Married To A Stranger

Chapter 12

Shaina’s Point of View

The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, wrapping the room in a soft glow. I stirred, feeling an unfamiliar warmth beside me.

Then, I felt it.

An arm draped securely around my waist.

My breath caught as I slowly turned my head—only to find Cloud lying next to me. His face was relaxed, his usual cold expression softened in sleep. His grip was loose but protective, as if even unconsciously, he was keeping me close.

A strange feeling fluttered in my chest, but I quickly pushed it away.

Carefully, I lifted his arm and slipped out of bed. My body still felt heavy from exhaustion, but I needed some fresh air.

As I walked downstairs, the quietness of the house was oddly unsettling. I was halfway to the dining hall when my phone vibrated in my pocket.

An unknown number.

I hesitated before answering. "Hello?"

A familiar voice made my breath hitch.

"Shaina."

I straightened. "Mom?"

There was a pause. "I need you to come home. We need to talk—just the two of us."

My heart clenched. Was she finally willing to hear me out?

"Mom, is everything okay?"

"Just come home, sweetheart," she said softly. "I’ll be waiting."

I swallowed hard, the hope in my chest outweighing my suspicion.

"Okay. I’ll be there soon."

I ended the call, grabbed my coat, and hurried outside without thinking twice.

Cloud’s Point of View

I entered the bedroom expecting to find Shaina, but the room was empty.

Frowning, I checked the library, the garden—she was nowhere to be found.

A sinking feeling settled in my chest.

I pulled out my phone and called her. No answer.

Immediately, I dialed my security team.

"Sir," one of them answered. "Your wife left the mansion alone a few minutes ago. She got into a taxi heading towards her mother's house."

I stilled.

Her mother?

No.

That woman never called her.

My jaw tightened. "Track her location."

Something wasn’t right.

Shaina’s Point of View

The drive felt longer than usual, but I ignored the unease building inside me.

As the cab turned down an unfamiliar road, confusion settled in.

"Wait," I said suddenly. "This isn’t the way—"

The car rolled to a stop in a dark alleyway.

My stomach dropped.

The driver turned around, smirking. "End of the line, princess."

Before I could react, my door swung open.

Two men stood outside.

My pulse spiked. "Who—"

A hand yanked me out roughly. I stumbled, my breath catching as I tried to fight back.

"Let me go!" I screamed, struggling against their grip.

One of them chuckled. "Sofia sends her regards."

Sofia.

Panic surged through me.

I thrashed wildly, but a sharp slap landed across my face, making me stumble. Pain exploded through my cheek.

"Stupid girl," one of them sneered, grabbing my hair and yanking me back up. "This is what happens when you don't know your place".

I gasped, trying to kick, but another strike hit my stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

I collapsed, pain radiating through my body.

No.

No, this wasn't how it ended.

Then,

A gunshot.

The men froze.

A familiar voice sliced through the air, cold and deadly.

"I dare you to touch her again."

My blurry vision focused just in time to see Cloud standing a few feet away, gun raised, eyes burning with unrestrained fury.

The men hesitated, glancing at each other.

Cloud took a slow step forward. "Five seconds."

They ran.

The moment they disappeared, Cloud rushed to my side.

"Shaina," he murmured, his voice tight with concern. He crouched down, brushing my hair from my face.

I tried to speak, but my throat was dry.

"You’re safe now," he said softly, pulling me into his arms.

I let out a shaky breath, my whole body trembling as I clung to him.

Cloud tightened his grip. "She’ll pay for this."

His voice was quiet, but there was a promise in it.

Sofia had crossed a line.

And Cloud was going to make sure she never did it again.