All Chapters of THE BRIDE HE NEVER WANTED: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The next morning, I woke up with a heavy feeling in my chest. The memory of Clara’s body pressed against mine, her hand on my breast and between my legs, kept replaying in my head. I felt ashamed, confused, and strangely warm at the same time. I pushed the thoughts away and tried to act normal.I was sitting by the window reading when there was a soft knock on the door.“Come in,” I said.Clara entered, carrying a tray with tea and fruits. She closed the door behind her and stood there for a moment, looking at me. Her cheeks were slightly pink. She looked different today, nervous but determined.“Mrs. Laurent,” she started, her voice low. “About last night…”I tensed immediately. “Clara, it’s fine. We don’t have to talk about it.”But she stepped closer, placing the tray on the table. Her eyes were fixed on me with a boldness I had never seen in her before.“No,” she said quietly. “I need to say this. When I saw you that night, watching them and touching yourself, I couldn’t stop thin

The morning after Lia’s birthday party, I woke up to complete silence.My body still ached from the long day of working like a servant. My eyes were swollen from crying the night before. I lay in bed for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything that had happened. The way guests had pitied me. The way Adrian had ignored me. The way his mother had caught me watching them.I dragged myself out of bed and went downstairs, hoping for a quiet cup of tea.Adrian was already in the dining room, drinking coffee. He looked fresh and composed, like nothing had happened. When I walked in, he didn’t even glance at me.I sat down quietly at the far end of the table. One of the maids placed a plate of food in front of me. I barely touched it.After a few minutes, Adrian finally spoke. His voice was cold.“You embarrassed me last night.”I looked up slowly. “I didn’t do anything.”“You stood there like a dull shadow,” he said, his eyes hard. “Guests kept asking why I married someon

We returned from Singapore three days later.The flight back was quiet, just like the one going there. Adrian spent most of the time working on his laptop while I stared out the window, watching the clouds pass by. The small moments of freedom I had felt in the new city already seemed like a distant dream. As soon as the plane landed, the heavy feeling returned to my chest.Back at the mansion, everything looked the same. The tall walls, the expensive furniture, the cold hallways. Nothing had changed. I was still the unwanted wife in a house that never felt like home.The first two days after we returned were strangely calm. Adrian was busy catching up on work. He didn’t speak much to me, but he wasn’t giving me the silent treatment either. He would nod when I greeted him in the morning and sometimes ask if I needed anything. Small things. Nothing warm. Just enough to keep the house running smoothly.I tried to settle back into the routine. I read books in the library, helped the maid

“Serena? Open the door.”Adrian’s voice was low but sharp. My heart nearly stopped.Clara and I froze on the bed, naked, breathing fast. Her eyes were wide with panic. I quickly put a finger to my lips, telling her to stay quiet.“I’m in the bathroom!” I called out, trying to make my voice sound normal. “I’ll be out soon.”There was a pause.“Hurry up,” Adrian replied.I heard him move away from the door a little. I turned to Clara and whispered urgently, “Hide. Now.”Clara nodded quickly. She grabbed her uniform and slipped into the large wardrobe, pulling the door almost closed behind her. I rushed to the bathroom, turned on the shower, and poured cold water over my body to make it look like I had really been bathing. I wrapped a towel around myself tightly and took a deep breath.Then I opened the door.Adrian stood there, his eyes slightly glassy from the drugs and alcohol still in his system. He looked at me, wet hair, towel wrapped around my body, and something dark flashed in h

“What is that?” he asked me. He was pointing at the little bruise on my wrist. I said it was nothing. Then he smiled again, that same fake, gentle smile.“Okay. Don’t take too long.”He turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.I let out a shaky breath and collapsed back onto the bed, the divorce papers still clutched tightly in my hands.He had almost seen them.And I knew, deep down, that if he ever did.There would be no escape.I couldn’t sleep that night.For the first time, I wasn’t just thinking about leaving.I was planning it.I sat up in bed and hugged my knees. My mind raced. I needed a real plan. Not dreams. Not wishes. A real, step-by-step way to escape this house and this marriage.The next morning, I found Clara in the laundry room. She was alone, folding sheets. When she saw me, her eyes lit up with that same hungry look.“Mrs. Laurent,” she whispered. “Did you think about what I said?”I closed the door behind me and spoke quietly. “I need you