Chapter 3: The Monteverdes

Morning sunlight slowly entered through the massive glass windows of Damien’s bedroom. Ariana woke up feeling disoriented. For several seconds, she stared blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling before reality came crashing back. She was married. Married to Damien Monteverde. Her chest tightened instantly.nShe slowly sat up and looked around the room. The couch was already empty.

Damien was gone.

Ariana glanced at the clock beside the bed. Seven in the morning. A soft knock suddenly echoed from the door.

Before she could answer, a maid entered respectfully. “Good morning, ma’am.”

Ariana immediately stood awkwardly. “G-Good morning.”

“The young master already left for work. Madam Vanessa instructed us to prepare you for breakfast downstairs.”

Ariana nodded quietly. The maid smiled politely, though Ariana still noticed the curiosity in her eyes. Everyone inside this mansion was probably wondering the same thing.

Why did Damien Monteverde marry someone like her?

Thirty minutes later, Ariana carefully walked downstairs wearing a simple cream-colored dress chosen by the stylists earlier. Even the dress felt expensive. Everything here reminded her that she did not belong. The moment she entered the dining room, conversations stopped. Ariana instantly felt nervous.

Several members of the Monteverde family sat around the long dining table. Most of them stared at her openly. Judging, measuring and a mocking silently.

Vanessa Monteverde casually sipped her coffee before smirking. “Well, look who finally decided to appear.”

Ariana forced a polite smile. “Good morning.”

Nobody greeted her back except an elderly man seated at the end of the table.

“Come here, hija.”

Ariana immediately recognized Valentino Monteverde. Unlike everyone else, warmth filled his eyes.

She slowly approached him. “How are you feeling, sir?”

Valentino chuckled softly. “You’re already family. Stop calling me sir.”

Ariana smiled faintly. Before she could respond, another woman suddenly spoke coldly.

“She doesn’t look like family to me.”

Ariana slowly looked toward the speaker. An elegant woman wearing pearl earrings stared at her with obvious dislike.

“Mother,” Vanessa muttered lazily.

Cassandra Monteverde. Damien’s mother.

And based on her expression alone, Ariana already knew she hated her.

Cassandra placed down her cup gracefully. “So you’re the girl who trapped my son.”

Ariana’s face paled. “I-I didn’t trap anyone.”

Vanessa laughed lightly. “That’s what poor girls always say.”

Valentino frowned immediately. “That’s enough.”

But Cassandra ignored him. “How much did you ask from Damien?”

Ariana clenched her hands beneath the table. “I didn’t marry him for money.”

This time, Cassandra laughed softly. “That’s even funnier.”

Ariana felt humiliated again. The servants nearby were silently listening. Every word felt like tiny knives stabbing her dignity. Then footsteps echoed from behind. Everyone became silent instantly. Damien had arrived. He walked into the dining room while fixing the sleeves of his black suit. His sharp eyes immediately landed on Ariana. She looked uncomfortable. And for some reason, Damien disliked seeing it.

“What’s going on?” he asked coldly.

Vanessa leaned back casually. “We’re just getting to know your wife.”

Damien glanced at Ariana again. She avoided his eyes.

Cassandra sighed dramatically. “Damien, this arrangement has already embarrassed our family enough. At least teach your wife proper behavior.”

Damien’s expression remained unreadable. “She’s fine.”

Vanessa nearly choked on her coffee. “Excuse me?”

Damien calmly pulled a chair beside Ariana and sat down.

“I said she’s fine.”

The room became awkwardly silent. Ariana herself looked shocked. Was he… defending her?

Cassandra frowned deeply. “You’re taking her side now?”

“I’m avoiding unnecessary drama before work.”

Damien said that coldly yet somehow, Ariana still felt relieved.

Breakfast continued in uncomfortable silence afterward. Ariana barely touched her food. Meanwhile, Damien calmly drank his coffee while reading documents on his tablet. Completely unaffected. Like the earlier humiliation never happened.

After breakfast, Damien suddenly stood up. “You’re coming with me.”

Ariana blinked. “What?”

“We have a public appearance this afternoon.”

“I-I don’t know anything about those things.”

“You’ll learn.”

Before she could protest, Damien already walked away. Ariana hurriedly followed him. Inside the car, silence filled the air. The luxury vehicle itself made Ariana nervous. Everything around Damien screamed wealth and power. She quietly stared outside the window while clutching her bag tightly.

Then Damien suddenly spoke. “My mother dislikes outsiders.”

Ariana gave a bitter laugh. “I noticed.”

“She’ll eventually calm down.”

“Does everyone in your family hate poor people?”

Damien glanced at her briefly. “Most rich families do.”

Ariana looked at him in disbelief. “You’re admitting that so casually?”

“It’s reality.”

She looked away again. “That doesn’t make it right.”

Damien studied her side profile silently. Unlike the women he usually encountered, Ariana never tried to impress him. She didn’t flirt. Didn’t act spoiled. Didn’t pretend. She simply looked… exhausted. The thought strangely bothered him. Meanwhile, Ariana was trying hard not to cry again. Everything felt overwhelming. She missed their tiny apartment. She missed normal life. Even if life was hard before, at least she still had freedom. Now she felt trapped inside a golden cage.

A few hours later, they arrived at a luxury hotel hosting a business charity event. The moment Damien stepped out of the car, cameras immediately flashed everywhere.

“Mr. Monteverde!”

“Sir Damien!”

“Look over here!”

Ariana froze from shock. She had never experienced anything like this before. Damien noticed her hesitation. Without warning, he gently held her waist. Ariana’s eyes widened instantly.

“Walk,” he murmured quietly.

Her heart suddenly beat faster. Not because of romance but because everyone was staring at them. The reporters immediately became excited.

“Is that his new wife?”

“They actually got married?”

“She’s beautiful…”

Ariana felt even more nervous.

Inside the ballroom, wealthy guests surrounded them instantly. Most people greeted Damien respectfully. But when they looked at Ariana— Their expressions changed. Curiosity, judgment and with disapproval.

Damien introduced her mechanically. “My wife, Ariana.”

Nothing more, no affection and no warmth. Just formality. Ariana forced polite smiles throughout the event despite feeling completely out of place. Women in expensive gowns whispered while staring at her.

“She’s the new Mrs. Monteverde?”

“She looks ordinary.”

“I heard she came from poverty.”

“Probably another gold digger.”

Ariana pretended not to hear anything. But every whisper still hurt. Then suddenly— A glamorous woman entered the ballroom. And immediately, the atmosphere changed. People started whispering excitedly.

“She’s back.”

“Oh my God… Selene Cortez.”

Ariana frowned slightly. The woman walking toward them looked stunning. With confident, elegant and dangerous. But what caught Ariana’s attention the most— was Damien’s sudden expression.

For the first time since meeting him. She saw emotion in his eyes. Cold anger. Selene smiled beautifully the moment she stopped in front of Damien.

“Hello, Damien.”

Silence filled the air between them. Tense and heavy. Then Selene’s eyes slowly landed on Ariana. Her smile instantly became mocking.

“So this is the wife.”

Ariana felt uncomfortable immediately.

Damien’s voice turned colder. “What are you doing here?”

Selene shrugged casually. “I returned yesterday. Didn’t you miss me?”

“No.” The answer came instantly.

But strangely, Ariana noticed something else beneath Damien’s coldness. Pain. Selene laughed softly before extending her hand toward Ariana.

“I’m Selene. Damien’s ex.”

Ariana hesitated briefly before shaking her hand politely. “Nice to meet you.”

Selene’s smile deepened. “Oh, sweetheart… I’m not sure you’ll keep saying that later.”

Ariana froze slightly. Before she could respond, Selene suddenly looked at Damien again.

“You replaced me quickly.”

“You left,” Damien answered emotionlessly.

Selene tilted her head slightly. “And yet you still look miserable.”

The tension between them became suffocating. Ariana suddenly felt like an outsider witnessing something personal. Something unresolved. Selene looked back at Ariana mockingly.

“Tell me,” she said sweetly, “did he already warn you?”

Ariana frowned. “Warn me about what?”

Selene smiled coldly. “That Damien Monteverde destroys every woman who loves him.”

The words hit harder than Ariana expected. Damien’s jaw tightened dangerously.

“Leave.”

Selene chuckled softly. “Still sensitive, I see.”

Then she leaned closer toward Ariana and whispered. “Be careful. Men like Damien don’t know how to love.”

After that, Selene walked away gracefully. Leaving behind a heavy silence. Ariana slowly looked at Damien. His expression had become terrifyingly cold.

“Who is she really?” Ariana asked carefully.

Damien looked away. “Nobody important.”

“That didn’t look like ‘nobody.’”

A long silence again. Then Damien suddenly spoke coldly.

“Don’t ask about my past.”

Ariana felt slightly offended. “I was just asking.”

“And I answered.”

His coldness returned instantly. Like walls slamming shut again. The rest of the event became uncomfortable afterward. Damien remained distant and irritated the entire time. Meanwhile, Ariana couldn’t stop thinking about Selene’s words. Men like Damien don’t know how to love. For some reason… That sentence stayed inside her mind.

Late that evening, they finally returned to the mansion. The moment Ariana entered the bedroom, exhaustion crashed into her. She removed her heels painfully.

“My feet are dying,” she muttered quietly.

Unexpectedly, Damien gave a faint amused look. “You complain a lot.”

Ariana stared at him. “Try wearing heels for seven hours.”

“I’d rather not.”

She rolled her eyes slightly before sitting on the edge of the bed. For the first time since meeting him, the atmosphere between them felt… lighter. But it disappeared quickly when Ariana asked softly:

“Did you love her?”

Damien immediately became expressionless again. He become silence. Ariana regretted asking instantly.

“You don’t have to answer.”

Damien slowly loosened his tie. “She betrayed me.”

His voice sounded cold. and empty.

Ariana looked at him quietly. “She cheated?”

“Something worse.”

Ariana didn’t ask further. Because the look in Damien’s eyes already told her enough.

Pain.

Anger.

Hatred.

Whatever Selene did… It destroyed him completely. Damien walked toward the window while staring outside into the dark city.

“Love makes people stupid,” he muttered coldly.

Ariana hugged her knees quietly. “Not always.”

Damien looked back at her. “Have you ever been in love?”

Ariana smiled sadly. “No time.”

For a moment, silence filled the room again.

Then Damien unexpectedly asked. “Do you regret marrying me?”

Ariana froze slightly. The question sounded strangely genuine. She looked down at her hands before answering honestly.

“I regret the reason why I had to.”

Damien stared at her quietly. And somehow— that answer affected him more than it should have.