Chapter 1 Wedding Night

Today marked the union of Rogelio Bailey and Marian Chapman in holy matrimony.

The Bailey family, reigning supreme in Pryport, spared no extravagance, turning this nuptial event into a spectacle of opulence with a price tag of a staggering one billion dollars.

In addition to the opulent ceremony, the Bailey family orchestrated a lavish banquet that sent ripples of excitement throughout the city, leaving its inhabitants in awe.

Amidst this grandeur, all eyes were fixed on the bride, Marian, the one arousing envy from every corner of the city.

As the hours passed, Marian found herself seated within the bridal chamber. However, contrary to the expected joy, her countenance bore a somber hue. A visible pallor gripped her features, accompanied by involuntary tremors.

Amidst her inner turmoil, the truth weighed heavily on her: this marriage had thrust her irrevocably into Rogelio's grasp.

For Rogelio held within him a sinister demeanor... The marriage was a harbinger of torment that Marian was convinced would plague her until her last breath. The future seemed bleak, her existence irreparably marred by these circumstances.

And in this poignant moment, an unexpected interruption shattered the silence-the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching outside the chamber door.

Rogelio was approaching!

Clutching her fists tightly, Marian lifted her gaze, locking eyes with the man whose eyes held a shadowed gloominess.

Rogelio possessed commanding eyebrows, an enchanting gaze, and a prominent nose, his face bearing an angularity that matched his striking handsomeness. Yet, beneath this exterior allure lay a heart that was unyielding and merciless.

Drawing closer, he positioned himself squarely before Marian, his pace deliberate.

In measured tones, he sneered, "Mrs. Bailey, congratulations. From this moment onward, you shall reside in a realm of torment, a life steeped in unending anguish."

His words struck Marian like a bolt of fear, causing her to involuntarily step back, her eyes mirroring her trepidation.

Despite this instinctive retreat, she realized the futility of escape.

Tragedy had struck when Rogelio's elder brother, Neal Bailey, perished in a car accident while shielding her.

The fatal incident had unfolded due to a drunken driver mistakenly accelerating instead of braking. The vehicle had hurtled towards Marian, only for Neal to bravely intervene at the last instant, sacrificing himself.

The outcome left Marian injured but alive, while Neal's life was tragically cut short.

Marian and Neal had shared their school years, a time during which Neal harbored an unspoken affection for her. His feelings remained hidden, as his intellectual capacity mirrored that of a ten-year-old child.

His innocence and innate kindness were apparent, and he acknowledged his unworthiness of her love. Thus, he chose to silently accompany her.

Unexpectedly, a car accident happened, causing an irrevocable shift in her life. The heart-wrenching reality of never encountering Neal again was a truth she now grappled with.

And she was accused of the debt owed to the Bailey family for his ultimate sacrifice.

In a cruel twist, when the driver was apprehended, he pointed a damning finger at Marian, declaring, "At the moment of the accident, she was closest to the car's front. Yet, she intentionally pulled that man in front of her, using him as a shield!"

This revelation kindled an incandescent hatred within Rogelio, a venomous loathing that etched itself deeply into his being, forever changing his perception of Marian.

Convinced that she bore responsibility for his brother's tragic demise, he held Marian culpable.

"I didn't..." Marian attempted to elucidate, her words carrying a weight of sincerity. "During the accident, I never intentionally used Neal as a shield. He was an embodiment of kindness to me-like a cherished brother. How could I possibly orchestrate harm against him?"

This explanation had been repeated countless times, yet it failed to sway Rogelio's conviction.

Furrowing his brows, Rogelio retorted, "Marian, do you persist in evading accountability?"

Marian sensed the palpable menace emanating from him, each beat of her heart intensifying in response.

In the ensuing moment, Rogelio's grasp encircled her delicate neck, his voice slicing through the air. "Is fear of me now coursing through you? How could a woman of your malice comprehend the essence of fear?"

Marian's breathing constricted, a suffocating pressure crushing her chest.

The air grew thin, and she was suffocating.

"I would willingly..." Her voice quivered as her words hovered on the brink. "I would willingly exchange places with fate, welcoming the impact of the car's collision, rather than... watch Neal... die... right before my eyes..."

With each utterance, Rogelio's grip tightened, his fingers digging into her flesh with unrelenting force.

To him, her narrative was an intricately woven web of deceit.

Whenever his late brother spoke of Marian, an unblemished smile graced his innocent visage, a sight forever etched in Rogelio's memory.

But this woman... She was accountable for his brother's death!

Forgiveness would forever elude him! The weight of her transgression would tether her to a lifetime of penance!

In an overwhelming wave of despondency, Marian sealed her eyes shut.

Was her fate to be snuffed out by Rogelio's hands on the very night of their wedding?

Yet, unexpectedly, Rogelio's grip slackened.

"Your life shall be spared." Rogelio leaned in, his voice a hushed murmur against her ear. "Do you grasp the reason behind my marriage to you?"

Marian shook her head, perplexed.

"You are forbidden to wed another. Your fate is bound solely to the Bailey lineage. You shall become my nominal wife but, in fact, forever a widow to my brother," Rogelio articulated with chilling determination.

Upon hearing this revelation, Marian stood stupefied.

Rogelio's true motive for their union was unveiled.

He was marrying her for Neal's sake!

In retrospect... the reason behind the ostentatious wedding ceremony that had gripped the attention of Pryport's populace was now clear.

"Neal's affection for you remains unceasing. Thus, I shall fulfill his aspiration and provide solace to his spirit in the heavens," Rogelio sneered, his words dripping with cruelty. "However, your sanctity shall forever be untouched. You shall remain chaste all your days, Marian. Within our Bailey lineage, you are tethered. That won't change even when you are dead."

His intent was to retain Marian by his side, to relentlessly subject her to torment and humiliation as outlets for his festering hatred.

With a forceful shove, Rogelio cast her aside and nonchalantly slipped his hand back into his pocket.

An inadvertent hooking sensation against Marian's form went unnoticed as he glanced downward, finding nothing of consequence.

His gaze shifted away, his focus coldly directed at the fallen Marian, before he pivoted and exited the chamber in long strides.

Marian, now hunched on the floor, was seized by fits of violent coughing, struggling to regain her composure after the ordeal.

This was merely the genesis of her trials.

In the days that ensued... Each passing moment was a descent into a personal hell.

If she were to coexist with a devil incarnate like Rogelio, perhaps the collision with that fateful car was a preferable alternative.

With a hand pressed against her chest, Marian gingerly rose to a sitting position.

A sudden realization struck her, accompanied by a gnawing absence.

"Where is my jade pendant?" Her fingers repeatedly brushed against her neck as she uttered in distress, "I distinctly remember wearing it here!"

The jade pendant, a cherished gift from Neal, a token of their bond before his demise, held immense sentimental value.

Its loss was unthinkable.

Anxious, Marian scoured her surroundings, even peering under the bed in her quest.

Could it be... Had Rogelio taken it when his grip constricted her neck?

Driven by urgency, she dashed after him.

Regrettably, her pursuit proved futile. All she glimpsed was the taillights of Rogelio's departing car as it faded into the obscurity of the night.

Reclaiming the jade pendant became her sole objective.

Within a bar's confines... Rogelio's entrance elicited a hushed stir.

His marriage had been the city's most notable event.

Why, then, did he choose to spend his wedding night here?

Seated with legs crossed, he steadily consumed drink after drink, his tie slightly askew, an air of languor enveloping him.

In a corner, Lorna Chapman, Marian's younger sister, observed his handsome profile, a flutter of excitement taking root.

How could a man of such distinction be linked to her sister Marian?

She held herself in higher esteem in terms of beauty!

"Mr. Bailey, what brings you here?" Lorna approached him, her tone infused with flirtation. "Drinking alone seems rather dull. Allow me to keep you company."

She leaned in, attempting to make contact with Rogelio, but her attempt was thwarted as she was unceremoniously pushed away.

"Step away!"

Lorna's gaze bore a blend of resentment and plea. "Mr. Bailey, remember, you're now my brother-in-law. How can you treat me this way?"

"So, now you remember I'm your brother-in-law. Yet you persist in your attempts to seduce me," Rogelio retorted with a touch of scorn.

He had encountered too many like her.

In this moment, sensations akin to flames surged within him, coursing through his body and leaving him parched.

An unsettling feeling settled in.

Curses! When had he been drugged?

Rogelio made a swift exit, ascending to the pinnacle of the building, the presidential suite on the top floor.

Marian's arrival was met with a view of his retreating figure.

She hastened to follow, only to be intercepted by a vigilant security guard. "Unauthorized access is prohibited."

"I am Mrs. Bailey," Marian declared, gesturing towards her bridal attire. "You just mentioned unauthorized, did you not?"

The meticulously crafted wedding gown held a value of millions, adorned with genuine diamonds that sparkled brilliantly. It was a unique masterpiece.

The security guard acquiesced immediately, his tone respectful. "Please, Mrs. Bailey."

Marian advanced into the room without impediment.

Darkness shrouded the space, an absence of light.

With caution, she called out, "Rogelio, are you here? Is my jade pendant... Hm..."

Her words were abruptly halted as a man's forceful kiss claimed her scarlet lips.