The Unwanted Bride

CHAPTER 5: A Marriage Built on Lies

“Excuse me, but why have my things been moved?” The question cut through the heavy silence of the study. Standing at the doorway, she stared hard at the man lounging in his chair, his feet resting lazily on the desk, eyes hidden behind the crisp folds of a newspaper. No response. Just the soft rustle of a turning page.

Her jaw tightened. “I asked you a question, husband.”

Finally, he lowered the newspaper, his gaze as indifferent as ever. With a slow, deliberate movement, he folded the paper, set it aside, and leaned back, arms crossing over his chest.

“It’s simple,” he said, voice as cool as the air between them. “I like my space. I tolerated sharing it for a week, but that’s enough. Your things are in your new room now. If you’re worried about your… needs, I’ll visit when I see fit. Besides, you’re not pregnant yet. When that happens, you’ll get all the attention you need.”

The newspaper went up again, conversation dismissed.

But she wasn’t done.

In one swift motion, she stepped forward, yanked the paper from his hands, and tossed it aside. “Not so fast.”

“I’m your wife, whether you like it or not. We will sleep in the same room. That’s how a marriage works.” Her voice was firm, eyes locked on him. “If we start living apart, anything can happen. How will we even know what’s going on in each other’s lives? My parents had plenty of rooms in their house, but they always shared one. That’s what a marriage should look like.”

He let out a slow, irritated breath and leaned forward, holding out his hand, clearly expecting his newspaper back. “You’re really testing my patience, woman. Did you also grow up watching your father cheat people and live a lie like a fraud?”

Her fingers clenched around the newspaper before she flung it to the floor. “What did you just say?”

He smirked, unfazed. “You heard me loud and clear.” With that, he leaned back, arms resting behind his head, as if the conversation was already over.

Her body stiffened, anger burning in her veins. “You have a problem with me? Fine. But leave my parents out of it. If you’ve got something to say about my father, say it to his face if you have the guts.”

His arms crossed, voice laced with cold indifference. “Your father knows the truth. I never planned to marry you—I wanted Georgina. I didn’t even know you existed, and even if I had, it would’ve still been her.”

Her chest tightened, but he wasn’t done.

“Your father was desperate to save his business. He came to me and my father for help, knowing I wanted Georgina. But instead of offering another deal, he proposed something else first—his own daughter, in exchange for his company.” A bitter chuckle escaped him. “That’s how I got tricked into this marriage.”

Laughter bubbled from her lips, but it wasn’t out of amusement. It was the only thing keeping the disappointment from swallowing her whole. Her father had bartered her away like a pawn.

Her smile faded, and she folded her arms. “You talk like a helpless child. If you didn’t want this marriage, why didn’t you walk away when you had the chance? Why go through with it? Why do you still share my bed?” Her eyes burned into his. “If Georgina was the one you truly wanted, why didn’t you marry her before the deal?”

She took a step closer, her voice sharp with disdain. “Yes, maybe my father deceived you. But one thing he is not—is a fraud.”

He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “I’m not a child. Everything I do is by choice. Georgina turned me down saying that she already had someone else. So, that left me with you. For the sake of the deal, I went along with it.”

His gaze darkened. “I thought if your father had given me Georgina, she wouldn’t have had a choice but to marry me. But he played a different game. And yes, he is a fraud. He stole from my father years ago to build his so-called success. My father, being the kind man he is, forgave him. But saving his business now? That was never going to come for free.”

Her breath hitched as the weight of his words settled in. “Now it all makes sense,” she whispered, more to herself than to him. “No one ever told me the truth. I should’ve asked questions, should’ve dug deeper before saying ‘I do.’ But no—I just went along with whatever my family decided, thinking they knew best.”

Her lips curled into a bitter smile. “So my cousin is your type? All that talk about boardrooms, black ties, the perfect match—was that all about her? You’re funny. I expected something more. But now, here we are stuck in a loveless marriage.”

He tilted his head, eyes glinting with something unreadable. “Then why are you still here?”

“Do you even hear yourself? We just got married last week! And yet, you treat me like a stranger in daylight but sneak into my bed at night. Is that all I am to you? A convenient way to satisfy your needs? Did you marry me just for free, homemade s*x?” Her voice trembled with frustration. “I wanted to give this marriage a chance. Our parents' marriage was arranged too, and despite the struggles, they made it work.”

He scoffed, with a bitter smirk. “That's where we see things differently. Yours might have survived, but mine? It was nothing but a disaster. My parents shared a room, a last name, but nothing else. In the end, my mother ran back to the man she truly loved, leaving my father alone. And guess what? He’s doing just fine, finding happiness in fleeting pleasures with women who don’t demand love. Good for your parents if they made it work, but don’t expect the same fairytale here.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I'm saying it doesn’t work for everyone. Just stay in your new room for my own comfort and space,” he said, his voice cold, distant.

She stepped closer and sat on the table beside him. Slowly, she reached out, tilting his chin with her fingers. His skin felt cold under her touch, but he leaned in, his eyes slowly closing.

For a moment, he almost gave in. But in his mind, it wasn’t her—it was Georgina. It was always Georgina. Every time he shut his eyes, every time they were together, it was never Helena. Living in that fantasy was easier than facing reality.

“Let’s forget the past, the pain. Let’s give this marriage a real chance,” she whispered, her breath warm against his lips. “We can learn to love each other.”

Then it hit her. A sudden wave of nausea.

She jerked away, a hand flying to her mouth as she stumbled toward the bathroom. His eyes snapped open, watching her disappear behind the door.

Pregnant.

The thought crashed over both of them at once.

But something was wrong.

The nausea had started two days after the wedding. Yet, this was the first time he was witnessing it.

If she was pregnant now… then what about the abortion she claimed to have had just over a week ago before the wedding?

Had the abortion failed?

Or worse… had there been no abortion at all?