Mia's POV
The night after Ryan's warning, I couldn't sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, fragments of our conversation replayed, lingering like an ache in my chest. Aaron was hiding something bigger, something deeper than our contract marriage. And Ryan… God, Ryan. I didn't know whether to trust him or run as far away from him as possible. The way his words wrapped around me, the warmth of his touch… it all felt dangerously convincing. But I couldn't afford to be blindsided again.
I lay awake in bed, staring up into the pitch-black, every shadow on the ceiling taking the shape of new doubts, new fears. I had made my decision, I would take control. But how? How could I reclaim power from two men who had been pulling the strings from the beginning?
There was no road-map for this kind of betrayal.
When I finally rose, the first rays of dawn slipped through the curtains, brushing everything in a faint, gray glow. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my own reflection, the woman who had agreed to be Aaron Montgomery's wife. The woman who had been thrust into a life she never wanted and was now drowning in secrets.
"Not anymore," I whispered to my reflection, squaring my shoulders. "You're done playing their game." I affirmed.
Determined, I dressed for the day, nothing fancy, just black slacks and a simple white blouse. Something that made me feel in control, even if I was faking it. As I slipped on my shoes, I heard footsteps down the hallway.
I froze. Aaron was home.
I hadn't seen him since the argument with Ryan last night, and I wasn't sure I was ready to face him. Not after everything I'd overheard. But if I wanted to take control, I had to stop running from the truth, even if the truth scared me.
I left the bedroom and found him in the kitchen, the warm, bitter smell of his coffee filling the air as he sat at the counter, his attention buried in his phone as usual. He did not even look up when I entered, he didn't acknowledge me at all, treating me like I wasn't even there. Just like every other morning since we'd been married.
But today would be different. Today, I wouldn't let him treat me like I was invisible.
Clearing my throat, I took a step forward, my hands clenched at my sides.
"We need to talk."I informed him
Aaron looked up, his gaze sliding over me, unreadable.
"About what?" he asked with a cold tone
I hated the way he said it, like he couldn't be bothered. Like whatever was bothering me wasn't worth his time. But I pressed on.
"About this marriage and whatever you've been hiding from me," I replied, keeping my voice steady.
His eyes narrowed just slightly, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he took a slow sip of his coffee, then he placed the cup down deliberately before speaking.
"I haven't been hiding anything from you, Mia," he responded. "You knew exactly what you were getting into when you signed that contract." he added, his voice as cruel as ever.
My heart pounded in my chest. I wanted to scream at him, to demand the truth, but I kept my voice calm and held my ground, even though my hands were trembling.
"I heard you and Ryan last night," I pressed, holding his gaze.
"You said it was none of my business. What did you mean by that? What aren't you telling me?" I asked, still keeping my eyes on his.
Aaron's expression darkened, and for the first time, I saw a crack in his carefully crafted mask of indifference. He stood up slowly, walking toward me until he was just inches away. I could feel the tension radiating from him, a coldness that sent shivers down my spine.
"You're overstepping, Mia," he said, his voice low and threatening. "This marriage is a business arrangement, nothing more. You have no right to question anything beyond what we agreed to."
The words hit me like ice water. His callousness, the way he dismissed me, twisted the knife deeper. I swallowed hard, refusing to back down, forced myself to stay calm, even as my hands clenched tightly at my sides.
He tilted his head, his gaze icy as he studied me. "You've been useful, Mia. Don't make the mistake of thinking you're irreplaceable." he threatened.
"You're right," I said, my voice steady despite the pain. "I'm not irreplaceable. But that doesn't mean I'll stand by while you keep lying to me."
Aaron's eyes narrowed even more, as if he wanted to say something but changed his mind
"This conversation is over," he said sharply, turning away from me.
"But I wasn't done talking". I snapped
Aaron paused, his back to me, but he didn't respond. I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his fists clenched at his sides. When he finally turned around, his eyes were burning with something dark, and dangerous.
"Be careful, Mia," he said quietly, his voice deadly calm. "You're playing with fire."
My heart raced, but I held my ground.
"So are you." I sneered
Aaron turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving me standing there, my chest heaving with frustration and anger.
That afternoon, I found refuge in the company's private library, a place where the scent of old books lingered in the air, comforting and grounding. I traced the spines absently, though my thoughts were miles away. The heavy silence of the room, punctuated only by the soft creak of leather and the faint rustling of paper, did little to settle the turmoil within. It was a space I hadn't visited much since moving into Aaron's life, but today I needed to be anywhere but in the house.
I didn't hear the door open behind me.
"Mia." Ryan's voice. Soft, but firm.
I turned slowly, my heart skipping a beat as I met his gaze. His face was shadowed with something unreadable, a quiet intensity that made the air feel thick, almost stifling.
He closed the door behind him, his footsteps muffled on the carpet as he crossed the room and stood in front of me.
"We need to talk," he spoke, his tone more urgent than usual.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small envelope. My attention shifted to it, and my heart began to race again.
"What's that?" I asked cautiously.
Ryan extended the envelope toward me.
"It's something you need to see."he replied, his voice laced with regret.
I hesitated before taking it, my fingers brushing against his, briefly as I grabbed the envelope. Inside was a folded piece of paper, creased and worn as though it had been handled too many times. I opened it slowly, my breath catching as I read the first few lines.
It was a bank statement. From Hartley Enterprises.
I glanced up at Ryan, confusion and suspicion swirling in my chest.
"What is this?"I questioned,
"Look closer," he said quietly.
I did. And there it was, my heart sinking as I saw the massive withdrawal. And there, at the bottom, the signature authorizing it
Aaron Montgomery.
I stared at the paper, my eyes scanning the numbers over and over, unable to fully comprehend what I was seeing. Disbelief washed over me, I looked up, my heart pounding as I met Ryan's gaze, feeling like the floor was falling away beneath me. The truth hit me, jagged and cold, as I clutched the paper in my hands. Aaron had been siphoning money from my family's company, all while claiming to save it. Every promise, every word from his lips had been a lie. And I had believed him, willingly.
"He's been draining your company dry for months," Ryan said, the weight of his words matching the sorrow in his eyes. "From the beginning. It was never about saving Hartley Enterprises, Mia. It was about destroying it."
The revelation crashed over me, the weight of it so overwhelming I could barely breathe. The room seemed to close in around me, the musty scent of old paper and leather feeling suffocating, unbearable. My hands trembled as I clutched the statement, each word searing itself into my mind. Aaron had never intended to save me. He had led me into a trap, and I had walked willingly, believing I was doing it all for my family.
A hollow laugh bubbled up, bitter and filled with rage. Aaron had been playing his game all along, he tricked me, not only that, he had outplayed me, completely and utterly.
I stood amidst the ruins of my life, struggling to understand how I had let this happen.
Ryan's gaze softened, and he reached out as if to comfort me, but I pulled back. I couldn't bear the thought of any touch, any comfort, not now. Not while I was drowning in the realization of how thoroughly I had been used.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice laced with guilt. "I should have told you sooner."
But this wasn't over, not yet.