When love defies power

"Are you going to undress yourself, or should I do it for you?" The man's voice dripped with contempt, and at the sound of it, Helena Ellis immediately tensed.

She froze as the zipper of her gown slowly loosened, the cool air brushing against her bare skin. In a panic, she grabbed the fabric and turned around to the man, her eyes meeting his intense gaze.

"You're wearing a dress that was never meant for you. Emily should be the one wearing it." His words, sharp and unforgiving, cut straight through her.

The man before her was Alden Wilson, heir to Cheson's top business empire. He was never supposed to be her husband—he was meant to marry her half-sister, Emily Simpson. But when Emily disappeared without a trace just before the wedding, Helena was forced to step in and take her place.

It all began when Gemma Simpson, her estranged mother who had barely spoken to her since she reached adulthood, unexpectedly appeared at her door. Instead of a greeting, the first words that came out of Gemma's mouth were a demand that Helena marry Alden in Emily's place.

Gemma grasped Helena's hands tightly and pleaded, "Helena, how are you going to manage your father's nursing home expenses? His bills will only keep increasing. Just help Emily this one time, and the Simpson family will take care of the bills."

Helena didn't hesitate to refuse right away.

But the next day, her father was gone. Without any warning, the Simpson family had taken him. Her father, already fragile from his worsening dementia, became their bargaining chip. And that was how Helena ended up in that wedding dress, forced to take vows meant for someone else.

Helena was left with no other option. She did what she had to do. Her father was the only person who had ever truly stood by her. There was no way she would abandon him now.

She pushed the painful memories aside, lowered her head, and reluctantly spoke to Alden, who stood before her. "Mr. Wilson, this arranged marriage is just a formality for business. Whether it's me or someone else, it makes no difference."

"Don't look away when you're speaking to me," he replied, his tone cold and sharp. With a firm hand, Alden tilted Helena's chin up, making sure their gaze met.

Only then did she catch sight of something behind his ear. A small device. Sleek. Subtle.

A cochlear implant.

Alden was hearing-impaired. Was this the secret that sent Emily running from the wedding?

"Knowing why your sister ran away, do you still want to marry me?" Alden's lips curved into a tight, sarcastic grin.

He had just returned from abroad, so most people hadn't heard the news yet of the hearing loss he'd suffered twenty years ago.

"I'll marry you," Helena replied, masking the flicker of doubt in her eyes.

"And what's your reason?" Alden asked, his voice low and firm. His expression shifted, darkening as the playful mask slipped away.

Helena took a deep breath, regaining the composure of a news anchor. "My parents told me this marriage would only last until the development project is complete. I was promised full compensation from the Wilson family, money that'll be mine alone. Mr. Wilson, I need the money."

The Wilson family stood to gain far more than just money from this marriage. For Helena, this wasn't about ambition or greed. What she sought wasn't wealth or status, only what had been agreed upon.