Mrs Saberano or wife

PART 19 — BETRAYAL AND SHOCKING REVELATIONS

“The closer you get to the truth, the sharper the knives become.”

The day started like any other, deceptively calm.

I was reviewing documents in the library when Ashton returned unexpectedly, his expression unreadable, his steps measured and deliberate. Something in his eyes made my heart skip—not with love this time, but with apprehension.

“Malaiya,” he said, voice low, almost strained. “We need to talk.”

I set the papers aside, sensing the gravity of his tone. “What is it?”

He hesitated, and for the first time, I saw him falter. Then, finally, he spoke.

“There’s something I haven’t told you,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair. “Something about my family… and about the threats we’ve been facing.”

My chest tightened. “What is it?”

He took a deep breath. “Not everyone in the Soberano family wants this marriage to succeed. Some… never wanted you here. Some have been plotting against us for months, manipulating events behind the scenes. And…”

He swallowed, voice dropping. “I didn’t see it coming, and I should have. Someone close… betrayed me. Betrayed us.”

A cold wave of panic hit me. “Who?” I whispered.

He shook his head, frustration and grief mingling in his gaze. “I can’t say yet. Not until I know the full extent. But I promise you—no one hurts you. No one touches you. And anyone who tries… will regret it.”

I felt my knees weaken. The Soberano family… my family… the world I thought I understood… suddenly seemed full of shadows I hadn’t been ready to face.

I looked at Ashton, searching for some anchor, and found it. In his eyes, I saw the same unwavering protection, the same fire that had kept me safe from threats before. And in that moment, I realized something: no matter the betrayal, no matter the danger, we were in this together.

“I trust you,” I said, voice steadier than I felt. “Even if… even if the world is against us.”

He reached for my hand, gripping it tightly. “Good. Because I won’t fail you. Not now, not ever.”

The rest of the day was a blur of whispered phone calls, encrypted messages, and the weight of secrets revealed. We uncovered pieces of a puzzle that threatened to shake everything we had built, but through it all, Ashton remained my anchor, my protector, my constant.

That night, as the city lights twinkled below the estate, we sat together in silence. My head rested against his shoulder, his arm around me, and for the first time in hours, I felt a small measure of peace.

“Even in betrayal,” he murmured, voice almost tender, “I choose you. Always you.”

And I believed him. Not because the world was safe. Not because the threats had disappeared. But because love—real, unyielding love—could survive even the darkest of revelations.

In that fragile, quiet moment, I realized something terrifying and exhilarating: we weren’t just surviving anymore. We were preparing to fight… together.