The civil registry office was quiet that morning, filled only with the sound of footsteps echoing against the cold marble floor and the occasional murmur of officials speaking in a formal tone. The air smelled of paper, ink, and aged wood, mixed with faint traces of perfume from those who had come to settle important matters of their lives.The registrar, a middle-aged man with thick glasses, opened his official record book. He looked at the couple before him with a professional smile, seemingly oblivious to the tension between them.“Mr. Harry and Miss Arabella, before we proceed, I will explain the steps we will take together. This ceremony is brief, but its meaning is profound,” he spoke calmly but firmly.Arabella swallowed hard, her hands clasped tightly together. She stole a quick glance at Harry, who remained staring straight ahead, his jaw clenched.“First, I will read the legal articles regarding marriage. It is important that you both understand your rights and responsibilit
Upon arriving at Harry’s residence, a grand yet eerily silent mansion, Arabella was greeted by an elderly maid named Mrs. Mia. The woman bowed politely, but there was something odd in her gaze, as if she wanted to say something yet held herself back.As Arabella stepped into Harry Anderson’s mansion, her eyes widened in awe at the opulence before her. Towering ceilings adorned with shimmering crystal chandeliers cast soft, golden reflections against the intricately carved walls. The air carried the rich scent of polished wood, mingled with the faint fragrance of white lilies arranged meticulously in porcelain vases along the corridor.The cold marble floor gleamed beneath her feet, each step echoing through the vast, quiet space. Her gaze traveled to the sweeping red-carpeted staircase spiraling toward the upper floors, elegant and imposing, as if holding the weight of history in every step. To her right, she noticed an elevator, a modern addition amidst the mansion’s timeless grandeu
“I just wanted to—” Arabella’s voice trembled, barely audible. She was still in shock at Harry’s temper. “Stop! I don’t need your explanation,” Harry cut her off with a low growl. Arabella clenched her hands tightly, trying to suppress the ache in her chest. She knew this marriage had never been about love, but she never expected Harry’s hatred toward her to run so deep. Without another word, she crouched down and began picking up the shattered pieces of the cup with trembling hands. She bit her lip, holding back the sob threatening to escape. She wanted to leave, to give up, but for some reason, her heart refused to. Going back to her father’s house was not an option either. She felt like an object, discarded so easily. From his wheelchair, Harry merely watched her in silence. Something inside him felt strange seeing her act so gently after what had happened last night. Arabella took a deep breath, trying to quell the storm brewing within her. Her hands still trembled as sh
In the spacious living room, illuminated by the shimmering glow of a crystal chandelier, Edwin stared at his phone screen. The numbers in his account had just increased by several million dollars. His heart pounded—not with anxiety, but with an overwhelming rush of excitement. He exhaled deeply before letting out a small chuckle.Luna, his wife, sitting beside him, immediately leaned in. “Well? Has it come through?” she asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.Edwin nodded, then turned the phone screen toward Luna. “Look at this. Harry kept his word. A sum well deserved as a bridal price.”Luna covered her mouth, her expression a mix of shock and elation. “Oh, Edwin, this feels like a dream! We don’t have to worry about money anymore! No more debts, no more burdens!”Edwin laughed in satisfaction. “Exactly! We can buy a new house, a new car—anything we want.”Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the room. With eager strides, Helena approached them, her eyes shini
The first week living with Harry was utterly boring. Arabella felt restless, unable to do anything in the luxurious mansion. She wasn’t even allowed to serve Harry as his wife. Every time she tried to win his heart, he would get angry. But the most painful part was how he always spoke harshly to her.Arabella knew that Harry was frustrated because of his miserable condition. But she also longed to have a normal married life, or at least for Harry to be someone she could talk to for the next year. Being someone who was used to socializing with the outside world, she felt like a prisoner ever since she married Harry.“I expected too much from this marriage,” Arabella muttered with a soft sigh as she paced back and forth in front of the vanity mirror in her room.To kill time, Arabella, who hated being idle and was naturally active, decided to read a novel from the open library in the middle of the family room.But reading soon became dull, so she headed to the kitchen in the mansion. Sh
Arabella sat anxiously in the dining room. Harry’s words from earlier that afternoon still echoed in her mind.“I don’t need your help,” his voice had been cold, almost devoid of emotion. And all she had done was reach for a book he had struggled to grab from the bookshelf. If she hadn’t helped, he could have fallen out of his wheelchair.But Arabella wasn’t the type to back down easily. After hearing Mrs. Mia’s story about how Harry had nearly fallen into the depths of despair after his accident—and how his fiancée, Celine, had chosen to leave him—Arabella was even more determined to help. No one deserved to live in such loneliness and hopelessness.At the very least, she would help Harry regain his will to live a normal life before they eventually parted ways.That night, Harry didn’t leave his room at all. He was supposed to come down for dinner and take his medication. A young maid was about to take his dinner tray up to his room, as she always did. It was part of her routine—ensu
That morning, the usually quiet mansion suddenly turned lively when Harry’s phone rang. He picked it up lazily, but the moment he heard the voice on the other end, his expression tensed.[Harry! I’m on my way to the mansion. Grandpa wants to see you!] His cousin’s excited voice rang through the line.[What?! Hans Anderson is coming here?] Harry felt his heart plummet into his stomach. Damn it, his grandfather was making a surprise visit that very day.[Yes! And he said he doesn’t want to hear any excuses! See you in an hour.]Click. The call ended.Harry sat there in silence for a moment before throwing his phone onto the couch. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath.His grandfather must have found out about his marriage. Harry hadn’t told him directly, knowing the old man had been abroad on a long business trip.“Sir, is there anything I can do for you?”One of Harry’s loyal bodyguards, Jimmy, approached him as he seemed deep in thought.Harry’s mind raced. If his grandfather came her
Harry clenched his fists on his lap. He disliked Arabella’s exaggerated behavior.Noticing the dark expression clouding Harry’s face, Arabella’s smile slowly faded.“You’re both so tense. I was only joking,” Hans Anderson chuckled before reaching for his phone, which suddenly rang.The old man’s face turned serious as he spoke on the phone. Once the conversation ended, he turned back to Harry and Arabella.“I have to head home. Something urgent came up. Take care of yourselves! I apologize for not bringing anything for my granddaughter-in-law.”He straightened up with the help of his cane, his loyal bodyguards assisting him.Arabella smiled at the old man’s sincerity. This time, her smile came from the depths of her heart. But suddenly, a pang of guilt squeezed her chest. She felt ashamed for pretending in front of him. If not for Harry’s request, she wouldn’t have been able to put on this act.Arabella disliked dramatic people who constantly sought attention through theatrics. Her ste
Arabella returned to Harry’s house, fury pulsing through her veins. Yes, she was livid—at Helena. She was convinced Helena was behind the spiked wine that left their father hospitalized and unconscious.But… could Helena really be that heartless? Maybe it had something to do with the inheritance. The more she thought about it, the more disgusted Arabella became.Why do people do anything—everything—for the sake of inheritance? Her father. Her stepmother. Now even her sister? And Harry?They’re all the same.With a huff and a stomp, the raven-haired girl stepped out of the taxi and made her way toward the grand mansion—her husband’s home in name only. Her gaze landed on the carport.A soft sigh escaped her lips. “Thank God Grandpa Hans didn’t show up.”Hans had canceled his visit last minute due to a business meeting.She wasn’t in the mood to stay in Harry’s room, faking the part of a loving wife.As she was thinking about Harry’s grandfather, she spotted Mrs. Mia in the yard, directi
“I need a drink…” Helena growled under her breath, slamming the door of her elegant but eerily silent house. The sharp click of her high heels echoed against the marble floor. She had just gotten home from campus.Parched, she made a beeline for the refrigerator, reaching out for a bottle of cold water. But just as her hand touched the fridge handle, her eyes shifted—drawn to the glass cabinet filled with various types of liquor, including wine.A sly smile tugged at her lips as she opened the cabinet, searching for her bottle of wine.Bad luck. It was gone.She froze for a second, then crouched to check the lower shelves. Still nothing. She blinked, her expression shifting from confusion to suspicion. Her eyes narrowed like a hawk who'd just lost sight of its prey.“Arabella…” she hissed, her voice low but vibrating with restrained fury, a thin smile curving her lips—a smile that never reached her eyes.Slowly but purposefully, Helena ascended the stairs. She wasn't heading to her be
After leaving her father’s house, Arabella went straight to the forensic laboratory owned by her old friend, Tom—a toxicologist working at an independent research institute. They had been close during college, and now, he was one of the few people she could still trust.Tom studied the wine bottle, now wrapped in cloth, sitting on the table before him. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Arabella with curiosity.“This wine... are you sure there’s something wrong with it?” he asked while slipping on a pair of latex gloves.“My father collapsed a few hours after drinking it. He was rushed to the hospital. I thought it was just exhaustion…” Arabella replied softly. “Please check. Whatever you find—I need to know.”Tom nodded, his expression turning serious. “I’ll treat this like a personal case. If I pull an all-nighter, you’ll get the results by tomorrow morning.”“Thank you, Tom,” Arabella said sincerely, her eyes reflecting her weariness. “I don’t know who else I can trust right now.”
After the conversation with Harry, Arabella dragged herself into her room, her steps heavy and drained of strength. She didn’t say another word to Harry, who remained in the living room, eyes fixed blankly on the television he wasn’t really watching.Without glancing back, Arabella headed straight to the bathroom. She needed time—time to breathe, to calm the storm inside her chest. Time to find a moment of peace from the heartache that had yet to fade.Warm water cascaded over her face and body, washing away both exhaustion and the tears she had held back for hours. When she stepped out, she changed into a gray T-shirt and loose pants, pulling on a jacket to brace for the chill outside. Her hair was still damp when she emerged from her room.Harry glanced at her briefly from the corner of his eye, then quickly looked away—pretending not to care. Yet, his fingers curled tighter around the armrest of his wheelchair.Arabella paused and looked at him.“I’m going to the hospital again. It
“Let me go, Mike!” Arabella’s voice cracked down the hospital hallway. She shoved his chest with all her strength, causing Mike to stumble back, nearly losing his balance.Her eyes were blazing, her breath uneven. She stared at him with a mixture of fury and disbelief. Her body still trembled from the unwanted embrace—an embrace that, unfortunately, had been witnessed by the one person who should never have misunderstood: her husband, Harry.“Are you insane?! Harry saw us! He walked away without a word!” she snapped, her voice raw with pain.Mike looked down, fists clenched. “I didn’t know he was here, Bella. I just… I saw you crying alone. I was worried.”“You always bring trouble, Mike. You shattered me once, and now you’ve made my husband think I—” Arabella bit her lip. Tears threatened to fall again, but she forced them back.“I’m sorry. I truly am,” Mike said softly. “If I could turn back time, I’d never—”“—cheat with Helena?” Arabella cut him off, her glare piercing. “You cheat
“What do you mean, Doctor? Poison?”Arabella’s voice trembled, rising almost into a shout as the words flew from her lips. Her eyes widened, locked onto the stern-faced middle-aged doctor standing in the hospital’s consultation room.“We detected a harmful substance in Mr. Edwin’s bloodstream. We can’t identify it yet, but the toxicology team is running further tests,” the doctor explained calmly.Luna shut her eyes tightly, her left hand gripping the edge of her shawl. Helena stood stiffly in the corner, arms folded, jaw clenched.Arabella turned to face them, her breath uneven. “So... Dad was poisoned? This wasn’t just a regular heart attack?”“The heart attack may have been triggered by the substance,” the doctor replied cautiously. “We’ll need to wait for the full results. In the meantime, we advise the family to remain alert.”As soon as the doctor exited, a tense silence took over the room. Arabella stood still for a moment, then turned sharply toward Luna.“Was it you?”Her acc
The sky had already turned dark when Harry finally realized Arabella hadn’t come home. A wave of irritation rose in his chest—she had broken her promise. Again.She said she wouldn’t come home late. Yet here they were.Dinner time rolled around. Still no sign of her.The dining room was painfully quiet. Harry ate alone, the clinking of silverware against his plate the only sound in the room.Jimmy, noticing the tension on his master's face, finally gathered the courage to approach.“Sir Harry, should I give Miss Arabella a call?” he asked cautiously.Harry didn’t answer. His grip on the spoon tightened, veins bulging visibly on the back of his hand.He wanted to call her. But his pride held him back. Even so, a growing unease gnawed at him. She hadn’t even sent a message.As the minutes ticked by, thunder rumbled in the distance. Rain was coming.With a frustrated sigh, Harry dropped the spoon and reached for his phone. He couldn’t take it anymore.[Bella, where are you?]His voice wa
The morning sky was painted in muted gray as Arabella stepped into the boutique where she worked. She let out a deep breath, bracing herself. It had been a week since she recovered from a serious illness, and today was her first day back on duty.The clothes racks were perfectly aligned, the air thick with the scent of luxury perfume and fresh fabric. The boutique was elegant, exclusive, and harbored tensions invisible to the customers.“Well, look who just rose from the grave,” came a shrill voice from behind the cashier counter.Arabella didn’t need to look. That had to be Mira—her ever-annoying coworker.“I heard you were sick. But honestly? Didn’t seem physical. More like... heartbreak?” another colleague chimed in with a fake, sugary smile.Arabella offered a faint smile, hanging her coat on the back hook before quietly straightening a rack. “Good morning to you too,” she replied calmly.Mira and the others exchanged glances before giggling under their breaths, as if Arabella was
The air in the living room hung heavy with tension, like fog that refused to lift after a storm. The remnants of the heated argument between Arabella and Celine still lingered in the silence. Celine sat gracefully, betraying no sign that she had just taken a fall. Her long legs were elegantly crossed, but her fingers fidgeted restlessly with the small ring on her hand.Across from her, Harry maneuvered his wheelchair until he faced her directly. He looked at her—expressionless, cold.“Celine. What’s your reason for coming here?”Harry didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He had told her before—never show up unless it was strictly business.“It’s been a year, Harry,” Celine replied softly, her voice tinged with pain. “You’ve changed so much. You don’t even worry about me anymore.”She winced slightly, as if still in pain from her earlier fall.“If you're hurt, let Dr. Tania take a look,” Harry said, his voice sharp and unbending.Celine forced a stiff smile. “Forget it. It’s nothing se