He Owned the World, But Not My HeartChapter 1
Anastasia's POV
I was about to walk down the aisle—and the man I had been emotionally tied to for eight long years had no idea it was happening.
Recently, Leonardo had hardly been home. His attention had shifted almost entirely to his new executive secretary, Camila—an ambitious woman he’d personally hired only a few months ago. From the moment she entered the company, they clicked with unsettling ease. Their voices carried through the glass corridors of the penthouse office floor, laughter bouncing off marble walls like I wasn’t even there.
When her birthday came around, Leonardo spared no expense. He ordered a towering, multi-tiered moonflower-infused cake, fully aware that I was dangerously allergic to moonflower essence. He’d known that for years. Still, during the celebration, the two of them fed each other frosting, smearing cream on cheeks and fingers, caught up in their own world while I stood off to the side—unseen, unacknowledged.
The moment the scent reached me, my chest tightened violently. My breathing grew shallow, panic clawing its way up my throat. I tried to steady myself, but dizziness took over. The room spun, and the last thing I remembered was collapsing to the floor as the music kept playing.
I woke up hours later in a private medical suite, an IV in my arm and a familiar ache spreading through my chest—this time not physical. It was there, staring at the ceiling, that I finally gave my answer to the marriage arrangement my family had proposed years ago.
Yes.
My mother moved fast, as she always did. The moment I returned to my apartment and unlocked the door, my phone began vibrating nonstop. Message after message poured in—venues, designers, guest lists, timelines. A wedding, fully set in motion.
I scrolled until I reached her last text.
I always suspected Leonardo was never truly meant for you. If he had wanted to marry you, he wouldn’t have dragged his feet for eight years. You still have time, Anastasia. Everything is already prepared.
Another message followed almost immediately.
The ceremony will be held in three days. Pack lightly—there’s no reason to overthink it.
The clarity was almost cruel in its simplicity. While I had been holding onto Leonardo’s vague reassurances and half-spoken promises, everyone else had already accepted what I refused to face: he was never going to choose me.