His Forgotten Bride

Chapter 7

“F*CK!”

A sharp curse escaped Terrence’s lips the moment I shoved him away and landed a hard slap across his face.

The sound echoed in the room.

For a split second, everything froze.

I was about to pull myself off his lap, but in an instant, his grip tightened around me and pinned me firmly in place. His strength made it impossible to move.

“You will never get away from me,” he said through clenched teeth, his jaw tightening with controlled anger.

I let out a sarcastic laugh, glaring at him with all the frustration building inside my chest.

“F*ck you,” I spat.

My voice cracked at the end, and I immediately felt the sting in my eyes. I looked away before he could see it.

“Should we test that?” he asked coldly.

My head snapped back toward him.

I raised my hand again to slap him, but he caught my wrist mid-air before it could land.

“I won’t let you hurt me again,” he said firmly. “Once was already too much.”

A broken laugh escaped my lips.

My chest tightened painfully.

“It’s unfair, do you know that?” My voice turned hoarse. I stared straight into his eyes. “Because I keep letting you hurt me… over and over again.”

A single tear slipped down my cheek.

His expression shifted immediately.

The anger in his eyes faded, replaced by something softer—something unreadable, something almost human.

Slowly, he raised his hand and wiped my tear away with his thumb.

The gentle touch contradicted everything about him.

“Best friend turned into wife real quick, huh?” I said bitterly, forcing a laugh that turned into a sob halfway through.

My hand weakly hit his chest.

“Is it that hard?” I whispered shakily. “Is it so hard to admit that I’m your wife?”

My voice cracked.

“Enough, Alliyah,” he said quietly, catching both of my hands in his to stop me from shaking.

But I refused to calm down.

“How did you become this ruthless, Terrence?” I asked, my voice trembling. “We used to be happy. What happened to us?”

He didn’t answer.

He just stared at me.

Those eyes I used to trust… now felt distant.

“You’ve been my friend since we were young,” I continued, desperation rising in my voice. “We were okay. We were happy. So why did everything change when our parents forced us into this marriage?”

My breathing grew uneven.

“Why? Is it because you never liked me?”

“Stop it,” he said sharply, reaching for me.

But I pushed him away immediately.

“Can’t you even like me?” I whispered brokenly. “Even just like me… not even love. I’m not asking for too much.”

My lips trembled as I forced a weak smile.

Then I leaned forward and rested my head against his shoulder, my strength finally giving out.

And I cried.

Silently.

Like I always did when I couldn’t hold everything anymore.

---

I was an orphan.

After my parents died, his family took me in.

The Montevardo household became my home.

Terrence became my constant.

We grew up together—ate together, studied together, lived under the same roof like siblings… or something more.

At least that was what I thought.

Because somewhere along the way, I started seeing him differently.

And I thought he saw me the same way too.

But everything changed in one moment.

---

His parents called me into their office one afternoon.

Terrence was there too.

Sitting on the sofa.

Silent.

Emotionless.

Watching everything like it didn’t concern him.

I sat across from them, nervous and confused.

“You and Terrence will be getting married,” his father said calmly, as if he was announcing something normal.

My breath hitched.

“M-Ma’am… Sir…” I stammered. “W-What about Terrence’s decision?”

I glanced at him.

He didn’t react.

Not a single emotion crossed his face.

His mother smiled gently at me.

“Terrence agreed, dear. You don’t need to worry.”

My heart skipped.

Agreed?

Relief washed over me so quickly it almost made me dizzy.

So he accepted it.

Did that mean… he felt the same?

“I-I see,” I said softly, biting my lip. “Then… I agree too.”

I hesitated.

“When… will the wedding be?”

His parents smiled warmly.

“Tomorrow,” his father said.

I froze completely.

My mind went blank.

“Tomorrow?” I repeated weakly.

They laughed lightly, as if it was something sweet.

“Yes, welcome to the family,” his father said.

“Officially,” his mother added.

I forced a small smile, still dazed.

I looked at Terrence again.

Still silent.

Still unreadable.

I convinced myself he was just nervous.

Maybe even excited.

I wanted to believe that.

---

The wedding happened the next day.

It wasn’t grand.

It was quiet.

Controlled.

Private.

For “safety reasons,” they said.

But I didn’t mind.

Because I was happy.

Terrence was mine now.

At least officially.

“I will take good care of her,” he said during the ceremony, his arm resting around my waist.

My heart fluttered.

I believed him.

I really did.

---

After the wedding, his parents sent us to a house they gave us.

Our house.

My chest was beating so fast I could barely breathe as we walked inside.

I kept thinking about everything a married couple was supposed to do.

My face grew warm.

“Ter—”

I stopped.

Because a woman suddenly appeared in front of him.

“Hi, babe!” she said cheerfully.

And before I could react—

She kissed him.

Right in front of me.

My entire world stopped.

Terrence didn’t push her away.

He kissed her back.

My hands went cold.

My vision blurred.

My chest felt like it was being crushed.

When they finally separated, he turned to look at me.

No emotion.

No explanation.

Just emptiness.

“Manang,” he called coldly.

An older woman stepped forward.

“Yes, sir,” she replied respectfully.

“Take her to her room,” he ordered.

My body felt numb.

I couldn’t move.

I couldn’t speak.

The woman gently held my arm.

“Come, dear,” she said softly.

I followed her.

Because I didn’t know what else to do.

Behind me, I heard him kiss the woman again.

And I realized something I didn’t want to accept.

Everything had changed.

---

That was the day everything broke.

The Terrence I knew—the boy who used to protect me, laugh with me, care for me—was gone.

And in his place… was a stranger.

Cold.

Distant.

Cruel.

---

“I miss the way you used to treat me,” I whispered through tears later that night. “The care… the friendship we had…”

My voice broke completely.

“What did I do wrong, Terrence?”

I looked at him even though my vision was blurred.

“Was I not enough?” I asked softly. “If you’re going to treat me like this every day… then maybe they were right.”

My voice lowered.

“Just… give me to someone else.”

Silence.

Then—

“Jeremy,” he said coldly.

My chest tightened.

“Drive faster,” he added.

His hand tightened on my back as he leaned closer to my ear.

His voice dropped into something darker.

“I will kill that ‘someone else’ before I ever hand you over,” he murmured.

And suddenly…

I didn’t know which was more terrifying.

Losing him.

Or still belonging to him.