**Chapter 3: My Disfigured Bride**
Morgan stepped out of his room to find the entire family gathered, anxiously awaiting news. As soon as he mentioned the agreement with Hanna, that he would be the temporary groom until his son returned, a deathly silence fell over the room. His ex-mother-in-law, her face twisted in disapproval, was the first to speak out.
"You made me a promise, Morgan! You can't just break it now. Don't you dare get involved in a new relationship, especially of this magnitude, after everything you've done in the past!" she grumbled, vehemently reprimanding him. "William Morgan!" she suddenly asserted, gripping his suit collar. "Don't you dare renounce your promise! You deserve nothing but the life you have!" she growled, releasing him forcefully.
Morgan stepped back, rubbing his throat.
"I'm not doing this willingly. Ever since my grandmother made this damned marriage agreement, we've all been trapped in this hell, eagerly waiting for this day. Do you think I'm happy about it? That I feel good about marrying an unknown, disfigured woman? Do you really think I'm living out the dream you're so keen on thwarting? No! This marriage is not about love or even the hope of any happiness. It would be impossible!" he retorted, irritated.
"Liara!" intervened another woman, appearing to be the eldest among them. As soon as Liara saw her, she immediately fell silent. "You don't need to hound my son like this. Besides, everyone knows the girl's mother and how difficult it was to live with her. Nevertheless, my mother appreciated that woman, regardless of her situation. And surely her daughter suffers from the same problem. If that's the case, my son will never be happy with her."
"I hope so. Otherwise, the entire Farrugia family will pay dearly for him breaking his promise."
"I'm not breaking any promise!" Morgan asserted, retreating to his office.
His mother followed him.
"Stay calm," she pleaded, entering the office and finding him standing by the window, gazing outside with apprehension.
"How? I'm about to marry a woman..." he smiled bitterly. "And you have no idea... If she were just disfigured and had at least a good character, maybe we could try to get along with her. But she's an opportunist. It seems like she might be worse than breaking this contract."
"It can't be worse."
"But I feel like it is. This Hanna... She seems to embody villainy, but... I've found her weakness," he smirked with a mocking air.
"What do you mean?"
"She's ambitious, a woman who can easily be bought. Apparently, she needs money and will do anything to get it, no matter the cost."
"Well... I wouldn't expect any less nowadays. It's rare to find decent girls these days. But honestly, I thought being the daughter of that charitable woman, she might be a good person," his mother mused thoughtfully.
"Far from it! Hanna Ortiz is nothing but a fraudster. So, prepare everyone who will be at this sham wedding. I don't want anyone from our family getting close to her. And I've also insisted she doesn't even think about lifting that veil. This isn't a real marriage; we don't need to fulfill everything."
"You seem to hate her," his mother commented, thoughtfully.
"Mother... You have no idea what she's done, especially to make me fulfill this agreement. After all, you know that if this marriage doesn't happen, it would be very beneficial for her. I doubt she even realizes that," Morgan said thoughtfully.
"She must not know, so as not to influence your decision and harm our family. Hanna would have to reject this marriage on her own, without knowing the benefits or penalties."
"Yes... but that's not even the most ridiculous part. A woman like her, even after suggesting she marry me, demanded that I pay her to marry her," he remarked with disdain. His mother then smiled. "Are you finding this amusing? What do you think? She called me an old grouch," his hollow and humorless laugh echoed through the room.
"Relax, she doesn't even know you, let alone what lies behind your darkest story, besides... She's only nineteen, obviously you're not an ideal man for her," she chuckled.
Morgan glanced at his wristwatch with concern and then turned to his mother.
"She's about to arrive, I have to go down to receive her at the altar. It's hell having to go through all this because of Davis!"
"Have some compassion, unfortunately Davis is young and full of expectations about his future. I knew it would be tough for your son to accept that he would have to marry to save the family from the gallows, and I know he only ran away because he knew you were the same age as him for marriage. Besides, it's easier for you to endure three years in this marriage than for a man who lives life overnight," she tried to console him, but only made it worse.
Finally, Hanna had arrived. Everyone was waiting in the hall, at least fifteen guests, all named in the will. They were there just to see that what had been pre-required was being fulfilled.
Morgan was so grumpy that he didn't even look at Hanna when she appeared at the entrance. No one went to fetch her to take her to the altar. She just took a deep breath and decided to proceed on her own. Underneath the veil, her face suffocated and hidden, she observed disapproving glances staring at her. But she only flashed a malicious smile and headed towards Morgan, who was waiting with his back turned. The estate lawyer stood next to the justice of the peace, watching everything disapprovingly, but said nothing about it in the will.
4: Finally MarriedHanna positioned herself beside Morgan, keeping a distance so that neither of them would touch. The atmosphere was tense and silent among the people; it felt more like a funeral than a wedding. The only thing breaking the silence was the sound of camera flashes taking photos as evidence to fulfill the requirements of the will.As soon as the justice of the peace's standard speech ended, both confirmed their desire to marry and signed the papers, joining them in matrimony."Are you satisfied, Mr. Grumpy?" Hanna asked without looking at him."For now, Mrs. Ortiz. Enjoy the buffet. No one will bother you until it's time to leave.""Sure!" she muttered sharply, turning her back on him and heading to a distant table in the banquet hall.As soon as Morgan moved away from Hanna and towards the other guests, his ex-mother-in-law interrupted his steps."Is she really that ugly?" she asked, now mockingly glancing at Hanna."You're enjoying seeing my life turn into hell, aren'
**Chapter 5: Life is Unfair to Hanna**"If that woman comes to this place, she must stay in the annex and not frequent the mansion!" she asserted. Morgan sighed impatiently."Are you afraid that I might give her a chance?" Morgan smiled skeptically."That's not it. After all, it would be hard for you to stay in a woman's life after what you did to my daughter's and grandson's lives. That's why I know if you take the risk, you'll just ruin more lives."Morgan sighed heavily, swallowing his words without arguing with her."Think what you want; if that's the case... you're right then.""Of course I am.""When will you be able to forgive me for that? Are you going to torment me for my entire life? Will you never let this heal?" he asked, distressed."Never! Morgan... neither you nor I will have peace with this!" she confessed, pressing her lips together with bitterness.He stared at her without reaction, adjusting his tie at the same time. Despite being a much larger man than Liara, who w
Ch.6: Morgan's DecisionMorgan ordered some security guards to gather information in Hanna's neighborhood. The search was futile until they interrogated the last person who had seen Hanna; they learned that she had gone somewhere else and that she was okay.Morgan visited Hanna's house accompanied by his mother. Both stood in front of the ruin, walking among what was left, finding even traces of the wedding dress, documents, and Hanna's belongings."It looks like someone was trying to kill her, don't you think?" Abigail asked."Definitely," he confirmed, apprehensive. "But this is really bad. I have to keep this marriage for at least three years, and we barely managed twenty-four hours.""True, like it or not, it will be better to keep her under our nose; otherwise, our family will sink with her.""But we still have to find out where she is.""Couldn't you call her?""I did, the lawyer did too, but she doesn't answer," he commented, restless. "There's nothing here, let's go home now."
**Ch.7: The Security Guards Fetch Hanna**At noon, after her shift, Hanna sat in the cafeteria, opening the email Morgan had sent her. A skeptical laugh accompanied each line her eyes scanned. The supposed assassination attempt he referred to served merely as a pretext for a list of impositions that ultimately catered to his own interests.Hanna would live in the Farrugia mansion, but not exactly in the same house as the Farrugias. An annex, like a second separate house, was her designated place. Access to this part of the property was through another door, completely independent of the main entrance. To see any family member, Hanna would need to leave the annex, cross the garden to the main entrance, and request permission."What does he want? To keep me a prisoner?" she questioned herself skeptically with every line she read. "Having to keep hiding my face... Well, that won't be bad. This way, I'll avoid him developing any interest in me." She sighed thoughtfully, briefly recalling M
**Ch.8: Cunning Is My Middle Name**As soon as the car stopped, she hopped out, heading towards the pharmacy. No one knew what the uniformed girl with a cap covering her face was planning, but her mischievous smile was evident."Bandages, ointments, protectors... Gentian violet and..." She hesitated for a moment before asking for the harmful pink substance.With a grin from ear to ear, the bouncing girl returned to the car. The security guards informed Morgan about the stop at the pharmacy and the route taken, while Hanna discreetly applied a white ointment to her face, creating white spots that covered something.Excited, she sighed upon arriving at the place that reminded her of her unhappy marriage. Suddenly, Murilo came to mind. Deep down, she felt guilty for rejecting him, but she was already married, with no options. Although she considered him a good prospect for the future, it would be unfair to leave him waiting while she fulfilled the agreement.After passing through the larg
Chapter 9: A Mother-in-Law from HellLiara, after the security guards had left, picked up on Morgan's words. A malicious look formed on her face as she witnessed his misery.“I hope you get news of him soon! After all, I pay you to be efficient!” Morgan asserted over the phone, reading yet another negative response about the search for his son Davis.“Why are you still looking for Davis? You’re already married to her,” Liara asked, interrupting Morgan. He huffed and looked away.“What are you doing here? I’m amazed how a woman married to a congressman has so much time to meddle in my life,” he grumbled irritably.“How could I leave you alone? I have to make sure everything goes according to my wishes,” Liara replied.“Are you pleased?” Morgan asked with irony.“So far, yes,” she responded with indifference. Morgan laughed cynically and remained silent. “So? Is she at the mansion yet?”“Who?” he asked, bored.“Who else but your disfigured wife? Have you had the pleasure of kissing her y
Chapter 10: Liara Visits Without PermissionHanna was in her room, having carried the heavy boxes of products they had sent all by herself. She wasn’t the least bit sad, though she was anxious. She wanted to know what her benefits would be and what she could do. After changing into one of the fine silk nightgowns that seemed to caress her body, she sat comfortably in front of the vanity, brushing her hair and thinking. In front of her were all the products she had brought from the pharmacy.“Well... I need to practice a little, right? If they believe in these things, I should do my best so they don’t find out the truth,” she murmured ironically, starting to apply things to her face. In a few minutes, she managed to make it all look naturally pink, purple, gooey, and repulsive. She laughed euphorically, seeming a bit mad with the result, until someone knocked on her door.“Heavens...” she murmured, startled, looking at the door with apprehension. “Are there ghosts here?” she asked herse
Chapter 11: Who is the Man I Married?After thinking, Hanna stood up with mockery and an ironic smile."Madam... how can I make a deal with a woman who came here already insulting my mother, a woman who has already passed away, and mocking her disability as if you were so much better? As I said, inside you are rotten and bitter. I would never make a deal with a woman like you. I don't need to bring anyone down, after all... as you said, I am married to an important man. If I want money, it won't be so difficult since they are billionaires. So, I have to know the limits of my greed and know what I have in my hands and use it. And for you, I only wish a little compassion for yourself. You look awful! And you still think you have the right to talk about me!""The only one who stinks here is you, and you will soon know hell.""Yes, yes! I'll meet you there then because there's no other place for you either!" Hanna asserted, approaching her to push her out, but Liara recoiled from her touch
**Ch. 166: Each Life** The next day, Gabriel accompanied Hanna on a tour of the places mentioned in the will she had inherited. However, there was still one place she dreaded visiting—the hospital room where her father lay. Despite her reluctance, Hanna knew she had to see him, understand his condition, and decide what to do. "Do you really want to see him?" Gabriel asked hesitantly as they stopped in front of the door to the room. Hanna remained silent, her head bowed, displaying apprehension and sorrow. Her emotions were conflicted: she didn’t want her father to die, yet she harbored deep resentment for his actions. "I just don’t want him to die," she admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "It wouldn’t be fair to strip so many people of their freedom for years and then just die like that." "He’s an old man now," Gabriel offered, trying to console her. "Still filled with malice..." Hanna smiled, but it was a disconcerted and melancholic smile. "Can you imagine he wante
Chapter 165: Freedom and Punishment Ruby didn’t understand what Hanna meant. She stood up and left again, demanding a phone from one of the soldiers. Her hands trembled like a green twig with everything that was happening. As she made the call, anxiety consumed her. “Office...” “Gabriel!” Hanna stammered, cutting him off before he could respond. “Hanna! How are you? Where are you?” He stood up, surprised, stumbling over his words. “I need you to solve a problem for me, right now,” she pleaded, anxious. “Hanna, how did you even manage to call me? What’s going on?” he asked, concerned. “Morgan is already getting sick from searching for you...” “No! I don’t want you to tell him where I am or how I’m doing,” she warned hesitantly, massaging her stomach. Suddenly, she remembered Morgan’s words about having children. “Alright... just tell me where you are, and I’ll be there by tonight if possible.” “Can you get here by tomorrow morning? My... grandmother... sister... aunt... I’m no
**Cap. 164: Control is Mine.**She, filled with curiosity, opened the bedroom door and realized that the men had followed Lins. This further reinforced her suspicions. Carefully, she went down the stairs and began to wander aimlessly through the house's labyrinths until she heard screams and pleas for help.Hanna followed the noise and found the two guards dragging Heydi and Ruby. Her heart raced uncontrollably in her chest. What would she do? She watched Lins following behind the men as they took her grandmothers to some unknown place.They continued down to an underground area, an old stone corridor, damp and dark. The wet walls made the place feel even more frightening. Finally, they reached a room with prison bars on the door. Through a small window, Hanna could see what was happening inside.“Get the whip!” Lins ordered furiously.“Please…” Heydi whimpered in panic, kneeling on the floor beside Ruby, who kept her head down.“You had to break the rules and tell him, didn’t you?” L
**Chapter 163: The Mask Falls**Maya turned the doorknob fearfully, and as soon as she entered, she found Liara sitting motionless on her bed, her hair disheveled. She looked like a madwoman who hadn’t slept in days.“Mother...” Maya called cautiously as she approached, but Liara didn’t respond. “Are you okay?” she asked, extending her hand to try to touch her mother’s shoulder. Suddenly, Liara stared at her furiously.“Traitor!” Liara screamed shrilly, then stood up and rushed at Maya, who backed away, terrified.“Calm down, mother, it’s me!” Maya stammered.“I want you to die! Die! You and your cursed child!” Liara raged, clutching her head and messing up her own hair before grabbing a water pitcher from the desk. Maya, panicked, realized her mother’s intention and ran out of the room, still hearing the glass shatter against the door.Maya collapsed to the floor, her legs trembling, hands covering her face in horror. She then crawled away from her mother’s door, retreating into her
Chapter 162: Everything in My Hands?As soon as the two women introduced themselves, Hanna was surprised, not knowing they existed.“What’s going on here?” she asked, confused.“We don’t have much time to explain,” Heydi said anxiously. “But do you remember how you were raised here?”Hanna shook her head in denial.“Girl... you don’t remember because you were on controlled medication when you were younger. Lins lied to your mother, saying you had a disease due to congenital problems.”“Me? But I don’t have any health problems,” Hanna said, thoughtfully.“Yes... Lins made up that lie just to keep you locked up until you turned eighteen and could serve his plan,” Heydi explained. “I thought you were free from this torment, but it seems he never stopped searching for you.”“What are you trying to say?” Hanna asked, growing more confused.“That... we are all daughters of Lins,” Ruby revealed. “There is no other lineage in our family apart from his.”Hanna instantly understood what she mea
**Chapter 161: Ortiz Castle**Hanna decided to go with Lins that same day. Despite wanting to return, she was afraid of facing Davis again and feared he might discover her pregnancy and that she hadn’t lost the baby. "For my child’s life, I’d rather go..." she sighed to herself in front of the bathroom mirror. At that moment, she longed for a peaceful place. At the same time, her brother crossed her mind, but she didn’t know if she should tell Lins about the child’s existence. Even so, she still didn’t fully trust Lins, but he seemed like the safest option to protect herself at that moment, especially since she believed Morgan was now closer to Maya. Morgan had found out which country Lins had traveled to, but it no longer mattered since he was already leaving the country on another aircraft, and Morgan couldn’t track him anymore. After landing, they drove to an old city. With many well-preserved, picturesque old houses, it was a populous place with warm and cheerful people. H
**Chapter 160: Lins, My Father?**“How is her health?” the raspy, grating voice of the elderly man echoed in Hanna’s ears. “She’s in quite a weakened state,” the doctor explained. “It seems like she’s been neglected for a long time, which has made her frail. She has a cut on her leg that needs attention because it’s deep enough to get infected, but that’s not even the most critical thing. She’s pregnant.” When the doctor revealed this, Lins raised his eyebrows. “Yes…” he sighed, restless. “I heard she’s married to an important man.” “What do you want me to do regarding the child?” the doctor asked calmly. “Nothing. What do you think should be done?” Lins asked, indifferent. “I thought you might want to terminate the pregnancy,” the doctor commented. “I’m not considering that,” Lins replied firmly. “Let her have the baby. After investigating the hospital and the day she was there, I found out that her ‘perfect husband’ tried to terminate the pregnancy without her consent.
**Chapter 159: Too Late**In less than half an hour, Morgan had several police cars parked in front of the place where Luna said she saw Hanna.“Are you sure it’s this mansion?” Oliver asked Morgan with concern.“Luna said they were entering the mansion across from her father’s,” Morgan replied as the officers rang the doorbell, but no one answered.“Are they reviewing the footage?” Rudan asked anxiously.“Yes… They’re checking this morning’s footage,” Morgan confirmed. “There are cameras in front of Luna’s father’s mansion, and they’ve made them available.”“Wouldn’t it be easier to just say ‘your father’?” Oliver asked, annoyed.“That man means nothing to me,” Morgan said, then stared at the mansion he so despised. “But... unfortunately, there’s someone I need to see once I’m sure Hanna is in there, and I can get her out of that so-called father’s hands.”Morgan waited a few minutes until the footage was brought in, confirming they had indeed taken someone inside the mansion. But th
**Chapter 158: The Disappearance of Hanna**That same morning, Davis had already realized Hanna was missing. The room was in disarray, everything overturned, bed sheets strewn across the floor, and Davis furious as he threw the bracelet with the tracker far away.“How did this happen?” he asked indignantly.“This time...” Rudan sighed, pretending to be anxious about the situation. “It seems she really managed to escape,” he added, as Davis stared at him in rage, circling him.“You never took your eyes off her, and suddenly...” Davis murmured suspiciously.“Suddenly what?” Rudan retorted. “My job is to take care of your security, not play the role of Hanna’s husband while you act like a spoiled brat and womanizer. If you want to throw the blame on me, go ahead! But it wasn’t me who made false promises and mistreated her.”“Damn it! Are you against me now?” Davis asked indignantly.“You seem blind,” Rudan countered. “You’ve been completely oblivious to a life! Hanna was carrying a child