Married to the Man Who Ruined Me

I stood in the corner of the grand hall, my fingers clutching the edge of my dress as laughter echoed around me. Tonight was supposed to be the happiest night of my life. My wedding night. But the man I had just married didn’t even look at me. Ethan Blackwood—cold, powerful, and completely out of my reach—stood across the room, surrounded by guests, his expression distant. To everyone else, he was the perfect groom. To me, he was a stranger. No… worse than a stranger. A man who didn’t want me. “You should be smiling,” someone whispered beside me. I forced my lips into a faint curve, but my chest felt tight. This marriage wasn’t built on love. It was a contract. A deal between families. And I was just… part of the bargain. When the crowd finally began to thin, I gathered my courage and walked toward him. Each step felt heavier than the last. “Ethan…” My voice came out softer than I intended. He turned, his sharp eyes landing on me for a brief second before looking away. “Yes?” he said coldly. That single word shattered something inside me. “I thought… maybe we could talk.” “There’s nothing to talk about,” he replied, his tone indifferent. “This marriage changes nothing.” My heart sank. “Then… what am I to you?” He finally looked at me, his gaze unreadable. “An obligation.”