The Forced Marriage The Invisible Wife

[ ARIA’S POV ]The car ride after the wedding was heavy. I sat by the window, twisting my hands in my lap as the city lights blurred past. Luca sat next to me, still and cold, acting like the whole day was nothing more than a task to finish. I didn't look at him because I didn't want to see that same expression he wore at the altar.When the car finally stopped, he just said, "We're here". I stepped out into the cold air and looked up at the house. It was tall and distant, feeling less like a home and more like a place people are sent to against their will.Inside, the place was too perfect. It had clean lines, quiet walls, and dim lighting that provided no warmth. The staff bowed their heads as Luca walked by, but nobody really looked at me. I followed him through endless, polished hallways until he stopped at a door."This is your room," he said. It wasn't ours. The space was large and neat, but it felt empty, like no one had ever actually lived there.Before leaving, Luca laid out

[ARIA’S POV]I watched his boots stop right in front of me. I looked up, but the man I barely knew wasn't there anymore. His eyes were just empty, dark pits."Don’t," I whispered. My body was already locking up.He didn't hesitate.He reached down, caught a fistful of my hair, and yanked. My head snapped back, and a sharp, jagged scream tore out of my throat as my knees hit the hardwood. He didn't slow down. He started walking, dragging me across the floor like I was nothing but a heavy bag. I clawed at the floorboards, my nails scraping and catching on the wood, but he didn't even feel it.The cold floor bit into my knees, but the sting was nothing compared to the way Luca’s other fingers dug into my arm. He didn’t just hold me; he gripped me like I was something he intended to break."Maybe you’ll learn to listen now," he growled. He wasn't yelling. He sounded bored."Please," I choked out, the word splintering against the lump in my throat. Tears were streaming down my face n

[ ARIA’S POV ]I slumped on the edge of the mattress, my stomach twisted into knots. I couldn't stop staring at the door, just waiting and praying for the handle to turn.Finally, it clicked open. A guard stood there tall, cold, and looking every bit as dangerous as Luca."Time’s up," he said, his voice flat. "The boss says you can come out now."I tried to stand, but my legs felt like jelly. I didn't just walk out; I practically crawled out of that cage. When I finally reached my own room, there was a tray of food waiting on the bed. The smell hit me instantly, and my stomach growled so loud it was embarrassing."Easy now, ma’am," a quiet voice said. It was the maid. She stood by the corner, watching me with pity in her eyes. "I’m so sorry you’re being put through this.""Thanks for the food," I managed to say between bites.She shook her head. "Don’t thank me. It was the boss’s order."I almost choked. The nerve of that man, locking me away like an animal one minute and then playing

[ ARIA’S POV ]The car ride back was dead quiet.I sat as far away from Luca as I could, pressing my back against the door. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. Outside, the city lights blurred into long, distorted streaks against the tinted glass, but I wasn't really seeing them. All I could feel was the weight in my chest.I knew what was coming. I knew exactly what was waiting for me behind those mansion gates.Luca hadn't uttered a single word since we walked out of the gala. No yelling, no questions. Just a suffocating, deadly silence that felt a thousand times worse than his temper.Elara sat across from us, looking perfectly relaxed. Every time our eyes met, I saw it, that tiny, smug glint of victory. She’d done it. She had twisted the truth until Luca was convinced I was seconds away from running.Now, I was the one who was going to pay.When the car finally pulled up to the front steps, my stomach did a slow, painful somersault. The house looked like a tomb, dark and ready to swal

[ ARIA’S POV ]My mother’s eyes lit up the second the boxes were brought into the living room. Gold-plated trays, expensive fabrics, sparkling jewelry, stacks of cash… the whole room suddenly looked like a luxury boutique.She touched everything carefully, almost like she was scared it would vanish if she pressed too hard."Oh my God," she whispered, completely breathless. "Aria, look at the kind of man you married."I just stood in the corner, my fingers digging into the fabric of my dress.Lucas sat on the couch like a king who owned the whole world. Calm. Proud. Completely untouchable.My mother practically ran to the kitchen herself something she had never done for anyone. She cooked a massive spread and served Lucas with the biggest smile I’d ever seen on her face."You are so welcome, my son," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Our home is truly honored to have you."I wanted to laugh, but it just felt bitter.This was the same woman who never stood up for me, yet her