Celestelle's grin returned. "Let's see who breaks first—your rules… or me."
"I was killed, betrayed... then brought here without warning. Now I'm supposed to pretend to be some fragile woman named Celestela? Ha..."
She looked down at her hands. So pale. So smooth. The body was unfamiliar yet mirrored her old one frighteningly well. At least enough for no one to notice—especially since the real Celestela had been in a coma for months.
–––
At Draven Vale Empire, Top Floor—Private Office
Zachary stepped into the silent chamber. The glass windows revealed a panoramic view of the city skyline, cast in twilight hues. The room was impeccably modern, yet bore a chill—unmistakably caused by the man seated behind the sleek black desk.
Mr. Vale.
His expression was unreadable, carved from stone. The door to the office room creaked open. He didn't bother looking up immediately. Only when Zachary set the documents down did the man speak.
"You're late."
Zachary smirked faintly. "Traffic. And bureaucracy. The certificate has been acquired. Here—marriage documentation, sealed and filed. Also the mutual contract you requested."
"The only thing that needs to be done before the paper marriage is confirmed is just your signature."
Mr. Vale picked up the folder without a word, flipping through each page at lightning speed. His eyes flicked with mild satisfaction, yet no emotion surfaced.
"Good."
Then he took out a pen, signing his name swiftly.
He took the marriage certificate and opened it, reading the content in it. When he found out it was a duration of one year, he was puzzled, then looked up at Zachary and asked,
"Who set the marriage duration?"
"She did," Zachary replied.
"Why?
How did she agree to the marriage? Did you offer her a sum?" Mr. Vale asked.
Zachary was brief. "I had gone to the hospital to visit a subordinate who had surgery, then I happened to see her who wanted to get discharged, but without a family, or someone standing as a family, the discharge papers couldn't be processed. I helped her, and she asked what I wanted. I had told her I want her getting married in an hour. I promised her name, power, and fame, and she said if I could give her that, she agrees to the marriage—but it had to be just a paper marriage with no wife or husband duties and a duration of one year."
Mr. Vale couldn't help but squint his eyes. Who was this woman? Truthfully, he was intrigued and amused.
She had popped out of nowhere and agreed to a marriage solely because of power and a name, but she just wants to hold it for a year. Mr. Vale scoffed. He had the ultimate say in everything, including her.
If only he knew, he would be the one at the losing end soon.
Zachary gave a nod and turned to leave, but paused. He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"The woman—Celestela—she's at Shawn Vila. Awaiting further instruction."
Mr. Vale's eyes snapped up.
"You vetted her?"
Zachary blinked. "Sir?"
"Background check. Identity confirmation. Social affiliations. You did all of that, right?"
Silence.
Zachary shifted uneasily. "She already had the quality you needed, and she wouldn't invade your space. Hospital confirmed the name. Registry confirmed identity. What more—"
"You mean to tell me you brought a woman into my private life—my legal affairs—based on the fact you met her at the hospital, and she meets the requirements and traits I needed?" Mr. Vale's tone was sharp now, frigid.
Zachary opened his mouth but closed it again.
Mr. Vale slammed the file shut. The air thickened.
"If she turns out to be a threat, your head will answer for it."
Zachary swallowed.
"Understood. I'll launch a deeper profile tonight."
Mr. Vale leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled.
"What do we know so far?"
Zachary began slowly. "Her name is Celestela White. Twenty-two. Hospital records show she was involved in an accident three months ago, resulting in a coma. No surviving family. The guardianship clause in her legal file made her eligible for the marriage contract as per the arrangement."
Mr. Vale's eyes narrowed. "No family. No friends. No one to claim her. And she just woke up in time to marry me."
Zachary didn't respond.
Mr. Vale stood. "I want her monitored. Every movement. Until I know what kind of person I just married on paper."
Zachary nodded quickly and left.
Meanwhile—At Shawn Vila
Celestelle sat curled up in the velvet-lined couch of her new temporary residence. The villa was enormous, cold, and too quiet. A fire crackled in the hearth, but it didn't warm her. This was the season of winter; Christmas was around the corner. And the weather wasn't friendly.
She pulled out the marriage certificate from the envelope the driver had handed her earlier.
Celestela White — Lucien Draven Vale.
She stared at his name.
"Lucien Draven Vale... What kind of name is that?" Vale was his last name. That's why they keep calling him Mr. Vale.
Her thoughts darkened. Revenge burned fresh in her veins. In this world, she had no one—but she had purpose. And this fake marriage? A perfect shield.
All she needed was time.
Then she would make them all pay.
Back at Vale Empire, Late Evening
Zachary walked briskly through the executive hallway and pulled out his tablet. He opened a secure investigative file and keyed in the name: Celestela White.
It was loaded.
Hospital records. Education. An abandoned social media trail. All consistent with someone who had lived a mundane, quiet life.
But something didn't add up. Her voice. Her mannerisms. Her eyes. Something in them screamed of pain and vulnerability. Depth. Not like the fragile woman the documents described.
He still was puzzled by her reasons about power and name. What had she gone through before deciding to head down this path?
His hand hovered over the button to request a documentary.
A message popped up on his device:
Mr. Vale:. "Status update. Report at 8 AM."