Unwanted Bride: Flash Marriage To The Useless Alpha

nd when he did speak, his tone carried less venom. It wasn't kindness, far from it but it wasn't the cold disdain I'd come to expect. I wasn't sure what to make of it.

y strike before it happened. It was clear now that his frail, sickly demeanor was nothing more than a facade. 'But why?' "Enjoying the show?" His voice suddenly rang in my head. I jumped at the sound of his voice. He was looking directly at me now, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "I didn't mean to interrupt," I said quickly, stepping out of the shadows. "You didn't," he replied, tossing a towel over his shoulder as he approached. I hesitated, unsure of what to say. "You're... good at that." His smirk widened. "Did you think I wouldn't be?" "No," I admitted. "But the stories people tell about you... they paint a very different picture." He tilted his head, studying me. "And what picture do they paint of you, Brielle?" I stiffened at the question, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me. "It doesn't matter," I said finally. "People will believe what they want to believe." For a moment, he said nothing. Then he nodded as if accepting my answer. "You're not wrong," he said quietly and returned to his practice, I believed. However, the next day, Victoria made her presence known in the worst way possible. Throughout my arrival in the castle, she had been cold and rude while putting up a facade of kindness and compassion but I knew those stunts too well and could see right through her acts. Clearly, she likes Liam but with presence in the castle as his wife seems like a threat to her. Meanwhile, I was in the kitchen, speaking with one of the servants about the menu for dinner, when she swept in like a storm. "Brielle," she said sweetly, her voice laced with false warmth. "I need you to help me with something." I turned to face her, my stomach sinking. "Of course," I said evenly. In a flash, she led me to the ballroom, where a group of nobles was gathered, their laughter echoing off the high ceilings. Victoria motioned for me to stand beside her, then turned to the group with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Everyone, this is Brielle Darkhaven," she announced, her tone overly cheerful. "The newest addition to our royal family." The nobles