Forced into Marriage with A Secret Billionaire

Before I could process Oliver's cruel words, the minister cleared his throat, signaling the ceremony to begin.

I stood there, trembling with a mixture of anger and humiliation, tears threatening to spill from my eyes as I faced Luca. His expression remained neutral, but I caught something in his eyes—a flash of understanding, perhaps even sympathy—that steadied me momentarily.

We exchanged vows mechanically, my voice barely audible as I promised to love and cherish a man I'd just met.

When Luca spoke his vows, his voice was unexpectedly strong and clear, contrasting with his physical condition.

The gold band felt heavy and foreign as it slid onto my finger.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister declared to a church filled with indifferent spectators.

No applause followed. No cheers of celebration. Just the rustle of expensive clothing as people shifted in their seats, eager for the reception where business could be discussed over champagne.

As soon as the ceremony concluded, Richard and Oliver practically sprinted toward a distinguished-looking man I assumed was Luca's uncle, Leonardo Walker.

Their faces transformed into ingratiating smiles as they approached him, no doubt to discuss the financial arrangement that had been the true purpose of this farce.

Luca and I were left alone at the altar, two pawns whose purpose had been served.

"Mrs. Walker," Luca said quietly, the first words he'd spoken directly to me. Before I could respond, we were interrupted.

"Well, isn't this just darling?"

A stunning woman in a fitted emerald dress approached us, her stiletto heels clicking purposefully against the marble floor. Her smile was perfect—too perfect, like a predator's.

"Matilda, right?" She extended a manicured hand. "I'm Emily. I just had to come meet Luca's bride."

I shook her hand hesitantly, noticing how her eyes never quite met mine, instead constantly darting toward Luca.

"It's nice to meet you," I managed, wondering why she was speaking to me rather than Luca if they knew each other.

"Luca and I were engaged once," she continued, her voice carrying just enough to attract the attention of nearby guests. "Before his... accident."

I felt Luca stiffen beside me but kept my expression neutral. "Oh. Um. I see."

"I just wanted to wish you both happiness," Emily said.

Before I could put up a smile and thank her, Emily raised her voice and continued. "Though I feel I should warn you about certain... limitations you might face in your marriage."

The surrounding conversations quieted as people tuned in to Emily's performance. I looked at her, studying her expression, utterly confused.

"After all," Emily continued with false concern, "not everything works properly after such trauma. Isn't that right, Luca?"

A wave of uncomfortable laughter rippled through the gathering crowd. It took me three whole seconds to understand what she was hinting for.

Horror dawned on me as I realized her true intention—not to speak with me, but to publicly humiliate Luca on our wedding day.

I felt dozens of eyes on us—some amused, others pitying. The weight of their stares pressed against my skin like physical touch. Oliver stood in the background, not bothering to hide his smirk.

But in that moment, something crystallized within me.

Looking at Luca, I saw not just a stranger I'd been forced to marry, but a fellow victim.

Both of us had been deemed expendable by those who should have protected us. Both of us were being laughed at by people who thought themselves superior.

I met Emily's gaze directly, refusing to shrink under her cruelty. I wouldn't give her—or any of them—the satisfaction of seeing me break.

“People who truly care don’t measure their love by what someone can or can’t do,” I began, looking into Emily’s widened eyes without hesitation. “Your concern is noted, Emily, but I’m afraid it’s misplaced.”

As the mocking laughter paused around, stunned by my defiance, I made a silent vow: I would protect this man beside me. I would make this marriage work, not for Richard or Oliver or the Walker family, but for us—the two discarded pieces who deserved better than they'd been given.

They all thought Luca was broken and I was worthless. They saw us as the family rejects, the convenient sacrifices. But their underestimation would be their mistake.

I placed my hand gently on Luca's shoulder, a small gesture of solidarity against the sea of judgment surrounding us.

Whatever came next, we would face it together—two strangers bound by circumstance but united by a common enemy.

And perhaps, just perhaps, we could build something real from these false beginnings.