The night was silent except for the faint hum of the city outside. I couldn't sleep. Every corner of the apartment seemed to whisper questions I couldn't answer, every shadow a reminder that he was hiding something from me. I paced the living room, trying to convince myself that whatever he was keeping wouldn't change anything, but the knot in my stomach refused to loosen.
Finally, he appeared in the doorway of my room, hands in his pockets, eyes dark but calm. The sight of him made my chest tighten, even after everything. "You asked for the truth," he said simply, the weight of the words pressing into the room like a physical presence.
I nodded, swallowing hard. "I need it. I can't live like this, in half-truths and secrets."
He studied me for a long moment, as if deciding how much to reveal. Then, finally, he stepped closer, and I could see the faint shadow of weariness beneath his sharp features. "There's something about this marriage, about me, that you don't know. And it's not just about the two of us. There are forces—people—who have made sure that this arrangement… happened for reasons you can't ignore."
I felt my stomach drop. "Forces? People? What are you talking about?"
He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "Your family… my enemies… this marriage isn't just a union between us. It's a safeguard. A shield. They wanted to weaken me, to get to my assets, my influence… and somehow, you became part of that strategy."
The words hit me like a physical blow. I stepped back, heart hammering. "You're saying… my family… I—I was part of a plan?"
He nodded slowly, eyes dark and unreadable. "Not intentionally. But yes. Your family's influence, your position… it was used. And I didn't know until last night that the stakes were higher than I imagined. I wanted to tell you before it was too late, but timing… timing was never in our favor."
I shook my head, disbelief mixing with rage. "So all this—the wedding, living together… it's been a game to you?" My voice cracked despite my effort to stay calm. "A strategy?"
"No," he said sharply, but without anger. "It's never been a game. I never wanted this, and I never wanted to hurt you. I'm trapped in it, just like you. And now that you know, there's no going back. We have to navigate it… together. Or we'll both lose everything."
The weight of his words pressed down on me, leaving me breathless. Betrayal, fear, confusion—they all collided inside me, and yet, beneath it all, there was a strange thread of understanding. He wasn't entirely the enemy I'd imagined. He was a man caught in a storm, and somehow, our fates were entangled in it.
I swallowed, trying to steady my voice. "So what now?"
He took a step closer, the tension between us electric. "Now," he said, voice low and firm, "we survive. We fight. We protect what matters. And maybe… if we're careful, we find a way to trust each other in the process."
I wanted to resist, to push him away, but the pull was undeniable. Survival wasn't just about life anymore—it was about navigating the fragile, dangerous connection that had begun to form between us.
And in that moment, I realized this marriage wasn't just a battlefield. It was a warzone. And we were on the same side—whether we wanted it or not.