Chapter4
1241 Words
Morning came too quickly, She woke up to silence, For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then she opened her eyes.
The ceiling above her was high and white, decorated with gold patterns she had never seen before. Sunlight poured through tall windows, lighting up the bedroom bigger than the small shelter she used to live in.
Her body stiffened."Right—The wedding, mansion, and—of course the stranger I had married.”
She sat up slowly, the silk bed-sheets sliding off her shoulders. Everything in the room looked expensive: the furniture, the thick curtains, the polished floor—None of it felt like the mornings she's used to.
She pushed the blanket away and climbed out of bed, her bare feet touching the cold marble floor.
“Where am I supposed to go now?” she murmured.
Before she could think further, there was a knock at the door. She froze.
“Madam?”
a woman’s voice called from the other side.
"Madam?", Natalie questioned,
The door opened before she could respond.
A middle-aged woman stepped inside, followed by two younger maids.
“Good morning, madam,” the woman said politely. “Breakfast is ready.”
Natalie stared at them. They were all looking at her with the same respectful expression.
“Breakfast?” she repeated.
“Yes,” the woman replied, “...Sir is already waiting.”
Natalie's stomach twisted.
"Right— my husband." The word still felt strange.
“I… I’ll come down soon,” she said as she looked in the mirror, pretending to be adjusting her hair.
The maids nodded and left the room.
The moment the door closed, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
“This is insane,” she muttered.
She looked around the room again.
A large wardrobe stood against the wall. Curious, she walked toward it and opened the door.
Inside were dozens of dresses, elegant, expensive dresses.
Definitely not for her, She quickly shut the door.
“Okay,” she whispered to herself.
“Don’t panic.” she opened it again.
She found a simple dress among the clothes and changed quickly.
A few minutes later, she stepped into the hallway. The mansion was even bigger in daylight.
Long corridors stretched in every direction. Paintings decorated the walls. The floor gleamed beneath her feet.
She had no idea where the dining room was. Just as she was about to turn around, a servant appeared.
“Madam,” he said respectfully. “This way.”
She nodded awkwardly and followed him. They walked through a large hallway before stopping in front of a set of tall doors.
The servant opened them. The dining room was enormous. A long table stood in the center of the room, covered with food.
And at the head of the table sat him, He looked up the moment she entered. His gaze was calm, and quite sharp. She hesitated and softly leaned at the door, as though she was trying to enter a magical portal.
“Sit,” he said.
His voice was low but firm.
She walked toward the table and sat down across from him. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
She stared at the food in front of her. A whole pig, fruits, toast… things she usually couldn’t afford.
He watched her quietly.
“You’re late,” he said.
She blinked.
“I didn’t know breakfast is considered a meeting.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“You know I like punctuality ”
Her grip tightened on the fork.
“like I've told you,” she said carefully, “you married the wrong person.”
Silence filled the room. He leaned back slightly in his chair.
“You’re still pretending,” he said.
“I’m not pretending.”she replied
His expression didn’t change.
“Then explain your behavior.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. How could she explain something that sounded so ridiculous?
“I don’t belong here,” she said finally.
“You’re my wife.”
“No,” she said firmly. “I’m not.”
The air between them grew tense. For a moment, he simply studied her face. He leaned forward slightly.
“Then tell me something,” he said. “If you’re not the woman I was supposed to marry… then who are you?”
She hesitated, but then she tried to answer, “My name is—”
A loud knock interrupted her.One of the servants hurried to the door and back into the dining hall.
“Sir,” he said nervously. “Your mother is here.”
Adrian replied, “well that's a first.”
A tall elegant woman walked into the dining hall. Her sharp eyes immediately landed on the girl sitting at the table.
“So,” she said coldly. “You decided to show up today.”
Natalie frowned.
“I’m sorry?”
The woman scoffed.
“You caused a scene the other day— one may think you'd have run away again.”
“She claims she isn’t the bride.” Adrian said.
The room went silent.
Adrian's mother laughed.
“What nonsense.”
“I’m serious,” Natalie said quickly.
Adrian's mother ignored her.
“Stop embarrassing yourself,” she said. “The wedding already happened.”
“That’s exactly the problem!” Natalie said.
Now both of them stared at her.
She took a deep breath.
“You people kidn*pped me, and forced me into a wedding with a man I don’t even know.”
The servants froze.
The woman’s expression turned icy.
“What did you say?”
“I said you married the wrong woman!.”
Silence. Then Adrian's mother spoke slowly.
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“No!”Her voice was steady. “I’m an orphan. I’ve never seen any of you before.”
Adrian's mother's eyes hardened.
“Enough.”
She turned to her son.
“Clearly she’s still angry about the marriage, very ungrateful”
Natalie slammed her hand on the table.
“I’m not angry!”
Both of them looked at her again.
“I’m telling the truth,” she said. “You people made a mistake.”
Adrian's gaze didn’t leave her face. Every reaction she had given seemed genuine. Too genuine. Finally he stood up.
The movement made the servants step back immediately. He walked slowly around the table until he stood in front of her.
She looked up at him, Close up, he looked even more intimidating.
“You expect me to believe,” he said quietly, “that a stranger walked into a wedding venue… and happened to look exactly like my bride?”
“Yes.”
“And that I accidentally married the wrong woman?”
“Yes.”
He studied her face for a long moment. Then he asked one last question.
“Have you ever seen this house before?”
She looked around the dining room. The marble floors. The tall windows. The long table. Then she looked back at him.
“No.”
Her answer was immediate. Completely certain. For the first time since the conversation started…
He hesitated. Just for a second. And that was when doubt finally appeared in his eyes. Because if she was lying. She was doing it perfectly.
But if she wasn’t… Then somewhere out there… The real bride had disappeared. And he had married a complete stranger.
- Writer
