Scarred by Your Love: A Contract Lover's Heartbreak

Ariella Rios was ravaged through the entire night.

Three years. She had long lost count of how many nights had ended like this-her body aching, her heart numbed, all because of the same man - Lucian Sterling.

Every time she whimpered in pain, he only grew rougher, as if her suffering fed some twisted desire in him.

Was it conquest that drove him? Or... was it love? She didn't know anymore.

They said the deeper the love, the wilder the passion. But if that were true, then why did his love feel more like punishment? Was it possible to love someone so much that you destroyed them in the process?

"Tell me, baby... you still want me, don't you?"

"Be honest. You'll never forget me - not in this lifetime."

"Remember this - no man touches you but me. Ever."

His voice still lingered in her ears, rough and low with heat - the kind of possessive whispers he breathed against her skin in the throes of passion.

Every time Ariella thought about it, her cheeks would flush crimson, her heart pounding like a traitor in her chest.

Dragging her exhausted body, Ariella showed up for Fiona Ross's wedding-her best friend. She hadn't met the groom before. Fiona insisted on keeping it a surprise. She hadn't even dropped a hint about who he was.

But nothing could've prepared Ariella for this.

The man Fiona just married was the same one who'd been in her bed last night-the man who'd shared her body for three whole years.

Lucian.

He liked his steak medium rare, had a faded birthmark on his thigh, and always frowned a little when thinking.

Ariella thought she knew him so well... Yet now she realized she didn't even deserve to know he was getting married. And of all people-he'd married Fiona.

Pain stabbed through her chest. Her fingers twisted together without her noticing. She wanted to scream at him, to ask how he could lie to her like this, but she knew she had no right.

Just for a second, she forced herself into calm. She slapped on a gentle smile, turning to Fiona with soft eyes, pretending everything was fine. "Congratulations, Fiona."

Fiona beamed, turning to her new husband. "This is my bestie, Ariella!"

Lucian looked at Ariella like she was a complete stranger. Cool, composed, not a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

"Hi, I'm Lucian," he said politely and reached out his hand.

Her palm was clammy with sweat, and the moment their fingers touched, she panicked and pulled back like she'd touched something scalding.

Ariella avoided his eyes. She was terrified one slip in her expression would tip Fiona off.

But Lucian? He was ice-calm, collected like always, not even a crack in his mask. Of course he wouldn't give anything away-not to the woman he just vowed himself to.

A strand of hair had stuck to Fiona's face. Lucian leaned in and gently moved it aside. He did it so carefully, like her face was glass. Like she might break.

Ariella's heart clenched. He'd never treated her with that kind of tenderness. She always thought he was cold by nature-but nope. Clearly, he had it in him. Just... not for her.

Her mind went numb. Like a puppet, she let someone guide her to a seat inside the hotel banquet hall.

The hall buzzed with excited chatter. People gushed about the bride and groom-their backgrounds, their looks, how perfect they were together.

But Ariella couldn't bring herself to smile. If this was Fiona's husband-someone so good at lying and cheating-then how could she feel happy for her?

He'd hidden this from them both. That alone said everything.

She couldn't just tell Fiona the truth about her and Lucian-that would blow everything up. So, she quickly shot a message to Dominic, hoping it wasn't already too late.

Just as she hit send, the wedding march kicked in. Guests rose to their feet, welcoming the bride and groom with cheerful applause.

Fiona's father, face full of pride, gently placed his shy, beaming daughter's hand into Lucian's. He looked every bit the perfect groom-calm, elegant, all smiles. The applause felt like it would never end.

But Ariella couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been scanning the room for her. Probably just her imagination. After all, when she looked at him, he was gazing at his bride like she was his whole world.

The ceremony went on. The hostess brought out the wine for the traditional toast-it was almost done. But where the hell was the guy she arranged to mess things up?

She couldn't stand watching Lucian putting on that charming gentleman act anymore. It made her stomach turn. Quietly, she stood up and stepped away from the crowd.

In the restroom, she pulled out her phone to call Dominic, finger hovering over the screen-then suddenly, a warm weight pressed against her back. A man's arms wrapped tightly around her.

She jumped, about to scream, but a familiar hand covered her mouth. She knew that scent all too well. Who else could it be but Lucian?

Wasn't he supposed to be still out there, toasting his bride? What the hell was he doing here? Did he just ditch the ceremony?

"You... weren't you out there doing the wedding toast?" Her voice shook as she asked.

Warm breath near her ear, then his low, hoarse voice: "I want you. Now."

The cold bluntness of those words shattered any illusion she had that he might've been here for her. For a second, she thought he came to call things off for her. What a joke.

Her brows furrowed, heart sinking, she turned to face him, disbelief in her eyes. She wanted to ask if he'd gone insane.

But he didn't care what she had to say. He tightened his grip around her waist and shoved her further into the restroom with a few harsh steps before turning the lock behind them.

To make his next move, he yanked his hand away from her mouth-his other hand already trailing up her thigh underneath her skirt.

"I don't want this!" she growled, pushing back. It was the first time she'd ever said no to him. First time she'd resisted.

Especially today. He was her best friend's husband now. It was their wedding. If she gave in, what little self-respect she had left would be gone.

"You don't get to say no to me," he murmured again into her ear.

Yeah... She never had that option. One word from him, and her father's fate was sealed...

"Please. Let me go. She's my best friend. If not for me, at least think about her, can you?" Her voice trembled with desperation, tears blurring her eyes.

He could hate her all he wanted, but what he was doing now-here, on their wedding day-this was beyond cruel.

But it was like he didn't even hear her. He grabbed both her wrists with one hand, held them tight, and pushed his other hand deeper-

It hurt. Her body hurt, but her heart? That was a thousand times worse.

He never cared what she wanted. Never once. Maybe to him, she wasn't even as valuable as a stray dog.

She'd thought his marriage meant she could finally walk away. Turns out, she couldn't have been more wrong.

"Don't blame me for wanting you here. You're the one who dressed like this - tempting me the way only you know how.

"Tell me... was it on purpose?" he whispered, voice thick with desire, even as he kept going.

Ariella shut her eyes tight, lips trembling. Her fingers clung to the bathroom door for support as hot tears silently hit the cold white tiles one by one.

Finally, it was over.

Ariella was so exhausted her legs felt like jelly. She was gasping for air, trying her best to pull herself together.

"Happy now?" he murmured next to her ear.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? You're the only one who gets to feel satisfied. I don't even have that right," Ariella answered coldly.

She turned to face him, her eyes full of frost. There was a huge red stain on his shirt - clearly wine. So he must've spilled the wine on purpose, used changing clothes as an excuse, and snuck off to the restroom.

Lucian smirked slightly as he adjusted his clothes.

"Good. At least you understand."

"Can this be the end of us now?" Her voice trembled slightly, more from emotion than fatigue. Whatever gratitude she'd felt toward him before had vanished the moment he ignored her will and forced himself on her. All that was left was pain-and resentment.

"Ninety-two days to go."

He remembered it that precisely? Down to the day?

"Now get back out there. The wedding's not going to attend itself."

Without waiting for a reply, he pushed open the restroom door and walked out.

Ariella sank down slowly, squatting until her body stopped shaking and she could stand again. Once she looked decent, she made her way back into the hotel ballroom.

From her seat, she looked up and saw Lucian had returned-shirt changed, back to playing the smiling groom and sipping wine with his bride.

"Hey there, gorgeous. Mind if I sit here? I'm Ryan Sterling. You?" A voice came from beside her-Lucian's younger brother, the infamous playboy.

Ryan had a wild rep-rumor was, if it wore heels and smiled at him, he'd flirt with it.

Ariella raised a finger to her lips. "Shh," she whispered, nodding toward the front.

"Do you take Fiona to be your lawfully wedded wife...?"

"Lucian! You bastard! Get out here!" a woman's voice suddenly screamed from outside the venue, cutting the priest off mid-sentence.

Ariella's heart, knotted tight all this time, lifted-the plan her buddy had helped arrange was happening. Someone else could speak the truth that she couldn't.

All heads turned toward Lucian. You could hear a pin drop; the silence was suffocating.

"Sorry, sir, we couldn't hold her off. She's pregnant. We were afraid of hurting her," the security captain explained, drenched in sweat as he ran in.

"Let her in," Lucian replied calmly.

Boom. That one simple sentence detonated in the crowd like a bomb.

Everyone buzzed with gossip, shocked that the seemingly perfect gentleman could be caught up in something so scandalous.

The elders at the front wore grim expressions, clearly displeased but too polite to say a word.

A heavily pregnant woman, flanked by two security guards, barged into the hall, pointed right at Lucian, and shouted angrily, "Lucian! Didn't you promise to marry me because I'm carrying your baby? And now you're just gonna dump me for someone else? Aren't you worried about losing both lives at once? If you don't stop this wedding now, I'll end it right here in front of you!"

Lucian had never seen this woman before. He'd always kept a clean slate. The moment he heard yelling outside, he knew someone was here to stir up trouble.

Her words hit like a bomb. The crowd instantly broke into whispers, everyone judging him like he was some kind of modern-day scumbag.

Lucian's gaze swept across the woman's face, then moved slowly around the room, pausing on Ariella for a second or two.

Ariella unconsciously tightened her grip around her glass, a slight panic flashing through her mind. 'Could he be suspecting me?'

But Lucian didn't react, standing there calm and composed. His silence and serene expression gradually settled the buzzing crowd.

Beside him, Fiona looked completely unbothered. She still had that soft smile on her face, grace written all over her, like the whole scene didn't even involve her.

"What's your name?" Lucian asked the woman.

"Oh, come on. Don't pretend you don't know me. Like you forgot my name now? It's Zoe!"

"Zoe..." Lucian repeated the name slowly, like he was chewing on something only he understood.

"How long have we been together?" he asked.

"Two years," she shot back without hesitation - clearly rehearsed.

"So I guess we know each other pretty well?"

"Of course we do! I'm literally having your baby. You think I wouldn't know you?"

"Great. Then tell everyone here - I have a birthmark, about the size of a coin. Is it on my right or left forearm?"

"Uh..." That line wasn't in the script. She froze. The pressure in his voice was real, and if it weren't for the fat paycheck waiting, she probably would've bolted right then and there.

Sweat started forming at her hairline. She tried to stay cool, took a few quick breaths, clenched her jaw, and forced out, "Right..."

Lucian calmly rolled up his right sleeve, unbuttoning the cuff and showing his bare arm to everyone.

"Folks, do you see any birthmark on my right arm?"

"I... I got it wrong. It's... it's actually the left," Zoe hurried to fix her mistake, clearly catching on she was being cornered.

"Final answer?"

"Yes!" she said firmly, nodding.

Lucian turned and did the same with his left sleeve, showing it to the entire room - again, nothing.

Zoe's face went red and blotchy, completely lost on how to recover now.

"I'm sure everyone in this room is smart enough to see through this little act," Lucian said, his voice steady but cutting. "It's obvious she showed up just to ruin this wedding. I deeply apologize for the disruption. And more importantly, I owe the biggest apology to my bride, Fiona. Fiona, please believe me when I say - you're the only one for me. Nothing and no one can come between what we have. It's fate that brought us together, and I'll cherish that forever."

His heartfelt words earned him a warm hug from Fiona, sealing the moment in front of all their guests.

But just as they embraced, Ariella felt Lucian's gaze slide toward her again - eyes sharp, with a flicker of anger no one else seemed to catch.

The whole vibe flipped in an instant. One second, guests were whispering behind his back, the next they were clapping like crazy. Even his father Thomas Sterling, normally all stoic and serious, gave Lucian a nod of approval.

Ariella had genuinely thought the woman causing the scene would set Fiona off. She pictured Fiona flipping out over a mistress showing up, giving Lucian a slap, storming out. But nope-Fiona had nerves of steel. That kind of calm? Insane.

Now, Ariella just wanted to bolt, but then she heard Ryan go, "Hey gorgeous, why aren't you clapping? Didn't my brother look awesome up there?"

She rolled her eyes at him, totally unimpressed. Awesome, my ass. Her whole plan had blown up. That girl didn't even manage to put a dent in the wedding. Now, she might be in serious trouble.

Sensing the shift, Thomas gave a quick signal, and the head of security swooped in to lead the pregnant woman away. After that little hiccup, the ceremony went on without a hitch.

The second it wrapped, Ariella skipped the food and dipped out fast.

Ryan, still salty about the cold shoulder she'd given him earlier, had been low-key watching her like a hawk-and when she slipped out, he followed.

"Hey, where you off to? I could play bodyguard, you know."

He was Lucian's brother. If Lucian caught her chatting with him, who knew what he'd pull? She remembered once she'd just exchanged a couple words with the delivery guy, and Lucian went off, accused her of being flirty, and ended up forcing himself on her all night long.

"My boyfriend's picking me up. Thanks though," she said, flat as ever.

"Cool. But hey, if you're ever thinking of trading him in, I'm a solid upgrade. People call me prime bachelor material," Ryan said, full of himself.

"I'm not breaking up with him. See ya." Ariella waved casually, her tone still chilly as she flagged down a cab and slipped inside.

Ryan stood there for a beat, staring after the disappearing car. So she wasn't fazed by his looks or his last name? Huh... interesting.

'Little lady, just wait-we're bound to cross paths again.'

Back at the apartment Lucian had set up for her in downtown Marlowe, Ariella beelined for the shower. She needed that water to rinse off not the sweat-but the shame. The memory of him taking her in that hotel restroom clung to her like a stain.

She scrubbed hard, again and again, until her skin turned red-but the ache inside wouldn't budge.

"Ariella, you're not hurting because you loved him. You're hurting because what he did made you feel so damn small." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Tonight, she missed Forrest White more than usual. Deep down, she knew-she still loved him.

As for Lucian... maybe it was just the fact that they'd spent so many nights tangled up like that. Maybe her body had gotten too used to him.

Back then, Dominic told her, "If you want Lucian to love you, then you gotta love him first. And if you don't, just fake it till you make it. Eventually, you'll end up falling for him for real. Once he feels your sincerity, he'll fall for you too."

At twenty, she took those words like gospel. She thought, since she was already his woman, she should try everything to make him fall for her, so they could be together forever.

Back then, Lucian bailed out the Rios family financially and saved her dad from trying to jump off a building. The price? She had to be his woman. In other words, his mistress.

She was young and clueless, with no other options. So she went all in, trying to forget Forrest, carefully watching Lucian's every move, memorizing his likes and dislikes, doing her best to please him.

She thought maybe-just maybe-he had a bit of love for her. Otherwise, why would he keep coming back to her, craving her?

But then she saw how gently he treated Fiona. That's when reality hit. All her efforts and fantasies were just naïve.

That night, she finally saw things clearly. She was done chasing unreachable dreams. From now on, she'd erase him completely from her world.

Ninety-two days. She'd take these three months to rebuild herself. Once she graduated, she'd buckle down and work hard. She'd lift her head up high, walk away from Lucian on her own, and become someone strong enough to protect her family, no longer relying on a man's favor bought with her body.

He got married today. Obviously, he wouldn't care what she was doing. So she spent the afternoon browsing bookstores, picked up a few practical books.

She read the whole evening. The storm inside her finally started to calm.

At 10:30 PM, Ariella took a shower, blew her hair dry, and wrapped herself in a light blanket to sleep.

It'd been nearly two years since she didn't have to worry about being forced to sleep with him in the middle of the night. Tonight, she let herself relax and tried to really rest.

Half-asleep, she felt a strange tingling on her earlobe-kinda ticklish, kinda annoying. She lifted her hand to swat away whatever it was, but it got caught mid-air by a cold, firm grip. Then suddenly, her whole body was pinned under a heavy, muscular frame.

Even in that groggy state, she could feel his fury.

"What are you doing here? It's your wedding night..." she began, but the rest of her words got smothered by his wine-scented kiss-rough and urgent.

Ariella snapped awake. She stared at that gorgeous face she'd once stared at a million times before, totally thrown. He actually left his bride on their wedding night... for this?

But Lucian wasn't giving her a second to react. His kisses were wild and angry, stealing her breath, bruising her lips until they turned red and swollen.

"Tell me, did you set up that Zoe at the wedding? Let's see how you like being punished for it..."