CHAPTER 5:A BITTER DUTY

Kristin’s hands trembled slightly as she set the glass of water down. She had just finished speaking to Lucas, and his harsh words still echoed in her mind. His anger, his accusations—nothing had prepared her for this. After everything she had done for him, stepping into a life she never asked for, he couldn’t even show her a little kindness. It felt as if she were invisible to him, a mere obligation he had to bear.

Before she could process the encounter, Mrs. Moretti appeared in her room. Concern and determination mixed in the older woman’s face. She had been kind to Kristin, but Kristin could feel the weight of the family’s expectations pressing on her. The Moretti family was powerful, and she was caught in the web they had woven.

“I’m so sorry for Lucas’s behavior, Kristin,” Mrs. Moretti said softly. “He’s still recovering, both physically and emotionally. His anger is misplaced. It’s not really directed at you, but at everything he’s lost.”

Kristin nodded slowly, though she wasn’t entirely convinced. Was it really just because of his injury? Or was there something deeper? She wasn’t sure, but she could sense the sincerity in Mrs. Moretti’s voice.

“But,” Mrs. Moretti continued, “Lucas has requested that you move your things into his room. He needs you close for his recovery. Please, try to understand. He’s not himself right now.”

Kristin’s heart sank. She had hoped for some space, a chance to take a breath, but instead, she was being asked to share even more of her life with Lucas—a man who seemed to resent her. Still, she knew she had little choice.

“I’ll do it,” Kristin whispered, her voice small but steady. I have no choice, she thought, but to follow through.

Kristin slowly made her way to Lucas’s room, each step heavier than the last. When she arrived, she saw him in his wheelchair, his face just as cold as ever. His eyes met hers, and there was no trace of warmth. He looked at her like she was an inconvenience.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his voice sharp. “I told you to leave. I don’t want you here.”

Kristin felt the sting of his words, but she held her ground. This was her duty, no matter how much it hurt.

“I’m just following Mrs. Moretti’s request,” she said quietly. “She wants me to move my things here.”

Lucas scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t care what she wants. I don’t want you here. You’re just some woman who was forced into this situation. And I don’t need you.”

Kristin’s chest tightened. For a moment, she felt the urge to run away, to leave him to his anger and frustration. But she knew she couldn’t. She had no choice but to stay.

“I’ll leave if you want me to,” she said, voice trembling. “But I have to do this.”

Lucas didn’t respond at first. He just turned his eyes away from her, his gaze fixed on the window. His silence said it all—he didn’t want her there. And there was no space for her in his life.

Kristin turned to leave, but then Lucas spoke again.

“You don’t belong here,” he said quietly, almost coldly. “I don’t know why you’re still here, but you don’t need to move your things in. Just leave.”

Her heart shattered. He doesn’t want me here, she thought. But she didn’t turn back. She didn’t cry. She simply left the room, retreating back to the space she had originally occupied.

Sitting on her bed, Kristin wrapped her arms around herself, her body shaking with frustration. Why is this so hard? she thought. Why is it so difficult to endure? She had promised herself she wouldn’t let him hurt her, but his words had pierced her like a knife. How could she bear a child for this man? How could she love him when he was so cruel?

Lucas was undeniably handsome, but his anger, his bitterness, made him impossible to love. He was everything she didn’t want in a husband, and yet here she was, stuck in a marriage to him, forced to bear his child. She wiped away her tears and stood up. She couldn’t afford to be weak. She had a duty to her family, and she couldn’t let her emotions distract her from that.

Later that night, Kristin found herself standing at the door to Lucas’s room once again. She had come to do her part, to help him recover, no matter how difficult it was. She had come to massage his leg, just as she had been instructed. It was a simple thing, but it was part of the responsibility she had been given. As she entered the room, she found Lucas sitting in his wheelchair, his eyes closed, as if he was lost in thought.

For a moment, there was silence between them. Kristin didn’t say anything; she simply moved to him and began massaging his leg. The room was filled with an uncomfortable stillness, and she tried to focus on the task at hand, shutting off the thoughts and emotions swirling in her mind.

“Why did you marry me?” Lucas’s voice cut through the silence, low and filled with an intensity that made Kristin pause.

Kristin’s hands froze for a moment as she processed his question. Why had she married him? She wanted to shout that she hadn’t had a choice, that it had been forced upon her. But she couldn’t. Instead, she sighed, her hands continuing their work.

“I didn’t,” she said softly, her voice barely a whisper. “I didn’t marry you because I wanted to. I married you because I had no choice.”

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, Lucas didn’t respond. He just stared at her, his expression unreadable. Then, he spoke again, his voice softer this time.

“Then why are you still here?”

Kristin looked at him, her heart aching. Why was she still here? She didn’t know the answer, not really. But she had to stay. She couldn’t leave now, not when everything was at stake.

“I’m here because I have to be,” she said quietly. “I’ll be here until this is over.”

The room fell into silence once more. As Kristin continued to massage his leg, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the distance between them would never close. Could it ever get better? She wasn’t sure. But for now, all she could do was endure. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough.