Aria's pov
The news of I and Lucian's engagement broke like wildfire the next morning.
My phone buzzed relentlessly while I was still in the guest suite, staring at the black silk nightgown Lucian had left for me like a silent command.
Notifications flooded in from Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp groups I hadn't opened in weeks.
I opened Twitter first, and the trending hashtags hit me like punches to the gut.
#AriaThorneGoldDigger
#FromZeroToVossWife
The top post was a screenshot of me on my knees outside Voss Enterprises yesterday,someone must have filmed it from across the street.
The caption read: "She was crying broken and unstable yesterday, now she's marrying the richest man in London? that bitch is nothing but a classic liar and cheat who only attaches herself to rich men for money."
I scrolled, each comment slicing deeper,
"From a public meltdown to a private penthouse. We must give her the crown,she played the victim card perfectly. Gold digger level 1000."
"Ethan dodged a bullet. Our darling Voss is next to get played."
"Girl went from begging for mercy to diamond ring in 24 hours ,clock it bitch."
"Desperate ex-wife upgrades from one billionaire to another. Who's surprised?"
I dropped the phone on the bed and pressed my palms to my eyes.
The tears came hot and fast, silent at first, then choking sobs I couldn't control.
They thought I was a fraud and a woman who only attached herself to rich men for money.
The irony burned like acid,had it not been for Ethan's betrayal,I would have been the face of the game world, not this.
Lucian found me like that,curled on the edge of the bed, shoulders shaking, mascara streaking down my cheeks.
He didn't speak at first. He Just walked over and placed a black velvet box on the nightstand and slid it open
Inside was a massive diamond ring, flawless and looking all bits of expensive. It caught the light and threw sharp prisms across the room.
"Wear it," he said, voice low and even. "The announcement is already out. The wedding is in two weeks."
I looked up at him yearning for pity"They think I'm a liar. A cheat. They're saying I'm only with you for your money."
Lucian's expression didn't change. "They'll think what I want them to think. Let them hate you. Hate keeps people watching and this popularity is what I need to put my business in the mouths of every fucking human in London."
I laughed, bitter and broken. "You're enjoying this."
"I'm protecting what's mine," he replied calmly. "The scandal will die down once you're officially my wife.Until then, let them talk."
I wanted to scream at him. To throw the ring in his face. But the image of Andre's photo in that loan shark threat message flashed in my mind .I recoiled and slid my finger into the ring.
****
The wedding preparations passed in a blur of exhaustion. Dress fittings in hushed ateliers where seamstresses murmured about "the Voss bride."
Hair trials with stylists who complimented my "natural glow" while avoiding my eyes. Makeup consultations where the artist painted my face like a porcelain doll.
Every step reminded me I was a prop in Lucian's perfect image. Andre tried to cheer me up over late-night calls, sending memes and voice notes, but even he sounded worried. "You're still you, Aria. This is just temporary, you'll get through it love."
I wanted to believe him but I knew deep down that everything has changed,me included.
The loans were "settled" the day after I signed or so I thought.
Lucian summoned me to his study the evening before our wedding.
The room was dim, lit only by the glow of his desk lamp and the city lights beyond the glass. He slid a document across the polished wood.
I scanned through the document and realized that I was nowhere debt free.
The £1 million previously owed to the loan sharks and the 800k pounds for the mortgage had been transferred,not as a payment for the contract but as a loan to me. It was Interest-free but due in exactly two years.
My stomach twisted. "You said debt relief."
"I said I'd clear it," he corrected, leaning back in his chair. "From the sharks not from you." He tapped the paper once.
"This loan will only be written off if you fulfill every single term of the contract."
I stared at him, breath caught in my throat. "You tricked me."
"I gave you survival," he said with a low and unapologetic voice. "Now you earn it,two years, Aria. Or the debt returns with interest."
I signed the acknowledgement without further argument,there was no need to fight this now.
******
The wedding day arrived like a storm I couldn't outrun,I and Andre had used the past few weeks to try and find a way out of this mess but to no avail.
The venue was a secluded estate outside London. The estate was adorned with glass walls, candlelight, white roses everywhere.
Guests were limited to board members, Lucian's parents who had just arrived in town, a few investors, Andre (who looked like he wanted to murder Lucian on sight), and a handful of carefully selected media personnels Lucian had allowed in for "controlled coverage."
I walked down the aisle in a gown that cost more than my old apartment,an ivory silk, fitted bodice, with the long train trailing behind me like chains. The veil was long and unnecessarily heavy but that couldn't be compared to the weight of the diamond necklace on my neck. I felt like a sacrifice being led to the altar.
Lucian waited there in black, eyes fixed on me like I was prey that had finally been cornered.
In less than an hour,the vows were exchanged,scripted and void of empathy.
As I and Lucian had the couples kiss,the door flung open distracting the entire congregation.
It was Ethan dressed in a sharp charcoal suit with a rather suspicious smile.
"What the heck is he doing here?" I whispered under my breath.
"I invited him"