Chapter 3 – The Insignificant Wife.
FLASHBACK
I could still hear Dad’s voice over the phone that morning.
“It’s Bella. She had an accident. She’s in a coma.”
Everything became a blur after that. Driving, running through the hospital corridors, seeing Mom devastated… And Bella, hooked up to machines, so weak, so far from the life that used to shine in her eyes.
I don’t remember crying. There was only silence, the scent of disinfectant, and the certainty that nothing would ever be the same again.
And then, he arrived.
Gael Moretti.
A name I had heard from Dad, always mentioned with respect and fear. Tall, cold, distant. He introduced himself without words, but just by being there, he changed everything. Dad didn’t explain anything. He simply asked Mom and me to let him speak alone with Gael.
And I, naïve, obeyed.
That same night, as I watched Bella sleeping, I understood: there was something else at stake. Something that would drag me along without even asking if I was ready.
END FLASHBACK
I woke up with a bitter taste in my mouth and feeling groggy. I still had the wedding dress on. I had been too weak to take it off the night before. The corset was tight, the fabric clung uncomfortably to my skin, and I got up with difficulty. Everything hurt, and when I looked in the bathroom mirror, I felt ashamed of myself.
My makeup was smeared, my hair was a mess, and my eyes were puffy. I looked like a parody of a bride… or rather, like a widow mourning something that never even lived.
Luckily, a maid came into the room to clean. She was speechless when she saw me sitting on the edge of the bed. She didn’t say anything, just quietly approached and helped me take off the dress. I gave her money without her asking for it. Not because she expected a tip, but to make sure she wouldn’t tell anyone I had spent my wedding night completely alone… and that my husband still hadn’t returned.
That afternoon, tired of watching movies I didn’t care about and trying to drown out thoughts I didn’t want to have, someone knocked on the door.
“Mrs. Moretti?” announced a man in a dark suit. “I’m Mr. Gael’s driver. I’m here to take you to your new home.”
I didn’t ask questions. I simply pointed to my suitcases, already packed from the night before, and followed him. Today was supposed to be the start of our honeymoon. But of course, he changed the plans without telling me.
The new house… no, the new prison… was bigger than I had imagined. The Moretti mansion was an architectural masterpiece, with endless gardens and ancient sculptures. It was clear his family had much more money than mine, and every corner screamed it. But luxury didn’t impress me. Not when I was being locked into a life I hadn’t chosen.
The staff welcomed me in a line, displaying almost theatrical politeness. They smiled, called me “ma’am,” and bowed. But their eyes… their eyes couldn’t hide the truth. They looked at me with that silent pity reserved for women who have been cast aside. That was my only title now. I was the abandoned wife.
One week later…
I put the final touches on the canvas with a mix of satisfaction and sorrow. I had painted a beautiful penguin, wings spread, with a melancholic gaze. Ironic. The only bird that doesn’t fly. That’s exactly how I felt.
Trapped in this mansion. Beautiful, yes. Enormous, too. But empty. A lifeless place.
Juana, the housekeeper, was the only one who interacted with me in a friendly way. She liked watching me paint and helped me turn one of the rooms into an improvised studio. She brought me hot tea, cookies, and sometimes pastries. She was the closest thing I had to a friend here.
I knew nothing about Gael. I hadn’t heard from him since the wedding night. I didn’t have his contact. I didn’t know who to call. I wasn’t even sure he would ever return.
My stomach growled. I had been so focused on painting that I forgot to eat. I went downstairs in my paint-stained overalls and my hair tied up in a messy ponytail.
And there he was. In the entryway.
Gael.
His face showed clear exhaustion, but when he saw me, his expression hardened. He greeted me coldly. He didn’t say a word. He just looked at me with those harsh eyes, as if my presence in his house annoyed him. I kept walking, ignoring him. I intended to make myself a snack and didn’t want him to see that he affected me. But his hand stopped me just as I passed by.
“We need to talk. Go to my office. I’ll be waiting there.”
“Who do you think you are to give me orders?” I wanted to say, but instead, I sent him a look of disdain and pulled my arm away without saying a word.
In the kitchen, I was boiling with rage. He disappears for a week and comes back as if nothing happened. Who does he think he is?
Juana, as always, helped me calm down. She had left a chocolate almond cake that smelled amazing. I served myself a generous slice. I didn’t know what conversation was coming, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t be pleasant. I needed some sugar. Emotional energy.
I took my time in the kitchen—it was my form of revenge. Maybe childish, but he deserved it. And when I finally entered the office, I found him with a somber expression.
Perfect. We were on the same page.
“I thought you wouldn’t come,” he said without looking at me.
“I was eating,” I replied bluntly. “What do you want?”
He settled into the chair as if preparing to tell me a secret.
“I’m going to tell you something that will change a lot of things.”
I frowned. I didn’t sit down. Arms crossed, I stared at him from the doorway.
“Bella has woken up.”
“What?” The word escaped my mouth without thinking. Time froze for a second.
“The day of our wedding. That’s why I left. She was at the hospital. They ran some tests. She’s stable… but she’ll need rehab to walk again.”
I felt the ground beneath my feet shift.
“And no one thought to tell me? You didn’t…?” I paused. “Well, I didn’t expect anything from you, but my parents? My mom? My dad? How could no one tell me?”
Gael held my gaze, expressionless.
“Bella asked for it that way. She said she wasn’t ready to see you.”
“What does that even mean? I’m her sister!”
“She knows we got married,” he added, his voice growing more tense. “And… she didn’t take it well.”
My anger exploded.
“What did you think I was going to do? Replace her and smile while everyone celebrates this lie? This was your idea! I didn’t steal anything from her. I’m in this mess too!”
“I know,” he replied in a low tone. “But if you go now, you’ll only make her more anxious. She’s still very fragile.”
“And now you get to decide for me? I don’t care what she thinks! She’s my sister!”
“Aurora,” he said more seriously. “I’m just asking you for a little calm. Let her recover first.”
I laughed bitterly. I had no tears left, but my heart felt shattered.
“Sure. Patience. As if I haven’t been enduring all of this alone for months.”
I turned toward the door, but before leaving, I said firmly:
“When Bella’s ready, I’ll go see her. Even if I have to break down that door.”
And I walked away without waiting for a response.