The sunlight glistened on my face. I heaved a sigh as today was my wedding. Who would have thought I would be getting married at the age of 20? Definitely not me. I wanted to proceed with my higher studies but it all came crashing down on the day I was informed of my marriage.They basically signed me off to a wealthy man, Adagio Amato. I have known him since I was eleven years old. I would only see him occasionally. I hardly speak to him because he is too intimidating for someone like me. His brothers, on the other hand, are just pure gold. Adagio has a very quiet character; his cold, intimidating gaze could make anyone piss their pants. He gives the driest replies to whatever question it may be. People would give up trying to speak to him. Adagio and his family are engaged in a huge business, which makes them filthy rich. Whatever they owned screamed money and power. The amount of respect and power that family alone holds is ridiculous. It made me wonder why they would marry me t
We took pictures with our family and left for our reception. I had to change into another dress. It was one hell of a reception. The place was packed with people. People congratulated us.I pretty much stood in the same place that night. Adagio was busy with the guests and so was my family. My college friends came in and gave me company until they had to leave. I did tell them about the contract, though I shouldn't. I trust them. They consoled me and told me it would be fine. Of course, it will be... When we get a divorce. I can't get my head around the fact that this has something to do with more than just money. Or maybe just money but it seems to have a bigger story behind it. How do I know it? My guts tell me so.Just the look in my parents' eyes tells me there is something deeper than just this contract marriage. "Hello, Aster!" A voice chirped joyfully, breaking me out of my thoughts. It was an unfamiliar face that awfully looked just like mine. A silent gasp left my mouth in
As soon as we got to his mansion, I immediately went to bed. It is rather large. The mansion, with its ornate chandeliers and antique pieces. The flooring made of marble exuded opulence. It included a television and large couches.And he had a dog!Micha was his name, and he is a sweetheart. He's actually lying next to me at the moment. I could sleep for three more hours, but it was eight in the morning.Adagio hasn't spoken anything since we arrived. Although we were meant to share a room, I was too afraid that something might go wrong. What if he made me lie down with him?I'm craving food. I'd best head over to eat. I just pulled my hair back into a bun, gave myself a facial wash, and brushed my teeth before going downstairs. Micha came up on my heels.A few maids greeted me, and I politely answered. It appears that breakfast has been prepared. They made pancakes.I ate silently until I heard a blonde girl come down the stairs. I was slightly perplexed until I realized it was one of
The following day, Micha was curled up next to me in my room as I read a romance novel. Adagio and I have not seen each other since this morning.I was content and at ease even though I had to do something I did not want to. I never had depression or obsessive worry about things. I let it go and accept it, whether I like it or not. What else can we do? Waste our happy lives? That's a no.A knock on the door startled me. Micha was also startled by the sudden noise and let out a bark. "Come in," I said, closing my book. One of the maids entered the room, holding a box.My curiosity piqued, and I asked her, "What's that, Mary?" Mary let out a soft laugh. I approached her, and she handed me the box, saying, "Master asked me to give it to you."Unknowingly, a smile appeared on my face. "Thank you, Mary," I said with a smile. "Master said he'll be home at 1 p.m. to pick you up," she said, as my head snapped back into place. I had completely forgotten about it.My gaze was drawn
Aster~I dashed down the stairs, tying my hair into a bun. I rushed over to greet my in-laws. I was not made aware of their visits. I walked into the living room to hear laughter.I wore a red top and a knee-length skirt. It's decent enough to make me seem like I've showered. "Hello everyone," I smiled as I waved to everyone. Adagio's brothers, as well as Adagio and his parents, were all present."Oh, Aster, come here," Mrs. Amato said, patting the empty seat beside her.I awkwardly approached her. I have known them since I could remember but they all suddenly appear to be strangers. They all seem to be different. Everything appeared to be new to me. I looked around at everyone and considered why I was feeling this way.Is it because they have something to do with my family that they had to force me into this marriage and not feel bad about it? What is the true reason for our marriage? It's because of the contract, but what exactly is in it?One thought led to another, filling my min
Aster~I'm currently on a private jet and have no idea what to do. I've already finished watching two or three movies. We are apparently going on a honeymoon to Bora Bora, which is miles away and takes about 28 hours to get there from Paris.This is tiring, man. Adagio is sitting beside me, but this wall separates us for privacy reasons. This is already exhausting; who wants to deal with that man?He has been focused on his work for hours and does not appear to be taking a break. So how do I know? I could hear the clicking of his laptop, and it went on for hours. I'm done worrying about the contract, the heir, the lies, and everything. As I said before, I cannot worry about things excessively or for an extended period of time. Maybe I will later when I have to face it again, but for now, I am as bubbly as ever before.I'm bored and feeling talkative, so I might as well gather my courage and talk to this guy. To be honest, I get nervous every time I stand in front of a man, with the ex
Aster~The sun shone on my face, and I groaned because it disturbed my sleep. I want to sleep some more; this bed is so comfortable that I don't want to get up. I opened my eyes to see a blurry image of... Adagio?I snapped my head up to see my hands and legs on him, as well as his hands around my waist. Adagio had his eyes on me, watching as I became panicked and confused."What are you doing in my bed?" I inquired as I got away from his grip."The question is, what are you doing in my bed?" he asked in his morning voice.My eyes widened as I looked around to find myself on his bed. I gasped and stood up.Then I realized I had walked into his bed last night because I couldn't sleep on that rock-hard bed."Sorry," I mumbled, turning red, and ran into the bathroom before he could respond.So that's how my day began. We had breakfast together, and nothing happened except that we stuffed ourselves with delicious food. We went shopping more because I wanted to. He didn't like the plan and
Adagio~I have not been in my right mind since the marriage. I've been out of control, unstable, and insane. However, I can't let my weaknesses spread all over the place.I get ahold of it and deal with shit like I have for years, and now there's Aster. Her problematic a** never shuts down, and dealing with her is becoming increasingly annoying.Although I do not like her, there is something about her that strangely rules me, which I despise.Getting the work done isn't easy. Mother and father have been urging me to do it with Aster, but overcoming her stubborn nature is too difficult. Not that I can't control or handle her, but given her lack of experience, I'm taking it slowly.There is no way out for either her or me; we are stuck. All of this is totally ridiculous to me; Father and his desires are out of reach. It's unfortunate that I have no choice but to give in.These days, all I think about is my father, Aster, and the contract; I live to work, and having barriers over which I
He was never going to change, and honestly, why should I even want him to? It’s not as if I love him or anything. It’s the empathy I feel for him that stirs up emotions I’ve never experienced before. I need to stop what I’m doing—I can’t keep this up. The harder I try to pull him out of this nightmare, the more I find myself dreaming of being close to him, and it’s tormenting me. My sobs echoed within the four walls. It’s only been four months since the wedding, since moving in, and yet I’ve made more cherished memories in this room than I ever have with anyone else in this entire mansion. I’ve learned that this world has the power to break even the happiest soul in the cruelest of ways. But I refuse to be defeated. I want to be the girl who stands up and fights back. No more tears. With unwavering determination, I wiped my eyes and rose, resolved not to let anything shatter me. The next day, my eyes were swollen even though I had only cried for a few minu
It had been three days since I visited Matt, yet the questions still lingered, unanswered. That strange feeling from our last meeting hadn’t faded, and no matter what I did, my mind kept drifting back to the mystery I couldn’t let go of. Even with these thoughts weighing on me, I managed to make some progress in launching my business. It wasn’t easy, but having this distraction kept me grounded, pushing me to take small but steady steps toward turning my dream into a reality. I've just come home from my evening run, and I'm about to head out to scout a new location for my business. I have an appointment with my broker at 5 p.m., and it’s already 4:15 p.m. Just enough time to shower and get ready—perfect timing.As I stepped into the house, I was startled to see a familiar figure. Adagio was here—home early for once. Ever since that dinner, he hadn’t come home until 1 a.m., so seeing him now was a surprise. My heart skipped a beat as I walked toward him, unsure of
She was on her way to meet Matteo, who had been urging her to visit. She found him affectionate and caring, someone who was both clingy and lovable. She had kept pushing herself to see him, believing that if she spent more time with Adagio during his vulnerable moments, she could help him break free from his inner struggles.But it had taken a toll on her, too. She finally realized it would be better to free herself from the thoughts of him that constantly filled her mind.Yet, thoughts of him had become part of her. We don’t always need a reason to love someone, and that was exactly what she was holding onto. Adagio had never done anything but hurt her with his actions, yet her heart remained tethered to him.After that dinner, Adagio had left her dangling, forced to search for answers to her questions on her own.She started to realize that she thought of him only because there was nothing else to distract her. Her pages filled with his name, her sketchbook with his face, her songs w
A smirk tugged at his lips. Aster intrigued him, yet memories of his darkest days kept resurfacing, erasing any hint of affection he felt toward her. Those memories reminded him he was only trapped here because of her.Countless times, he’d tried to keep his true self hidden from her, yet it always found a way to break free, as if it were desperate to escape. He was torn between wrapping things up quickly and dragging them out just a bit longer, savoring each moment with her before it all inevitably fell apart. The day when untold truths and unspoken words would surface, breaking down every fragile brick of the bridge she was trying to build to close the distance between them, was coming—but it didn’t have to be so soon, right? Right? "I love playing baseball." He smiled a little, and it surprised her. Beneath the guy who buried himself in work and took everything so seriously, there was someone who just wanted to enjoy the little things. When they first met, she thought h
Aster~It's been two days since the fight, and Adagio has retreated back into his cold shell. We haven't had a proper conversation since then; whenever I try to talk to him, he either ignores me or pushes me away, saying something really rude. I don't intend to address the issue between Adagio and Ace; I just want to be there for him. I know the effort it took to break through the walls between us, only for him to retreat and add two more layers on top. He’s been avoiding me like I caused the fight. It's absurd to see someone react so irrationally to situations like this instead of just facing it.In the past two days, he's completely shut the world out, and while I’ve tried to tell myself he might just need some space, I'm the one feeling suffocated by his absence.My heart is drawn to him because I caught a glimpse of his humanity—that small, vulnerable part of him that slipped through. It showed me the person inside who seems desperate to break free, but Adagio keeps him hidden. I
Aster~"Oh my gosh, Mom and Dad, I've missed you both so much," I exclaimed, pulling them into a tight hug. They smiled at me, and I could feel the emptiness inside me slowly start to fade. "How have you been, Mom?" I asked as I stepped back."It's just not the same without you, sweetheart," she said with a sad smile, though she finally seemed content and happy. "And you, Dad?" I waited for his response. The last time I saw him was on my wedding day, and his mood and expression from that day flashed through my mind.I was searching for answers, but all I could find was the same guilt that had surfaced during my wedding. "Dad?" I called out, and he looked at me for a moment longer than usual before smiling, pushing away the regret that had started to reappear."I've been doing well, love," he said, pulling me closer and kissing the top of my head. But before I knew it, he was gone. He walked away, disappearing into the crowd. What happened to Papa?I didn't want to ask my mother about i
Adagio~ I've kissed countless times, and I've always had someone by my side when I wanted. Those kisses never held any meaning, and I've done a lot without any commitments. A kiss on the cheek shouldn't be keeping me up at night.Maybe it just caught me off guard, seeing her break free and act on whatever crossed her mind. I knew she was trying to get closer to me, and I knew I should protect myself from her, but my defenses crumble every time she’s around. I hated how, bit by bit, she carefully dismantled the armor I wore to guard my heart. I woke up the next day, determined to stay away from her, no matter what. I didn’t care if she thought we were building something—her high hopes weren’t my responsibility.As I walked downstairs, she came into view. Sunlight gleamed on her face, casting a soft glow in the shadows of the house. My gaze drifted to her rose-colored lips, and the memory of last night rushed back to me.Sensing my stare, she looked up from the pan. A smile spre
He took me to the most expensive restaurant in Paris. The place screamed luxury and wealth, making me feel almost out of place in such grandeur. Meanwhile, Adagio walked in as if he owned it. His presence and aura are more powerful than any amount of money could ever provide. His ruthless gaze and dangerously controlled temper seem so fragile, it feels as though one wrong move could shatter it. His words carry such authority that even the law would bow to him. And now, this kind of person has invited me to dine with him? In this moment, I feel honoured and special, though I can't promise I'm the only one he's brought to places like this. I still don't know the reason behind his generous gesture, but I'm willing to accept anything as long as it involves him. I know I'm probably just being a fool for him, but there's a small hope flickering at the edges of my heart. I sat across from him as he ordered for both of us, nodding at the waiter before turning his gaze toward me. His intens
Aster~Mark agreed to do the advertisement, and it turned out to be a huge success. Mr.s Anitta is really pleased with the outcome. As I got to know Mark better, I found him to be relaxed and fun—completely the opposite of Adagio. The sales took off just a few days after the ad was released, and profits quickly started piling up. Mr. Godwin had to delay signing the contract for a few days to reconsider his options and untimately choose us. I've already come up with a brilliant idea for marketing his products. When I explained it to Adagio, he didn't object and, once again, asked me to take the lead. Adagio has become slightly less distant than before, but the coldness is still very much there. He keeps me at arm's length. Though it hurt, I didn't complain—any progress, no matter how small, is still progress. I've been working in his office unofficially, helping with his business, and I'm not even getting paid. But I have a feeling that once all this is over, he'll push me out of hi