The Billionaire's Forsaken Bride

A Loveless Union

(Lucy’s POV)

The wedding was over.

They had traded the rings. They signed the documents.

Lucy Thomas has replaced Lucy Henrique.

However, nothing seemed genuine.

As the Lamborghini raced toward Bill's penthouse, she sat in the back and gazed out at the glittering city of Madrid. Her fists were white, and her hands were closed in her lap.

Bill sat quietly next to her, his face set in stone. Since they had left the arena, he had been silent.

Not "you look lovely."

"Welcome to your new life" is not appropriate.

Not even a heartless "congratulations."

Nothing.

Lucy's throat was dry as she swallowed hard. She felt bound by the diamond ring's weight on her finger.

At last, the silence became agonizing to her.

She said, "Are we going to talk about this?"

Bill didn't look around. "There’s nothing to talk about."

She let out a sour chuckle. "Oh, really? I'm riding in a car with a man who obviously doesn't want me after being coerced into this marriage and drugged. That sounds like a topic worth talking about.

His mouth was tight, but he said nothing.

Lucy shook her head and let out a deep exhale. "You still love her, don’t you?"

Bill's fingers gripped his knee tightly. "This isn’t about Maria."

Lucy laughed again, without humor. "Maria is constantly in the center. You still don't see everything that took place, everything she did, do you?

Bill's blue eyes widened as he turned his head. "Don’t act like you’re some innocent victim, Lucy."

She flinched as though he had hit her. "I never wanted any of this."

He rubbed his temple and sighed. "Neither did I."

Again, there was silence between them.

Lucy pushed her forehead against the cool glass window and looked away. Golden lights flickered like ghosts as the streets of Madrid passed in a whirl.

Now this was her life.

Wed to a man who didn't care for her.

The Penthouse.

Bill's penthouse's elegant, contemporary interior was revealed as the elevator doors swung open. Lucy failed to appreciate the magnificence of the shimmering skyline framed by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Bill untied his tie and stepped forward. He vanished down the corridor without turning around.

Lucy paused at the doorway.

There were so many various possibilities she had envisioned for herself.

One of them was never this.

"You’ll sleep in the guest room."

Like a razor, Bill's words sliced through the quiet. His mysterious eyes watched her as he stood in his bedroom corridor .

Lucy felt a knot in her stomach. "Of course."

She pivoted on her heel and made her way to the guest room without saying another word.

She drew a trembling breath as she closed the door.

It's midnight.

Awakened, Lucy gazed at the ceiling. Her thinking was everything but quiet, even if the apartment was quiet.

She had trouble falling asleep.

She wrapped herself in a silk robe, got up, and padded into the kitchen in silence. To calm herself, she poured a glass of water and took steady swallows.

However, then—

A noise.

Steps.

Just as Bill entered the darkened kitchen, Lucy turned. His shirt's first few buttons were undone, and his tie was gone. It looked like he had been raking his hands through his hair, which was a little unkempt.

He appeared drained for the first time that evening.

For a brief moment, something sparked in his eyes as they fell upon her. Something that cannot be read.

He questioned, "Couldn't I sleep?"

Lucy gave a headshake. "You?"

Bill rubbed the back of his neck and let out a breath. "Too much on my mind."

Lucy's lips formed a sour smile. "I wonder why."

Silence for a beat.

Then—

Bill said, "I never wanted this," in a low voice.

Lucy felt her heart tighten. "Neither did I."

They stood there for a minute, feeling the pressure of their predicament.

Then, to her surprise—

Bill moved in closer.

She stiffened.

Slowly, he reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from her face. Even though the contact was featherlight, it made her shudder.

Lucy gasped for air. "What are you doing?"

Bill's eyes grew gloomy. "I don’t know."

Then—

He gave her a kiss.

The kiss.

At first, it was slow. tentative. As though he was unsure of whether to advance or retreat.

Lucy's brain begged her to stop. to push him away. to remind him that this was a complete fabrication.

However, her body...

She was betrayed by her body.

She drew him in by curling her fingers into his shirt. His lips pressed firmly and demandingly against hers, causing heat to coil in her stomach.

Bill's hands moved to her waist and held on to her as though she could vanish.

For a moment, just a moment—

She lost all memory.

The treachery. The falsehoods. The suffering.

However, then—

The phone rang.

Bill recoiled as though he had been scorched.

Lucy's lips were tingling as she stood there out of breath.

Bill took his cell phone out of his pocket.

When Lucy saw the name flashing on the screen, her stomach fell.

Maria.

Bill paused. Then—

He replied.

He said, "Maria," in a softer tone than he had used during the evening.

Something cracked inside Lucy.

She grabbed the counter's edge and turned aside. The kiss's heat disappeared, leaving behind a chilly, oppressive void.

Bill whispered something into the phone behind her. He spoke in a quiet, personal voice.

As if she didn't exist in space.

Lucy squeezed her fingers.

Her husband was this person.

Additionally, he continued to be in love with another woman.

As Bill muttered into the phone in a low voice reserved for Maria, Lucy's heart raced.

Her fingers gripped the kitchen's cool marble counter as she stood motionless. Her tongue was coated in a bitter flavor.

He had just given her a kiss.

She briefly considered the possibility that he had sensed something.

Now, though?

He was speaking to Maria now as though Lucy didn't exist.

Without uttering another word, she left the kitchen, gripping her jaw and turning away. Instead of waiting for him to recall her, she disagreed to stand there.

She wasn't just an unseen presence in his life.

No more.

The Morning After.

A sound on Lucy's door roused her from sleep.

Her body still hurting from last night's stress, she complained as she rolled over in the odd bed.

This time, the sound was louder.

Bill's voice cried out, "Lucy," from the other end.

With a sigh, she sat up and cleaned her face. "What do you want?"

"Go downstairs. Something needs your attention.

She frowned at something in his tone. This time, he sounded serious rather than aloof.

Lucy stepped out of bed, putting on a cloth out of curiosity and danger. Bill was already lingering for her as she entered the hallway.

Before he turned and began to walk, his eyes waited for an extra amount of time, looking at her entire body.

"Follow me."

Lucy followed him, biting her lip obeying the instruction.

She came to a complete stop when they entered the living room.

Her dad was already seated on the couch before they arrived at the sitting room.

And opposite him—

Maria.

When Maria spotted Lucy, a slow, evil smile appeared on her lips. "Good morning, darling."

Lucy felt a knot in her stomach. "What the hell is she doing here?"

Rodrigo Henrique, her father, got up and adjusted his suit's pricey cuffs. "Sit down, Lucy. We must speak.

"I don’t want to talk."

"You don’t have a choice," Maria curtly interrupted.

Lucy balled her fists. "Maria, why are you here? Have you not gone far enough?

Maria simply sat back in her chair and grinned. "Oh, my dear. My sole purpose is to ensure that everything proceeds without a hitch.

Lucy looked at her dad. "What does she mean by that?"

Rodrigo folded his hands in front of him and let out a sigh. "Your marriage to Bill is more than just a personal one, Lucy. It's business. A billion-dollar agreement between Thomas Enterprises and the Henrique Corporation is negotiated thanks to this union. Everything falls apart if you leave this marriage.

Lucy's throat tightened with breath. "Are you serious? For money, you coerced me into doing this."

Rodrigo's eyes were unblinking. "Money isn't everything. It is a legacy. Strength and stability.

She had the feeling that she would get sick.

Maria sighed softly and phonily. Lucy, oh. Don't be that shocked. Didn't you always realize that you were only a pawn?

Lucy lost her temper.

With heat in her veins, she turned to face Bill. "How about you? Were you aware of this?

Bill's mouth tightened. "I found out this morning."

Maria gave a dramatic pout. "Bad Bill. stuck in a business-related marriage he didn't desire. She turned to Lucy and cooed, "But don't worry, darling." "He still has me."

Lucy felt a horrible twist in her heart.

She looked back at her dad. "What the heck? You lose money if I leave."

Rodrigo's eyes became gloomy. "If you walk away, you lose everything."

Lucy's ears throbbed with her heartbeat. "What do you mean?"

Rodrigo placed a folder on the table after taking it out.

After a moment of hesitation, Lucy moved forward to retrieve it. Her blood raced cold as she opened it.

There were documents within. legal contracts. A financial collapse.

Her stories.

Her Henrique Corporation shares.

Everything she had worked for and possessed was dependent on her remaining married to Bill.

Her hands trembled as she looked up. "You signed away my entire life?"

Rodrigo's eyes never stopped. "It was never just yours to begin with."

Lucy's anger clouded her eyes.

Maria gave a little laugh. "Sorry. It appears that you are confined, my love.

Lucy was having trouble breathing.

Bill's lips were squeezed into a narrow line as he gazed at the paperwork.

Abruptly, he turned to face Maria. "You knew about this, didn’t you?"

Maria didn't flinch at all. "Of course, I did."

Bill balled his hands into fists. He gazed at Maria as though he was actually seeing her for the first time.

Lucy noticed.

the uncertainty.

the hesitancy.

They were all misled by Maria.

With a short sigh, Bill turned to Lucy. "I must speak with you. alone.

Maria grinned. "Afraid of a little audience?"

"Now, Maria," yelled Bill.

Maria sulked but got to her feet. Before sauntering to the door, she stroked a finger up Bill's jaw. She muttered, "I’ll be waiting, darling," and then vanished.

After a final icy look at Lucy, Rodrigo followed Maria out.

Lucy turned on Bill as the door closed. "You son of a—"

"Wait," Bill interrupted her. He had an unreadable face.

Lucy was trembling with anger. "This is unbelievable. For you, I lost everything."

Bill remained quiet for a while. To her surprise, he then said—

"Maybe not everything."

Lucy blinked. "What?"

With a hand through his hair, Bill let out a breath. "Maria… she lied to me about something."

Lucy's eyes were reduced. "What are you talking about?"

For the first time since this dark vision started, Bill seemed uncomfortable as he met her eyes.

"Lucy, there’s something I need to convey to you."

Her heart was beating.

In a low voice, she asked, "What is it?"

Bill stoped.

Then—

The door wide open before he could say a word.

A man with a serious face dressed in a black suit rushed in.

"Mr. Thomas, there’s an emergency."

Bill's face grew serious. "What type of emergency?"

After a moment of doubt, the man turned to Lucy.

"It’s your mother."

Lucy gasped. "My mother?"

The man gave a somber nod.

"She’s missing."