CHAPTER NINETEEN

Chapter Nineteen

Wanda sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. The silence of the room felt oppressive, each tick of the clock amplifying the tension that had been building for weeks. She had replayed this conversation in her head a thousand times, rehearsing the words she needed to say, the resolve she needed to muster. But now, as she faced the reality of confronting Michael, her heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination.

It had been exactly one month since she had signed the contract marriage with Michael, one month since she had thought she was stepping into a new life that would offer her the stability and security she so desperately needed. But the past weeks had been anything but stable. The man who had once promised her a fresh start had become someone unrecognizable—cold, distant, and increasingly cruel.

Wanda took a deep breath, steeling herself as she heard the front door creak open. Mich