Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Marriage to a Stranger

The bride approaching had similar features, but she was visibly younger. The dress fit perfectly on her slender figure, and even with the veil covering part of her face, Andrews could notice her hesitant expression, as if she were stepping into dangerous territory.

Andrews’ heart didn’t race—he wasn’t easily shaken. But what he felt at that moment wasn’t surprise… it was hatred. He clenched his fists, maintaining a calm expression, but he was facing the worst-case scenario.

He had been deceived.

The real one—the woman who was supposed to be there—had vanished and handed him off to a substitute. And he? He was about to sign a marriage contract with a complete stranger in front of the entire society.

But Andrews Westwood would never allow himself to be seen as a humiliated and fooled man.

His face remained unreadable. No emotion showed as the bride came to stand beside him. The veil was lifted, revealing a face he had never seen up close before. The camera flashes began capturing every second—and in that moment, Andrews’ bride was presented to the world.

The young woman blinked, visibly nervous, as if waiting for a reaction from him.

But Andrews merely smiled. A cold, calculated smile.

He took her hand, pulling her slightly closer, only to make it seem like a loving gesture for the cameras.

“Welcome to hell, darling,” he murmured through clenched teeth—barely audible, but she heard it. She swallowed hard and trembled slightly but quickly composed herself.

The wedding proceeded without incident. The vows were exchanged, the "I do" was spoken, and applause filled the hall. But inside Andrews, a storm was brewing.

He didn’t care who this woman was. To him, she was merely a pawn in the game his ex had started. And if this innocent girl was foolish enough to get involved in this farce, she would have to deal with the consequences.

“She may have thought it would be easy to humiliate me, even if I lose something... but she’ll lose much more,” he muttered in his thoughts while receiving the congratulations of the guests.

When Donovan discreetly approached after the ceremony, the assistant noticed the dangerous glint in Andrews’ eyes.

“What do you plan to do?” he asked in a low voice.

Andrews smiled, adjusting the gold cufflinks on his suit.

“She thought she could run away from me? She was wrong. She didn’t escape the marriage… she just handed her entire family over to me.”

His gray eyes gleamed with a cruel promise.

“I’ll destroy every last one of them.”

Donovan swallowed hard but said nothing. He knew Andrews never made empty threats.

And at that moment, the young bride—still lost in her new reality—had no idea she had just married a man ready to destroy her just as he would have destroyed his former fiancée.

“What do you know about the woman who stood at the altar with me?” he asked in a calm breath.

“I’m not sure… What will you do now that you’ve handed over half the amount your ex demanded? And what about the rest of the money?”

“I signed the agreement. So send the rest. They have legal grounds to sue me and take much more if I back out.”

“Right. I’ll handle it once we’re home. I’ll question Mrs. Blonsson and find out who this girl really is,” Donovan said, while Andrews kept his eyes fixed on the door to the room where his bride was.

“The party’s over. Shut everything down. We’re going home.”

“Will she ride in the same car?”

“Send her with another driver. I want her as far away from me as possible,” he ordered, and Donovan stepped away.

Curious, Andrews rolled his chair toward the door where Aurora was.

She sat quietly, fingers interlaced in her lap, still feeling the weight of the wedding ring newly placed on her finger. Her distant gaze betrayed the storm of thoughts consuming her.

The dark, unreadable expression of her new husband still haunted her mind. Since the moment he saw her at the altar, he hadn’t shown any true surprise—just something worse: restrained, calculated contempt.

The relief she felt now was contradictory. The wedding was done, but at least there would be nothing more between them. He wouldn’t touch her, and that gave her a false sense of safety.

“Mrs. Westwood—is that what I should call you now?” The gentle voice of the housekeeper pulled her back to reality.

The woman, her gray hair neatly tied in a bun, looked at her with a mix of concern and sweetness. She had stayed by Aurora’s side since the ceremony, making sure she was alright.

“Yes?” Aurora replied, her voice a little hesitant.

“I know everything happened very fast, but try not to worry too much. You’ll get used to it soon.”

“Do you think…” she began, hesitating. “Do you think he’ll expect me to fulfill any wifely duties?”

The housekeeper frowned, as if the question was absurd.

“Oh, my dear, of course not! Mr. Westwood… well, he’s bound to that chair. He can’t do anything.”

Those words were like a balm to Aurora. Her heart slowed, and for the first time that night, she felt real relief.

“So… he won’t even touch me?”

The housekeeper nodded in confirmation.

“There’s nothing to fear, dear. You’ll be his wife only on paper. He may be a difficult man, but he can’t demand more than that.”

“Good… It would be awful to be touched by him and forced to play that role…” she murmured with relief.

Aurora sighed, closing her eyes for a brief moment. Maybe this marriage wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Maybe… just maybe… she could remain unnoticed until she found a way to escape this situation.

But she didn’t know that every word she had just spoken had been heard.

On the other side of the slightly open door, Andrews remained still, his gray eyes darkened by the shadow of silent hatred.

“It’s time,” his assistant said, pushing the chair away from the door and taking him with it.