Chapter 2: A Loveless Marriage

Ariana did not sleep that night. She remained seated outside Lucas’ hospital room while tightly holding Damien Monteverde’s business card in her trembling hands. Every second felt heavy.

Painful.

Suffocating.

Marriage.

The word kept repeating inside her mind like a curse. She had dreamed about love before. A simple life. A small home. A husband who genuinely loved her. But reality destroyed those dreams long ago. Now, she was being asked to marry a man who looked at her like a business transaction. A stranger, a cold-hearted billionaire. And worst of all— a man she already hated.

Ariana wiped her tears weakly before glancing at Lucas through the glass window again. The sound of the heart monitor echoed softly inside the quiet hallway. Her chest tightened painfully. If she refused Damien… Lucas could die. That thought alone was enough to destroy her. Around three in the morning, Lucas slowly woke up.

“Ate…”

Ariana quickly entered the room.

“Hey.” She forced a smile. “How are you feeling?”

Lucas gave her a weak grin. “I’m still alive.”

“Don’t joke like that.”

“But it’s true.”

Ariana sat beside him and carefully fixed his blanket. Lucas studied her face quietly.

“You were crying again.”

She quickly looked away. “No, I wasn’t.”

“You can’t lie to me.”

Ariana bit her lower lip.

Lucas sighed softly. “I’m sorry.”

Her brows furrowed immediately.

“For what?”

“For being a burden.”

Ariana’s eyes widened. “Lucas—”

“If I wasn’t sick, you wouldn’t have to suffer like this.”

“Stop it.”

“You work so hard because of me.”

“Lucas.”

“But you’re always tired—”

“I said stop!” The sudden sharpness in her voice silenced him.

Ariana immediately regretted it. She grabbed his hand tightly.

“You are not a burden,” she whispered shakily. “Never say that again.”

Lucas stared at her silently. Tears slowly filled Ariana’s eyes.

“You’re the only family I have left.”

Lucas smiled weakly. “And you’re my favorite annoying sister.”

A small laugh escaped her despite the pain in her chest. For several seconds, silence filled the room again. Then Lucas spoke softly.

“What if… something happens to me someday?”

Ariana instantly shook her head. “Nothing will happen to you.”

“But what if?”

“Lucas—”

“Ate.” He looked at her seriously. “Promise me you’ll finally live for yourself too.”

Her heart broke completely. Because she knew… If she accepted Damien’s proposal, she would no longer be living for herself. Before sunrise arrived, Ariana finally made her decision. With trembling fingers, she dialed the number written on Damien’s card. The call connected almost immediately.

“Yes.” Even his voice sounded cold. Ariana swallowed hard. “…I’ll do it.”

A long silence echo in the whole room. Then Damien finally responded.

“Good.”

No happiness.

No relief.

Nothing.

Just cold satisfaction. Ariana suddenly felt humiliated. Like she had sold her dignity. Damien spoke again.

“My assistant will prepare everything.”

“T-This is only for Lucas,” Ariana whispered weakly.

“I know.”

Those two words hurt more than they should. The call ended shortly after. Ariana slowly lowered her phone while staring blankly ahead. This was it. Her life would never be the same again.

Three days later— The wedding happened quietly inside a private chapel owned by the Monteverde family.

No grand decorations.

No smiling guests.

No romance.

It looked more like a business meeting than a wedding. Ariana stood near the altar wearing a simple white dress provided by Damien’s assistant. The fabric was beautiful. Elegant and expensive. But she felt nothing while wearing it. No excitement, no happiness. Only fear.

Meanwhile, Damien stood several feet away from her in a black suit. He looked handsome enough to make anyone stare. But his expression remained unreadable. Cold, distant and untouchable. Ariana realized something painful at that moment. She was marrying a man who didn’t want her. The ceremony began shortly after. The priest smiled warmly.

“Marriage is a sacred union between two souls—”

Damien looked completely uninterested. Ariana lowered her gaze quietly. The vows sounded empty. Like meaningless words floating inside the air. When it was finally time for the rings, Damien slid the diamond ring onto Ariana’s finger without emotion. No smile, no tenderness. Nothing. Ariana’s chest tightened painfully. The priest smiled again.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

Damien froze slightly. For the first time, irritation flashed across his face. The room became awkwardly silent. Ariana immediately spoke softly.

“It’s okay. We can skip it.”

But the priest chuckled nervously. “It’s tradition.”

Damien stared at Ariana for several long seconds. Then slowly— He stepped closer. Ariana’s breath hitched instantly. Damien gently lifted her chin. His touch felt surprisingly warm compared to his cold personality. Their eyes met briefly. Then Damien leaned down and kissed her lightly. Soft and quick. But enough to make Ariana’s heart tremble unexpectedly. When he pulled away, Damien immediately stepped back as if nothing happened.

The ceremony ended shortly after. Just like that— Ariana Villareal officially became Mrs. Monteverde. But instead of happiness… She only felt trapped. Outside the chapel, Damien’s assistant handed Ariana several shopping bags and documents.

“The prenuptial agreement, ma’am.”

Ariana looked confused. “Agreement?”

Damien answered calmly. “Read it later.”

Her chest tightened. Of course. Even their marriage came with rules. Damien glanced at his watch.

“We’re leaving.”

Ariana looked back at the chapel one last time. She didn’t know why. But she suddenly felt like crying. The Monteverde mansion looked like something from a movie. Huge chandeliers. Luxury cars. Massive staircases. Everything screamed wealth and power. Ariana felt completely out of place the moment she stepped inside. Several maids lined up near the entrance.

“Welcome home, Sir Damien.”

Their eyes immediately landed on Ariana afterward. They are curious and she felt judge. They are whispering silently among themselves. Ariana awkwardly tightened her grip on her small bag. Then another voice echoed across the mansion.

“So this is the woman grandfather forced you to marry?”

Ariana slowly looked up. A beautiful woman wearing a red designer dress stood near the staircase with crossed arms. Her sharp eyes scanned Ariana from head to toe mockingly.

Damien sighed softly. “Vanessa.”

Vanessa Monteverde. Damien’s younger sister. Unlike Damien, Vanessa openly showed her disgust.

“Oh my God.” Vanessa laughed lightly. “She looks poorer than I expected.”

Ariana felt embarrassed instantly. Damien’s expression remained emotionless.

“Enough.”

Vanessa walked closer toward Ariana while smirking. “What’s your talent?”

Ariana blinked. “What?”

“Poor girls who marry rich men usually have talents, right? Crying? Manipulating? Pretending to be innocent?”

Ariana’s cheeks burned from humiliation. “I’m not like that.”

Vanessa laughed again. “That’s what they all say.”

“Vanessa,” Damien warned coldly.

But Vanessa simply shrugged. “Fine.”

She leaned closer toward Ariana and whispered: “Don’t get too comfortable here. You’ll never belong in this family.”

Then she walked away gracefully. Ariana stood frozen.

Damien looked at her briefly. “Ignore her.”

“How?”

“She insults everyone.”

“That doesn’t make it better.”

Damien remained silent. Ariana suddenly realized something. This mansion would never become home.

Later that evening, Ariana was guided toward Damien’s bedroom. The room itself was larger than their old apartment. Everything looked dark and expensive. Minimalist and cold. Just like Damien.  Ariana stood awkwardly near the door. Damien loosened his necktie while walking toward the couch.

“You can use the left side of the closet.”

Ariana nodded quietly.

“And tomorrow, someone will teach you proper etiquette for public events.”

Her brows furrowed slightly. “Etiquette?”

“You represent the Monteverde name now.”

Ariana suddenly felt pressure tightening around her chest. “I don’t know how to be someone like you.”

“You don’t need to.”

“Then what do you expect from me?”

Damien finally looked directly at her. “Obedience.”

The word hit her painfully.

Ariana looked away. “You really treat this like a business contract.”

“Because it is.”

She clenched her fists silently. Then Damien walked toward a drawer and handed her another document.

“These are the rules.”

Ariana stared at him in disbelief. “Rules?”

“You’ll attend events when necessary. Avoid scandals. Don’t interfere with my work.”

Her chest tightened more with every word. “And?”

Damien’s gaze became colder. “Don’t fall in love with me.”

Silence filled the room instantly. Ariana felt strangely hurt. Not because she loved him but because of how coldly he said it. As if loving him would be disgusting.

Damien continued calmly. “This arrangement works better without emotions.”

Ariana forced herself to nod. “Fine.”

Damien studied her face carefully for several seconds. For some reason, her quiet sadness made him uncomfortable.

He looked away first. “You can sleep on the bed. I’ll use the couch.”

Ariana blinked slightly. “You don’t have to.”

“I know.”

Then he sat down and opened his laptop, clearly ending the conversation. Ariana slowly walked toward the bed. Everything felt unreal. Three days ago, she was begging doctors to save her brother. Now she was inside a billionaire’s mansion married to the coldest man she had ever met. She carefully sat down while staring at the massive room. Then her phone suddenly vibrated. It was the hospital.

Ariana answered immediately. “H-Hello?”

“Miss Villareal, your brother’s surgery preparation has already started.”

Tears instantly filled her eyes. “R-Really?”

“Yes. The payment has been settled.”

Ariana covered her mouth shakily. Relief crashed into her all at once. Lucas would live. For the first time in days, she could finally breathe again.

“Thank you…” she whispered emotionally.

After the call ended, Ariana lowered her head while crying silently. Across the room, Damien noticed her trembling shoulders. His fingers paused above his keyboard.

“Something wrong?”

Ariana quickly wiped her tears. “No.”

But Damien already heard enough. “Your brother?”

She nodded weakly. “The hospital called. His surgery is starting.”

Damien simply nodded once. “That’s good.”

Ariana looked at him quietly. “You really paid everything.”

“I said I would.”

“Why?”

Damien frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

“You barely know me.”

A long silence. Even Damien himself didn’t fully know the answer. Maybe because of his grandfather. Maybe because of guilt. Or maybe because every time he looked at Ariana. Something about her felt painfully familiar.

Damien closed his laptop calmly. “Get some rest.”

Ariana stared at him for a moment longer before nodding softly. But that night— neither of them slept peacefully. Because despite living under the same roof. They were two strangers trapped inside a marriage without love.