Married To A Stranger

Chapter 9

Shaina’s Point of View

Darkness.

It stretched endlessly around me, thick and suffocating.

I was running. I didn’t know where, but I had to keep moving.

A voice echoed in the distance. My mother’s voice.

"Shaina, why did you do this?"

My chest tightened. "No… I didn’t—"

Suddenly, I wasn’t running anymore. I was trapped in a car. The windshield was cracked, the metal frame twisted. Smoke filled my lungs, and the sound of sirens blared in the distance.

I turned to the driver’s seat—my mother.

Blood dripped down her face, her eyes unfocused as she looked at me.

Then she whispered the words that haunted me every night.

"This is your fault."

The world tilted. I gasped, reaching out, but my hands passed right through her. The car around me dissolved, and I was falling—

Falling—

"Shaina!"

My eyes shot open, and I bolted upright, my breath ragged and uneven.

The room was dimly lit by the moon outside, but a figure sat beside me on the bed, his hand gripping my wrist gently.

Cloud.

His brows were furrowed, his usually composed expression now tense with concern.

"You were shaking," he murmured.

I swallowed, trying to steady my breath. "Just a nightmare."

Cloud didn’t say anything at first, his gaze lingering on my face as if he didn’t believe me. Then, to my surprise, he shifted, leaning back against the pillows beside me.

"Go back to sleep," he said. "I’ll stay."

His voice was calm, but there was an underlying firmness to it, as if he had already decided he wasn’t leaving.

I hesitated. "You don’t have to—"

"Sleep, Shaina," he interrupted softly.

Something about the way he said my name made my heart stutter.

I let out a small breath, closing my eyes. And before I knew it, sleep pulled me back under.

The Next Morning

I woke up slowly, feeling warmth around me.

It took me a second to realize—Cloud’s arm was draped around my waist, his body pressed lightly against mine. His steady breathing tickled the back of my neck.

My entire body stiffened.

Carefully, I turned my head just a little, catching a glimpse of his sleeping face. His features were relaxed, his usual sharp demeanor softened in sleep.

My heart pounded.

I should move. I should slip out of his hold.

But instead, I stayed still. Just for a moment longer.

Meanwhile…

Downstairs in the living room, Sofia sat gracefully on the couch, sipping her morning coffee. She looked up as their mother walked in, her face already set in a worried expression.

"Sofia, what is it? You told me to come home early to talk."

Sofia set down her cup, her lips curling into a small, knowing smile.

"Mother, we need to do something about Shaina’s marriage."

Her mother frowned. "What do you mean? The marriage saved our company."

Sofia leaned forward slightly, her voice sweet but laced with manipulation. "Exactly. It served its purpose. But do you honestly think Shaina is the right one for Cloud? She’s weak, an embarrassment. She doesn’t know how to handle high society. She doesn’t belong in that world."

Their mother sighed, rubbing her temples. "Sofia—"

"Listen," Sofia interrupted, her tone firmer now. "I can take her place."

Silence filled the room.

Sofia smirked at her mother’s hesitation. "You know I’m the better choice. I can give Cloud what he needs—a wife that can stand beside him, not one that clings to him like a helpless girl. If we push for a divorce, I can step in. It would be perfect."

Their mother exhaled, clearly torn. "Shaina… will not agree."

Sofia’s smirk widened. "Then we’ll make her."

She picked up her coffee again, taking a slow sip.

"After all, she owes us. And I always get what I want."