His Little Bride

Chapter 1:Introduction

Aurora pov

In a Dream...

"Dad, can you please take me to the park? I really want to go!" eight-year-old Aurora cried, kicking the back of the passenger seat in front of her as she threw a tantrum.

Her mother, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned around with a tired but gentle smile.

"Aurora, why are you crying? It's already late. The park will probably be closed before we even get there. Please stop crying. I promise you that tomorrow, the very first place we'll go is the park. I promise."

Aurora pouted stubbornly, folding her arms and turning her face away.

Her mother laughed softly before glancing at Aurora's father, who looked just as exhausted.

"Honey," she said with a smile, "let's just take her there. If it's closed, she'll see it for herself."

He let out a deep sigh before giving in.

"Alright, Aurora. We'll go to the park."

Aurora's face instantly lit up with excitement.

"Yay! Thank you, Daddy!"

Her father smiled faintly before making a U-turn and driving toward the park.

A few minutes later, Aurora suddenly spoke again.

"Daddy, can you please stop? I want to buy some ice cream."

Her father sighed dramatically.

"Alright. I'll pull over."

Just as he was about to park by the roadside, Aurora suddenly screamed.

The loud cry startled both of her parents.

They quickly turned around.

"Aurora, are you alright?" her mother asked anxiously.

"What's wrong?" her father added.

Aurora blinked before hugging the little bunny in her arms.

"Nothing... I thought I saw a cat inside the car. Then I realized it was just Baby Lulu."

She hugged her stuffed bunny tightly and pouted.

Her parents exchanged relieved smiles.

Her mother turned back toward the windshield—

Then her eyes widened in horror.

"Jack! A car!!"

Her scream echoed through the vehicle.

Jack whipped his head toward the road and gripped the steering wheel.

But it was already too late.

BAM!!

---

"Father!!"

Aurora jolted awake with a terrified scream.

She sat upright in bed, breathing heavily as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

"It was all my fault..." she whispered between sobs.

"I killed them..."

She buried her face in her hands and cried harder.

Suddenly—

"Aurora! Have you started making that stupid noise again?" her aunt shouted from downstairs.

"Get down here and do your chores!"

Aurora immediately wiped away her tears.

She quickly climbed out of bed, rushed into the bathroom to brush her teeth, took a hurried bath, and put on the thick glasses she had been forced to wear.

After getting dressed, she walked to the storage room, picked up the cleaning supplies she used every day, and prepared herself for another exhausting morning.

---

Well... I guess I should introduce myself.

My name is Aurora.

And... I basically killed my parents.

Calm down.

It's not exactly what you're thinking.

Let's just say my childish stubbornness led to the accident that took their lives.

I've hated myself every single day since then.

Sometimes I think I deserve everything that's happened to me.

After all...

What else would you call living in your own house but being treated like a servant?

My father owned one of the biggest companies in the country.

He built it from nothing and ran it better than anyone else ever could.

After his death, the company slowly began falling apart.

No one in the family could keep it running the way he did.

I guess it really was his company.

He was simply the best.

Back then, I thought my aunt was a kind woman.

After my parents died, she took me into her home—or rather, my home.

She acted so loving.

She comforted me.

She made me believe I had found another mother.

But it was all an act.

She only wanted control over my father's fortune.

She fooled everyone.

Even the lawyers believed she genuinely cared about me.

By the time the truth came out... it was already too late.

She had taken everything.

The house.

The cars.

The company.

The money.

Every single thing that rightfully belonged to me.

And I couldn't do anything to stop her.

Maybe...

Maybe this is the punishment I deserve for causing my parents' deaths.

Now I spend my days cleaning the very house that should have been mine.

I'm nothing more than a maid.

No one in the family likes me.

Whenever our relatives visit, they pretend I don't even exist.

Sometimes I wonder if they enjoy seeing me suffer.

Maybe they're happy my parents are gone because now they can share what my father worked so hard to build.

The only people who have ever shown me genuine kindness are Lady Claudia and Butcher Donald.

Without them...

I don't know how I would have survived this long.

I've spent most of my life hiding in the shadows.

Trying not to be noticed.

Trying to make myself look as unattractive as possible.

Yes...

They deliberately make me look ugly.

And it all started because of what happened in Grade Five.

Jessica.

Months after my parents' accident, my aunt enrolled Jessica in my school, one of the most prestigious schools in the country.

Honestly...

I was excited.

I had always wished for a sister, so I thought maybe this was my chance.

I believed we could become close.

But Jessica never liked me.

Not even for a second.

Still, I didn't let it bother me.

Back then, my aunt still treated me well—or at least, I thought she did.

Jessica and I wore matching uniforms, carried the same school bags, and even had the same lunch boxes.

Looking back now...

It was all just part of her performance.

She was never the caring woman I believed she was.

She was the devil hiding behind a beautiful smile.

Everything went smoothly until Grade Five.

There was a boy in our class named Michael.

Everyone called him Mike.

He was easily the most handsome boy in school.

Every girl had a crush on him.

Jessica's crush was on another level.

She was completely obsessed.

She even created a fan club just for him.

Then came the annual school party.

Every boy was asking a girl to be his date.

Jessica had been looking forward to Mike asking her.

She was so confident that he would choose her.

But...

He didn't.

Instead, Michael walked straight up to me.

"Aurora, would you like to be my date for the party?"

I was shocked.

I looked around to make sure he was talking to me.

When I realized he was serious, I smiled.

"Yes."

That single word changed my life forever.

Jessica completely lost it.

She went home crying and told my aunt that I had stolen Mike from her.

She twisted the entire story.

She painted herself as the victim while making me look like the villain.

She said all sorts of terrible things about me.

And my aunt believed every single word.

She didn't even ask for my side of the story.

She was furious.

That day...

Everything changed.

She didn't just stop me from going to the party.

She stopped me from going to school altogether.

As if that wasn't enough, she forced me to start wearing these thick glasses.

Crazy, right?

She wanted everyone to think I was ugly.

Well...

Joke's on her.

I'm still pretty as hell.

PAH!!

A burning pain exploded across my cheek.

"What the hell have you been thinking, Aurora?" Natasha yelled angrily.

"How many times have I told you to stop screaming every morning? And why were you still asleep at this hour?"

"I-I'm sorry, Auntie. I didn't mean to..."

Before I could finish—

PAH!!

Another slap landed across my face.

Tears immediately filled my eyes.

"How many times have I told you not to call me 'Auntie'?" she snapped.

"Who the heck is your auntie?"

"I-I'm sorry... Ma'am."

My voice trembled.

"It was a mistake."

I lowered my head as tears rolled silently down my cheeks.

Just then, Jessica walked downstairs.

She was dressed in an expensive black business suit, looking like she was on her way to work.

My biggest enemy.

I watched her with a scoff.

That should've been me.

Come on... I know I'd look way better than her in that suit.

She looked at me with pure disgust before turning toward Donald.

"Donald, has my car been taken care of?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Donald replied respectfully.

"It has been washed and cleaned."

"Good."

Jessica smiled proudly before turning to Natasha.

"Mom, I'm leaving for work."

Natasha's entire face lit up with pride.

"Oh, my dear."

She adjusted Jessica's collar lovingly.

"Look at you... all grown up and heading to work while some useless bastard is still sleeping and screaming."

I clenched my fists.

Did she really just call me a bastard?

She's such a piece of trash.

Jessica smirked.

"I know, Mom."

"I don't even like standing near someone who smells like garbage."

"Her stench could ruin my entire day..."

She glanced at me from head to toe.

"...and probably my outfit too."

I rolled my eyes.

Please...

Like I care what you think.

Natasha wrapped an arm around Jessica.

"Oh, dear, don't forget the plan."

She lowered her voice, but not enough.

"Make sure you get close to him."

"Make him notice you."

I heard every single word.

Jessica nodded confidently.

"I will."

She grabbed her handbag, got into her car, and drove away.

A few minutes later, Natasha left the house as well.

Lady Claudia quietly followed behind her.

As she passed me, she mouthed a silent,

"I'm sorry."

I smiled faintly.

She really was too kind.

Once both of them were gone, I picked up my cleaning supplies again.

Another normal day.

Another day as the invisible maid in my own home.

As I watched Jessica's car disappear through the gate, I couldn't help but think about the conversation I'd overheard.

You're probably wondering what my aunt meant by "the plan."

Well...

Here's the story.

After graduating from one of the country's top universities with a degree in Computer Engineering, Jessica got a job at A.L.T. Company thanks to all the connections my aunt had spent years building.

And no, those connections weren't built through hard work.

My aunt always found a way to get what she wanted.

A.L.T. Company isn't just any company.

It's the biggest technology company in the world.

It was founded by Alexander Kim, and the company designs everything from luxury vehicles to cutting-edge technology. Year after year, it wins the award for the best company in the world.

Getting a job there is almost impossible.

Thousands of people apply every year, but only a handful are accepted.

Jessica was one of the lucky ones.

Or maybe I should say...

One of the most connected ones.

But believe it or not, getting the job wasn't even my aunt's real goal.

No.

Her real goal was far more ridiculous.

She wanted Jessica to make Alexander Kim fall in love with her.

Seriously...

How stupid is that?

Jessica had been working there for three months and hadn't even managed to see him in person.

The only place she'd ever seen his face was on television, in magazines, on billboards, and in newspapers.

Yet somehow, they both believed she was destined to marry him.

Delusional.

Then again...

They're both delusional enough to believe it might actually happen.

As for Alexander Kim...

The rumors about him are terrifying.

People say he's cold.

Heartless.

Ruthless.

Arrogant.

The kind of boss who could fire someone just for breathing too loudly.

But...

I have to admit something.

He's also ridiculously handsome.

I used to think Michael was the most handsome guy in the world.

Then I saw Alexander Kim on TV.

Goodness...

God really took His time creating that man.

His face is absolutely perfect.

Sharp jawline.

Beautiful eyes.

That body...

Don't even get me started.

No wonder he's on every magazine cover in the country.

Sometimes...

I imagine what it would be like to meet him.

Face to face.

Would he smell nice?

Would his cologne be expensive?

Would he—

Oh my gosh!

What am I even thinking?

I covered my burning face with both hands as I fanned myself dramatically.

"I'm seriously losing my mind," I muttered.

The chances of someone like me ever meeting Alexander Kim were practically zero.

I should stop being so delusional.

With that thought, I walked into my tiny room and flopped onto my bed, staring at the cracked ceiling above me.

After cleaning the entire house all morning, I deserved at least a little rest.

But resting wouldn't pay my bills.

With a sigh, I sat up, reached for my laptop, and switched it on.

It had taken me years to save enough money to buy it.

Every penny mattered.

The moment the screen lit up, my fingers began moving across the keyboard.