Secret Rivals

The golden afternoon sun poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Royal Calisigno Hotel, bathing the luxurious suite in a warm glow. Crystal chandeliers sparkled above expensive furniture, while the faint scent of roses drifted through the room from a fresh bouquet resting on the coffee table.

To anyone outside, the suite looked peaceful.

Inside, it was anything but.

Pula stood a few steps away from the king-sized bed, her arms folded tightly across her chest as if trying to shield herself from the man standing before her. Her breathing was uneven, and her eyes refused to meet his.

Adriel slowly closed the distance between them.

"Pula..." he said softly.

She immediately stepped backward.

"Please don't."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You've been avoiding me for weeks."

"I've been protecting myself," she replied quietly.

Silence settled between them.

Finally, Adriel reached for her hand.

"Pula, look at me."

Reluctantly, she lifted her eyes.

They were filled with fear... and heartbreak.

"Mr. Adriel," she whispered, "you can't possibly ask me to do this. It's wrong."

He frowned.

"It's not wrong."

"It is."

She swallowed hard before continuing.

"How would your wife feel if she knew you brought me here?"

The question lingered in the air.

Adriel let out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it.

"You still don't understand."

He gently rested his hands on her shoulders.

"Susanne isn't my legal wife."

Pula stared at him in disbelief.

"How can you say that?"

"You know the truth."

"No, I don't."

"You do."

She shook her head.

"I saw you exchange rings with her during your engagement celebration."

Adriel closed his eyes briefly.

"Things aren't as simple as they seem."

"They're simple enough for everyone else."

His expression hardened.

"Pula..."

"No."

She stepped away again.

"I don't want to become the reason your family falls apart."

"You won't."

"I already am."

Her voice cracked.

"I respect Mrs. Susanne too much."

Adriel walked closer until only a few inches separated them.

"You don't have to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid."

"Then why are you shaking?"

She looked down at her trembling hands.

"I... I don't want to hurt anyone."

His voice softened.

"I promise I'll make everything right."

She slowly lifted her head.

"You always say that."

"Because I mean it."

"You also tell me you love me."

"I do."

"Then let me go."

For the first time, Adriel hesitated.

The silence felt heavy.

Outside, a car horn echoed from the busy streets below.

Inside the room, Pula's heartbeat seemed louder than everything else.

She tried to move past him.

He blocked her path.

"Please."

She shook her head.

"I can't."

"You can."

"No."

"You have to."

Pula's breathing quickened.

"This isn't love anymore."

Adriel reached for her wrist.

"Pula—"

She pulled away.

"Please stop."

"I can't lose you."

"You never had me."

The words struck him harder than he expected.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then his desperation overcame his judgment.

He refused to let her leave.

Pula pleaded with him to stop, but her words fell on deaf ears. The struggle that followed shattered the trust she had once placed in him. When it was over, the room felt painfully silent.

Pula sat motionless on the edge of the bed, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. She couldn't bring herself to look at him.

Adriel stood several feet away, breathing heavily.

Reality finally settled over him.

His face drained of color.

"Pula..."

She didn't answer.

"I'm..."

He couldn't finish the sentence.

There were no words capable of repairing what had just been broken.

Without looking back, Pula picked up her handbag and walked toward the door.

Her steps were slow.

Unsteady.

Each one felt heavier than the last.

Before leaving, she paused.

"I hope one day," she whispered, "you understand what you've taken from me."

Then she left.

The door clicked shut behind her.

Adriel remained frozen in the middle of the room, staring at the closed door as guilt began creeping into his heart.

Later That Afternoon

The Calisigno Mansion

Several kilometers away, life carried on as though nothing had happened.

The elegant Calisigno Mansion overlooked acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. Marble fountains shimmered beneath the afternoon sunlight while servants moved quietly from one room to another.

In the dining room, Susanne sat comfortably in a cream-colored chair, holding a delicate china cup filled with freshly brewed coffee.

Despite her graceful appearance, something felt unusual today.

She couldn't explain it.

She simply felt...

Restless.

Standing beside her was Morissa, the family's longtime nanny and trusted servant, balancing a silver tray neatly in her hands.

Susanne took another sip of coffee before looking up.

"Morissa."

"Yes, madam?"

"Have you seen my husband today?"

Morissa thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"No, Madam Susanne."

"You haven't?"

"No."

Susanne frowned slightly.

"That's strange."

"He may have gone to the office."

"Without telling me?"

Morissa offered a polite smile.

"Perhaps he had an urgent meeting."

Susanne nodded slowly, but the explanation failed to calm her.

Adriel never disappeared without saying something.

Never.

She placed her cup on the table.

"Did anyone call for him this morning?"

"I don't believe so."

Susanne leaned back in her chair.

A strange uneasiness settled deep inside her chest.

She couldn't explain why.

It was almost as though her heart was trying to warn her that somewhere, beyond the walls of her beautiful mansion...

Something had gone terribly wrong.

Pula stepped out of the Calisigno Hotel with trembling legs. The bright afternoon sun felt strangely cold against her skin, and the laughter of people walking along the busy street seemed to belong to another world.

Cars passed by, horns blaring, vendors called out to customers, and life continued as though nothing had happened.

She hugged herself tightly and hurried toward the roadside, trying to stop the tears threatening to spill again.

Her phone vibrated inside her handbag.

Alma Calling...

Pula stared at the screen until it stopped ringing.

A few seconds later, another notification appeared.

Alma: Where are you? I've been trying to reach you since morning.

Pula closed her eyes.

She wanted to answer.

She wanted to tell someone.

But the words refused to come.

She slipped the phone back into her bag and boarded a taxi.

"Where to, madam?" the driver asked.

Pula hesitated before giving him her address.

The journey felt endless.

She rested her forehead against the window, watching the city blur past. Every passing building reminded her of the hotel. Every reflection in the glass reminded her of the frightened woman she had become.

"How did everything go so wrong?" she wondered.

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Adriel remained in the suite long after Pula had left.

The silence was unbearable.

He looked around the room as though seeing it for the first time. The untouched lunch on the dining table had gone cold. One of the wine glasses had tipped over, leaving a dark stain across the white tablecloth.

His eyes settled on the door.

She was gone.

For the first time that afternoon, fear settled into his heart.

He reached for his phone.

His thumb hovered over Pula's name.

He called.

No answer.

He called again.

Still nothing.

He lowered the phone and whispered to himself,

"What have I done?"

At the Calisigno Mansion, Susanne stood by the large living-room window overlooking the gardens.

Something didn't feel right.

She had called Adriel twice.

Both calls had gone unanswered.

"That's unlike him," she murmured.

Morissa approached quietly.

"Madam, lunch is ready."

"I'm not hungry."

Morissa hesitated.

"Would you like me to call Mr. Adriel's office?"

Susanne turned slowly.

"Yes."

A few minutes later, Morissa returned.

"Madam..."

"Well?"

"They said Mr. Adriel never came to the office today."

The room fell silent.

Susanne's expression changed almost instantly.

"If he isn't at the office..."

She didn't finish the sentence.

Instead, she picked up her handbag and car keys.

"I'm going out."

"Should I prepare the driver?"

"No."

"I'll drive myself."

As she walked toward the front door, an uneasy feeling tightened in her chest.

Somewhere, instinct was telling her that the truth she was about to uncover would change everything.

And for the first time in years...

Susanne was afraid.