Aurora
Pain clawed through my body as I stirred, my limbs aching with every slight movement.
Where am I?
Did I die? Am I in heaven? Hell?
I forced my eyes open, a sharp whimper escaping my lips. A warm hand reached for me, steadying me, helping me sit up.
I lifted my head slowly… and my gaze locked onto the most mesmerizing pair of eyes I’d ever seen.
He was perfect.
Sharp jawline, tousled dark hair, and eyes so bold, so piercing, that they seemed to unravel me in one glance.
A cruel twist of fate — to survive death, only to wake up to someone so beautiful.
“Hi,” he said gently, his voice deep, rich, intoxicating. It dripped with something I couldn't quite place — danger, mystery, maybe even salvation.
My heart stuttered.
But as my gaze drifted lower, I saw his rumpled shirt, the slightly worn-out fabric.
A pauper.
Just my luck.
I cleared my throat, forcing composure back into my voice. I wasn’t about to reveal my secret just yet. “Where am I? I... I can't see anything.”
His hopeful expression crumbled, replaced by pure sympathy. “Oh my God. I'm so sorry. You're in the hospital.”
“Hospital?” I feigned confusion. “What happened to me?”
He explained that he had been passing by when he saw a woman sprinting out of a parked car, leaving another inside — the car that was rolling toward the edge of the cliff.
That woman was Mia.
And I was the one she left behind to die.
But he had saved me.
A voice from the television caught my attention.
“The first daughter of the Driscoll family has been declared missing on her wedding day. Sources report that a group of armed men attacked her vehicle while she and her younger sister were en route to the courthouse yesterday morning.”
I turned my head slightly, silently pleading that my picture wouldn't appear. But reality was never that kind.
There it was — my face flashing across the screen.
The glass of water in his hand slipped, shattering on the floor.
“You’re… the first daughter of the Driscoll family?” His voice was laced with disbelief. “But… you’re blind. And deaf. How are you even responding?”
The walls were closing in. My perfect illusion — gone.
I had to think fast.
Before I knew it, the words slipped out of my mouth:
“Let's get married.”
“What!” His brows shot up in shock.
I didn’t hesitate. I sprang up, the pain in my body suddenly forgotten.
"Please," I insisted, my voice urgent. "Marry me. We can divorce later. I will give you whatever you want. Money. Power. My life. Just keep my secret."
His lips parted slightly, but then he shook his head. "I can’t just marry you. I don’t love you."
"Marry me!" I snapped, my patience running thin. "Do you want to keep living as a nobody? A pauper? I can change your life. But you have to keep my secret."
This was my only way out. The will had been clear — whoever I married would inherit my mother’s fortune. That was why my father was so desperate to force me into marriage with Francis.
And now, I was about to throw a wrench in all their plans.
Did my mother know this would happen?
Was this her way of ensuring my survival?
He studied me for a long moment, then exhaled sharply. Without another word, he paid the hospital bills. I didn’t bother to ask where he got the money from. Some questions weren’t worth asking.
Minutes later, we were in a taxi, heading to the magistrate court.
An hour after that… we were married.
As we stepped outside, a victorious sigh escaped my lips. I turned to him and stretched out my hand for a handshake. He took it, his gaze never leaving mine.
"I think I’m in love with you already," he said suddenly. "You’re exactly the kind of woman I always wanted… smart, fearless, beautiful."
Heat crept up my cheeks, but I pushed it away.
This wasn’t about love.
This was about revenge.
I had a family to destroy.
I laced my fingers through his, gripping his hand tightly. "Husband, shall we?"
He smirked, something dark flickering in his gaze. "Yes. Let’s make their lives a living hell."
Then he leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"And don’t forget… you said your life is mine."
A slow shiver ran down my spine.
What does he mean by that?
Never mind.
All that matters is ruining my family.
