Chapter 1: The Marriage I Didn't Choose
Lina woke up to whispers.
Soft. Urgent. Dangerous.
Her heart began to race as she slipped out of bed and followed the voices to the living room. Her parents sat close together, their faces tense, as if they were about to change her life forever.
"Sit down, Lina," her mother said gently.
The way they looked at her made her stomach twist.
Her father spoke next. "Your mother and I have made a decision for you. One that cannot be changed."
Lina swallowed hard.
"We've arranged your marriage," he continued. "You will be marrying Leo."
The name hit her like a slap.
Leo.
The powerful CEO. Her father's best friend's son. A man she barely knew—yet had secretly noticed once, long ago. Handsome. Quiet. Untouchable.
"I don't understand…" Lina whispered, but no one answered her.
She wanted to scream. To refuse. To run. But instead, she nodded—because that was what was expected of her.
The wedding happened quickly. Too quickly. A blur of vows, smiles, and strangers congratulating her on a future she never chose.
One week later, Lina stood in a house that was no longer just Leo's.
It was hers.
Their married life began politely, cautiously. They spoke like strangers forced into the same space. Shared meals. Avoided eye contact. Yet, with time, silence softened. Conversations grew warmer. Something fragile—and dangerous—began to grow between them.
Just as Lina started to believe she could be happy…
Someone else was already watching.
Waiting.
Jealousy had entered the house long before love fully bloomed.
And it was just the beginning