BETRAYED: CLAIMED BY THE KING OF AI

CHAPTER 1: BETRAYAL “You want me to do what?” My voice didn't even sound like mine. It was a thin, dry scratch in the back of my throat. The white silk of my wedding dress felt like a shroud. I was standing in the doorway of the VIP suite, the heavy oak door still vibrating from how hard I’d pushed it open. I had come here to find my husband. My David. Instead, I found a nightmare. David didn't even pull away from her. He stayed there, his hands locked onto my sister’s hips, his face flushed with a sweat that wasn't from the dance floor. Amaya leaned back against him, her head lolling toward me. Her eyes were glazed, hooded with a satisfaction that felt like a physical slap to my face. “I said don't just stand there like a statue, Isabella.” David’s voice was steady. Too steady. He wasn't even breathless. “Since you’ve already ruined the privacy, come in. Close the door. A threesome would actually make this night interesting for once.” “David?” I whispered, my knees hitting each other. “It’s our wedding night. You just swore… you just said forever.” Amaya let out a sharp, jagged laugh. She reached back and ran her fingers through David’s hair, looking at me with a pity that made my stomach turn over. “Oh, Bella. You really believed all that? The flowers, the vows, the fake tears? You’re so naive it’s actually painful to watch.” I looked from her to him, my heart hammering against my ribs so hard I thought it would crack a bone. “Amaya, you’re my sister. He’s my husband. How could you?” “Husband by contract, maybe.” David finally let go of her and stood up, adjusting his trousers without a single shred of shame. He looked at me like I was a budget report that wasn't adding up. “But let’s be real. You were never more than leverage, Isabella. My company needed the image of a stable, married man to secure the Jones Tech expansion. You were the easiest, most boring option available. You’re a cover. Nothing more.” I felt the blood drain from my face until my skin felt tight and cold. “A cover? You spent two years telling me you loved me.” “He had to say something to get you to the altar.” Amaya walked toward me, her silk robe hanging open, her eyes scanning my wedding dress with disgust. “But look at you. You’re stiff. You’re boring. You’re worthless in the ways that actually matter to a man like David.” She leaned in close, the scent of his cologne and her perfume mixing into a cloying, sick smell. “He’s mine, Bella. He’s always been mine. He just used you as a placeholder because I didn't want the paperwork yet.” “You’re lying.” I stepped back, my heels catching on the plush carpet. “David, tell her she’s lying.” David walked over to the side table and poured himself a glass of scotch. He didn't even look at me. “Why would I lie now? The ring is on your finger. The papers are signed. I don't have to pretend anymore. To be honest, I’m relieved. Keeping up the act of being attracted to you was the hardest work I’ve ever done.” I felt a sharp pain in my chest, like a cold blade sliding between my ribs. I couldn't breathe. The room started to tilt. “I gave you everything. I supported you when your firm was failing.” “And I thank you for the capital.” David took a sip of his drink, his eyes cold. “But you couldn't satisfy me if your life depended on it. You’re too fragile. Too plain. Amaya knows styles you couldn't even imagine in your little head. She gives me everything I want while you just sit there and expect a poem.” Amaya smirked, crossing her arms. “Go home, Isabella. Or stay and watch. Maybe you’ll learn something for the next man who decides to pity you.” “I hate you.” The words were quiet, but they burned my throat. “I hate both of you.” David laughed, a dry, mocking sound. “Hate isn't going to fix your reputation. You walk out that door and tell people the truth, and you’re just the pathetic bride who got cheated on by her own sister. Who’s going to believe you? Everyone loves me. You’re just the quiet girl who got lucky.” I looked at my sister, the person I’d shared a room with for eighteen years. “Does Mom know?” “Mom’s the one who suggested I keep an eye on him while you were busy picking out lace patterns.” Amaya shrugged like it was nothing. “Nobody is on your side, Bella. You’re the odd one out. Always have been.” The betrayal felt like a heavy weight, crushing the air out of my lungs. Every memory I had of the last two years was turning to ash. Every kiss, every "I love you," every plan for the future—it was all a script. I was a prop in my own life. I reached for the wedding band on my finger, my hands trembling so much I could barely grip the gold. I yanked it off, the metal scraping against my skin. I threw it at his feet. It didn't make a loud noise, just a dull thud on the carpet. “I want a divorce.” My voice cracked on the last word. David didn't even blink. “Fine. Sign the papers tomorrow. You’ll get nothing. No settlement, no alimony, nothing. You walk away with the clothes on your back and the shame of a failed marriage.” “I don't want your money.” I backed toward the door, my eyes stinging with tears I refused to let fall in front of them. “I just want to be away from you.” “Then run.” Amaya waved her hand dismissively, turning back toward David. “Go find a corner to cry in. We have a long night ahead of us and you’re ruining the mood.” I turned and bolted. I didn't care about the train of my dress. I didn't care about the guests downstairs or the cameras or the disgrace. I ran down the hallway, the sound of my own sobbing finally breaking through the silence. The elevator felt like a cage. When the doors opened to the lobby, I saw the flashes of cameras. The paparazzi were waiting for the happy couple to make their grand exit. “Isabella! Where’s David?” “Isabella, look this way! Is the honeymoon starting tonight?” I pushed through them, my veil tearing away as someone stepped on it. I didn't stop. I hit the revolving doors and felt the cold night air hit my face. It was raining. The heavy drops smeared my makeup and soaked into the expensive silk of my gown, making it heavy and grey. I ran until my lungs burned. I ran until I couldn't hear the cameras or the music from the ballroom. I found myself in a dark alleyway, leaning against a cold brick wall, gasping for air. I looked down at my hands. They were stained with the grey dye of the wet silk. I was Isabella Jones for exactly four hours. Now, I was nobody. I had no home, no husband, and no sister. My phone buzzed in the hidden pocket of my dress. A text from Amaya. Don't bother coming back to the house. I already packed your things and left them on the sidewalk. David and I are going to the Maldives tomorrow. Thanks for the tickets, sis. A scream tore out of me, loud and raw, lost in the sound of the rain. I wanted to die. I wanted to disappear. I looked up at the neon sign across the street. A club. The music was thumping, a deep bass that vibrated in the pavement. It looked dark. It looked like a place where people went to forget who they were. I wiped my face with the back of my hand, smearing black mascara across my cheeks. I didn't have a plan. I didn't have a future. All I had was a crushing pain in my chest that wouldn't stop growing. I stepped out of the shadows and walked toward the entrance. The bouncer looked at my soaked wedding dress, then at my ruined face. He didn't ask for an ID. He just opened the door. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of gin and sweat. I walked straight to the bar. “Double of whatever is strongest.” I told the bartender, my voice flat. He didn't blink. He just poured. I downed the first shot, the liquid burning like fire all the way down. I needed more. I needed enough to drown out the image of David’s hands on Amaya. I needed enough to forget my mother’s betrayal. I stood up, the world swaying slightly. On the dance floor, bodies were moving in a blur of neon light. I pushed into the crowd, wanting to get lost. I started to move, my heavy dress swinging around my legs. Suddenly, a group of girls pushed past, laughing. One of them caught my shoulder and I stumbled. My heels gave way on the slippery floor and I felt myself falling. I braced for the impact of the hard floor, but it never came. Instead, I slammed into something solid. Something warm. Strong arms wrapped around my waist to steady me. I looked up, my vision swimming. All I could see were a pair of dark, piercing eyes and a jawline that looked like it was carved from stone. He smelled like expensive woodsmoke and something dangerous. “Help me.” I whispered, my hand clutching his expensive suit jacket. “Please, just help me forget.” The man looked down at me, his grip tightening. “You’re drunk, sweetheart. And you’re wearing a wedding dress.” “I’m not a bride.” I choked out, reaching up to pull his face down to mine. “I’m nothing. Just make me forget.” Before he could pull away, I pressed my lips to his. I expected him to push me off, but he froze. Then, with a low growl that I felt deep in my chest, he swung me up into his arms and started walking toward the stairs. I didn't know his name. I didn't know his face. And I didn't know that tonight was the beginning of a secret that would change my life forever.