Chapter 2 Two

The sun was already up when Karen woke, but she felt exhausted.

A sharp pain shot up from her lower body as she tried to move. It was as if something inside her had been torn apart.

Last night, the memory of what happened flooded her mind-she couldn't shake it off.

It felt like a nightmare. How could Bryan do that to her on their wedding night?

How could he be so cruel? She had spent ten long years secretly in love with him, hoping for a chance to be with him.

And now, after all that, this was how he treated her?

Her hand brushed against his side of the bed. It was cold-too cold. It was clear he hadn't been there all night. Maybe he had woken up early.

Karen tried to get out of bed, but as her eyes caught the bloodstain on the sheets, nausea rose in her throat.

She felt the urge to get away from the bed as quickly as possible.

She pulled herself out of bed and limped her way to the bathroom, trying her best to ignore the pain.

A few minutes later, she took a long, hot shower to wash away the discomfort and the bad memories.

When she returned to the room, she noticed that the bloodstained sheets had been replaced. She couldn't help but think about how quietly the maid must have worked to do that.

Karen dressed quickly in a tight-fitting black gown that left her shoulders bare, trying to ignore the whirlwind of emotions inside her.

She needed to focus.

Downstairs, she found Bryan sitting at the dining table, typing away on his laptop, his breakfast untouched.

The sight of him almost made her stop in her tracks. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world.

But the memory of what happened last night made it hard for her to think straight.

"Miss Norman, you are finally awake," a maid said, interrupting Karen's thoughts.

Karen blinked, her eyes narrowing. Miss Norman? She frowned, confused.

Just yesterday, she had been called Mrs. Capel. What was going on?

Her heart raced a little, and she felt a slight tremble in her hands. What did this mean? But she didn't dare ask the maid.

She didn't want to risk causing any more trouble.

She sat down at the table across from Bryan, who hadn't even noticed her entrance.

He was absorbed in his work. Karen opened her mouth, trying to say something, but the words stuck in her throat. The coldness of his demeanor made her hesitate.

The maid set down a plate of food in front of her. Karen wasn't hungry, but she tried to force herself to eat. The food didn't even look appealing.

Bryan's plate sat untouched, just like hers. It seemed like neither of them had the appetite to eat today.

Karen stared at him, her mind racing, wondering what was going on. He wasn't acting like the man she had adored for all these years.

Finally, she spoke up, trying to break the silence.

"I'm sorry I didn't get up earlier to make your breakfast. I promise I'll do better from tomorrow."

She was hopeful he would respond, maybe even smile. But he didn't.

He only glanced at her for a brief moment before standing up abruptly.

"The car is waiting outside. Let's go." His voice was cold, as if he wasn't even speaking to her.

Karen blinked, surprised by his sudden command. She didn't want to ask, but she couldn't help herself.

"Where are we going, Bryan?"

He didn't even look back at her. He simply walked toward the door and said, "We're going to your home."

The indifference in his voice was chilling.

Karen hesitated but quickly got up from her seat, fearing that if she didn't move fast, he might get even angrier.

She followed him out of the house, the knot in her stomach growing tighter with every step.

The drive was tense and silent. When they finally arrived at the Norman mansion, Karen felt her heart race.

Something wasn't right.

She didn't know what, but her instincts told her to be cautious.

Bryan stormed into the house, leaving Karen behind.

She stood frozen, staring at the large front door, her thoughts a whirlwind. What was going on? Why had Bryan brought her here?

After a few moments, she gathered her courage and followed him inside.

But as soon as she walked through the door, her eyes locked with her sister's.

Karel.

Karel wasn't supposed to be here. She had been sent away to avoid ruining the wedding plans.

Karen had seen her sister off at the airport herself. So why was Karel standing there now, in tears, held tightly in Bryan's arms?

Karen's legs almost gave way beneath her as panic surged through her.

The truth hit her like a ton of bricks. Bryan knew. He knew she wasn't the woman he was supposed to marry.

He knew she had taken her sister's place.

The anger and betrayal in his eyes were unmistakable.

Karel had cried, but Karen had no idea why. She was just as confused.

But the look on her parents' faces, the hate in their eyes-it said everything. Karen couldn't hide the truth anymore.

She wasn't the bride Bryan wanted. She was just a replacement.

Bryan didn't look at Karen, not even once. His attention was solely on Karel, and it felt like a slap in the face.

Karen wanted to leave, to escape the suffocating tension in the room, but her body wouldn't move.

She was stuck, trapped by the reality she could no longer ignore.

Karel sniffled and wiped her tears, but Bryan only held her tighter.

It was clear that the man Karen had once admired was no longer the same. He was colder now, more dangerous.

'What's gonna happen?' This question kept lingering on her head.

Bryan isn't someone she could offer to offend.

If Bryan wishes to mess with someone; that's a piece of cake and right now, she just felt like escaping out of the eyes of everyone present.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling now?" Bryan asked Karel in a voice that Karen doubted.

The softness of his voice and the gentleness in his eyes was just so different from earlier and it made Karen's stomach churned.