Elena sat at the breakfast table, the morning sun casting a warm glow through the expansive windows of the Cross estate. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, but her appetite was absent. She stared blankly at the untouched croissant on her plate, her mind elsewhere.
Aiden entered the room, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, his presence commanding as always. He poured himself a cup of coffee, his eyes briefly meeting hers.
"You're up early," he remarked, taking a sip.
Elena nodded, forcing a smile. "Couldn't sleep."
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, the silence between them thick with unspoken words.
Their uneasy truce from the previous day lingered, a fragile thread holding their interactions together. The marriage contract had brought them under the same roof, but trust was still a distant concept.
Suddenly, Elena's phone buzzed, breaking the silence. She picked it up, her eyes scanning the message. Her face paled.
"Everything alright?" Aiden asked, noticing her reaction.
She hesitated, then handed him the phone. The message was short but chilling: "You married the devil, Elena. And now, you'll burn with him."
Aiden's jaw tightened as he read the words. "Do you recognize the number?"
She shook her head. "It's unknown."
He handed the phone back to her. "I'll have it traced."
Elena nodded, her hands trembling slightly. The message was a stark reminder that their arrangement was not just a personal matter—it had enemies.
Later that day, Elena found herself in the estate's library, seeking solace among the rows of books. She ran her fingers along the spines, trying to calm her racing thoughts.
Aiden entered, his expression serious. "The number was a burner phone. Untraceable."
She sighed, the weight of their situation pressing down on her. "What have we gotten ourselves into?"
He approached her, his gaze intense. "We're in this together, Elena. Whatever comes, we'll face it as a team."
She looked up at him, searching his eyes for sincerity. For a moment, the walls between them seemed to lower, revealing the vulnerable individuals behind their facades.
Their moment was interrupted by the sound of a door slamming. Aiden's assistant appeared, urgency in his eyes.
"Sir, there's a situation. "A journalist is claiming to have evidence linking you to the downfall of Elena's father's company.
Aiden's expression darkened. "Handle it. I want that story buried."
Elena's heart sank. The past she had tried to escape was resurfacing, threatening to unravel the fragile stability they had built.
As the day turned to night, Elena stood on the balcony, the city lights twinkling below. Aiden joined her, his presence a comforting weight beside her.
"Do you think we'll ever find peace?" she asked softly.
He looked out at the city. "Peace is a luxury people like us can't afford."
She turned to him, determination in her eyes. "Then we'll make our own peace."
He met her gaze, a hint of admiration flickering in his eyes. "Together?"
She nodded. "Together."
The night air was crisp, brushing against Elena's skin as she remained on the balcony. Aiden lingered beside her, his expression unreadable. Silence stretched between them, but it wasn't the uncomfortable kind. It was the silence of two people caught in the middle of something bigger than themselves.
"Elena," he began, his voice low, "about what the journalist said… your father's company—"
"I don't want to talk about it," she cut him off, her voice tighter than she intended. "Not now."
He nodded, surprisingly not pushing her. "When you're ready, but just know, I didn't have anything to do with what happened back then."
Elena turned toward him, unsure if she should believe him. "Then why do people say you did?"
His eyes hardened. Because people only believe what the media feeds them. And I've made my share of enemies climbing to the top."
She sighed. "And now I'm married to one of them."
Aiden didn't flinch. "You could've walked away, Elena. But you didn't."
"I had my reasons," she muttered, turning back to the view.
"And I respect them. Even if I don't understand them."
His voice was strangely gentle, and Elena looked at him again. There was no smirk, no cold sarcasm. Just a man who—at least at this moment—seemed honest.
They stood in that silence a moment longer before he pulled his phone from his pocket.
"There's something I want to show you," he said.
Curious, she followed him back inside. He led her to his study, a room she hadn't stepped foot in until now. It was darker than the rest of the house, lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and illuminated only by the desk lamp.
He opened his laptop and pulled up a file. Elena moved closer, peering at the screen.
This is the press release NovaCorp tried to publish the day after your father's company went under. The same day, my company was accused of orchestrating the collapse."
Elena leaned in, her heart pounding. "But this… this never got released."
"Because I paid to have it buried," Aiden said, eyes locked on the screen. "Not to protect myself, but to protect you."
She looked at him in disbelief. "Why would you protect me? Back then, we weren't even in each other's lives."
He hesitated. "Because your father… he helped me once. When I was nothing. He gave me advice, pointed me toward my first investor. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am."
That confession hit her like a wave. "So, you knew my father?"
"We crossed paths," he said. I never forgot his kindness. When he was being set up, I tried to help. But by the time I found out, it was too late."
Elena backed away slowly, her mind racing. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"
"Would you have believed me if I did?" he asked gently.
She didn't answer.
That night, Elena tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Aiden's words replayed in her mind over and over. Could he be telling the truth? Was he really not the villain she'd been told he was?
Or was this all another game?
The following morning brought no peace. Instead, Elena was greeted by a thick envelope sliding beneath her door. Frowning, she picked it up and opened it. Her blood ran cold.
Inside were photos. Photos of Aiden. In the past. Meeting with NovaCorp executives—the same ones accused of forcing her father into bankruptcy.
On the back of the final photo was a note written in red ink:
"Still think he's innocent?"
Elena's hands shook. She stormed down the hallway, gripping the envelope like a weapon, her heart hammering in her chest.
Aiden was in his home office when she burst in.
"Care to explain these?" she demanded, tossing the photos onto his desk.
He looked down, his face unreadable.
"Elena—"
"Were you lying to me the whole time?!" she shouted. "You said you tried to help my father!"
"I did," he said calmly. Those photos were taken at a shareholder meeting. They mean nothing."
"They mean everything!" she snapped. "I want the truth, Aiden! No more secrets. No more manipulation."
He stood, his jaw tight. "You want the truth? Fine. I met with NovaCorp. Because I was trying to buy your father's company before they took it down."
She blinked. "What?"
"I made an offer. A private one. Your father refused. He said he didn't trust me—or anyone. And he was right not to. NovaCorp buried him because he wouldn't sell."
"And you still let it happen?"
"I didn't let anything happen," Aiden said, stepping closer. I tried to stop it. I just wasn't fast enough."
Tears burned at the corners of her eyes. "So that's it? You were just a bystander?"
He nodded slowly. "And I've regretted it every day since."
Elena stared at him, the walls she'd built crumbling one by one.
"I don't know if I can believe you," she whispered.
"Then stay," he said softly. "Stay long enough to see if I'm lying."
Her heart ached with the weight of his words. The man before her was no longer the arrogant CEO she'd agreed to marry for business. He was something else—someone she might one day understand.
Maybe even trust.