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 7
DMITRI'S POV :
I used to believe that loving someone was enough. I never realized that love without trust... is a poison that slowly destroys everything.
Several days had passed since I apologized to Alina. But I knew...
One simple "I'm sorry" would never be enough.
Whenever we crossed paths in the mansion...
She would simply lower her head politely. "Is there anything else you need, Mr. Sokolov?"
Mr. Sokolov. Not Dmitri. Not my husband. Nothing. And every time she addressed me that way...
The weight of my mistake became heavier.
---
"Sir." Alexei entered my office.
"The board members have arrived." I rose from my chair.
"Let's begin."
---
BOARDROOM
The conference room was silent. Financial reports were presented one after another. Project proposals. Investment plans. Until we reached the most important item on the agenda.
"Mr. Dmitri." The Chief Financial Officer spoke.
"We only need your authorization code to activate the new investment account."
I nodded. Picking up my tablet. Just as I was about to enter the code...
My phone rang. Viktoriya I excused myself from the board. "I'll be right back." Then I stepped outside the conference room.
---
VIKTORIYA'S POV :
"Hello, love." My voice dripped with sweetness.
"I'm busy."
"Don't you want to talk to me anymore?"
He sighed. "What do you need?"
A smile crossed my lips. "Nothing."
"I just wanted to hear your voice."
While I kept Dmitri occupied...
Roman quietly entered the conference room using a fake employee ID. Exactly as we had planned.
---
ROMAN'S POV :
"Good morning."
No one paid attention to me. Everyone was focused on the meeting.
I quickly approached the tablet Dmitri had left behind. From my pocket, I pulled out a tiny data-copying device and connected it.
Thirty seconds. That was all I needed.
Once it finished...
The authorization code would be mine.
"Twenty seconds..." I whispered to myself.
---
ALINA'S POV :
I went to Dmitri's office. His father had asked me to deliver several important documents. As I approached the conference room...
I noticed a man hurrying out. I didn't recognize him. But...
Why did he seem so nervous? Our eyes met.
Without warning... He started running.
"H-Hey!" I stopped in my tracks.
Something felt wrong. Very wrong.
Without thinking...
I chased after him.
---
ROMAN'S POV :
"Damn." Why was she here?
I ran even faster. But suddenly—
"Stop!" Someone blocked my path.
Alina.
"You're not an employee here." She grabbed my arm tightly. "Security!"
I cursed. In my panic...
I wrapped my arm around her neck and shoved her violently aside. She crashed onto the floor. But even then... She refused to let go of me.
"C-Catch him!" She shouted. Security guards rushed toward us. Within seconds...
I was surrounded. There was nowhere left to run.
---
DMITRI'S POV :
The shouting echoed through the hallway. I immediately ran toward the commotion.
The moment I arrived...
My eyes widened. Alina was lying on the floor. Blood trickled from a cut on her forehead. Her palm was scraped and bleeding.
Meanwhile...
Security officers struggled to restrain a man.
"What happened?!"
Alexei hurried toward me, out of breath. "Sir!"
"We caught him."
"He had just come from the conference room."
My gaze fell upon a small device that had slipped from the man's pocket. A data-copying device.
I froze. "An authorization hacker..." I glared at the man "Who sent you?"
He remained silent. Then...
A phone began ringing inside his pocket. One of the guards pulled it out. On the screen...
Only one name appeared.
❤️ Viktoriya ❤️
For a moment...
The entire world stood still.
---
VIKTORIYA'S POV :
Why wasn't he answering?
I called Roman again.
And again.
No response.
Then...
The front door opened.
I immediately stood.
Dmitri.
But...
This wasn't the Dmitri I knew.
He was cold.
Silent.
Yet this time...
His eyes burned with fury.
"Love—"
*SLAP!*
My hand flew to my burning cheek. My eyes widened in shock. "D-Dmitri..."
"Stop talking."
I froze. "What does all of this mean?"
He threw Roman's phone onto the table. Then the data-copying device. Finally...
Several printed CCTV screenshots. "I-I can explain—"
"You're a liar."His voice dropped into a dangerous calm.
"Tell me."
"How long have you been deceiving me?"
I couldn't answer. And in that silence...
He found the answer himself.
---
ROMAN'S POV :
Even with handcuffs around my wrists...
I laughed. "You really thought she loved you?"
I looked Dmitri straight in the eye. "To her..."
"You were nothing more than a walking bank account."
"There wasn't a single day she ever loved you."
"You were the easiest target."
Dmitri's jaw tightened.
"And we weren't just after your company."
"We planned to take your life too."
Silence swallowed the hallway. Everyone stood frozen. Unable to believe what they had just heard.
---
ALINA'S POV :
Slowly...
I opened my eyes.
Everything around me was blurry.
Then I felt someone holding my hand.
Warm.
Firm.
I turned my head.
Dmitri.
For the first time...
He reached for my hand on his own.
Not out of obligation.
Not because anyone was watching.
But because...
He was terrified of losing me.
"Alina..."
His voice broke. "Why did you do that?"
Despite the throbbing pain in my head...
I managed a faint smile.
"Because..."
"...you're still my husband."
"And I couldn't let anything happen to you." My eyelids grew heavy.
Before darkness claimed me...
I heard his trembling voice echo through the hallway.
"Doctor!"
"Somebody help her!"
And for the very first time...
It wasn't business.
It wasn't the company.
It wasn't Viktoriya.
The only person on Dmitri Sokolov's mind...
Was Alina.
I used to believe that loving someone was enough. I never realized that love without trust... is a poison that slowly destroys everything.
Several days had passed since I apologized to Alina. But I knew...
One simple "I'm sorry" would never be enough.
Whenever we crossed paths in the mansion...
She would simply lower her head politely. "Is there anything else you need, Mr. Sokolov?"
Mr. Sokolov. Not Dmitri. Not my husband. Nothing. And every time she addressed me that way...
The weight of my mistake became heavier.
---
"Sir." Alexei entered my office.
"The board members have arrived." I rose from my chair.
"Let's begin."
---
BOARDROOM
The conference room was silent. Financial reports were presented one after another. Project proposals. Investment plans. Until we reached the most important item on the agenda.
"Mr. Dmitri." The Chief Financial Officer spoke.
"We only need your authorization code to activate the new investment account."
I nodded. Picking up my tablet. Just as I was about to enter the code...
My phone rang. Viktoriya I excused myself from the board. "I'll be right back." Then I stepped outside the conference room.
---
VIKTORIYA'S POV :
"Hello, love." My voice dripped with sweetness.
"I'm busy."
"Don't you want to talk to me anymore?"
He sighed. "What do you need?"
A smile crossed my lips. "Nothing."
"I just wanted to hear your voice."
While I kept Dmitri occupied...
Roman quietly entered the conference room using a fake employee ID. Exactly as we had planned.
---
ROMAN'S POV :
"Good morning."
No one paid attention to me. Everyone was focused on the meeting.
I quickly approached the tablet Dmitri had left behind. From my pocket, I pulled out a tiny data-copying device and connected it.
Thirty seconds. That was all I needed.
Once it finished...
The authorization code would be mine.
"Twenty seconds..." I whispered to myself.
---
ALINA'S POV :
I went to Dmitri's office. His father had asked me to deliver several important documents. As I approached the conference room...
I noticed a man hurrying out. I didn't recognize him. But...
Why did he seem so nervous? Our eyes met.
Without warning... He started running.
"H-Hey!" I stopped in my tracks.
Something felt wrong. Very wrong.
Without thinking...
I chased after him.
---
ROMAN'S POV :
"Damn." Why was she here?
I ran even faster. But suddenly—
"Stop!" Someone blocked my path.
Alina.
"You're not an employee here." She grabbed my arm tightly. "Security!"
I cursed. In my panic...
I wrapped my arm around her neck and shoved her violently aside. She crashed onto the floor. But even then... She refused to let go of me.
"C-Catch him!" She shouted. Security guards rushed toward us. Within seconds...
I was surrounded. There was nowhere left to run.
---
DMITRI'S POV :
The shouting echoed through the hallway. I immediately ran toward the commotion.
The moment I arrived...
My eyes widened. Alina was lying on the floor. Blood trickled from a cut on her forehead. Her palm was scraped and bleeding.
Meanwhile...
Security officers struggled to restrain a man.
"What happened?!"
Alexei hurried toward me, out of breath. "Sir!"
"We caught him."
"He had just come from the conference room."
My gaze fell upon a small device that had slipped from the man's pocket. A data-copying device.
I froze. "An authorization hacker..." I glared at the man "Who sent you?"
He remained silent. Then...
A phone began ringing inside his pocket. One of the guards pulled it out. On the screen...
Only one name appeared.
❤️ Viktoriya ❤️
For a moment...
The entire world stood still.
---
VIKTORIYA'S POV :
Why wasn't he answering?
I called Roman again.
And again.
No response.
Then...
The front door opened.
I immediately stood.
Dmitri.
But...
This wasn't the Dmitri I knew.
He was cold.
Silent.
Yet this time...
His eyes burned with fury.
"Love—"
*SLAP!*
My hand flew to my burning cheek. My eyes widened in shock. "D-Dmitri..."
"Stop talking."
I froze. "What does all of this mean?"
He threw Roman's phone onto the table. Then the data-copying device. Finally...
Several printed CCTV screenshots. "I-I can explain—"
"You're a liar."His voice dropped into a dangerous calm.
"Tell me."
"How long have you been deceiving me?"
I couldn't answer. And in that silence...
He found the answer himself.
---
ROMAN'S POV :
Even with handcuffs around my wrists...
I laughed. "You really thought she loved you?"
I looked Dmitri straight in the eye. "To her..."
"You were nothing more than a walking bank account."
"There wasn't a single day she ever loved you."
"You were the easiest target."
Dmitri's jaw tightened.
"And we weren't just after your company."
"We planned to take your life too."
Silence swallowed the hallway. Everyone stood frozen. Unable to believe what they had just heard.
---
ALINA'S POV :
Slowly...
I opened my eyes.
Everything around me was blurry.
Then I felt someone holding my hand.
Warm.
Firm.
I turned my head.
Dmitri.
For the first time...
He reached for my hand on his own.
Not out of obligation.
Not because anyone was watching.
But because...
He was terrified of losing me.
"Alina..."
His voice broke. "Why did you do that?"
Despite the throbbing pain in my head...
I managed a faint smile.
"Because..."
"...you're still my husband."
"And I couldn't let anything happen to you." My eyelids grew heavy.
Before darkness claimed me...
I heard his trembling voice echo through the hallway.
"Doctor!"
"Somebody help her!"
And for the very first time...
It wasn't business.
It wasn't the company.
It wasn't Viktoriya.
The only person on Dmitri Sokolov's mind...
Was Alina.
Chapter 7
— CHAPTER 7 of 10