding ring.
It felt heavy.
Beautiful.
Cold.
Downstairs, the mansion was already awake.
Maids moved quietly.
The smell of fresh coffee filled the air.
Ava walked carefully down the stairs.
She wore a simple white dress. She did not want to look too bright.
She did not want to draw attention.
But attention found her anyway.
At the end of the long dining table sat Adrian.
He was already dressed in a dark suit. His hair was neat. His face calm.
He looked like a king at the head of his palace.
He glanced at her once.
Then looked away.
“Good morning,” she said softly.
“Morning,” he replied without emotion.
She sat two chairs away from him.
The distance felt larger than the table.
A maid placed breakfast in front of her.
Ava tried to eat, but her stomach felt tight.
Just as silence began to settle, the front door opened.
A woman walked in confidently.
Tall.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor.
She did not look like a guest.
She looked like someone who belonged.
Ava froze.
The woman’s eyes went straight to Adrian.
She smiled.
“Adrian.”
Her voice was smooth and familiar.
Adrian’s hand paused slightly over his coffee cup.
Then he stood up.
“Clara.”
The name felt like a blade in Ava’s chest.
Clara.
The woman stepped closer.
“You didn’t tell me you got married,” Clara said with a soft laugh.
“I found out from the news. Congratulations.”
Her eyes finally moved to Ava.
They scanned her slowly.
From head to toe.
Judging.
Measuring.
Then she smiled politely.
“You must be the bride.”
Ava forced herself to stand.
“Yes. I’m Ava.”
Clara extended her hand.
“I’m Clara Hayes. An old friend of Adrian.”
Old friend.
The words felt deeper than they sounded.
Ava shook her hand.
Clara’s grip was firm.
Confident.
Too confident.
“Have breakfast with us,” Adrian said calmly.
Ava’s heart sank.
He invited her.
Without hesitation.
Clara sat beside Adrian.
Close.
Too close.
They began talking about business projects.
Trips.
Old memories.
Laughing softly.
Ava sat quietly, feeling invisible.
Then Clara said something that made her heart stop.
“Remember Paris?” Clara said gently. “You said you would never marry anyone else.”
Silence.
The air grew heavy.
Ava looked at Adrian.
His face did not change.
“That was a long time ago,” he said.
Clara tilted her head.
“But some promises don’t fade.”
Ava’s fingers tightened around her fork.
Was she hearing this on her second morning as his wife?
She finally spoke.
“I’m sure my husband knows what he’s doing.”
Her voice was calm.
But inside, she was shaking.
Clara looked at her and smiled slightly.
“Of course,” she said softly.
“But sometimes choices are not made by the heart.”
Her eyes moved back to Adrian.
“And you never follow your heart.”
Ava felt her chest ache.
Adrian stood suddenly.
“I have a meeting,” he said coldly.
He looked at Ava.
“You will attend the Cole family dinner tonight.”
It was not a request.
It was an order.
Then he looked at Clara.
“We’ll talk later.”
He walked away without another word.
Clara watched him leave.
Then she leaned closer to Ava.
“You’re very brave,” Clara said quietly.
“For marrying a man who doesn’t love you.”
Ava’s heart pounded.
“You don’t know that,” Ava replied softly.
Clara smiled.
“Oh, I do.”
She stood up.
“You see, I was the woman he loved.”
The world felt like it stopped.
“But his grandfather didn’t approve,” Clara continued calmly. “And Adrian always chooses power over feelings.”
Ava’s throat felt dry.
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked.
Clara’s smile did not fade.
“Because I’m back.”
She leaned closer.
“And I don’t lose.”
Then she walked away.
Her perfume lingered in the air.
Ava stood there alone.
The mansion felt colder than yesterday.
Later that afternoon, Ava stood in front of the mirror in her room.
Cole family dinner.
Her first public appearance as Mrs. Cole.
She chose a simple blue dress.
She did not want to compete.
She did not want to shine.
But when she entered the large family hall that evening, all eyes turned to her.
The Cole family was powerful.
Proud.
Sharp-eyed.
At the center sat Adrian’s grandfather.
A strong old man with cold wisdom in his gaze.
“So,” he said slowly, looking at Ava, “this is the girl.”
Ava bowed her head politely.
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you love my grandson?” he asked directly.
The question shocked her.
She glanced at Adrian.
His face remained unreadable.
“Yes,” she answered honestly.
A quiet murmur moved through the room.
The grandfather nodded slowly.
“And you, Adrian?” he asked.
Silence.
Ava’s heart beat loudly.
Adrian’s voice was calm.
“This marriage is beneficial.”
The room grew silent.
Beneficial.
Not loving.
Not happy.
Beneficial.
Ava felt heat rise to her cheeks.
One of Adrian’s cousins laughed softly.
“So it’s just business?”
Adrian did not respond.
The grandfather’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Marriage is not only business,” the old man said firmly.
Adrian looked at him calmly.
“It works for us.”
Ava felt small.
Like a decoration.
Not a wife.
Dinner continued.
Whispers moved around the table.
Ava heard small comments.
“She looks too innocent.”
“She won’t survive here.”
“She’s just temporary.”
Temporary.
The word echoed painfully.
After dinner, Ava stepped outside to breathe.
The night air felt cool.
She tried to calm her heart.
Suddenly, she heard voices from the side garden.
She did not mean to listen.
But she recognized Adrian’s voice.
And Clara’s.
“I didn’t expect you to move on so quickly,” Clara said softly.
“It’s not what you think,” Adrian replied.
Ava froze.
“What is it then?” Clara asked.
Silence.
Then Adrian spoke in a low voice.
“You know why I married her.”
“And that reason isn’t love?”
“No.”
The word was sharp.
Clear.
Final.
Ava’s heart cracked quietly.
She stepped back slowly.
But her heel hit a small stone.
The sound was loud in the quiet night.
The voices stopped.
Adrian turned his head.
Their eyes met.
For a second, no one moved.
Ava felt exposed.
Like she had been caught stealing something.
She walked toward them slowly.
“You forgot your phone,” she said, handing it to Adrian.
Her hands were steady.
But inside, she felt empty.
Clara looked between them.
Interesting tension filled the air.
Adrian took the phone.
“Go inside,” he told Ava calmly.
Not gently.
Not warmly.
Just calm.
She nodded and walked away.
But every step felt heavier than the last.
Behind her, Clara’s voice floated softly in the air.
“She heard you.”
Silence followed.
Then Adrian’s cold reply.
“It doesn’t matter.”
In her room, Ava finally allowed her tears to fall again.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just quiet tears.
She sat on the bed and hugged herself.
She had known this marriage was not built on love.
But hearing it so clearly hurt more than she expected.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror.
“You can survive this,” she whispered.
“One year.”
Just one year.
But deep down, she wondered—
Could her heart survive that long?
Across the hall, Adrian stood alone again.
He loosened his tie slowly.
His phone buzzed.
A message from Clara.
“We need to talk about us.”
He stared at the screen.
Then deleted the message.
His jaw tightened.
This marriage was necessary.
Controlled.
Planned.
But something about Ava’s eyes tonight disturbed him.
She had looked hurt.
But she had not complained.
She had not fought.
That silence felt heavier than anger.
He shook the thought away.
Emotion was weakness.
And he did not allow weakness.
Meanwhile, in her bathroom, Ava suddenly felt dizzy.
She grabbed the sink.
The room spun slightly.
Her stomach felt strange.
She thought it was just stress.
Too much emotion.
Too much pressure.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“It’s nothing,” she whispered.
But she did not know…
That inside her body…
Something had already begun to change.
And soon—
The one rule written clearly in black ink…
Would be broken.
Latest chapter
Pregnant After Signing the Billionaire’s One-Year Contract. The Name in the Letter
The study felt colder after Aurora’s words.“What if the heir… has been standing beside us this whole time?”No one spoke for several seconds.Adrian held the letter in his hands, reading the lines again as if the words might change.Aurora watched his face carefully.For the first time since she had known him, Adrian looked uncertain.Ethan broke the silence.“Okay,” he said slowly. “Let’s calm down before we accuse everyone in the room of secretly owning a billion-dollar empire.”Marcus nodded.“That would be wise.”Aurora leaned against the desk, thinking.Adrian’s father had written that letter the night before he died.He said the agreement was not just about business.It was about protecting a child.Aurora looked at Adrian.“How old were you when your father died?”“Ten,” Adrian replied quietly.Aurora thought about that.“So the child he was protecting would have been around the same age.”Marcus nodded.“That se
Pregnant After Signing the Billionaire’s One-Year Contract. Cracks in the Truth
The screen went black, but the silence in the room felt louder than the video itself.Aurora could hear her own heartbeat.Adrian stood motionless in front of the laptop. His face showed no emotion, but the tightness in his jaw told another story.Ethan finally broke the silence.“Well… that was disturbing.”No one laughed.Aurora slowly turned toward Adrian.“Adrian…”He didn’t respond.Marcus closed the laptop carefully.“That video could be manipulated,” he said calmly. “Deepfakes exist.”Aurora nodded quickly.“Yes. Victor could be lying.”But Adrian still didn’t move.Ethan walked closer to him.“Hey,” he said gently. “You okay?”Adrian exhaled slowly, then finally looked away from the screen.“I’m fine.”Aurora knew that tone.It was the voice of someone trying to control a storm inside.She stepped closer.“Victor wants us to doubt everything,” she said softly.Adrian nodded.“That’s his strategy.”Marcu
Pregnant After Signing the Billionaire’s One-Year Contract. The Truth on the Flash Drive
The small flash drive felt heavier than it should in Adrian’s hand.Aurora stood beside him in the kitchen, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Ethan leaned against the counter, staring at the device like it might explode.Three words were written on the label.“Watch the truth.”Aurora broke the silence first.“We need to see what’s on it.”Adrian nodded slowly.“But not here.”Ethan frowned. “Why not?”Adrian looked at the window where the intruder had entered.“Because if Victor planted this… he might also be watching.”Aurora’s stomach tightened.“You think the house could be bugged?”Adrian didn’t answer immediately.Instead, he slipped the flash drive carefully into his pocket.“We’ll assume the worst.”Ethan sighed.“This guy is really dramatic.”Adrian gave him a serious look.“Victor doesn’t do things for drama. He does them for control.”Aurora grabbed her coat.“Then let’s go somewhere safe.”
Pregnant After Signing the Billionaire’s One-Year Contract. The Truth Hidden in the Photo
Aurora’s words hung in the air.“It’s Victor.”Adrian stared at the photograph again, his eyes narrowing as he leaned closer.At first, the shadowy figure looked like nothing more than a blur in the background.But now that Aurora had pointed it out, it became impossible to ignore.A tall man.Standing behind the three of them.Half hidden by a tree.Ethan squinted.“I still can’t see his face clearly.”Aurora pointed again.“Look at the height… and the posture.”Adrian studied the image silently.Aurora continued softly,“I remember someone standing there that day.”Adrian looked at her sharply.“You remember him?”Aurora nodded slowly.“Yes.”Ethan looked confused.“Then why didn’t you mention it earlier?”Aurora frowned.“Because I didn’t know who he was.”She looked down at the photo again.“My father told me he was just a guest.”Adrian’s voice was calm but tense.“And now?”Aurora met his eyes.
Pregnant After Signing the Billionaire’s One-Year Contract. The Man Who Should Not Exist
The room was silent after Aurora’s words.“This photo… was altered.”Adrian stared at the image again, his sharp eyes scanning every inch.“Are you sure?” he asked quietly.Aurora nodded slowly.“Yes.”She pointed to the small symbol in the corner again.“My father created this foundation five years after this photo was taken. I remember the ceremony clearly. I was already working in the company then.”Ethan crossed his arms.“So someone edited the photo later.”Adrian’s expression turned darker.“But why?”Aurora thought for a moment.“Maybe to send a message.”Ethan frowned.“That doesn’t explain the break-in.”Aurora sighed.“You’re right.”Adrian walked slowly around the room, thinking.“This isn’t just about a picture,” he said.Aurora looked at him.“Then what is it about?”Adrian stopped beside the table.“Someone wants us to question the past.”Aurora whispered,“But why now?”Adrian didn’t answer
Pregnant After Signing the Billionaire’s One-Year Contract. Shadows Inside the Past
Aurora stared at the photograph as if it might suddenly disappear.Her fingers trembled slightly.The picture was old, the edges worn and faded. But the faces were clear.Her father.Adrian’s father.And herself.She looked much younger, maybe in her early twenties, standing between the two powerful men. They were smiling like proud fathers.Aurora’s heart tightened.“I don’t remember this photo being taken,” she whispered.Ethan leaned closer to see it.“Where did they find this?”Aurora slowly turned the photograph over again.The red words glared at her like a warning.“The past never stays buried.”Adrian’s voice broke the silence.“This wasn’t random.”Aurora looked up sharply.“You think someone broke into my house just to leave this?”Adrian nodded.“Yes.”Ethan frowned.“That makes no sense. Why break in just to drop a photo?”Adrian’s expression became serious.“Because it’s not just a photo.”Aurora n
You may also like
Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate
Caroline Above Story639.8K viewsBeta's Surprise Mate
Bryant470.1K viewsThe Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy
Caroline Above Story516.9K viewsSeducing My Ex's Father In Law
Caroline Above Story3.9M viewsRejected, Abused, I Fall for the Forbidden Alpha
Riley Scott6.8K viewsWANTED! KING NOLAN'S OBSESSION.
Gudwritez142 viewsFated To My Mate’s Step-Brothers
Queen B215 viewsClaimed Beneath the Blood Moon
Millidon1.3K views
