Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 

Eliora's POV

I woke before sunrise and laid the table the way I always do—plates aligned, napkins smoothed flat, cutlery straight as a prayer. The tea breathed softly.

I checked the bread twice, adjusted a spoon that didn’t need adjusting, and tried not to stare at the doorway like a fool. Maybe today he’d glance at me. Maybe a “good morning” would fall from his lips and remind me I wasn’t invisible. I pressed my palm over the linen to still the silly flutter in my chest, then lifted the water jug.

“She’s useless.” Tonia’s voice rang through the dining room. I set down the water jug and began serving the soup.

“She has been useless since the day that father of yours forced her on you to help that sick father of hers.” That’s how it has been—always talking about me like I wasn’t there.

I greeted, “Good morning, Mother.” She scoffed, her eyes full of disdain. She took a seat next to her son, Kian, my husband, who hasn’t said a word to me since morning.

He didn’t even look at me. Not once.

Sometimes I wondered if he’d already erased me from his world, if I was just a shadow passing plates and pouring tea.

I should be used to it by now, but no matter how many times he ignores me or acts like I’m just a piece of furniture in his house, it still hurts.

“What the hell is this?” Tonia, my mother-in-law, asked while staring disgustedly at a bowl of soup in front of her. The disdain in her eyes was vibrant, and I could feel her hatred for me more than the soup.

I swallowed, knowing where this was going. “It’s your favorite soup, Mother. Just the way you like it.” I smiled, trying to mask the discomfort rising in my chest.

“How dare you!” Her voice rang through the dining room as her hand shoved the bowl aside violently, spilling all the contents on the floor. “Just the way I like it? What do you know, you shameless woman?”

I stared wide-eyed at the soup scattered everywhere on the floor. I had spent hours making that despite the unusual tiredness I felt this morning. I still put my all into making that soup, and my efforts were just gone.

Just like that.

My eyes shifted to Kian, who acted like nothing was going on in front of him. His ocean-blue eyes shifted to mine just for a split second, then back to his food.

That split second was a blade. His silence hurt more than her words.

I swallowed, blinking rapidly to push back the tears forming in my eyes. I bent down slowly.

“This is why I have told you, Kian, find a better woman to marry,” she started as I reached for the empty bowl of soup.

“One with the quality of a wife, one who can bear children… not some barren.”

My hands stopped midway and my eyes snapped towards Tonia.

“Barren?” I laughed bitterly.

Both their heads snapped towards me. Tonia looked at me like I had gone crazy. Kian’s blue eyes remained unreadable as always.

Tonia laughed mockingly. “Seems like she’s gone mad.” But have I? Maybe I had.

Who wouldn’t? When your husband is the reason you couldn’t bear children.

“Who said I’m barren?” I asked, standing on my feet.

Instant disgust flashed across her features. “Are you dumb as well?” she asked, throwing her head back, laughing.

“It’s been three years and yet no child… Heaven knows that womb of yours can’t bear children.”

That felt like a hot slap across my face. But where is the lie?

I wished it was a lie and she was just bluffing. I also wished I could tell her that it is her son who refused to touch me—but that was a private matter between husband and wife, right?

I myself am not proud of the extent I have gone to make Kian see me as a woman, but no matter what I did, nothing. He never saw me as one.

I had to drug him and dress up like his first love. I had my way— That was a night I would never forget. But after that day Kian seemed to hate me more. He barely looked me in the eyes ever since, and I believe I deserve it.

That was a month ago, and even now, still no sign of a child. I opened my mouth to say something when—

“That’s enough.” Kian’s deep voice sliced through the silence, causing a chill to run down my spine.

“Eliora, apologize for raising your voice at my mother.” I blinked rapidly and stared at him in disbelief.

Didn’t he hear her belittle me? And now I’m the one who should apologize?

What the hell was I expecting? That Kian would stand up for me? That has never happened and it never will.

Because nothing I do could ever earn me a place in the Donovans’ household.

A place?

I was never meant to be here in the first place. I was forced upon Kian in exchange for my now late father’s health.

I’m the sole reason Kian couldn’t be with his first love after all. I sighed deeply. “I spoke wrongly… I’m sorry,” I said slowly.

Tonia scoffed. “So dumb.” She walked past me, not without bumping me hard in the shoulder.

I closed my eyes briefly and breathed out, but that did nothing to calm the dull ache in my chest.

I turned slowly to find Kian’s eyes still on me, watching me intently. My heart skipped a beat and I turned away quickly, avoiding his stare, and started walking to the kitchen.

“Your hand.” I stopped in my tracks.

“What?” I turned back slowly.

His eyes moved to my hand and back to my face. “It’s bruised.”

My eyebrows drew together, trying to understand what he said.

I looked down at my hand, and it was red and bruised. The soup.

I quickly hid my hand behind my back. “I… it’s fine.” No, it hurts so bad. How come I hadn’t felt anything before?

Kian stared at me blankly. His eyes moved to my hand, then he stood up from his seat, grabbed his briefcase, and headed for the door.

“I-I will see you out,” I shot out too quickly.

He paused briefly, speaking over his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I don’t want any nuisance.” Then he left, leaving me to stand there like the fool I am.

That’s all I was to him… a nuisance. And nothing can change that. Not now, not ever.

I sighed, the pang in my chest sharp, my eyes falling on the untouched breakfast.

Hours of hard work… gone. A sad smile played on my li

ps. My fingers skimmed the rim of his untouched cup, the tea already cooling. How long can I survive like this?