Chapter 2: A Silent Promise

The day of the wedding arrived like a storm cloud, dark and oppressive. Elina stood before the full-length mirror in her room, her reflection staring back at her like a stranger. The dress—white, intricate, and cold—felt like a shackle, not a symbol of love. She had no illusions about what this marriage was. It wasn't a union of hearts, but a transaction, a business deal forced upon her by her family.

The door creaked open behind her, and her mother entered the room, her face painted with an artificial smile.

"Elina," her mother said, her voice warm but distant, "you look beautiful. Liam will be impressed."

Elina didn't respond. Her thoughts were far away, trapped in the past. The night she had shared with Liam, the night that had led to this moment, flashed through her mind. She had never expected this. A child, a marriage, a life bound by lies. She hadn't even had the chance to know the man she was marrying, let alone love him.

Her mother's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You should be proud, Elina. This marriage will secure our future. And yours."

Her mother's words were like daggers, sharp and cold. Elina's heart ached as she forced a smile, nodding silently. What future? What future did she have with a man who didn't even know she existed before that fateful night?

The ceremony was everything Elina had expected—distant, emotionless, and efficient. The guests were a blur of faces, all watching, waiting for the moment when she would become Liam's wife, the trophy he had been promised. She could feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on her, suffocating her. But none of it mattered. Nothing mattered except the man standing at the altar, the man who had yet to know the full truth about their child.

Liam stood tall, unmoving, his gaze fixed ahead, the embodiment of control. He was the picture of perfection: a ruthless billionaire, impeccably dressed, with no hint of warmth in his cold eyes. Elina couldn't help but wonder if he felt anything at all as he stood there, about to marry a woman he barely knew.

Her stomach twisted with nerves. She wasn't ready for this. She had never been ready. But as the priest spoke the final words, sealing their fate, Elina couldn't help but feel a strange twist of emotion inside her chest. Was it fear? Regret? Or maybe just the overwhelming weight of the truth she had yet to tell him?

"Liam Carter," the priest's voice echoed, "do you take this woman to be your wife?"

Liam's gaze shifted toward her, his eyes cold and indifferent. "I do."

The words were a formality, just like everything else. Elina's heart pounded in her chest as the priest turned to her. "Elina, do you take Liam Carter to be your husband?"

Elina froze. The world seemed to stop, the eyes of the guests heavy on her. She could feel the weight of the question pressing down on her, suffocating her. Did she? Could she?

Her voice faltered as she whispered, "I do."

A hollow answer. It wasn't real. It wasn't love. It was the beginning of something darker, something she wasn't sure she could escape from.

Later, as the ceremony ended and the guests dispersed, Elina found herself alone with Liam in the quiet of the private room they were to share for the night. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, with things neither of them wanted to address.

Liam's eyes studied her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. "Do you regret it?" he asked, his voice low but cutting through the silence.

Elina swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "No."

It was a lie, but it was the only answer she could give. Regret was a luxury she didn't have. Not when her family's future was at stake. Not when the child she carried still didn't know the truth.

Liam stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "You don't need to pretend with me," he said, his voice laced with something darker, something dangerous. "This marriage was never about love, Elina. Don't fool yourself into thinking it was."

Her heart skipped a beat, but she refused to let him see the effect his words had on her. "I'm not pretending," she replied, her voice steady. "We both know why we're here."

Liam's lips curled into a smirk, but there was no humor in it. "Good. Let's keep it that way."

Elina turned away, her mind racing. The night stretched out before her, full of uncertainty and dread. But there was something else, too—a flicker of hope. A hope that maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to break free from this cold, calculated cage. A hope that the truth would come out, and that Liam woul

d finally see her as more than just a pawn in his game.