The Billonaire's Unwanted Bride

Riley did not remember when her legs gave up.One moment she was standing, preparing for her big day, and the next she was falling onto the bed like a body with no soul left inside it. The soft mattress swallowed her, but it did not comfort her. Nothing could. She lay there, flat on her back, staring at the ceiling as if it held answers she desperately needed.Minutes passed.Then hours.She did not blink. She did not move.The chandelier above her glowed softly, its crystals shining and reflecting light across the room. It was beautiful. Painfully beautiful. The kind of beauty meant for joy, for laughter, for celebration.Not for this.Her phone rang again.The sound was sharp. Loud. Annoying.She did not reach for it.It rang again.And again.She didn’t even bother to check the caller. She didn’t care.The sound felt far away, like it was happening in another world. Riley did not move. Not after what she has just discovered.Her mind was full, yet empty at the same time.Her heart

The whispers were growing louder.They moved quietly at first. Soft whispers. Low murmurs. Side glances. But with every passing minute, they grew louder. More confident. More cruel.The guests shifted in their seats. Some leaned toward each other. Others covered their mouths as they spoke, pretending to be polite while feeding on the shame unfolding before them.Hours had passed.And still, the bride was still standing alone at the altar.No groom.No explanation.Just silence.Riley stood there in her white gown, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Her fingers trembled so badly that she could barely feel them anymore. Her legs felt weak, as though they might give way at any moment. Every second felt heavier than the last.She could feel the stares.They burned into her skin.At that moment she just wished the ground would open and swallow her whole.Her chest tightened painfully as her breath came in as short, shaky gasps. Her eyes were heavy with unshed tears. She blinked ra

The mansion was cold and quiet… too quiet.Riley felt it the moment she walked in.The Hale residence stood tall and intimidating, its marble floors gleaming under the crystal chandeliers, its walls decorated with priceless art pieces and picture perfect family portraits, with smiles that didn't quite reach their eyes. Everything looked Perfect. Untouched. Cold. It didn't feel like home.It felt like a museum She was an exhibit that didn't fit in.Riley stood in the middle of the room assigned to her, her wedding gown clinging to her heavily like a reminder of everything she went through that day. The room was enormous, bigger than her entire childhood home. The king-sized bed sat in the middle of the room draped with black sheets that was so uninviting.She missed home.This was supposed to be her wedding night. She was supposed to be excited, happy, anything apart from what she was feeling right now. The betrayal. The uncertainty. The fear. The image of Ken holding that woman rep

Ken did not come home that night.Riley knew because no one told her differently.Dinner was served in silence, in the same small sitting room she had been assigned earlier. A maid placed the tray on the table without meeting her eyes and left without a word. The food was untouched by the time it was taken away.Her stomach twisted. Not from hunger, but from the quiet realization settling in her chest.He could ignore her completely.And no one would question it.The mansion slept early. By ten, the lights dimmed. The halls became eerily quiet, like the house itself was holding its breath. Riley lay awake in the unfamilair bed, staring at the celing again just like the night before the wedding.Only this time, there was no illusion left.When Ken finally returned, it was close to midnight.Riley heard him before she saw him, the sound of the front door opening, heavy footsteps echoing acress marble floors, the faint murmur of voices that werent hers.Laughter.A woman’s laughter.Her

The silence after the crash felt heavier than the noise itself.It pressed against the walls of the mansion, thick and suffocating, as though the house itself was holding its breath. The chandelier above flickered faintly, its crystal edges still trembling from the impact that had shattered the calm moments earlier. Somewhere in the distance, a clock ticked loudly, counting seconds that felt stretched and unbearable.Riley remained frozen where she sat, her fingers curled tightly against the fabric of her dress. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears. The air felt cold against her skin, yet her palms were damp with sweat.Katerina stood a few steps away, her confident smile long gone. The effortless elegance she carried moments ago had vanished, replaced with sharp alertness. Her eyes darted briefly toward the hallway, calculating, cautious.“What was that?” Riley asked quietly.Her voice sounded smaller than she intended, fragile in the heavy silence.