Chapter 0 - The Amnesiac Porcelain Doll

"Sophia! Sophia! Where are you?" Marvin Carson, the heir to Young's Enterprises yelled as he called out for a woman named Sophia while placing his office bag on the dinner table.

"In the kitchen, honey!" Sophia's voice echoed from the adjacent room, followed by the sound of clanging utensils. Marvin made his way towards the kitchen, still in his office attire, a grey suit and red tie. He found Sophia, his wife, busy at the stove, stirring a pot of creamy soup.

"How was work today?" Sophia asked, turning to face him.

"Eh, the usual," Marvin replied, shrugging off his blazer and hanging it on a nearby chair. "I had to sit through a board meeting that seemed to last forever. But it's all worth it when I come home to you."

Sophia chuckled, "Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Carson."

Marvin walked up to her, wrapped his arms around her waist and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Won't it? Maybe then scolding you for cooking in your sick state definitely will get me somewhere, Mrs. Carson. How many times do I have to tell you to leave this work for the maids? Your main focus should be me and your health, Sophia."

Sophia rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "I'm fine, Marvin. And, I've been like this since God knows for how long. I can't even remember those memories we've spent together. The least I can do to make up for it is to take care of my husband."

Marvin shook his head, "You're stubborn as always, but I'll let it slide for tonight. What's for dinner?" he asked, peering over her shoulder.

"Potato and leek soup," Sophia replied, offering him a spoonful from the pot. "Try it and tell me what you think."

Marvin took a sip, his taste buds tingling with joy. "Mmm, delicious as always," he praised, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Sophia beamed at the compliment. "I'm glad you like it. You know, I was thinking that we should go out to dinner tonight instead."

Marvin raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? Where do you have in mind?"

"There's a new French restaurant that opened up downtown. I read some great reviews about it, and I thought we could try it out."

Marvin nodded, "Sounds perfect. I could use some French cuisine in my life."

Sophia smiled, "Great, let me just finish up here and get ready."

As Sophia continued cooking the soup, Marvin poured himself a glass of wine and settled at the kitchen counter. He watched in silence as Sophia chopped up some herbs and sprinkled them into the soup, her movements graceful and fluid. He couldn't help but feel grateful that he had her in his life.

Or should he say thankful for the moment, he tricked this God-like beauty. Capturing her and then caging her into his home and his life.

As Sophia was done with her cooking she took off her apron and walked to their room to change while thinking about the smile on her husband's face. But, as her back faded from Marvin's view into their room upstairs, his mind took him back to the incident when he first met Sophia three years ago.

The snow storm raged out as Marvin Carson was seated in the back seat looking at the mild snowy storm outside from the window of his luxurious warm car. When suddenly the driver hit the brakes, making Marvin yell in frustration.

"What the hell, man!" Marvin shouted at the driver.

"I'm sorry sir, there's some sort of obstruction on the road. It's not safe to drive any further," the driver explained. Marvin huffed in annoyance and opened the car door to step out and see what was going on.

As he walked towards the front of the car, he saw a woman stumbling towards them, her face hidden under a hooded coat. She was shivering uncontrollably and looked like she was about to collapse any moment.

"Please help me," the woman croaked out, reaching out towards him. "I need help."

Marvin's first instinct was to ignore her and get back into the car telling the driver to drive away, but something about her made him stop. He tried to look at her trembling frame carefully through the white winds of the raging storm and then back at his driver, who was already getting out of the car to help her.

After wrapping her in blankets, they called an ambulance and took her back to Marvin's mansion. There the maids, nurses and his family doctor cleaned and nursed Sophia while Marvin waited outside his room wondering what made him bring an unknown woman to his home.

Three hours.

Three hours, he waited outside his room, leaning on the wall almost dozing off to sleep a few times, before jerking back to reality.

"Sir, you can come in." One of the maids called Marvin inside as he walked into the room, a little sleepy. But as soon as his eyes landed on Sophia who was lying there like a sleeping beauty. All the sleep in his eyes somehow vanished into thin air.

He didn't remember a single word of what the doctor said before leaving. All he remembered was that the medicines prescribed for the angelic lady were kept on the table.

Everyone left Marvin and the defenseless little lady in the room by themselves as Marvin sat next to her in the doctor's seat admiring the human doll's beautiful face.

Thinking of how to own such an unearthly beauty who has presented herself to him.

As soon as the thought crossed Marvin's mind, Sophia's eyes snapped open as she jerked up to sit on the bed, looking around, confused. And, before she knew it, the words that should have been in her mind was on her lips.

"Who am I? Where am I?" The trembling beauty asked Marvin as her body tensed further. Her question made Marvin stunned for a moment then smile his crooked devil-like smile for another.

"Wifey, you're finally awake. Did you know how much I was worried? How many times do I have to tell you, you're body is too weak for you to go out by yourself." The lies that left Marvin's lips made Sophia furrow her eyebrows in confusion. As Marvin got up from his seat wearing a troubled expression, snaking his hand behind Sophia's neck only to kiss her forehead.

Being a witness to such a gentle action, Sophia couldn't help but believe even the lie that left Marvin's lips as tears rolled down her eyes. Guilt overrode her heart as she cursed herself for forgetting the moments she had spent with such a loving husband.

"Hubby, I'm sorry. I can't... I can't remember my own name. I don't remember anything... I'm sorry." Her ragged breath, trembling state and confused mind presented Marvin an excellent opportunity to capture his newfound doll, who he was going to keep in his house like a trophy.

"It's okay, baby. Hush. I'm here. Everything will be fine. Don't worry. Your name is Sophia. Okay? And, you are my wife. Your parents died in an accident, baby. That left your fragile body in a traumatic and weak state. It's not your fault, honey. It'll all be alright." Marvin's crafty words comforted a crying Sophia as he hugged her trembling state, smirking on his good fate to be able to catch such an unearthly, untouched beauty.

From now on, she was his. His Goddess to worship. His trophy to clean. And, his wife to take care of him.

Little did Marvin know, that he had given Sophia the exact same she owned before she lost her memories being reduced to nothing but a porcelain doll for Marvin's amusement.

Marvin, who had a reputation for being a womanizer, did exactly what his treacherous nature would allow him to do.

And, that was to entrap an innocent woman until he had grown tired of her.

Marvin snapped back to the present as Sophia descended the stairs, her hair neatly styled and her little black dress hugging her curves. He couldn't help but admire how effortlessly beautiful she looked.

"Ready to go?" he asked, standing up from his seat.

Sophia smiled, "Yes, let's go."

As they made their way out, Marvin's mind couldn't help but wander back to that fateful day when he met Sophia, wondering what secrets could his wife have, that were hidden from him as well as her. But for now, he decided to push those thoughts aside and enjoy the night with his beloved wife.

The beloved wife, whom he had never actually married. Just tricked her into being by his side.