Chapter 2 — The Night of the Betrayal
The rain outside Elysian Hall turned into a storm that night, drumming against the tall glass windows of the bridal suite. The wedding gown lay folded on the couch, untouched since Elena took it off, its white silk now just a reminder of a promise never meant to last.
She sat by the window, her hair undone, her makeup fading, and her heart heavier than the diamond ring still shining on her finger.
Every little sound echoed too loudly — the ticking clock, the raindrops, the silence.
Her phone buzzed again.
Another message.
"Don't call me. I'm with a friend."
Elena laughed bitterly.A "friend." Of course.
She opened her laptop out of habit — maybe to distract herself — but curiosity pushed her somewhere darker. She searched the social media pages that every guest had posted from the wedding. Thousands of perfect moments: the vows, the smiles, the kiss. Everything that made them look like a fairytale couple.
But then she saw it — a single, hidden tag in one photo.
Vivian.
Her sister had posted a picture just an hour ago. Not from the wedding hall, but from a private villa on the outskirts of Silverwood City. The caption read:
"A perfect night deserves a perfect ending."
And next to her in the photo was a glass of champagne — the same brand Noah loved.
Elena's fingers trembled. Her throat felt tight, but no tears came. She'd spent her whole life crying quietly, forgiving easily, believing too deeply. Not this time.
She closed the laptop and stared into the dark mirror.The reflection that looked back at her didn't seem weak anymore.
By morning, the storm had passed — but the world felt different.
When Elena arrived at her parents' mansion, Rosemont Villa, she could already hear the whispers. Her mother was on the phone, her tone sharp, her words cutting. Her father barely looked at her when she entered.
"Elena," Madam Helena said, her smile brittle. "You'll have to fix this. The press is already suspecting tension between you and Noah."
"Fix what?" Elena asked softly."The rumors," her mother snapped. "Vivian was careless. You know how she is — she didn't mean anything by it."
Elena stared at her, disbelief hardening into quiet fury. "She didn't mean anything by posting a picture from my husband's villa?"
Her mother's lips tightened. "Don't be dramatic, Elena. You're married now. You must protect the family's image."
There it was again — protect the family. Never protect her.
Elena's eyes burned, but not with tears. "Of course," she whispered. "I'll protect the family. Even if it kills me."
And as she turned to leave, Vivian appeared at the top of the staircase, dressed in white silk pajamas, her smile soft but triumphant."Elena," she said sweetly, "you're up early. Did Noah come home last night?"
The air in the room froze.
Elena looked up at her sister, her heart cracking silently — and something inside her finally snapped.
For the first time in her life, Elena Seo stopped being the obedient daughter.She looked at Vivian with calm eyes and said, "Enjoy your victory while it lasts."
Vivian's smirk faltered.
Because in that one sentence, Elena didn't sound broken anymore.She sounded dangerous.