The Billionaire's Wife
1075 Words
Aria had always believed that money could change a person's life.
She just never imagined it would change hers like this.
Standing in the middle of Kingston Estate, she felt like she had stepped into another world.
Everything around her was perfect.
The marble floors.
The expensive paintings hanging on the walls.
The grand staircase that looked like it belonged in a palace.
But despite all the beauty surrounding her, Aria felt one thing.
Out of place.
"Mrs. Kingston?"
The voice pulled her back.
A woman in a neatly pressed uniform stood nearby, holding a small folder.
"I am Clara, the head housekeeper. If you need anything during your stay, please let me know."
Aria forced a polite smile.
"Thank you, but you don't have to call me that."
The woman looked confused.
"Call you what?"
"Mrs. Kingston."
A brief silence followed.
Then Clara smiled gently.
"I understand, but everyone here will address you by your title."
Aria looked away.
Her title.
The word felt strange.
She wasn't used to being introduced by someone else's name.
She was Aria Bennett.
An architect.
A daughter.
A sister.
Not just Damien Kingston's wife.
Even if the world believed she was.
---
A few minutes later, Aria found Damien in his office.
Of course he was working.
The man seemed incapable of doing anything else.
He stood behind his desk, reading through documents while several screens displayed financial reports.
"You have a beautiful house."
Damien looked up.
"Thank you."
"But it doesn't feel like a home."
His expression didn't change.
"It's not meant to."
Aria frowned.
"That is exactly the problem."
Damien closed the file.
"You wanted honesty. This is my honesty."
She crossed her arms.
"And what exactly am I supposed to do here?"
"Live."
"Live?"
"Yes."
She laughed softly.
"You brought me here, changed my entire life, and now you're telling me to just live?"
Damien studied her.
"You will have everything you need."
"That's not what I mean."
"What do you mean?"
Aria stepped closer.
"I mean I don't want to disappear into your world."
For a moment, Damien said nothing.
Then he replied:
"You won't."
She looked surprised.
"You sound certain."
"I chose you because you don't disappear."
Those words stayed with her.
Because they sounded less like a business decision.
And more like something personal.
---
That afternoon, Damien's assistant arrived with a schedule.
Aria stared at the paper.
"What is this?"
"Your public appearances."
She looked up.
"Public appearances?"
The assistant nodded.
"As Damien Kingston's wife, the media will expect to see you together."
Aria sighed.
Of course.
She had forgotten.
This wasn't only a marriage agreement.
It was a performance.
A show for the entire world.
"When does this start?"
"Tonight."
Her eyes widened.
"Tonight?"
"The Kingston Foundation charity event."
Aria looked at Damien.
"You couldn't have warned me earlier?"
"I assumed you would prefer less time to worry."
She stared at him.
"That might be the worst excuse I've ever heard."
For a second, she thought she saw the smallest hint of a smile.
Then it disappeared.
---
Hours later, Aria stood in front of the mirror.
The dress she wore was elegant, but it didn't feel like her.
Everything about this new life felt borrowed.
The mansion.
The clothes.
The name.
She touched the ring on her finger.
A reminder of the deal she made.
A reminder that she couldn't run away.
A knock sounded at the door.
She turned.
Damien stood there.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
He was dressed in a black suit, looking exactly like the man everyone feared.
Powerful.
Confident.
Untouchable.
"You look beautiful."
The compliment caught her off guard.
She expected instructions.
Not kindness.
"Thank you."
A quiet silence followed.
Then Damien offered his arm.
"Ready?"
Aria looked at his arm.
The gesture was simple.
But accepting it meant stepping fully into his world.
Slowly, she placed her hand on his arm.
"Let's get this over with."
---
The moment they arrived at the event, the cameras started flashing.
Reporters surrounded them.
"Mr. Kingston, is this your wife?"
"How did you meet?"
"Is this a love marriage?"
Aria felt overwhelmed.
Damien's hand gently rested against her back.
A protective gesture.
One that felt surprisingly natural.
"Tonight is about supporting the foundation," Damien said calmly.
The reporters continued.
"Mrs. Kingston, are you happy?"
The question caught her completely off guard.
She looked at Damien.
Then at the crowd.
Then back at the cameras.
A single answer could change everything.
"I am..."
She paused.
"...happy to support my husband."
It wasn't a lie.
But it wasn't the truth either.
---
Inside the ballroom, Aria watched Damien interact with people.
She expected arrogance.
Coldness.
A man who treated everyone beneath him.
But she saw something different.
He remembered employees' names.
He thanked the staff.
He listened when people spoke.
It confused her.
The man she saw in private wasn't the same man the world described.
"You look surprised."
She turned.
An older woman stood beside her.
"Excuse me?"
The woman smiled.
"You expected him to be heartless."
Aria looked toward Damien.
"Shouldn't I?"
The woman laughed softly.
"People only see what Damien allows them to see."
Before Aria could ask more, the woman walked away.
Leaving Aria with more questions than answers.
---
Later that evening, as they returned home, the silence between them felt different.
Less uncomfortable.
More uncertain.
"Thank you," Aria said suddenly.
Damien looked at her.
"For what?"
"For tonight."
"You handled yourself well."
She smiled slightly.
"That almost sounded like a compliment."
"It was."
She looked at him.
"Damien?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you really doing this?"
His expression changed.
Just slightly.
But enough for her to notice.
"I told you."
"No."
She shook her head.
"I mean why me?"
The car became silent.
For several seconds, she thought he wouldn't answer.
Then he said quietly:
"Because years ago, someone gave up everything for me."
Aria stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
But Damien looked away.
"Nothing."
She knew immediately.
It wasn't nothing.
It was a secret.
And Damien Kingston had many of them.
As the car entered the gates of Kingston Estate, Aria looked out at the mansion ahead.
She had entered this marriage to save her family.
But now she was beginning to realize something dangerous.
The more she learned about Damien Kingston...
The harder it would become to remember this was only a deal.
End of Chapter 5
- Writer
