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A woman named Alayna Althea finds herself trapped in a marriage filled with suffering. Although she is a beautiful woman with a captivating charm, she must endure humiliation from her husband's family, who are harsh and never accept her presence. Despite this, she chooses to stay because of the deep love she feels for her husband, Rafael Aziel. Rafael always shows affection and attention, which makes Alayna keep hoping, even though she is belittled and despised by his family. However, the very bitter truth she must face comes when she decides to reveal her true self to the husband she loves. Rafael, whom she had believed would always stand by her, unexpectedly discards her for a woman chosen by his mother, someone who better fits their family's standards. Alayna's heart shatters, and she feels betrayed in a way she never imagined. In her lowest moment, a man named Dante Valerio enters her life. Dante, with all his sincerity, shows a genuine care for Alayna. He is a man who sees beyond appearances and loves her in a way Alayna has never experienced before. However, this new love comes with challenges and difficult choices for Alayna, who is still wounded by the betrayal of her husband.
Chapter 1 Trapped in a Pretend Paradise
Alayna Althea sat at the edge of the large, gilded bed, her fingers absently tracing the intricate patterns of the silk sheets. Her reflection in the ornate mirror across the room seemed almost foreign to her - beautiful, poised, and yet empty, like a puppet trapped in a world of strings she could never untangle. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing in her heart.
She had once dreamed of a life filled with love, respect, and acceptance. Instead, she found herself trapped in a marriage that was far from what she had imagined. The marriage to Rafael Aziel, the man she loved with all her heart, had become a suffocating cage. Every day was a battle to maintain her composure as she endured the harsh words, the insults, and the cold stares of her husband's family. They had never truly accepted her. To them, she was nothing more than a pawn in a game of power and influence.
Yet, despite it all, Alayna clung to the one thing that kept her going - Rafael. He was the man who had promised her love and a life together. At least, that was what she had believed. He had shown her affection in the early days of their marriage, giving her hope that their union could become something real. But with every passing day, the warmth in his eyes seemed to fade, replaced by indifference. His family's disapproval had begun to infect him, making her feel like an outsider in her own home.
Today was no different. As she sat alone in their vast bedroom, waiting for her husband to return from yet another meeting with his mother and the family business, Alayna could feel the weight of the loneliness pressing against her chest. She had tried so hard to fit into their world, to prove herself worthy of Rafael's love. But every attempt only seemed to bring her more humiliation.
Her mind wandered back to the words spoken by his mother, Helena Aziel, just the day before. "You should know your place, Alayna," she had said coldly. "You are not one of us. You were never meant to be here. Rafael deserves someone who can stand beside him in his world, not drag him down into yours."
Those words echoed in Alayna's mind like a haunting refrain. She had tried to ignore them, to dismiss them as mere cruelty, but they had lodged themselves deep in her heart. It hurt, more than anything else, because she knew that Rafael had heard those same words and done nothing to stop them. He hadn't even defended her.
But Alayna refused to give up. She had made a vow to herself that she would stand by him, no matter how painful the cost. She loved him, and that love was the only thing that kept her from breaking. Rafael was the man she had chosen, the man who had promised to cherish her. She couldn't bear the thought of abandoning him, even if it meant enduring more ridicule and disdain.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps outside the door. Her heart skipped a beat, hoping that it was Rafael returning, but when the door creaked open, it was not her husband who stepped inside. Instead, it was Helena, her cold eyes scanning the room as she walked in without a word of greeting.
Alayna stood up, her posture stiffening as she tried to mask the frustration that threatened to bubble to the surface. "Mother Aziel," she said, her voice soft but strained.
Helena's gaze flickered over her before settling on the bed. "I see you've made yourself comfortable," she remarked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I wonder how long you plan on playing the role of the dutiful wife before you realize you don't belong here."
Alayna swallowed her pride, refusing to let the sting of the words show. "I'm doing the best I can," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Helena scoffed, moving closer to her. "The best you can? Your best isn't good enough, Alayna. You will never be enough for Rafael. He deserves someone who can bring something of value to this family, not someone who drags him down with their poor, provincial roots."
Tears stung the back of Alayna's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She had cried enough for this marriage, enough for the constant rejection. "I love him," she said quietly, her voice shaking with emotion. "And I believe he loves me too."
Helena's lips curled into a smile that was anything but kind. "Love? Don't be naïve. Rafael will never truly love someone like you. You are nothing more than a temporary distraction for him. When the time comes, he will cast you aside like the rest."
Alayna's heart sank as the weight of Helena's words hit her like a physical blow. She had always known that she wasn't truly accepted by Rafael's family, but hearing it from his mother's lips was a brutal wake-up call.
"Don't worry," Helena continued, her voice cold. "Your time here is running out. Sooner or later, Rafael will see the truth, and when he does, he'll do what needs to be done."
Alayna wanted to scream, to tell Helena that she was wrong, that Rafael would never betray her like that. But deep down, she feared that she already knew the truth. She had seen the way Rafael's eyes had begun to drift away from her, the way he had grown distant in recent months. Perhaps Helena was right. Perhaps her place in this family had always been a lie.
The sound of the door closing behind Helena was the final blow. Alayna stood alone in the silence, the walls of her perfect prison closing in around her. She couldn't shake the feeling that everything she had believed in was unraveling before her eyes.
But still, she held on. She clung to the hope that Rafael would return to her, that he would remember the love they once shared. She had to believe that, because without that belief, she had nothing left.
As the night grew darker and the weight of the day settled upon her, Alayna stared out of the window, her heart heavy with uncertainty. She knew that the road ahead would not be easy. But no matter how many times she was knocked down, no matter how much pain she endured, she would keep fighting. She would keep loving Rafael, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. After all, it was all she had left.
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Chapter 1 Trapped in a Pretend Paradise
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Chapter 2 The clock ticked past midnight
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Chapter 3 The gates behind her
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Chapter 4 she was pregnant
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Chapter 5 the color neutral
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Chapter 6 As she sat by the window of her apartment
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Chapter 7 replaced by something far more powerful
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Chapter 8 The city outside hummed with the usual morning rush
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Chapter 9 the pressure seemed to mount
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Chapter 10 a longing for something more
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Chapter 11 Alayna had barely slept
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Chapter 12 You did well in there
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Chapter 13 How are you holding up
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Chapter 14 amplifying her thoughts
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Chapter 15 Alayna like an invisible weight
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Chapter 16 The quiet hum of the city felt distant
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Chapter 17 not because she demanded attention
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Chapter 18 Her heart should have felt light
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Chapter 19 The plane touched down at a small
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Chapter 20 Alayna stood on the balcony
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Chapter 21 Anton smiled coldly
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Chapter 22 He had no last name
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Chapter 23 The stillness of the Austrian Alps was a lie
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Chapter 24 Calloway
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Chapter 25 Alayna didn't run far
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Chapter 26 London
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Chapter 27 Are you sure it's him
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Chapter 28 sharp-edged
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Chapter 29 Just a sharp
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Chapter 30 The empire was exposed
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Chapter 31 The fire in her chest had never gone out
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Chapter 32 The sea was the color of steel that morning
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Chapter 33 when one war ends
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Chapter 34 both literal and figurative
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Chapter 35 Her steps echoed as she paced across
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Chapter 36 The wind howled outside
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Chapter 37 Days turned into weeks
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Chapter 38 The silence in the Voltaire estate had shifted
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Chapter 39 Release
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Chapter 40 internal war that had waged inside her for years
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