Mysterious Husband

Prologue

Annevay Fiolarissa was a twenty-seven-year-old woman working as a secretary at her father’s property company. She was known as a beautiful, independent, intelligent, and accomplished woman. Her seemingly perfect life was often the dream of many women out there. However, unlike her career achievements, her love life was far from fortunate.

Vay, as she was affectionately called, had never been lucky in love. She was once engaged and nearly married to a man she deeply loved. But on the very day of her wedding, the man suddenly vanished without a trace, without a single word, as if he had disappeared into thin air. His departure left an unbearable wound, lingering confusion, and immeasurable pain.

Vay never found out why he left her. Everything had seemed fine at first, but within hours, everything changed. What hurt even more was that she couldn’t answer her father’s questions about what had really happened. How was she supposed to explain it to the wedding guests who had already gathered for the ceremony? She had to endure the humiliation and heartbreak of a five-year relationship that ended so cruelly.

For three months, Vay shut herself off from the outside world. She refused to see anyone, feeling utterly ashamed. In her despair, the thought of ending her life even crossed her mind. But her father became her anchor, the one who calmed her down and helped her rise from the depths of her misery.

Two years had passed since that incident, but the wound in her heart still felt fresh. The fear of opening herself up to love again continued to haunt her. She had tried to piece her shattered heart back together with the support of her father, mother, and best friend. However, the anger and disappointment remained deep inside her.

Her father, Richard Antonio, repeatedly urged Vay to get married, reminding her that she was at the right age. She frequently heard the one question that annoyed her the most: "Vay, when are you getting married?" In her heart, she hoped that one day, when that question was asked, a man would appear from behind, wrap his arms around her, and say, "She’s my fiancée." But reality was never as beautiful as her dreams. That scene only existed in her imagination.

Every night, Vay dreamt of meeting a handsome prince who would protect and cherish her. She believed that the man in her dreams would one day come for her, riding a white horse and taking her to a life filled with happiness. That belief made her comfortable being alone, unwilling to let anyone else into her heart.

The only person who listened to her dreamy stories with patience was her best friend, Sakira Cristhine. Sakira possessed extraordinary patience in dealing with Vay’s antics, as long as her favorite food was placed in front of her.

Sakira had been Vay’s best friend for a long time. She was always by her side, especially during Vay’s darkest moments—particularly when her fiancé had abandoned her in a white wedding gown that was supposed to symbolize happiness.

More than just a loyal friend, Sakira also acted as the "judge" in Vay’s love life. Whenever Vay showed interest in someone, Sakira was the first to evaluate them. One man who had openly expressed his interest in Vay was Liam Scars, the Marketing Manager at her father’s company.

At first, Vay had a slight crush on Liam. He was not only handsome but also kind. However, that feeling lasted only for a few minutes. Sakira, with her mischievous ways, constantly teased Vay, saying that Liam was probably already married. With her absurd logic, Sakira even provided ridiculous "evidence."

"A man with a belly is 80% likely to be married or divorced."

"If his clothes are always neat, with crease lines so sharp they could slice a ripe papaya, then he’s 95% married."

The worst part? Vay believed those absurd theories without question.

Many men tried to pursue her, but Sakira always acted as the first line of defense. If Sakira didn’t approve of someone, Vay would reject them outright. Her past heartbreak had made Sakira overly protective, especially when it came to choosing a partner.

After all, Sakira still felt guilty for introducing Vay to the man who had shattered her heart. Deep down, she swore that if she ever met that man again, she would be the first to make him disappear from the face of the earth.

But this time, things were different. When Sakira met the man Vay was supposed to marry, she didn’t conduct her usual intense interrogation. Without questioning anything, she immediately approved of the arranged marriage. This left Vay bewildered. She thought Sakira was joking, but it turned out her best friend was genuinely on board with the arrangement set up by her father—of course, without her knowledge.

Vay was convinced that this man had hypnotized everyone around him. How was it possible that everyone liked him, except for her? Even Sam, her little brother, seemed to adore him.

Naturally, Vay rejected the idea of this arranged marriage. She did everything she could to avoid it, including attempting to run away. However, no matter where she went, the man always seemed to know where to find her, as if he had some kind of supernatural ability. Vay felt as though she had lost all her freedom.

She didn’t love him—not even a little! Yet Sakira kept trying to convince her, saying that the man was "God’s premium creation" and that Vay had no reason to refuse him.

Vay was still waiting for the prince in her dreams—the one who would come for her, sweep her off her feet, and take her to a grand castle filled with love. She wanted to live happily ever after with the man she had envisioned.

But it seemed that the dream was far too distant, so distant that Vay had forgotten to wake up. The reality was harsh—her dream was nothing more than an illusion, a fantasy she could never reach. Now, she had to face the truth: she was going to marry this mysterious man.

Time and time again, she begged her father to call off this ridiculous marriage. But this time, he didn’t listen to her at all. Richard Antonio stood firm in his decision.

"For your happiness, Vay."

But Vay believed that her happiness was her own responsibility. She didn’t need an arranged marriage to find it.

Unfortunately, she had no right to refuse. Worse still, the man—despite his mysterious and infuriating demeanor—always managed to leave her utterly perplexed.