MasukThe morning sun was soft, spilling golden light through the wide windows of the bridal suite. A gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh roses from the garden below, the same garden where, in a few hours, Irma would say “I do”.The room was alive with quiet chatter and nervous laughter. Dresses hung neatly, curling irons buzzed, and the faint hum of a love song floated through the speakers.Irma sat before the mirror, her heart pounding softly against her ribs. Her reflection staring back, she saw a woman wrapped in satin and lace, her hair pinned into soft curls, her eyes glistening with unspoken emotion.Rosy, her mother, stood behind her, adjusting the veil with trembling hands. “You look so much like me on my wedding day,” she said with a shaky laugh. “It’s just that…your groom actually loves you.”Irma turned slightly, smiling through the tears already forming in her mother’s eyes. “Mom…”Rosy cupped her daughter’s face from behind, her voice thick with pride. “I’m just so hap
(TWO YEARS LATER)Adrian drove smoothly into the company’s parking lot, the black car gliding to a stop with quiet precision. He had just returned from a month-long business trip in Dubai, and the exhaustion showed beneath his sharp composure.He was tired, but he could manage anyway.The moment he stepped out, his bodyguards lined up neatly, waiting for his command. One immediately collected his suitcase, while his personal assistant took his jacket. Adrian slid his hands into his pockets, his every step exuding authority as he made his way inside the building.He was supposed to head home straight, but there was something he needed to discuss with Noir first.“The boss is back,” a few staff whispered as he passed. Heads turned, and murmurs rippled through the hallway like a wave of awe and nervousness.Meanwhile, inside Noir’s office, the atmosphere was far from professional. Noir was on the couch with Luna, both lost in each other’s arms.His hands slipped under her blouse as the k
"A deadly one?" Irma’s voice came out in a trembling whisper, barely audible against the soft hum of the night breeze. She blinked rapidly, her mind struggling to process his words. Her throat tightened, and her heart began to race.Adrian turned his gaze away, staring down the quiet street as if the ground could swallow up the truth he’d just confessed. “Don’t start, Irma,” he said gently. “I didn’t want to tell you because I already knew your reaction.”Irma’s lips parted in disbelief. “My reaction?” she echoed softly, her voice shaking. “Adrian, what do you expect my reaction to be? Do you think I’m supposed to smile and thank you for telling me you have something deadly?” Her tone rose slightly, not in anger, but in panic. “You’re talking about your life…about you! How could you keep something like that from me?”He exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Because I didn’t want to see you cry. Because I know how you are, Irma. You’ll overthink, lose sleep, stop eating, an
After leaving the hospital, Adrian walked around the car and opened the door for her. Irma smiled softly before sliding into the seat. He closed the door gently, then walked to the driver’s side and got in as well.Without a word, he leaned toward her, pulled the seatbelt across her, and clicked it into place. Then he did his own too.Irma’s lips curled into a teasing smile. “Any special occasion?” she asked suspiciously.He chuckled and shook his head. “No, can’t I give my wife that special treatment?”She shrugged, still smiling. “Of course, you can. Anyway, I’m hungry, drive fast.”“You eat too much,” he teased.She frowned immediately, her brows pulling together.“Hey, I was just kidding,” he said quickly, laughing softly. “You can eat as much as you want. In fact, you can do whatever you want.”“Good. Now, give me your phone,” she demanded, stretching out her hand.He passed it to her obediently, his eyes glancing at her every few seconds as he drove.She opened TikTok, scrol
Adrian pulled her closer, holding her like he was afraid she’d slip away if he loosened his grip even for a second.Irma smiled softly against his chest. It was still strange to think how it all began, a forced marriage, a deal between two stubborn people who could barely stand each other. And yet here she was, tangled in his arms, completely and hopelessly stuck with him, in the best way possible.He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, and she let out a quiet chuckle, resting her head on his bare chest as his heartbeat thudded beneath her ear.“We should do this more often,” Adrian whispered, voice husky. “It’s good for our health.”“Don’t be silly,” she giggled, lightly slapping his chest.“Don’t worry,” he said with a teasing grin, “I have a big di—”“Adrian, stop!” She cut him off with a grin, clapping a hand over his mouth. He only laughed, his eyes glinting with mischief.“Tell me something,” he murmured after a moment, his tone suddenly turning serious.She raised a brow, sitting
The car screeched to a halt at the emergency entrance. Before the tires had fully stopped, Jace was out, yanking the back door open. Nurses on duty spotted them instantly and rushed forward with a gurney.“Call the doctor!” one of the nurses shouted, already checking Rosy’s vitals.“Please, help her!” Tamara sobbed, stumbling after the stretcher as they wheeled her mother through the sliding glass doors. Jace followed close, his tall frame tense, his chest heaving as if he could barely breathe himself.“Family?” the doctor demanded quickly as they pushed Rosy down the hallway.“Her daughter,” Tamara choked out, her hands shaking as she kept pace. “Please...please save her.”The medical team swept Rosy into the emergency room, the doors swinging shut in Tamara’s face. The sudden barrier felt like a wall of ice. She slapped her hands against it, tears spilling down her cheeks. Jace caught her shoulders before she collapsed completely.“She’ll be okay,” he said firmly, though his voice t







