The sun hung high in the sky, its golden light flooding through the windows of the Hallox mansion. Despite the brilliance of the morning, the house felt cold,cold and suffocating. The clock on the wall chimed faintly, signaling it was already eight in the morning.
Liana Hallox ran down the grand staircase, her heart racing. "Damn it, it's already eight!" she whispered under her breath. Her morning had slipped away from her in the blink of an eye.
As soon as her feet touched the marble floor at the bottom, an irritating voice echoed through the spacious hallway.
"Huh! Look who decided to grace us with her presence! The queen has finally woken up from her beauty sleep," Rose Hallox sneered, stepping into Liana's path.
Liana froze at the sight of her mother-in-law. Her head dropped instantly, avoiding eye contact. It was easier to endure the daily barrage when she didn't look directly into those sharp, judgmental eyes.
"My alarm didn't ring, Mother," Liana murmured softly, her voice barely audible. Her long, golden hair cascaded down her back, shimmering in the morning light. Her beauty was undeniable eyes as blue as the ocean, skin glowing with youth. Yet, this very beauty seemed to be a curse in this household.
Rose's lips curled in disdain. She couldn't stand Liana's radiance. Every time she looked at her daughter-in-law, it was like staring at her own insecurities, magnified tenfold.
"An alarm? Really? You need an alarm to wake up when your husband and mother-in-law are starving? You don't have an ounce of shame, do you?" Rose spat, her voice dripping with venom. "We're all here, waiting, while you sleep in like a princess in your tower."
Liana bit her lip, feeling the familiar sting of the unfair accusation. She wanted to defend herself. But instead, she bowed her head further, swallowing her pride.
"What are you standing there for? Go make breakfast! Lan and Mia will be up soon, and they're not going to wait for you!" Rose shoved Liana toward the kitchen.
Without a word, Liana moved toward the stove, her hands moving almost automatically as she prepared the meal. The sizzling of eggs in the pan filled the otherwise silent kitchen, but inside her, there was nothing but a whirl of discontent and pain.
Liana Hallox is the wife of Nash Hallox, the richest and most powerful man in the country. From the outside, people envied her life, assuming she lived in luxury and bliss, but the truth was far from it. Inside the walls of this mansion, she was invisible.
Her brother-in-law, Lan, treated her with nothing but disdain. His insults were as regular as the ticking of the clock. Mia, her sister-in-law, wasn't hostile, but they weren't on friendly terms either . She was indifferent just another cold presence in this frosty household.
But none of their treatment mattered as much as the person whose coldness cut her the deepest.
The sound of heavy footsteps approaching made her tense. She turned just as Nash strode into the room, his imposing figure commanding attention. Dressed impeccably in a black suit, his hair disheveled in that deliberate, attractive way, Nash Hallox looked every bit the powerful businessman. His sharp jawline and intense gaze could send shivers down anyone's spine.
"I'm going to the office," he said flatly, his voice devoid of any warmth.
Liana turned fully to face him, her heart beating faster. "Nash," she called softly. "Won't you stay for breakfast?"
For a moment, his eyes met hers. Her breath caught in her throat. She searched those eyes, desperate for some sign of affection, a hint of the man she had once hoped to fall in love with. But all she saw was cold indifference. Without a word, Nash turned and walked out the door, his footsteps echoing through the hall.
Liana stood there, watching him go, her chest tightening. The sadness in her heart spread like poison, slow but consuming. "Cold penguin," she muttered under her breath.
It had been four years. Four long years since they had been married, and Nash still treated her like a stranger. No matter how much she tried, no matter how many smiles she forced or how many ways she sought to win his heart, he remained unmoved. His heart, like the rest of the Hallox family, was frozen solid.
For him, she had endured so much—sacrificed her own happiness and pride. And yet, in return, she got nothing but cold shoulders and silence.
She turned back to the stove, her heart heavy as she flipped the eggs. The warmth of the pan couldn't chase away the chill that Nash left behind .