THE CEO'S ONE YEAR BRIDE

**Hannah's POV** Today was supposed to be Leon's crowning achievement—the pinnacle of his career and a celebration of his success. Instead, it was becoming a nightmare, and it was all because of this wretch of a woman. "Stop it! Just stop!" I screamed, my voice cracking with frustration. I had been dragging her through the crowd for several meters, my fingers digging into her arm, but my strength gave out. In a moment of sheer exhaustion, I let go. It was the biggest mistake of my life. The moment she was free, she bolted toward the stage with a manic energy, leaping up the steps and snatching the microphone right out of the host's startled hands. I froze, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. I watched in sheer horror as Dimitri stepped up to the podium, the feedback from the speakers screeching through the silent hall. *God, what am I going to do?* The question echoed in my mind, but there was no time for an answer. She had already captured the room; every head had turned, every conversation had ceased, and a heavy, expectant silence fell over the dignitaries and nobles. The host was frantically waving for security, but I knew I had to act faster. If she spoke, I was doomed. She wasn't just going to cause a scene; she was going to expose my secret affair with my billionaire boss, Ethan Leonard. "Listen, everyone!" Dimitri’s voice boomed, amplified and distorted. "I have something to say about Mr. Leon Edwin's precious wife. Yes, the one you all perceive as the picture of perfection. The truth is..." She paused, her eyes locking onto Leon’s with a predatory glint. I couldn't let her utter another word. Driven by a blind, primal panic, I lunged forward. I didn't think; I simply attacked, pouncing on her with everything I had. We collided in a heap of silk and screams. The microphone flew from her hand, hitting the polished floor with a deafening, shrill crash that forced everyone in the room to cover their ears. I pinned her down, pressing my palm violently over her mouth. Dimitri groaned, her body thrashing beneath me as she struggled to breathe, but I didn't let go. I didn't care that I was making a spectacle of myself. I didn't care that I was disgracing my family in front of the city's elite. All that mattered was silencing her. As I held her down, a searing thought flashed through my mind: *This is Melissa Aidelin's doing. That damn witch.* I could almost feel Melissa's presence in the room, orchestrating this chaos from the sidelines. *I swear to God, when I am done with Dimitri, I will destroy you, Melissa.* The spell was broken when security finally reached us. Rough hands grabbed my shoulders, hauling me away from a half-unconscious Dimitri. Leon and his brother had rushed onto the stage, pulling the woman away from me with looks of utter bewilderment. I fought against the guards, kicking and screaming, terrified that the silence I had fought for was about to be broken. Leon approached me, his face a mask of fury and confusion. "What is wrong with you, Hannah?" he demanded, his voice trembling. "Why on earth would you try to kill an innocent woman?" I opened my mouth to defend myself, but before a single word could escape, Melissa cut in, her voice sharp as a razor. "Because it's obvious, isn't it?" Melissa said, stepping forward with a sly, triumphant grin. "She is clearly hiding a secret—something so foul she’ll resort to violence to keep it quiet. Dimitri was trying to tell us the truth, and Hannah simply couldn't let her. Isn't that right, Hannah?" Leon looked at me, his eyes searching mine for a denial. If he believed her, I was finished. "No... it's not like that," I stammered, my voice weak. "No what, Hannah? Stop lying!" Melissa snapped. "Fine. Since you're too cowardly to tell the truth, I’ll be happy to do it for you." She glanced toward a group of men standing in the corner. They nodded subtly, and I felt a cold pit form in my stomach. I swallowed hard, the air suddenly feeling too thin to breathe. "What is going on?" Leon asked, his confusion turning into suspicion. "You'll find out soon enough, Leon," Melissa purred. "You'll see exactly what kind of pathetic woman you've chosen as a wife." "I am not pathetic!" I shot back, a spark of desperation fueling my anger. "You're not? Well then, explain this." Melissa pointed a manicured finger toward the giant projector screen behind the stage. The world stopped. The screen flickered to life, and suddenly, my most private moments were on display for the entire gala to see. The high-definition footage played out—s*x tapes. The nobles, the dignitaries, and my husband all watched in stunned silence as a man who wasn't Leon drove into me, my naked body arching under his, my voice echoing through the hall as I moaned for him like a slut. My face went ghostly pale. I felt the blood drain from my body, leaving me cold and numb. *How?* How did she get those? I had recorded those videos on my phone for my own private pleasure, to watch whenever I missed him. She must have stolen my phone while I was asleep. The guards, shocked by what they were seeing, loosened their grip. I collapsed to the floor, my knees hitting the hardwood with a dull thud. A cacophony of murmurs erupted from every corner of the hall—gasps of disgust, whispers of judgment, and cruel laughter. "Now you see, Mother, the kind of daughter-in-law you've brought into this family," Melissa whispered into Amelia's ear. Amelia's face twisted in a mask of pure rage. She marched toward me, her heels clicking like a death knell, and delivered a slap so hard it whipped my head to the side. I hit the floor, my jaw aching and my cheek burning a vivid red. Tears blurred my vision as I curled into a ball. "From this day forward, you are no longer part of this family," Amelia spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You are a disgrace to womanhood." She spat directly on my face and kicked me hard in the stomach before walking away without a backward glance. Leon tried to avoid my gaze, but in a final, desperate act, I lunged forward and grabbed his hand. "Please, Leon! Listen to me! It was a mistake, I swear! I won't ever do it again!" I sobbed, clinging to him. He looked down at me, not with love or sadness, but with pure, unadulterated disgust. My heart shattered in my chest. "A mistake?" he asked coldly. "Things like this aren't mistakes, Hannah. You knew exactly what you were doing. I don't even recognize you anymore." He wrenched his hand away and walked off, leaving me broken on the floor. "You had your chance," Melissa whispered, leaning over me. I looked at her, and for a second, I wished I could reach up and slit her throat right there. "Now it's my turn," she mocked, her smile returning. "And I'll make sure to treat Leon just fine." "This isn't over, Melissa," I hissed. She simply hissed back and signaled the guards. "Throw this trash out." I was dragged from the hall, the shame building inside me until I felt I might explode. I was cast out into the biting cold of the night, confused and utterly alone. With nowhere else to turn, I drove to my parents' house, praying for a sanctuary. But as soon as I walked through the door, the atmosphere told me everything. My parents stood in the living room, their faces etched with disdain. The news had already traveled. I stopped a few meters away from them, trembling. They remained silent, their silence more deafening than the screams at the gala. I took a tentative step toward them. "Mom... Dad..." "Don't you dare take another step closer!" my mother shouted, her voice ice-cold. I paused, staring at them in disbelief. "What? How can you—" "Since you've decided to drag this family's name through the mud, we've decided to throw you into the mud along with it!" my father yelled. "You no longer belong in this house. Get out!" "You can't do this to me!" I cried. "You prefer your reputation over your own daughter?!" There was no remorse in their eyes. Their judgment was final. "You didn't care about our dignity when you let another man climb you!" my father roared, pointing toward the door. "You are an adult, and you are responsible for your own ruin. Now get out!" I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and walked out the door without looking back. The weight in my heart was suffocating. The one place I thought I would find comfort had slammed its doors in my face. As the night grew darker and the streets grew lonelier, I drove to the only person I had left: my friend, Vanessa. "Please..." I pleaded at her doorstep, my voice cracking. "I have nowhere else to go. You're my only hope, Vanessa." I prayed she wouldn't turn me away. After a long moment, her expression softened. "Fine. Come in," she said. I collapsed into her arms, sobbing violently against her shoulder. She patted my head softly, hugging me tightly. "It's okay. Everything is going to be okay, girl." For the first time in hours, I felt safe. Vanessa ushered me inside and helped me freshen up. She served me food, but I couldn't touch it; the mere thought of eating made me nauseous. I told her everything through ragged breaths. "My face is everywhere," I wailed. "Everyone is probably calling me a slut right now. If this hits the mainstream media, my life is over." Vanessa looked at me with a mixture of pity and frustration. "I warned you, Hannah. I warned you before you started this with him. Now you're paying the price. Have you told him anything yet?" I shook my head. "What is there to tell him?" Vanessa pulled me into another tight hug. "It's okay. We'll figure things out tomorrow. Right now, you just need to sleep." She led me to the guest room and tucked me in under a heavy duvet. My head was spinning, the images of the gala playing on a loop behind my eyelids. "Tomorrow, we sort this out. Goodnight" She wrapped me in the covers. But I couldn't sleep. That was when I got a message from Ethan. "Meet me tomorrow at the office"