I Slept Beside a Stranger Called Husband

Talia's POV My name is Talia Scott. I am twenty-one years old, married to Ethan Miller for two years. A love marriage? No. It was arranged. There is no love from his side. But for me... I have been his since the first time I saw those dark hunter eyes at a gathering ten years ago. I was young, too young to understand love, yet something about him stayed with me. I admired him quietly, from a distance, dreaming of a peaceful life—small happiness, silent moments, a life where I wouldn't feel afraid to exist. It was 10 p.m. I sat at the dining table, waiting for my husband so we could eat together. He doesn't like seeing my face, but I am his wife. I kept telling myself that one day, he would accept me. The house felt too big. Too quiet. When the door opened, the cold entered before he did. "Haven't I told you not to wait?" Ethan said without looking at me. I tried to speak, but he cut me off. "Come in. Natasha, wait downstairs." The sound of her name made my chest tighten. ⸻ Inside the room, he sat down on the large chair, relaxed, distant—like I was nothing more than a disturbance. "Don't you think you're overstepping?" he said quietly. I ignored the insult. "What's going on between you and Natasha?" He smirked. Cold. Cruel. "Why do you care?" "Why do I care?" My voice shook. "She's coming between us. You don't—" "You are the other woman, Talia." The words knocked the air out of my lungs. "What...?" "Yes. Two years ago, you came into my room, slept with me, played innocent, and trapped me into marrying you." My hands began to tremble. "That's not true. Ethan... you still don't believe me?" He stood up suddenly. "Don't make me start. Get out. I don't want to see your face. I'll come to you when I want. You don't need to play wife. It disgusts me." "Etha—" He slammed his fist on the table. "GET OUT!" "I hate you," I whispered, a tear sliding down my cheek. ⸻ I walked out, my body shaking uncontrollably. My fingers slipped as I pressed the elevator button again and again. When I realized no one was there, I turned and ran toward the stairs. Halfway up, my legs gave up. I collapsed against the wall, one hand covering my mouth to silence the sobs, the other clutching my chest. "It hurts... God, it hurts here," I whispered, my voice breaking. ⸻ I went to our room. No... my room. He rarely comes here. Maybe once a month. It had been three weeks. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I opened the walk-in closet and pulled out a suitcase. I packed slowly, mechanically. Every folded dress felt like I was erasing myself. Every empty hanger reminded me of how little space I ever had in his life. I unplugged my phone, about to call my father—then froze. Father? Mother? I had never known warmth from them. When someone set me up to sleep with Ethan years ago, my own parents called me disgusting and threw me away like a broken toy. Instead i called Scott's butler Still... maybe this time would be different. Before leaving, I paused. I needed to say goodbye. ⸻ I walked toward Ethan's office. The door was slightly open. I stepped inside. And my world collapsed. Natasha was sitting on his lap. Her arms were around his neck. She was laughing softly, comfortably—like she belonged there. Like she always had. His high-school lover. The woman he truly loved. My eyes widened. My breath hitched painfully. My heart skipped, then began to race so fast it felt like it would tear itself apart. I took a step back. Then another. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes. My hands shook violently. My chest felt tight, like someone was crushing it from the inside. They looked at me. Ethan's expression didn't change. Natasha smiled. Something inside me broke. I turned around and ran. I didn't know where I was going. I just needed to get away. My feet felt numb as I stumbled down the corridor, my breath uneven, my heart screaming inside my chest. I pushed open the door to the balcony, the cold wind slamming into me, stealing the air from my lungs. My hair whipped around my face as tears streamed down uncontrollably. I bent forward, gripping the railing, gasping. This is it, I thought. This is where I lose everything. ⸻ I washed my face, the cold water burning my skin, then dragged my suitcase downstairs. Outside, the night air felt sharp and merciless. "Good evening, Miss Talia," Petro said gently, worry clear in his eyes. "Hello, Petro," I whispered. "Please... take me to my parents' house." He hesitated. "Are you sure, miss?" "I have nowhere else to go." ⸻ The city lights passed by like strangers. Natasha's laughter replayed in my mind over and over again. How could you stay with a man who never loved you for two years? When we arrived, I stepped out, my heart aching with a hope I shouldn't have had. My mother's slap came without warning. "How dare you abandon your husband and come here?" "Mom—" "SHUT UP!" my father shouted. "If it weren't for Ethan, who would even want you?" My hands trembled uncontrollably. My vision darkened. Idiot, I told myself. How could you expect anything from them? Author's Note: Thank you for reading 🤍 This is a slow-burn, emotional dark romance. Please be patient with the characters and the story — healing, pain, and love take time. If you liked this chapter, don't forget to vote, comment, and add it to your library. Your support means everything to me.