Trapped in a Marriage I Never Wanted

Hana stood in front of a pair of towering, mahogany double doors, smoothing down the unfamiliar layers of lace and tulle on her white wedding dress. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. She took a deep, shaky breath, holding it in for a few seconds before letting it out slowly. “Don't panic,” she told herself, forcing her hands to stop trembling. “It’s just going to be my mom, my dad, my sister, and the man I'm marrying. Just a small, quiet legal marriage. Then, without warning, the massive doors swung wide open. The moment Hana stepped across the threshold, a blinding explosion of white light hit her face. Cameras dozens of them were lined up on both sides of the aisle, their shutters clicking in a deafening, frantic chorus. "What is this...?" Hana gasped, instinctively lifting her arms to block the aggressive, flashing lights. "Why are there cameras everywhere?!" Blinking past the spots dancing in her vision, she lowered her hands and forced herself to walk forward. The sheer scale of the room hit her all at once. The venue was packed to the brim. Hundreds of wealthy, high-society strangers were standing in the pews, elegantly clapping and smiling at her. Panic completely seized Hana’s mind. “But my parents said it would only be us!” she screamed internally, her eyes darting across the massive crowd. “Why are there so many people here?! I thought this marriage was supposed to be a secret... What is this? What is this?!” Before she could process the betrayal, the scene blurred, she found herself standing at the altar in front of Aiden Lu. He looked devastatingly handsome and utterly unbothered, standing tall in a bespoke black tuxedo. The wedding officiant cleared his throat, his voice booming through the microphone. He turned to Hana. "Do you take this man as your lawfully wedded husband?" “No, I will not!” Hana's mind shouted back fiercely. “How could I take someone I don't even know as my husband?!” Desperate, she turned her head slightly to look at her mom and her dad sitting in the front row. Her chest tightened with bitter resentment. “How can they be this happy?” she thought, watching their joyful, beaming expressions. “They are literally smiling after selling me out. All because this man said he would clear my dad's massive debts and help him get his retail company back.” She snapped her gaze back to Aiden, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You already have a wife, and you still want to marry me? Telling my mom you are going to divorce her after we are married? and he actually think i would believe that, don’t worry, Mr. Lu. after you are done helping my dad I will make sure you regret marrying me. You’ll be the one begging me for a divorce.” The sheer absurdity of the trap she was in suddenly hit her, and a sharp, sudden laugh erupted from Hana's lips. The sound of her laughter echoed through the solemn hall. For a brief, tense moment, everyone in the audience looked surprised, trading confused glances. But seeing the bride "giggling" at the altar, the guests assumed it was just sweet, nervous excitement, and the entire hall melted into warm amusement, joining in on her laughter. After the loud, flashing cameras finally cleared, Hana stood stand in the ceremony hall sipping a drink, her heavy wedding gown pooling around her ankles. She stared blankly at the everyone, wondering if she can just disappear. A sharp clicking of heels approached, her it was her mother walking over, a brilliant, glowing smile plastered across her face. "You must be happy, greeting everyone like that," Hana said, her voice dripping with quiet bitterness. Hana's mom practically beamed, brushing an invisible speck of dust off her expensive new designer dress. "Why shouldn't I be? Look over there your father is already making incredible business connections with the high-society elite! I'm just so very lucky to have a daughter like you." She leaned in closer, her eyes glittering with excitement. "Do you know who just came up and talked to me? Lady Vivienne Vance! Do you have any idea how many years I have been waiting to join her exclusive high-society ladies' club or talked to her? But just now, she smiled and greeted me first! I am absolutely sure she is going to invite me to her club soon." Hana's mom let out a delighted sigh, looking around the grand wedding hall. "All of this is happening because you are married to him, Hana. Honestly, it’s almost like your dad’s company suddenly going bankrupt was a good thing for us!" Hana looked at her mother with pure disgust. The words felt like a slap to the face. A good thing? she thought, her stomach twisting. They sold me to a married man, and she thinks it's a blessing? "Why am I even wasting my breath taking to her?" Hana muttered under her breath, turning away from her mother's ambitious chatter. Looking across, Hana saw her little sister standing near dessert table, happily stuffing her face with expensive pastries. "Chloe!" Hana called out gently. "Chloe, come here for a second." The younger girl perked up, wiping a bit of frosting from her cheek as she eagerly ran over to hana, still holding a small plate of cake. Hana softened, looking down at her innocent face. "Are you happy?" "Yes!" Chloe nodded vigorously, taking another small bite of cake. "Everything is so pretty, and the cake is so good!" Hana felt a sad, gentle smile touch her lips as she reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her sister's ear. "It’s only you I'm going to miss, In fact... it’s actually only because of you that I agreed to this marriage. I just wanted to make sure you could experience a great life and go to a wonderful school, just like I did." Chloe paused, looking up at Hana with wide, emotional eyes. She carefully set her plate down on a table. "I will miss you too, Hana...” “Don’t worry too much i will come for visit okay!” Hana said. Without waiting, Chloe threw her small arms around Hana's waist, burying her face into the soft tulle of the wedding dress. Hana tightly hugged her back, holding onto the only person in her family who truly mattered to her, dreading the moment she would have to let go and step into Aiden Lu's dangerous world. The chaotic ceremony was finally over, and a private car swept them away to Aiden’s grand estate. Still wearing the heavy, suffocating wedding dress, Hana marched into the main foyer. The moment her heels hit the marble, she turned sharply on Aiden. "Where is my room?" Aiden didn't look back at her; he simply gestured for her to follow. He walked her down a long, elegant corridor and opened the door to a spacious suite. "You will be staying here," he said softly, his voice smooth and deep. "Just for now." Hana's voice immediately rose, her defensive walls snapping right back up. "What do you mean just for now?!" Aiden didn't answer. He didn't offer an explanation, nor did his calm demeanor fracture. He simply gave her a slow, cryptic smile, turned on his heel, and walked away down the hall. Frustrated, Hana stepped fully inside the room and closed the door. But as she turned around to look at her new surroundings, her breath caught in her throat. The color palette, the specific modern-chic furniture, the precise layout of the space it was exactly her type of room. Every single detail matched the aesthetic she loved and had saved on her accounts. Hana stared at the walls, a sudden chill running down her spine. "Did he do a deep background check on me..." she whispered into the empty room, "...or is this just a crazy coincidence?" She shook her head aggressively, trying to clear her racing thoughts. She gripped the fabric of her wedding gown, her expression hardening with determination. "Well... I do not care," Hana muttered to herself, staring at the closed door. "Coincidence or not, my main focus is to make his life a living hell so he divorces me quickly."