Since even those two morons, Kiara and Paige, had imagined Cole might arrange a widower scenario, Elliana, with her sharp mind, had certainly considered that possibility.
Even though Elliana had never seen Cole in person until today, she had heard every tale. People described him as cold-blooded, even cruel. He was the kind of man who crushed anyone who dared stand in his way. Those who did either vanished or ended up wishing they had never tried. She had no plans to test a man like that.
Elliana kept her head down throughout the entire ceremony. Once they stepped into the bedroom, she sank onto the edge of the bed and stayed silent.
Across the room, Cole slipped off his jacket and dropped onto the couch. His eyes locked on her-intense, clinical, like he could read her thoughts with one glance.
Hours ago, she had looked like a wreck-smudged eyeliner, tangled hair, makeup that aged her ten years. But now, beneath the soft veil concealing her face, she looked ethereal in the glittering gown. Her skin glowed, her figure delicate and composed. She was stunning.
Elliana had her own legend, dark and twisted. At five, they said she had lit the fire that killed her mother and melted her own face. Some called her cursed. Others called her a murderer. Either way, no one saw innocence when they looked at her.
They had labeled her dumb and called her ugly, but Cole saw none of that. Her eyes-sharp, sly, and full of light-gave her away. She wasn’t clueless. She was shrewd. Whatever her game was, she played it well. When Paige lunged at her earlier, Elliana had slipped behind him with uncanny ease. Others might have dismissed it as instinct, but he caught the control in her footwork. That kind of precision didn’t come from fear-it came from training.
But all that finesse meant nothing to him compared to the one thing that did matter-how his name got locked in with hers in a marriage. Someone had pulled strings behind the curtain. Why? What did they stand to gain? And was Elliana really as innocent as she played?
“You had no trouble talking earlier. Why so quiet now?” Cole’s tone sliced through the quiet like glass.
Elliana stiffened, a chill rushing up her spine before she could stop it. “It’s not like I planned to marry up… I just can’t shake this bit of unease.”
Living under the Evans family household came with rules, and Elliana understood that fast. A gentle smile here, the right words there-it could be the difference between survival and disaster.
A dry chuckle slipped past Cole’s lips. She was putting on a show, and he wasn’t buying a second of it. Earlier, she’d called him “darling” in front of Paige like it was the most natural thing in the world. There hadn’t been a hint of unease in her voice. He would just wait to see how long she could keep up the charade.
Elliana knew he didn’t believe her. She didn’t expect him to. She just needed to avoid giving him a reason to strike.
She was still running through her next move in her head when Cole rose without warning and crossed the room with unhurried, deliberate steps.
Without a word, he leaned down and swept her into his arms before she had the chance to flinch.
Being swept into his arms like a bride out of a fairytale made her heart lurch. “Mr. Evans, what… What are you doing?”
Cole glanced down at her, a sly smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Tell me-what do you suppose newlyweds ought to be doing on their wedding night?”
Everything tilted as he tossed her onto the bed, his body closing the space between them like a storm cloud rolling in.
The mattress bounced beneath her, his scent surrounding her completely, and she went still. With her horrible wig and makeup, was Cole seriously able to go through with it?
There was no denying it-Cole’s looks had reeled Elliana in the moment they met. Her mind had gone places, spinning stories that had no business leaving the realm of fantasy. But the truth? When it came to intimacy, Elliana was a dreamer, not a doer. She might flirt with the idea, but following through had never been her style.
The moment Cole’s fingers brushed the edge of her gown, instinct took over. Without thinking, she lashed out, aiming a sharp slap straight at his face.
Cole reacted in an instant, his reflexes as sharp as a blade.
In the next breath, Elliana’s balance slipped and she crashed to the floor, but not before Cole had already plucked off her veil-and her wig-with surgical ease.
A river of chestnut hair tumbled down her back, shimmering under the soft lighting like spun silk. In that moment, she didn’t look real-she looked ethereal.
The mask she’d worn for years shattered in an instant. For fifteen years, she’d sold the lie-sickly, fragile, a girl with damaged hair and an unattractive face. And now, thanks to Cole, all of it unraveled in seconds.
One knee planted on the bed, Cole studied her like a puzzle piece he hadn’t expected. Her glossy hair framed her face, still faintly marked from his recent move, and something in his gaze shifted-deep, unreadable.
The whispers had made their rounds through all of Ublento. People had claimed Elliana layered on makeup to hide her ruined face, and some even claimed they’d caught a glimpse beneath it, insisting her skin was scarred and terrifying.
However, moments earlier, Cole’s fingers had brushed across her cheek, wiping away a smear of foundation. What peeked through wasn’t mangled flesh-it was skin like porcelain, soft and smooth, as if even the air might bruise it.
Looking closely, Cole saw the truth. Her face was a work of quiet beauty-elegant lines, graceful proportions, and eyes that shimmered with depth like stars caught in motion. Underneath all that heavy makeup, she wasn’t just attractive-she was striking. Without the camouflage, her beauty could’ve easily lit up a room.
Cole lifted an eyebrow, clearly entertained. The unattractive bride who had landed in his life out of the blue turned out to be a concealed stunner. Now this was getting intriguing.
Elliana noticed the perilous curl of Cole’s lips, and a sharp wave of regret swept over her. She should’ve played it safer tonight. Too late.
She had first believed that Cole, while dangerous, was the cold and controlled type. She pictured him as a composed man who wouldn’t dare cross the line. But now she saw just how mistaken she had been. This man was wildly unpredictable, swinging between polished gentleman and reckless rogue, impossible to get a read on. He could wear the mask of a composed aristocrat one moment and throw it off to become a reckless storm the next. Whatever scale of danger she’d measured him by-it wasn’t nearly high enough.
Originally, Elliana thought tonight would be the last time she’d wear this ridiculously heavy and ugly makeup. She was ready to reclaim her identity and showcase her true self. But after meeting Cole, she knew better. With a man like him, keeping her true face hidden wasn’t a choice-it was survival.
Cole broke the silence. “Could you explain what you were trying to do?”
Elliana fumbled for words. “I just… I didn’t want to give you a lousy experience.”
“No worries. Your face might be a mess, but that body’s something else. I’ll just switch off the lights and take my time enjoying it.”
Elliana figured he was joking-until the room went pitch-black, and her stomach dropped. He’d actually meant his words. She muttered to herself, “This bastard really has no shame.”
She had barely a moment to respond before the shadow of his figure loomed closer. In a rush of panic, she bolted for the balcony, but the heavy layers of her wedding gown dragged at her steps. Quick and precise, he closed in once more and slammed her down, her back striking the unforgiving floor with a jarring thud.
Frustration boiled under her skin. Every fiber screamed to tear the dress off, toss it aside, and wrestle him down until one of them surrendered.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.