Trapped in a Marriage I Never Wanted

CHAPTER 4: THE PRICE OF PROTECTION

The metallic smell of antiseptic and the harsh, buzzing fluorescent lights of the hospital emergency wing did nothing to calm Hana’s racing thoughts. She paced back and forth near the curtained cubicle where the nurses were frantically treating the driver's severe chemical burns. Her clothes were wrinkled, and her hands were still numb with residual shock.

Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the emergency section burst open.

Aiden rushed in, his pristine corporate suit slightly disheveled and his breathing heavy, as if he had sprinted the entire way from his office. His dark eyes scanned the room wildly until they locked onto Hana. Within two strides, he closed the distance between them, his hands trembling as he reached up to frame her face, his fingers sliding into her hair.

"Hana! Are you okay? Are you hurt?!" his voice cracked, a rare, pure panic breaking through his usual icy exterior.

Hana, startled by his sudden intensity, shook her head quickly. "I’m fine! I’m completely fine. It’s the driver... he threw himself in front of me. He’s the one who is hurt."

Aiden let out a long, shuddering breath, the tension leaving his shoulders all at once. "Thank goodness... thank goodness you are fine."

Without another word, he pulled her tightly against his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a suffocating, protective embrace. "Do not worry," he whispered fiercely against her hair. "I am going to find exactly who it."

Later that evening, Hana has returned to his estate. The driver had been treated, heavily bandaged, and was about to head home to rest for his recovery.

As the driver walked slowly out of the hospital, Aiden stepped out from his car. He stopped the man, looking down at him with a gravity that made the air feel heavy. "Thank you for protecting my wife," Aiden said, his voice deep and sincere. "I have already instructed financial services to increase your salary to 5 million."

The driver’s eyes widened in absolute shock. He dropped his gaze, bowing down repeatedly toward the ground. "Thank you so much, President Lu! Thank you, thank you!"

Aiden gave a brief, tight nod, turning on his heel to walk back to his car.

The driver straightened up, watching Aiden's car retreating figure with a look of utter disbelief. He muttered under his breath, "In all the years I've worked for him, he has never told me 'thank you' not even once. Now he’s saying it and increasing my salary to 5 million? He must really love his new wife."

In the mansion, Hana had already retreated to her room, turning the heavy metal lock of her door until it clicked. She sat on the edge of the bed, her knees pulled to her chest, staring blankly at the wall.

A soft, firm knock rattled the wood.

It's me," Aiden's voice carried smoothly through the door.

Hana hesitated for a moment, then stood up and unlocked it. She pulled the door open, stepping back to let him inside. Aiden walked into the center of the room, his eyes immediately searching her pale face. "Are you still scared?"

"I’m not scared," Hana lied, "I’m just confused. Why would anyone want to hurt me? Or... is it your wife?"

Aiden's expression instantly hardened into a cold mask. "Ex-wife. She is not my wife."

"That doesn't matter!" Hana’s voice rose, her anxiety breaking through. "What if she is the one who sent that person on the motorcycle to pour acid on me? What if she's trying to kill me?"

"Do not worry about her," Aiden said smoothly, stepping a bit closer. "I have already told my personal guards to handle it and look over everything. You are safe here."

But the knot in Hana’s stomach only grew tighter. She let out a long, exhausted breath, her mind swirling with dread. “I just married you few days ago, and this is already happening to me,”she thought bitterly. “Your ex wife violently attacked me, and now someone is throwing acid at my face. I really need to leave this marriage before I end up dead.”

She steeled her nerves, looking directly into Aiden’s piercing eyes. "Let's divorce."

Aiden froze. The calm look on his face completely vanished, replaced by a dark, dangerous stillness. "What? Why?"

"Can't you see I'm not safe?!" Hana cried out, gesturing wildly around the room. "Your ex-wife will always be hunting me down! And it’s not just her—people at college are already bullying me, laughing at me and saying I got married to someone else's husband!

Aiden's eyes narrowed, a lethal spark igniting in his pupils. "People are bullying you? Who are they? Tell me their names."

Hana let out a harsh, frustrated sigh. "Do I still need to tell you names? Your own ex-wife is already physically bullying me, and now someone is trying to disfigure me!"

"We can't divorce," Aiden stated firmly, his tone absolute. "But I am going to protect you, and I will make anyone who tries to hurt you pay a thousand times over."

"What do you mean “we can't divorce”?!" Hana yelled, stepping toward him angrily. "You said I should marry you so you would help my father. I’m pretty sure you have helped him clear off his debts already! I kept my end of the deal, I actually married you! Can't you just let me go now? Do I seriously need to stay married to you forever?!"

Aiden sighed softly, reaching his hand out to touch her cheek to calm her down.

The moment his hand brushed the air near her face, Hana violently shifted backward, her arms flying up to shield her head. "Please don't hit me!" she gasped, her eyes squeezed shut.

Aiden’s hand stopped dead in the air. A look of profound, agonizing hurt flashed across his face, followed by an immediate wave of absolute softness. "I am not going to hit you, Hana," he whispered, his voice incredibly tender. "I could never."

Slowly, carefully, he stepped forward and gently placed his hand against her flushed cheek, his thumb brushing over her skin. "I care about you so much. And I love you. I can't dare to ever hit you or even rise my voice at you."

Hana’s eyes snapped open. She stared at him, completely paralyzed by the raw devotion in his gaze. "R... Really?"

"Yes," Aiden murmured. He leaned down, pulling her gently into his chest and wrapping his arms securely around her. He leaned over, pressing a soft, lingering kiss onto the crown of her head. "I love you very much. So please... do not be afraid. I will find out exactly who did that."

Hana stayed frozen in his embrace, her mind a chaotic blur. After a long moment, she gently pulled herself back, clearing her throat. "Okay."

Aiden smiled softly, reaching down to hand her a sleek, luxury insulated bag he had set on the side table when he walked in. "I know you probably haven't eaten anything since the incident, so I brought you this. Eat it and get some rest."

Hana took the heavy bag from his hands. Aiden gave her one last, intense look, then turned around and walked out, closing the bedroom door quietly behind him.

Once she heard his footsteps fade down the hallway, Hana let out a breath she was holding. She walked over to the desk, unzipping the bag and pulling out the containers inside.

When she opened them, she froze, her jaw dropping.

Inside was a perfectly toasted artisanal bread sandwich with a fluffy egg, melted Swiss cheese, and savory sliced beef liver, accompanied by a chilled bottle of premium pulp-free orange juice.

Hana stared at the food, a sudden, terrifying chill running straight down her spine.

"This is... exactly the type of snack I always eat," she whispered, her voice trembling as she looked at the exact combination of ingredients. "And the juice too... How does he seriously know this? I have never posted online that I liked this. Not even once."