The Billionaire's Kidnapped Bride[English]

Chapter 1 Rory's heart felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces. The eight years she had dedicated to Anthony, the unwavering loyalty and trust she had give in him, all crumbled to dust when she caught him kissing Samira, the Alto family's adopted daughter. "Samira and Anthony are just friends! What's the drama? He's still going to marry you," her stepmother sneered, after slapping her across the face. Rory clenched her fist, her cheek burning. For three decades, she had reserved herself, refusing even a kiss from Anthony. Anthony used this as an excuse to her family and the Jihoos, claiming he had needs as a man that Rory couldn't fulfill. "Rory," Anthony said, grabbing her arm. "We're getting married next week. And about those pictures, they'll disappear eventually. You'll still be my wife. As for Samira, I was drunk and its just an accident. Can we just forget about it and stop crying?" He stroked her cheek, his voice laced with concern. He had no idea of the damage this had done to Rory. It wasn't just her trust and confidence that were shattered, but also her career. Fans were mocking her, questioning why a woman in her 30s, never kissed or touched, was involved with a man in his 20s who was cheating on her. She went back to the Alto mansion and declared her intention to cancel the wedding. As expected, her family, especially the Jihoos, refused. Anthony needed their support to secure the title of the next Balthazar head. "Anthony, do you really love me?" Rory asked, her voice trembling. Anthony's expression softened. "Of course I do, Rory. That's why we've been together for eight years, isn't it?" He swore his love for her, claiming she was the only woman he could see himself marrying. He embraced her, his arms tight around her. Samira, watching from the sidelines, her face contorted with a mixture of hatred and envy, could only seethe. Rory tried to salvage their relationship, to regain his trust. But five days before the wedding, she saw Anthony and Samira together again. This time, she was the one who caught them. In the dead of night, she saw Anthony leave his room. She followed him, ostensibly to get a glass of water, but her heart was pounding with a growing sense of dread. She found him in the garden, embracing a tearful Samira. "Samira, crying won't help. I told you we can't see each other anymore, I'm marrying Rory. You know my situation, right?" Anthony said, his voice laced with a forced calmness. Rory's fist clenched, her eyes fixed on Anthony. "Anthony, we've been childhood friends, you know me better than Rory. Why can't it be me?" Samira pleaded. Anthony pushed her away slightly, his voice sharp. "You're just the Alto family's adopted daughter. Rory, on the other hand, carries the Alto blood. All the Alto assets are in her name, and it will be a huge help for me to secure my position with the Balthazars. Samira, can you give me the Alto company?" Anthony's words pierced Rory's heart like shards of ice. "Samira, don't worry. Once I marry Rory and become chairman of the Alto company, I'll come back to you. I'll take you with our baby," Anthony promised, his voice dripping with a chillingly familiar charm. Rory's nails dug into her palms, her heart sinking with each word. Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision. The pain was overwhelming, a cocktail of betrayal, heartbreak, and confusion. Was it the fact that Anthony never loved her in those eight years? Was it his true motives for accepting the marriage proposal? Or was it the fact that Samira was pregnant, and Anthony was the father? Rory was drowning in a sea of emotions. She couldn't breathe. She turned and walked back into the mansion, the darkness of the night mirroring the darkness in her soul. She bumped into a suitcase, stumbling slightly. She leaned against the sofa, sinking to the floor. "Anthony, you bastard," she whispered, tears choking her voice. She was grateful for the darkness, the closed curtains shielding her from prying eyes. She sat on the floor, clutching her knees, her body wracked with sobs. She didn't bother going back to her room. Exhausted from crying, she fell asleep on the floor, her body curled into a fetal position. The next morning, the head maid, a woman who had always been kind to Rory, found her asleep on the sofa. "Young madam?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. Rory jolted awake, startled by the maid's presence. "Why did you sleep here, young madam?" the maid asked, her eyes filled with worry. She noticed the swelling around Rory's eyes, the telltale signs of a night spent crying. "I couldn't sleep last night, so I came down to get some fresh air," Rory lied, her voice strained. She stood up, claiming she needed to shower. She walked towards the stairs, her shoulders slumped. The head maid watched her go, shaking her head sadly. It was obvious Rory had been crying all night, and the master was nowhere to be found. "Madam," the head maid greeted the elder Balthazar. "Is Santi back?" she asked, her voice gruff. The maid confirmed that she had seen his car arriving from the airport earlier. "He must be resting in his room," she said, her voice hesitant. She wanted to tell the elder Balthazar about Rory, about the tear-stained face, the slumped shoulders, but she hesitated. If Rory married the second master, Anthony would become the head of the Balthazar family. She feared offending the Jihoo family and losing her job either she knew the elder Balthazar wouldn't be blind to the second master's schemes, his manipulations. The head maid felt a pang of sadness for Rory. She hoped God had a better plan for her, that her fate wouldn't be sealed in the hands of such a deceitful man.