His Forced Bride
Ainsley
He married her because he had no choice. She tried to love him, even knowing his heart belonged to someone else.
At twenty-four, Alina Volkov is forced into an arranged marriage with Dmitri Sokolov, a powerful twenty-eight-year-old CEO whose family demands that he finally settle down and produce an heir.
But from the very first day of their marriage, Alina realizes she will never be the woman Dmitri truly wants. His heart still belongs to his first love, Viktoriya Morozova. He openly brings Viktoriya into their mansion, treats her like she is the real lady of the house, and leaves his legal wife to endure the pain in silence.
What Dmitri doesn't know is that the woman he loves has never loved him back. Together with her secret lover, Viktoriya has been manipulating him from the beginning, plotting to steal his company, his fortune, and destroy everything he has built.
As betrayal, lies, and hidden truths begin to unfold, Dmitri is forced to face the consequences of the choices he made. But when he finally realizes who truly stood by his side all along... will it already be too late to win back the heart of the wife he never chose?
A heart-wrenching story of arranged marriage, betrayal, slow-burn romance, second chances, family drama, and a love that blossoms when everything else falls apart.
CHAPTER 3
ALINA'S POV :
I held my teacup tightly as I sat quietly in the dining room. It was only seven o'clock in the morning.
I had just woken up. I thought breakfast would be peaceful.
I was wrong.
From the second floor, I heard a familiar voice. "Good morning, Dmitri."
A woman's soft laughter followed.
I froze.
Slowly, I turned toward the staircase. And there they were. Dmitri and Viktoriya.
Walking downstairs together. Viktoriya was wearing an oversized white polo. It was obvious it wasn't hers.
It belonged to Dmitri. Time seemed to stop.
The household staff noticed the scene as well. They exchanged uneasy glances, yet none of them dared to speak.
"Sir..." Butler Ivan called hesitantly. "Don't you... have a guest?"
Dmitri's face remained expressionless. "No."
"From now on, Viktoriya is free to come and go whenever she pleases."
"Treat her like family." The maids paused in the middle of serving breakfast.
Silently, they lowered their heads. "Yes, Sir."
Something tightened painfully inside my chest.
Every word he spoke felt like another knife sinking deeper into my heart.
Not once...
Did he remember that I was there. That I was his legal wife.
---
Dmitri took his usual seat.
Viktoriya...
Didn't sit across from him. Instead, she sat beside him. As if that place had always belonged to her.
"Good morning, Mrs. Sokolov."
Her smile was sweet. But her eyes...
Overflowed with mockery. I returned her smile politely. "Good morning."
The chef placed Dmitri's favorite breakfast in front of him. Before he could even touch it...
Viktoriya picked it up. "I'll feed you."
The entire room fell silent. Without realizing it, my grip tightened around my spoon.
She fed him. And Dmitri accepted it as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
He didn't even spare me a glance.
At that moment...
I felt like I had become nothing more than a guest in my own home.
---
DMITRI'S POV :
I ate in silence. I noticed Alina hadn't spoken a single word. That was probably for the best.
The fewer complications...
The better.
"Love." I turned toward Viktoriya.
"Hm?"
"What do you want to do later?"
"Shopping."
"Alright."
She smiled brightly. "You're the best."
A few moments later, my eyes drifted toward Alina. She quietly continued eating. She wasn't talking. She wasn't complaining. She wasn't crying. She wasn't even looking at us. It was as if nothing bothered her.
So why...
Did my chest suddenly feel so heavy?
I pushed the thought away almost immediately. I didn't need to feel sorry for her. I never chose this marriage.
---
VIKTORIYA'S POV :
A faint smirk tugged at my lips as I watched Alina.
She was even quieter than I expected. I thought she'd lose control. Cry. Pick a fight. Cause a scene.
But she didn't. Honestly...
That irritated me even more. The quieter she became... The more sympathy she earned from the household staff.
I hated that. I should be the center of everyone's attention.
I walked over to Dmitri and slipped my arm through his. "Dmitri."
"Hm?"
"Can I live here?"
He paused for only a moment. "Of course."
Victory. That's exactly what it felt like. Secretly, I glanced at Alina. I caught the brief flicker in her eyes.
But just as quickly...
She lowered her head. A satisfied smile spread across my lips.
Good girl. You don't have to fight. Because you'll never win against me.
---
ROMAN'S POV :
"How long are you planning to keep fooling him?" We sat across from each other inside an expensive restaurant.
Viktoriya wore sunglasses and a baseball cap to avoid being recognized.
She calmly sipped her coffee. "Until I gain access to the company under my name."
I grinned. "And after that?"
"We'll take everything."
"The bank accounts."
"The shares."
"The properties."
"Everything."
"Doesn't he suspect anything?"
She shook her head. "He's an idiot."
"He's hopelessly in love with me."
I burst into laughter. "And what about his legal wife?"
She glanced toward the window. "Just an ordinary woman."
"She can't do anything."
Neither of us realized... That a man sitting at the next table... Had heard every single word we said.
---
ALINA'S POV :
Around noon...
I decided to take a walk through the garden.
It was beautiful. Blooming flowers surrounded every path. A small lake reflected the afternoon sky. And a charming gazebo stood quietly in the center.
I sat there alone. For the first time since my wedding...
I finally allowed myself to cry.
"Miss Alina?"
I quickly wiped away my tears. It was Nanny Sofia.
She carried a tray with tea and freshly baked cookies. "You haven't been eating properly."
I smiled weakly. "I don't have much of an appetite."
She sat beside me. "Does it hurt?"
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "What do you think?"
She remained silent. "Every day..."
"I have to watch the woman my husband truly loves."
"We're living under the same roof."
"And me..."
"He can't even bring himself to look at me." Fresh tears streamed down my face.
I lowered my head. "I'm not asking him to love me."
"I just wanted a little respect."
"That would've been enough."
This time...
It was Nanny Sofia whose eyes filled with tears. She gently held my hand. "The day will come..."
"When he'll regret everything."
I didn't answer.
Because right now...
That felt impossible.
---
That evening...
I was sitting in the library reading a book when loud laughter echoed from the living room. Curious, I peeked outside.
There they were. Dmitri and Viktoriya. Curled up together on the sofa while watching a movie.
A moment later...
Viktoriya rested her head gently on Dmitri's shoulder. I decided not to walk any closer. Quietly, I turned around.
Only then did I realize...
Dmitri was standing right behind me. Our eyes met. Silence settled between us.
For a brief second...
I thought he was finally going to say something.
But instead...
He simply walked past me.
And returned to Viktoriya's side.
Slowly, I closed my eyes.
Not because I wanted to sleep...
But because I couldn't bear to watch the same scene break my heart all over again.
I held my teacup tightly as I sat quietly in the dining room. It was only seven o'clock in the morning.
I had just woken up. I thought breakfast would be peaceful.
I was wrong.
From the second floor, I heard a familiar voice. "Good morning, Dmitri."
A woman's soft laughter followed.
I froze.
Slowly, I turned toward the staircase. And there they were. Dmitri and Viktoriya.
Walking downstairs together. Viktoriya was wearing an oversized white polo. It was obvious it wasn't hers.
It belonged to Dmitri. Time seemed to stop.
The household staff noticed the scene as well. They exchanged uneasy glances, yet none of them dared to speak.
"Sir..." Butler Ivan called hesitantly. "Don't you... have a guest?"
Dmitri's face remained expressionless. "No."
"From now on, Viktoriya is free to come and go whenever she pleases."
"Treat her like family." The maids paused in the middle of serving breakfast.
Silently, they lowered their heads. "Yes, Sir."
Something tightened painfully inside my chest.
Every word he spoke felt like another knife sinking deeper into my heart.
Not once...
Did he remember that I was there. That I was his legal wife.
---
Dmitri took his usual seat.
Viktoriya...
Didn't sit across from him. Instead, she sat beside him. As if that place had always belonged to her.
"Good morning, Mrs. Sokolov."
Her smile was sweet. But her eyes...
Overflowed with mockery. I returned her smile politely. "Good morning."
The chef placed Dmitri's favorite breakfast in front of him. Before he could even touch it...
Viktoriya picked it up. "I'll feed you."
The entire room fell silent. Without realizing it, my grip tightened around my spoon.
She fed him. And Dmitri accepted it as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
He didn't even spare me a glance.
At that moment...
I felt like I had become nothing more than a guest in my own home.
---
DMITRI'S POV :
I ate in silence. I noticed Alina hadn't spoken a single word. That was probably for the best.
The fewer complications...
The better.
"Love." I turned toward Viktoriya.
"Hm?"
"What do you want to do later?"
"Shopping."
"Alright."
She smiled brightly. "You're the best."
A few moments later, my eyes drifted toward Alina. She quietly continued eating. She wasn't talking. She wasn't complaining. She wasn't crying. She wasn't even looking at us. It was as if nothing bothered her.
So why...
Did my chest suddenly feel so heavy?
I pushed the thought away almost immediately. I didn't need to feel sorry for her. I never chose this marriage.
---
VIKTORIYA'S POV :
A faint smirk tugged at my lips as I watched Alina.
She was even quieter than I expected. I thought she'd lose control. Cry. Pick a fight. Cause a scene.
But she didn't. Honestly...
That irritated me even more. The quieter she became... The more sympathy she earned from the household staff.
I hated that. I should be the center of everyone's attention.
I walked over to Dmitri and slipped my arm through his. "Dmitri."
"Hm?"
"Can I live here?"
He paused for only a moment. "Of course."
Victory. That's exactly what it felt like. Secretly, I glanced at Alina. I caught the brief flicker in her eyes.
But just as quickly...
She lowered her head. A satisfied smile spread across my lips.
Good girl. You don't have to fight. Because you'll never win against me.
---
ROMAN'S POV :
"How long are you planning to keep fooling him?" We sat across from each other inside an expensive restaurant.
Viktoriya wore sunglasses and a baseball cap to avoid being recognized.
She calmly sipped her coffee. "Until I gain access to the company under my name."
I grinned. "And after that?"
"We'll take everything."
"The bank accounts."
"The shares."
"The properties."
"Everything."
"Doesn't he suspect anything?"
She shook her head. "He's an idiot."
"He's hopelessly in love with me."
I burst into laughter. "And what about his legal wife?"
She glanced toward the window. "Just an ordinary woman."
"She can't do anything."
Neither of us realized... That a man sitting at the next table... Had heard every single word we said.
---
ALINA'S POV :
Around noon...
I decided to take a walk through the garden.
It was beautiful. Blooming flowers surrounded every path. A small lake reflected the afternoon sky. And a charming gazebo stood quietly in the center.
I sat there alone. For the first time since my wedding...
I finally allowed myself to cry.
"Miss Alina?"
I quickly wiped away my tears. It was Nanny Sofia.
She carried a tray with tea and freshly baked cookies. "You haven't been eating properly."
I smiled weakly. "I don't have much of an appetite."
She sat beside me. "Does it hurt?"
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "What do you think?"
She remained silent. "Every day..."
"I have to watch the woman my husband truly loves."
"We're living under the same roof."
"And me..."
"He can't even bring himself to look at me." Fresh tears streamed down my face.
I lowered my head. "I'm not asking him to love me."
"I just wanted a little respect."
"That would've been enough."
This time...
It was Nanny Sofia whose eyes filled with tears. She gently held my hand. "The day will come..."
"When he'll regret everything."
I didn't answer.
Because right now...
That felt impossible.
---
That evening...
I was sitting in the library reading a book when loud laughter echoed from the living room. Curious, I peeked outside.
There they were. Dmitri and Viktoriya. Curled up together on the sofa while watching a movie.
A moment later...
Viktoriya rested her head gently on Dmitri's shoulder. I decided not to walk any closer. Quietly, I turned around.
Only then did I realize...
Dmitri was standing right behind me. Our eyes met. Silence settled between us.
For a brief second...
I thought he was finally going to say something.
But instead...
He simply walked past me.
And returned to Viktoriya's side.
Slowly, I closed my eyes.
Not because I wanted to sleep...
But because I couldn't bear to watch the same scene break my heart all over again.
Chapter 3
— CHAPTER 3 of 10