Chapter 4

Chapter 4

POV: Amelie

Reyvano’s sharp gaze seemed to be peeling away every inch of the lie I was trying to hide. My breath caught in my throat as I searched for any reasonable excuse that would keep this man from doubting my presence.

"I... I just wanted to try," I whispered softly, briefly averting my gaze toward the bowl of soup before finding the courage to look into his eyes again. I made my voice sound somewhat awkward and hesitant. "Actually, I’ve always been able to cook a little... but I was embarrassed to serve it to you. I was afraid it wouldn’t suit your taste."

Reyvano did not answer immediately. He studied my tense expression before stepping closer until his scent once again overwhelmed my senses. His hand reached out, picking up a small spoon from the kitchen island before scooping up a little of the clear soup that was still releasing wisps of steam.

I held my breath. My heart pounded erratically as I waited for his judgment. What if he hated the taste? What if the dish tasted strange to the palate of a conglomerate heir?

Reyvano slowly sipped the soup. His eyes closed for a moment as he savored the savory spices and beef broth that blended perfectly together. When he opened his eyes again, the coldness that had covered his face earlier had completely disappeared.

"This... is incredibly delicious," he said as though he could hardly believe what he had just tasted.

Before I could respond, Reyvano pulled me closer by the waist. He lowered his head and placed a warm, lingering kiss on my forehead. "Your cooking is amazing, darling. Why have you been hiding this talent all this time?"

"I-I was just hesitant..." I answered softly, feeling my cheeks grow warm from his praise and sudden kiss.

"From now on, never hesitate again," Reyvano whispered right in front of my face, giving me a charming, faint smile before finally sitting on the bar stool and beginning to enjoy his breakfast heartily.

Seeing how calm Reyvano was and how gently he had treated me since last night, a great doubt began to grow inside me. I remembered what Amora had said back in the village yesterday—about Reyvano supposedly being a monster, a controlling man who forbade her from doing anything. Yet the reality I had faced since stepping into this house was completely the opposite.

I took a deep breath, gathering the courage to test the boundaries Amora had once told me about. I sat on the chair beside Reyvano, watching him chew.

"Reyvano..." I called softly.

"Hm?" he replied without taking his eyes off his food.

"I... I was thinking about how to spend my free time," I said slowly, carefully arranging each word so as not to provoke his anger. "I want to go to college. I want to major in fashion design... but through an online program, or I could have a private tutor come to the house. That way, I can still focus on taking care of Ardhana and won’t need to go out often."

Reyvano’s spoon stopped for a moment. He set it down before turning to look at me fully. His fingers reached out and gently stroked my intertwined fingers on the table.

"Of course you can, darling," he said gently. "I’ll ask my assistant to find the best private instructor from a fashion academy. You can study in the second-floor study room whenever you want."

I was stunned. Was it really that easy? No argument? No raised voice?

My courage grew even stronger. I dared to ask about the most sensitive matter that Amora claimed was the main reason for her husband’s cruelty.

"Then... what if, after taking care of our child, I want to try becoming a model?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. "And what if... my weight changes to an ideal figure... what then?"

Reyvano let out a short sigh, but his eyes radiated a warm seriousness. He held my hand more firmly.

"Of course you can, darling. Whatever your dreams are, I will always support you," Reyvano said firmly. His hand lifted and gently caressed my cheek. "As long as you remember your main priorities. Your health, Ardhana, and our marriage. I have never forbidden you from pursuing a career, Amora. What made me angry before was the way you tortured yourself with extreme dieting until you neglected your health."

My body froze instantly.

Reyvano’s words echoed inside my head, shattering all the fabricated stories Amora had told me yesterday.

Why had Amora lied?

The man before me was not the controlling monster she had described. He was simply a husband who was concerned about his wife’s and child’s safety. Amora had not been imprisoned—she had chosen to run away because she was obsessed with her own lifestyle and unwilling to fulfill her role as a mother.

An overwhelming sense of guilt suddenly struck my chest. I had become part of this enormous lie, deceiving a sincere man who was now looking at me with love and trust.

Before the turmoil in my chest over the truth about Reyvano had even subsided, the sharp sound of high heels approaching shattered the silence in the dining room.

An elegantly dressed middle-aged woman stepped inside. Diamond jewelry glittered around her neck and wrists, radiating a strong aura of arrogance. Beside her walked a fashionable young woman with a tall, slender figure and a beautiful face like that of a top model.

Mrs. Hana—Reyvano’s biological mother.

"Mother?" Reyvano set down his spoon, his eyebrows drawing together at the unexpected arrival of his mother.

Mrs. Hana looked me up and down with a contemptuous gaze.

"Your time is up, Amora," Mrs. Hana said without any preamble, her voice sharp as it cut through the air. "Today marks exactly one year. So you must immediately sign the divorce papers and leave my son’s life."

Thud.

My heart felt as though it had been struck by a heavy weight. "Huh? What do you mean? I... I really don’t understand," I whispered, stammering.

My mind suddenly became chaotic. Amora had never told me anything about an agreement or this time limit! She had only said that Reyvano controlled her, never mentioning a threat of divorce from her mother-in-law.

"Don’t pretend you have amnesia," the young woman with the ideal figure beside Mrs. Hana interjected with a mocking smile. "An agreement is an agreement."

"Enough, Mother!" Reyvano’s deep voice thundered, cutting through the tension in the room. He stood tall, positioning himself in front of me. His eyes gleamed with unmatched determination. "I will never divorce Amora."

Mrs. Hana’s eyes widened angrily. "Reyvano! What on earth are you doing?! Remember, the two of you only had a one-year contract marriage! The agreement is clear!"

"That was then," Reyvano interrupted coldly, warmly gripping my fingers behind his body, protecting me from his mother’s sharp gaze. "Amora and I were indeed married under a contract at first. But during this past year with her, I have decided to end that contract marriage unilaterally and make her my real wife forever. She is the mother of my child."

"You’re crazy, Reyvano!" Mrs. Hana shrieked furiously, pointing at me with utter contempt. "She is nothing but a poor woman from an insignificant family whom we paid! She is not worthy of standing beside the Blackthorne family!"

My world suddenly spun. The words contract marriage, poor woman, and payment rang loudly in my ears.

I froze in place, clutching the edge of Reyvano’s suit with violently trembling fingers. One lie after another from Amora was being peeled away before my eyes. What... had actually happened to my twin while I was living in the village? And what kind of dark life had I just entered?