Chapter one: The Switch
659 Words
Alina stood quietly at the edge of the living room, her hands folded tightly in front of her. Her fingers trembled, but she kept her gaze low, careful not to meet anyone’s eyes. The heavy silence in the room was broken only by the ticking of the wall clock and the rustle of papers being passed across the table.
You’ll marry him next week, her father’s voice rang out, flat and final. Her head snapped up, eyes wide. But… wasn’t Amelia the one She refused, her mother said sharply. And someone has to do it. The Montel family is not to be offended.
Alina’s throat felt tight. Amelia, the eldest of the triplets, had always been the perfect one, bold, beautiful, and loved by everyone. Anita, the second, was clever and sharp-tongued. But Alina? She was the quiet one, the overlooked one the shadow. You’ll do as you’re told her father said without looking at her. This is your responsibility now. Responsibility. That word echoed in her head. Not love, not choice. Just duty. Alina wanted to speak, to ask why she was always the one to bend, to sacrifice. But her words remained trapped behind her lips. Damian Montel won’t tolerate any disobedience her mother added. Be proper. Be quiet. That’s what you’re good at anyway. The shame stung more than the fear. She lowered her head again and nodded. The Montel estate was
everything a girl ever wanted grand classy and beautiful. The wedding was brief, formal, and utterly void of emotion. Damian stood beside her like a statue, unreadable, distant. He barely glanced at her as he placed the ring on her finger.
Not once did he smile.
Alina’s heart sank lower with each step. There were no wedding photos, no celebration. No family hugs or happy tears. Just a signature on a paper and the finality of being someone’s wife.
When they arrived at his home—a luxurious but sterile mansion tucked behind iron gates—he showed her to her room. Your space is down the hall,he said, not even bothering to look her way.
She stood in the doorway for a moment, unsure what to say. I understand, she said softly. Thank you. He gave a small nod and walked away. Days passed in silence Damian left early each morning and returned late at night. Alina spent her time alone in the large house, wandering the halls like a ghost. She read books in the library, sat in the garden, or quietly prepared meals for two though he rarely ate with her.
Every time she looked at him, she saw nothing but distance in his eyes.
But she noticed things. The way he clenched his jaw during business calls. How he always wore his watch exactly one inch above his wristbone. The way he never entered the left wing of the house. She never asked why.She didn’t know if she was afraid of pushing or simply trying to stay invisible like she’d always been.Then there was him.
Lucas, Damian’s assistant, was warm and too kind. He always greeted her with a smile, asked how she was doing, and treated her like she wasn’t a burden.
You’re nothing like they described,he told her once over coffee. the ollowing days Lucas came knocking on her door.
Who’s there she asked shyly.Everyone,he said, grinning. “I was told you were timid and dull. But you’re kind. Sweet.She didn’t know how to respond. Compliments were foreign territory.
Lucas made her laugh something she hadn’t done in weeks. And slowly, she began to feel seen.But she didn’t forget her place. She was Damian’s wife. In name, if nothing else. Still, in the quiet moments—those stolen smiles and soft laughs—something stirred.
- Writer
