Tomorrow, David Smith will be hanged.
The court has already sealed his fate.
One last sunrise. One final breath.When asked about his last wish, David doesn't ask for freedom…
He doesn't ask to meet his family…
He doesn't even ask to live.He asks for only one thing—to see her face.The same woman who prayed for his death.
The same woman whose name is carved again and again on the cold walls of his prison cell.
Elina.
But what kind of love makes a man smile while walking toward the gallows?
And what kind of truth turns love into a death sentence?
David slowly closed his eyes and let Elina's face appear in his thoughts.
A faint smile curved his lips, even as a tear slipped out from his tightly shut eyes.Seeing this, the government lawyer asked softly,
"So… what happened next? Did your families accept your marriage?"David smiled faintly and continued Elina's story.David took Elina with him to his home.David had spent most of his childhood abroad. He studied there, settled there, and built his entire life overseas—his house, his business, everything. But suddenly, his father fell seriously ill, and the family business began to suffer heavy losses. That was the reason David returned—to restructure the business and bring it back on track.The car stopped in front of a grand bungalow. David stepped out first and asked Elina to come with him. Holding his hand, Elina walked toward the door and rang the bell.The door opened, and David's grandmother stood there.Her face lit up the moment she saw David. She stepped forward to hug him, but her eyes suddenly fell on Elina. From head to toe, she examined her quietly.Elina was beautiful—naturally beautiful. And dressed in her wedding gown, she looked breathtaking.David's grandmother finally asked,
"David… who is this beautiful girl?"David replied calmly,
"She is my wife, Grandmother."The moment she heard this, anger flashed across her face.
"What? You got married? Without informing the family?"She raised her voice, calling everyone into the hall. One by one, the family members gathered, their eyes fixed only on Elina."Look at him," David's grandmother said sharply.
"No background, no introduction, no idea who this girl is—and he married her!"Elina stepped forward and respectfully bowed, touching her grandmother-in-law's feet.Despite her anger, David's grandmother had a soft and kind heart. She sighed, forgave them, hugged Elina warmly, and kissed her forehead.But the rest of the family was not pleased. One by one, they turned their faces away and went back to their rooms, leaving Elina standing there alone.Elina had always lived simply. She never liked heavy makeup or dressing up excessively. Her natural beauty needed no embellishment.Everyone left—including David.Elina stood there, confused. She didn't know which room to go to. The house was new, unfamiliar… she didn't even know which room belonged to David.David's grandmother noticed her hesitation and came closer."Tell me, child," she asked gently,
"Did David marry you willingly? This marriage… wasn't done out of compulsion, was it?"Elina felt nervous.
Did she know? Did she find out about the contract marriage?"No, Grandmother," Elina replied quickly.
"Our marriage wasn't forced. We married happily. We've been in love for years."
David's grandmother frowned.
"But David came here only two weeks ago. How could you have been together for years?"Elina burst into laughter.
"Oh Grandmother! I'm not from here either. I came to this city just a month ago."The old woman laughed along with her, and soon they began chatting warmly.Still, Elina tried again and again to speak to the family members—but they ignored her completely.A month passed like this.One day, David said coldly,
"Elina, you only have five months left. My family still hasn't accepted you. According to the contract, if you fail to win them over, our divorce will be finalized."With that, he left for work.Elina stood there, hurt and confused.
Why does it feel like David himself doesn't want this marriage to survive?
Didn't he promise he would never betray me?Just then, the doorbell rang.Elina opened the door—and froze.A beautiful, innocent-looking girl walked straight inside without waiting."Hey! Stop! Who are you?" Elina called out.But the girl ignored her and shouted,
"Mom! Dad! Nidhi! Grandma! Where is everyone?"The family rushed into the hall, fear clearly visible in their eyes."I twisted my ankle a little, and suddenly no one calls me anymore?" the girl complained angrily.
"And where is David? I'll deal with him personally."Everyone stood silent.Elina stepped forward.
"Who are you?"The girl smiled and extended her hand.
"Hi, I'm Sharlin. And you?""Elina."Sharlin tilted her head.
"I know your name. But who are you? What's your relation to this family?"Then she smiled casually and said,
"Actually… I'm David's would-be wife."Elina felt the ground slip beneath her feet.Her vision blurred.
"Is that true?" she whispered.Sharlin nodded confidently.
"Yes. David and I have loved each other since childhood. He went abroad for studies, but we never stopped talking—not even for a single day. He visited every two months, just to see me. We're getting married this year."Then she looked Elina up and down.
"Now tell me… who are you?"
Tears streamed down Elina's face. She sank to her knees."If you are his future wife," she whispered brokenly,
"then who… am I?"Back in the jail cell, the lawyer asked quietly,
"So… you betrayed innocent Elina?"David laughed softly as he wrote Elina's name again and again on the cold jail wall."If I betrayed her," he said,
"then why does my heart still bleed only for her?"
David's fingers trembled slightly as he traced Elina's name on the cold jail wall once again.
Every letter felt heavier than iron, sharper than regret.The government lawyer watched him quietly.
He had questioned hardened criminals before—men who laughed at death, men who begged for mercy—but David Smith was different.
This man smiled while drowning in pain.David slowly opened his eyes."You asked if my family accepted our marriage," he said softly.
"They did… and they didn't."He paused, letting out a slow breath."When I brought Elina into my house, she walked in like a stranger carrying hope in her eyes," David continued.
"She didn't know the rules of my world. She didn't know how cruel silence can be."The lawyer leaned forward, listening intently."My grandmother was the first to accept her," David said.
"She saw kindness before status. She saw honesty before wealth."David's lips curved into a faint smile."But the rest of the house…"
"They turned their faces away."Elina tried.
Every single day.She woke up early, dressed simply, spoke politely, and kept smiling—even when no one replied.
She helped the servants, prayed quietly, and waited patiently for someone to acknowledge her existence.But walls don't break easily."They ignored her presence as if she didn't exist," David said.
"And I…"
"I let it happen."The lawyer frowned. "Why?"
David laughed bitterly.
"Because I believed time would fix everything."He clenched his jaw."One month".
Was Sharlin really David's would-be wife?
Was David's marriage to Elina a planned deception?
To uncover the truth, keep reading
"Beneath the Truth"
Only on Webnovel.