Billionaire's Lies Free Preview

Benedict's icy glare felt like a winter storm, chilling Sabrina to her core. Her heart raced with a mix of fear and heartbreak as she faced him. He was Benedict Thompson, the only heir to the Thompson estates, a man known more for his wild ways than for his business brilliance. At a young age, he became a billionaire and led BMX Estates, a huge architectural firm. Now, he paced angrily in his family's luxurious living room, each step echoing the thick tension in the air.

"Last night, you seduced me," he spat, his voice sharp and filled with anger. "What trick did you use to make my mother force me into this marriage?"

Sabrina welled up with tears, trying to find the right words. She had never seen him like this; in pain and disbelief."I... I didn't trick you," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I've liked you since we were kids. That's all."

His harsh laugh cut through her, deepening his rage. "You think I would believe that? The wedding, everything-it's just a trap, isn't it?"

"I'm not acting, Benedict," she cried, her voice breaking. "I've loved you for so long. I could never do something like that."

He moved closer, the heat from his body mixing with the coldness of his words. "Love? Is that what this is? Pathetic."

"I'm telling you the truth. You got drunk last night, and I didn't want to cause you agony. Always, I have cared for you, though you could not see me," she pleaded.

Benedict rolled his eyes, filled with disdain. "I'll give you money for what happened. Name your price, and I'll pay you."

Each word felt like a dagger to her heart. "I don't need your money!" she cried, her voice shaking with a mix of desperation and heartbreak. Tears filled in her eyes and began running over her cheeks, as she poured out her feelings, "Why can't you believe me? Can't you see how much I care? This isn't about wealth or status for me; it's about us! I just want you to understand how deeply I love you!"

His bitter laugh echoed in the room. "Loved me? You think that means anything? I don't love you, Sabrina. I never have, and I never will."

The weight of his words hit her hard, making her feel small and helpless."Please, Benedict," she wailed, collapsing to her knees. "Tell me what I can do to make you love me ? I'll do anything."

His dark eyes looked down at her with contempt. "Even if you died, I still wouldn't love you. I wouldn't care at all. Remember that." He pulled out a bottle of wine, grabbed the cork with a forking noise, and showered it over her. The cold liquid drenched her hair and dress, mixing with her tears.

"Benedict, please-" she begged, but he stepped away, admiring his cruel act. "You are pathetic," he sneered. "I can't believe I am forced to marry someone as weak and miserable as you. desperate and dramatic." Sabrina barely got words through her tears. "I didn't ask any of this," she whispered. "I never wanted it to be this way." "Then walk away," he snapped, crossing his arms. "But you won't. This is what you've always wanted. Admit it." "No!" she cried, wiping the wine from her face. "I wanted you, Benedict. Not your money or your house. Just you." His laugh dripped with disbelief. "You're delusional. You're nothing to me, Sabrina. You'll never be anything to me." As he spoke, her final hope faded. She had sensed this moment was coming, but hearing his words felt like a brutal blow. It pierced through her heart, leaving her feeling hollow and aching with pain. "Benedict, I am sorry for making you feel this way" she whispered, her voice trembling, barely a breath escaping her lips. "Please... don't marry me out of hate. Don't make this worse."

"I have no choice," he growled, pulling her up harshly. "My mother has made that clear. But don't think for a second that this means you've won and you have succeeded! You haven't. You'll regret this!" Tears flowed freely as her world crumbled. "What have I done to deserve this?" she cried. "I just loved you."

"That's your problem," he said, pushing her away. "You loved someone who never cared for you. Now you'll pay the price."

With one last glare, Benedict stormed out, leaving her drenched and broken. Sinking to the floor, Sabrina let her sobs echo in the empty room. She had loved him her whole life, but now she understood: her love was not enough. Benedict had taken her heart and shattered it into pieces.

The next day came, though her feelings had been utterly smashed the night before, the wedding preparations continued on. Sabrina hardly recognised who peered back at her as she sat in the bride's suite: white, pale, tear-rimmed eyes, but still, a beautiful silken cloth hugged her body, soft curls framed her face.Her mother, Leila, entered and sat beside her. Her face etched with despair.

"Sabrina dear," she whispered softly, "do you really want to do this? You don't have to do this."

Sabrina shook her head. New tears formed in her eyes. "Mom, what am I suppose to do?" she whispered in a barely audible voice, her voice barely above a whisper, quivering with uncertainty. "I love him, but he.... He hates me."

The burden of her heart pressure weighed upon her chest so heavily that it became unbearable to breathe. She felt lost and scared, like standing at a crossroads with no signs guiding her.

Then her eyes questioned her mother to seek solace as well as find answers that seemed really too far and unattainable. She stood helpless in the midst of such a moment like this daughter, with a plea for some form of support against confusion and the pain that will sink within themselves.

"I just feel so broken," she added, barely above whisper in her voice.She took his hands in hers and began to massage them with her fingertips. "You want a better life than this, my love. You want someone to love you back."

Sabrina continued, speaking with her heavy voice, "I thought maybe. If I marry him, he will change. But he is angry and I do not know if I can fix it." But Leila could see the agony in Sabrina's eyes.

The pain in her heart for her daughter was overwhelming; she had to tell what she knew to her. "You cannot make someone love you," she whispered her. "No matter how much you want for someone."

She nodded; the words made her feel like carrying the weight of them on her shoulders. The fact is that, no matter what will happen, Benedict will never love her; this is something much harder to remember than the rest.Leila gently kissed her forehead. "Whatever you decide, I'll be here," she said softly. "You don't have to face this alone."

Sabrina smiled weakly, but it barely creased the centers of her face. "Thanks, Mom for being here with me all the time," she cried saying these words. "I don't know what to do without you."The final hour was coming to an end.

The door opened and Teresa Thompson stood in it, looking elegant in her gown, stern but compassionate as she came to Sabrina."I know my son can be tough," Teresa said, her voice softer than usual. "But he will do what's right."Sabrina met her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if I don't want him to marry me out of obligation?And then it's that Teresa lightly puts her hand on Sabrina's shoulder as she says, "Then you have to find the strength of will for the right decision, Sabrina, because a marriage in vain will bring nothing but more pain."

Sabrina nodded; her heart felt the burden of the coming days. She could not, no matter how much she was in love with Benedict, make him love her back. And she was scared of her inability to spend the entirety of her life with him as he was.As the last minutes of her life bled away, she decided. Her dark gown cascaded to the floor like a curtain. She walked towards the door. This wasn't exactly how she had always imagined the end of a fairytale in her head. Nonetheless, it was time to face facts: what her love cost her.

The Wedding day..

A sunbeam danced through the tall windows of the Thompson mansion, casting a warm, golden glow over the expanse of the elegantly decorated ballroom. The soft laughter, conversation, and sweet fragrance of roses and lilies combined in the gaiety of people mingling there. She stood before the mirror, and staring back at her was a figure that was beyond recognition to herself. The delicate lace of the wedding gown fitted her frame with perfection, and her hair cascaded down in soft curls, so elegantly touched with tiny pearls. Hidden under the layers of silk and lace, she could feel her heart heaved up with pain.

"Are you ready, Sabrina," declared her mother Leila, standing in the doorway, bright smile on her face, assuring a sense of warmth to her voice that snapped Sabrina back to reality forcing her to put up similarly bright smile.

"Of course, Mom," Sabrina said, her voice trembling a little. "I just-"

"You just need to remember that this is a beautiful day," Leila interjected, smoothing her hand across the nape of Sabrina's neck. "You're marrying Benedict. He's a wonderful man."

Sabrina looked down at her hands, twisting them nervously. "I know, but.it's just so sudden. We've been friends for so long,and now he hated me, mom but this."

"Sweetheart, I understand you but he needs to take responsibility what he did to you," Leila said softly. "You two will learn to love one another. It takes time."

Despite nodding, doubts plagued her mind. Sabrina had always fantasized about a love that would drive her heartbeat and paint the world in bright colors. Her childhood sweetheart and first boyfriend, Benedict Thompson, had lost touch lately-a shadow of the boy she used to share intimate secrets with. He is this ideally, stunning handsome yet arrogant billionaire, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of BMX Estates, one of the largest architectural firms in California.

As the music began, Sabrina took her breath and started to walk down the aisle, her heart pounding out beats of anticipation. She saw him, Benedict, in a tailored black suit, standing at the altar, every inch dashing yet intimidatingly aloof. An unreadable mask, a face that hid what he might have felt inside.

She held his eyes for a fleeting instant when it flared again, warmer and softer, but it had vanished when he lowered his gaze to brood over the crowd. Her belly began to knot.

The ceremony had flowed by like a watercolour left to sit in the rain. Words were spoken, vows exchanged, but Sabrina felt as though she were in a dream-one where the man she loved didn't really want her. She struggled, pretending to feel something in his praise as they were pronounced husband and wife, but all he did was nod curtly.Later, at the reception, she caught glimpses of him at a socializing circle of friends: his hand extended with a champagne glass in it; the glint of his teeth when he laughed.

He looked alive, interested, but far from her.

"Is everything alright, dear?"

Leila asked, cluing into Sabrina's dazed look."It's just... I thought we'd be happier," Sabrina whispered almost inaudibly.

"Arranged marriages aren't easy to begin with," Leila replied, attempting to sound reassuring. "But trust me, with time, you will do better. You have a good foundation. Focus on that."But as the night progressed, all hope was drained out of her. Now, the very place where she once danced blissfully had turned to be a playground for Benedict to exhibit his apathy. He danced with gusto, laughing and flirting with other girls. Every chime and twirl came to take a knife from the heart."Benedict, will you dance with me?" she finally gathered the courage to ask him when approaching him who was guffawing with some of his friends.He looked at her, and for a moment, his eyes opened wide in surprise, but then his impassivity came back over them. "No, I have no time for this," he said coldly, and turned back to the group.

Dumbstruck, Sabrina stood there for a moment before turning away to the side. She was crying. It wasn't supposed to be and what she hoped for.

Sabrina's chest tightened. " No, I have no time for this. "The words echoed in her mind, cruel and dismissing. A lump rose in her throat as she fought to keep the tears from spilling out. She had hoped tonight would be different-that maybe, just maybe, he'd remember the boy he once was, the one who'd held her hand, making her feel the most important person in the world.But that was a boy, long gone, replaced by the man standing before her now - a man who looked right through her.She took one step back, falling once again into the shadows where no one could see the cracks beginning to form in her heart. Not like this. That was not supposed to be.But her mind was screaming at her to flee, run away from the ballroom, from the life she was harnessed to with Benedict. Her heart still clung to the hope that somewhere beneath his icy exterior lay the man she had loved long ago as a child.

Locked with fury in her eyes, Teresa gripped Benedict's arm tightly with her fingernails digging deep into his skin. He was in the middle of an idle conversation with his friends, and the force of his mother's yank thrust him back into harsh reality. The smile dropped off his face, replaced by irritation.

"Turn around now and go back to Sabrina!" Teresa hissed to his face, her voice low but full of a venom that brought him up short. "This is your wedding! You're supposed to be with your wife, not out here screwing like some irresponsible idiot! Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is? How much shame you're bringing to our family?fix this Now!"

She snapped her eyes to his with a warning so sharp he felt a jolt of anger-cum-tethers him to the moment. She wasn't letting this slide past. She gave one last withering glare to ensure the point had been wholly impressed, then turned and stormed off, heels clicking impatiently on the marble floor.Benedict clenched his teeth, pinioned and suffocating under the unrelenting grasp of his mother's control. He had not asked for anything of this, certainly not the marriage. His heart was pounding with frustration as he stood there, the weight of her words a cage hanging over him.

With a heavy sigh, he shoved his hands into deep pockets and trudged back toward the grand hall where Sabrina sat waiting for him. His steps dragged, as if less of an inclination than any other to continue, each one boiling up into resentful bubbles he could hardly keep from bursting. When he entered, he saw her immediately. Sabrina was sitting alone, her shoulders hunched, tears streaming down her face as she tried to hide her sobs.It irritated him even further. Always crying, he thought with bitterness. It was as if everything in her irritated him: her softness, her vulnerability, and her constant pleading for his affection.Benedict strode toward her, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent room. He yanked her hand out, making her raise her eyes up to him. His grip was harsh; his touch in no way gentle.

"You're such a drama queen," he spat, his voice sprinkled with savage sarcasm. "You got my mom to stand for you! Can't even stop crying for one second?Sabrina gazed at him with her wet eyes, hurt etched on her face. But Benedict did not feel anything for that. As anger had flared into a fire in his bosom, he was bent upon letting it out.

"Actually, I hate you," he went on, as sharp as the blade of a knife with his words. "I never want to be around you. It disgusts me to the bone!Sabrina winced at what he said. Her lip was shaking, and she made a valiant effort to contain her sobs.

"B-Benedict, I-""Don't," he cut in, his eyes blazing with wrath. "Don't try to talk your way out of this. You think I didn't notice the way you played my mother? The way you play the victim all of your life?"

"I never-" Sabrina started, her voice little more than a whisper, but Benedict's rage blotted it out."You never what?" he sneered, his breath cold as he pulled in close until their faces were only inches apart.

"You never tried to snare me? Never engineered tears to make everyone pity you? Spare me. I am sick of it. Sick of you."

It was like all he said was a broken vase, and into the million pieces she fell. Sabrina had never in her wildest dreams imagined to ever be the one who could trap him. She wanted all this for nothing: only his love. And yet now the dream took life, it seemed impossible to hold onto.

"I love you, Benedict," she whispered softly, her voice laced with tears."Love?" he sneered, casting her hand away from him as if it burned him.

"That's not love, Sabrina. It's obsession. And I don't want any part of it."Her chest strained beneath her heaving breaths as his words washed over her cruelly. She tried holding back the tears that fell regardless. There was nothing she could do but to sit there, broken and devastated.

"You're pathetic," Benedict whispered, his tone ice-cold, as he looked down at her, offering her no comfort whatsoever. "And nothing in all the crying you do is going to change how I feel.

There was a freeze in his gaze as he stood over Sabrina, arms crossed in disdain. She wiped at the tears streaking down her cheeks, trying to compose herself. Her makeup was smeared and streaked; it said more than any words could that she'd been crying. He let out an irritated sigh.

"Get yourself together," Benedict snapped, his voice low but dripping with impatience. "Let my mom see you in this condition, and she'll start giving me the side-eye again. I don't need another lecture on how I'm not treating you right either."

She winced at the words but nodded soundlessly, half-supporting herself on her legs as she walked to the rest room. Her hands could shake as she reapplied some makeup in front of the mirror, but no amount of trying would help mask that burning sorrow that poured from behind her eyes.As she exited, Benedict was standing right beside the door, expressionless on his face. No word was spoken to her; he simply stood there until she composed herself enough so she could venture out into the world again. Just as she stretched her hand out towards him, the event coordinator popped out and proceeded with a bright gleam on his face to make some sort of announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let us welcome the newlyweds on to the dance floor!" echoed the coordinator in a cheerful, bantering tone of voice, without paying the slightest attention to the thick tension in the air.

Within this chorus of whispering applause, people looked toward the newlyweds. Sabrina could feel her heart racing. She hated this moment-nearly dreading to once again endure Benedict's icy touch, pretend everything is perfect, and to appear perfectly for the sake of appearances, this perfect bride.Benedict came closer to her. His jaw clenched. He caught her hand, not softly but hard enough to make Sabrina flinch. They moved through to the center of the hall. He leaned in, his warm breath on her ear, hissing out his words for her alone.

"Are you happy now?" he sneered, dripping the venom. "You have everything you wanted, didn't you?"

Sabrina's lips tremble but never utter a word. She's in a trap, like a bird trapped with a closed cage. The music played very softly as they move to the center of the dance floor. Everyone around them awaits that romantic moment to come.But there was nothing romantic in the touch of Benedict. His fingers were cold and remote as he pulled her into a slow, practiced dance. Every step was laborious, unfeeling.He leaned in again, speaking in a voice little above a whisper but cruel.

"You will never have my love. Remember that always," he spat, cutting into her like a knife.

"I'll make sure you wish you had never spent a single second on this."While Sabrina's heart bled at his words, she still had her composure to continue following the rhythm of the music. Her legs felt as though they would give way beneath her. Her hands shook so much that she grasped the arms; she knew that every eye in the room was on them.With her eyes brimming with tears she hadn't dared to weep, she lifted her head to his.

"I never wanted it this way, Benedict," she whispered tremulously.He said nothing, but his grip around her waist tightened into a very direct indication that they should continue the farce for the sake of their guests.The song continued: soft and sweet, the opposite to what they had been in each other's throats about. As the music built up, Sabrina's heart broke a little more with every step. To everyone watching them, they appeared as the perfect couple. But beneath all this, there was nothing but a breakdown of heart and hostility.With the ending of the song, Benedict quickly came out from under the disguise. He posed for the crowd with a spurious grin on his face. Sabrina, however could hardly hold the tears leaking once more back.

"Let's give a round of applause for the happy couple!" cried out the event planner, while everyone in the room gave them their accolades, not realizing the storm between them.

The minute the clapping began, Benedict let go of her hand and stepped back as if the very sight of her disgusted him. Without so much as casting a look over his shoulder, he turned and started walking away from Sabrina, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the dance floor-she had no one to respond to amidst the hundreds of people surrounding her.She stood there with the feeling of the crushing weight of the moment. She had dreamed this day for so long, imagining it would be all love and happiness. Now, in reality, it seemed like a nightmare. Every moment dragged on, suffocating her with despair, as if time itself had conspired against her. Her heart ached with the weight of lost hopes, and she wished desperately for it all to be over.

As the applause subsided and guests resumed their own conversations, Benedict didn't hesitate to pull Sabrina aside. The phony smile he'd donned during their dance was gone within an instant, exchanged for a look of icy indifference. They stepped out of the ballroom, away from the crowd, and into a quiet corner of the reception hall. No warning, of course-just leaned and caught her by the arm, his fingers digging into her skin as he turned her to face him.

"You succeeded," Benedict spat, voice low but full of venom. "You managed to marry me, but don't for one second believe you'll ever have my heart.".

She felt her eyes grow wide with the bitterness in his tone. Now she knew that he did not love her. But this was different-he said it all. On their wedding day, too. A sick feeling was in her belly as tears threatened to well up inside her once again. She bit down hard on her lip and kept them from falling.

"I don't love you," he continued, his eyes dark and unfeeling. "And I will never love you.".

Each word was like a hammer coming down, crushing her into little pieces. She had always dreamed of these moments her whole life. She had imagined how it would be when marrying her childhood sweetheart. But this. this is a nightmare. Sabrina couldn't look up. She kept her head down, the tight chest squeezing the pain through her as she tried to hold onto her tears. She couldn't breathe. Tears fell hard beneath her eyelids; she couldn't hide them anymore. She did not want to cry in front of him, didn't want to give him an opportunity to see the depth he was speaking, but it was too much pain.Save your tears," Benedict sneered, watching her as she wept with contempt.

"They won't change a thing.". Having said that, he let go of her arm and walked away while Sabrina stood there, broken and alone.

The laughter and feasting from the reception of the wedding echoed in the background-an irony of the emptiness inside. This was a day when she should have seen happiness; it was the day she let go of her heart-the damage the result for destruction. After the ceremony, Benedict could hardly stay until he carried out the obligatory greetings. Just after the reception ended, he simply got up and left without a word from the house. Sabrina did not know where he was headed, but she knew better than to ask. She stood in the hollow mansion, still dressed in her wedding dress, and around her, silence was a crushing thing. The weight of all that had befallen her that day seemed to press upon her breathing.

She was a ghost in her house, forgotten and deserted.It was some hours since Sabrina had removed her dress to put on an easy nightgown. She sat beside the window, glancing outside into a night that seemed darker than anything before. How had it all gone so wrong? She had married for love and yet he hated her. What had she expected? That man to wake up one morning and, just because they were saying 'I do', suddenly fall in love with her? She knew Benedict was cruel, but the coldness in his eyes earlier was the worst of it.How long did the night drag on before he returned?No response.It wasn't until early morning hours when she heard the slamming of the front door that Sabrina's heart had racing. Her mind, immediately in discredit, fixed on Benedict. She quickly got up and rushed downstairs and found him staggering into the living room, reeking of booze.He was drunk.Benedict's eyes bloodshot, his feet unsteady as he kicked off his shoes and slumped onto the couch. Sabrina stood there a beat of hesitation then, watching him from the doorway, unsure what to do.

" Benedict?" she called softly into the room, stepping in. "Look at this, look at that," he slurred, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "My lovely wife. Aren't you just the picture of perfection?"Sabrina swallowed hard.

Her heart felt a dull ache to see him like this. He wasn't the Benedict she had once adored. The man in front of her now was bitter and cruel and broken.

"Don't you ever touch me!" he bellowed at her in fury, jerking his arm free from her reach when she had instinctively gone out to steady him. "I don't need your fucking help!"

She winced at the bruskness of his voice.The waves of tears started flowing over her again. It was as if every word was a thorn that pierced through her soul, laced with unkindness. "I only want to-"

"What?Take care of me?" Benedict cut in, his voice dripping with disgust. "You think you have the right now to mother me because we are married? You do not own me, Sabrina. You never will."

Sabrina clamped her mouth shut to keep the tears at bay once more. "I'm not trying to own you, Benedict. I'm just-"

"Just what?" he cut her off again, rising unsteadily to his feet and glaring down at her. "You think just because we are married now, everything's going to be all right? That I'm going to forget how you conned me into this?"

"I didn't trick you," Sabrina said softly, her voice shaking. "I have loved you for years, Benedict. All I have ever wanted is to be with you."

He laughed harshly, the sound cruel and mocking. "Loved me? You don't even know me, Sabrina. You fell in love with some fantasy, but I'm not that man. I will never be that man."

"I know who you are," she whispered - low and, for the first time, shaking with tears. Every tear felt like a release, carrying the burden of her heartache as well as the truth she could no longer hide. "And I still love you."

Benedict's eyes pinched together. His whole face rearranged into angry lines. "Well, I don't love you," he said, his voice spiky and serrated. "And I never will. So stop this pathetic fantasy you've built up in your head."

Sabrina's heart shuddered at his words, but she found her courage. "I don't expect you to love me right away," she whispered above a whisper. "But can't we at least try?"

"Try?" Benedict sneered, stumbling a little as he drew closer to her. "There's nothing to try, Sabrina. This marriage means nothing to me."

He moved closer still, so close that his face was inches from hers, and for an instant, Sabrina thought he might relent.

Then his mouth hardened into a harsh line, and the next words were a slap in the face.

"You'll never have my heart, Sabrina," he told her harshly. "And the sooner you realize that, the better."

Sabrina's chest compressed, her breathing instantaneously slowing. She looked up at him. She knew this man once, this stranger who'd held her love in his arms for so long. She'd hoped-prayed-maybe things'll get better after the wedding. But now she knew. This is her life now. A marriage built on pain and rejection.Without a word, Benedict turned and stumbled up the stairs.Sabrina watched him walk down the hall, her face wet with tears, her heart splintered to bits. She knew one thing: she was completely and utterly alone.

Sabrina stood as a statue in the dim lit hall, her heart a racing and tears flowing ceaselessly down her cheeks. His curt words kept ringing in her ear; each syllable in his speech a burning hole reminding her of the schism between them. She slapped her hands on her chest, trying to hold herself inside.

"I will never have his heart," she whispered to herself, feeling the weight of his rejection settle heavily on her shoulders. "What did I expect? That love would conquer all?"

That reality struck her like a chilly wave. The man with whom she had wished to spend all of life had just crushed all those hopes into pieces with a few brutal words. Wiping away tears, she heard the approach of footsteps.

It was Teresa-the mother-in-law-whose expression seemed both full of concern and disappointment. "Sabrina? Okay?"

Sabrina smiled, though it felt like shards of glass were lodged in her throat. "I'm fine, just. tired."

Teresa narrowed her eyes. She didn't believe it. "You don't look fine. Where's Benedict?"

"He's upstairs," Sabrina said, her voice shaking a little. "I think he needs some time alone."

"Time alone?" Teresa repeated, furrowing her brows. "It's your wedding night, for goodness' sake! You should be together. I swear, that boy is impossible.".

"It's not his fault," Sabrina said, biting her lip in an attempt to still her trembling. "I... I just need to give him space."

With a gentle but firm hand, Teresa touched her arm. "Sweetheart, I know this is tough for both of you.But you have to stand your ground. Benedict can be stubborn, but he needs you now more than ever. Don't let him push you away.".

She nodded, feeling the support her mother-in-law gave her was just what she needed, but her heart still was achy with doubt. "What if he doesn't want me? What if I am just a burden to him?"

Teresa shook her head vigorously. "You are not a burden! You are his wife, and that means something. You can't give up on him, not now.".

As Teresa spoke, a ray of hope flickered to life inside Sabrina, but was doused by the word from Benedict: "I will never love you, never give you my heart."

"Perhaps I just need to accept it," Sabrina whispered, ducking her head and watching her toes. "Maybe I'm just a foolish girl holding onto a dream believing he will love me someday."

"No! Don't say that sweetheart," Teresa insisted, her voice rising with passion."You're in love with him and the world needs to see this. You have to fight your love, no matter the impossibility of it; love is not just about what makes you feel good - it's about the hard times for you both."

Sabrina took a deep breath, feeling the warm words of Teresa wrap around her like a comforting blanket. "But what if he just hates me?" she asked.

"He doesn't hate you, Sabrina. He's just scared and confused. You both are. It's big change for him. Let him process his feelings, and just be there with him. Eventually, he will come around. Trust me.".

With a flicker of determination sparking in her chest, Sabrina nodded. "You're right," she said. "I can't give up on him."

"That's good,cheer up sweetheart," Teresa said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Now, go find him. He needs you.".

Stepping up to the stairs after the last deep breath, with her heart beating hard against her chest, Sabrina walked up the stairs full of thoughts racing with what she had to say to Benedict. When she reached the top landing, she stepped outside their bedroom door and waited, resting her hand against the doorknob in hesitation.

"You can do this," she whispered inside of herself, building up more and more courage, as if she were preparing to have a very honest talk with him.

She slowly rotated the knob and went into the room. Dim single-lamp light illuminated a space. Benedict sat on the edge of the bed back to her, his stiff shoulders.

"Benedict?" she called out gently, her voice just a shade above a whisper.

Benedict turned a bit but did not look to her. "What do you want, Sabrina?" The voice was flat, absolutely without emotion.

"I want to talk," she said, slowly stepping forward. "Please can we talk?" he asked with a note of annoyance, "What's there to discuss?" he asked sharply, "I said what needed to be said. You know where I stand.".

Her heart sank, though, at the biting quality of his words, so she pressed on. "I know you're upset. I get that this isn't what you wanted. But I love you, and I want a chance to show you."

He finally turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "You think your love is enough to change how I feel? It's not. You don't know the first thing about what I want."

"Then tell me!" Sabrina begged desperately, wanting so much to reach him. "Help me understand. Please, I just want to help you.".

He rose, anger in his eyes, his boiling well nearly overflowing. "Help me? You think you can help me? You made everything worse! You dragged me into this mess and then want to act as though everything is going to be all right?"

"I haven't forced you!" she wept, her voice splintering. "I love you! I've loved you always! I thought... I thought that maybe we could do it, that maybe we could have a life together."

"Happy?" Benedict laughed harshly, cutting through her. "How can I be happy with you standing there acting like everything is all right? Well, it's not all right. I can't just pretend I'm good with this!"

Sabrina stepped back with the sting of his words: "I know it's hard, but we can figure it out together, Benedict. I am for you."

"Stop acting as if you care!"he yelled, his voice slamming off the walls. "You didn't know what it is to be trapped in the situation like this; Nobody knew the pressure I had to go through."

"I know enough!" she shot back, her voice fierce. "I can see that you're in pain, and I understand that you're really scared right now."

For a moment, Benedict softened his expression, and Sabrina could see the fight within him. But he rapidly hardened his gaze again. "You think I wanted to be here? You think this is what I wanted for my life?"

"No, but..." she hesitated, searching for the right words. "But we can change things. We can work through this together. Please don't shut me out.

And he moved closer to her, looming over her. His low voice was menacing. "Even if we 'work through it,' I'll never love you. Never. So stop pretending like we can make this a fairy tale."

The pain in his words cut deeper than any knife. Sabrina's breath hitched, and she looked away, forcing herself to calm down. "I'm not playing games," she said softly. "I just want a chance to show you how much I care."

"Caring doesn't change anything, Sabrina," he spat. "You'll always be a reminder of what I never wanted. Just... just leave me alone.".

She felt hollow in the bones, and his words left an unshakeable finality to them. "You can't just push me away, Benedict. I won't let you."

"Why?" he sneered at her, his eyes burning bright. "What are you hoping to gain? A pity party? A chance to play the victim? Because I'm not interested.".

"I am not a victim," she said, her heart thudding. "I am your wife. I have chosen you, and no matter what it takes to get this right, I want it.".

He snorted, shook his head. "Do you think this matters to me? This marriage means nothing. You're just a means to an end."

It hurt his words, but she refused to give in. "If that's how you feel, why did you marry me? Why go through with it if you're so unhappy?"

"Because I didn't have a choice!" he roared, his anger spilling over. "You don't understand what's at stake! You don't know the pressure I'm under!"

"Then let me in!" Sabrina pleaded on her knees, sob. "Stop shutting me out. I want to be there for you!"

He squeezed his eyes shut for the briefest of moments before he wrestled his words out. "You don't understand, do you? It's easier to be alone instead of relying on someone that can never be what you need."

Maybe I can be what you need! Sabrina exclaimed, reaching out and stepping closer to him, desperation evident in her voice. Maybe all you need is time to see that I am here for you. I'm not going anywhere, Benedict. I love you.

He finally looked at her, really looked at her, and for a moment, she saw a flicker of fear and vulnerability beneath his anger. But in an instant, he turned away, frustration etched on his face.

"Love doesn't solve everything, Sabrina. It doesn't fix the mess we're in. You have no idea what you're asking for."

"Then make me understand," she breathed, her voice shaking. "Help me help you."

There was silence between them, heavy and choking. And finally, Benedict turned toward her, his hardness just a little softer in the eyes. "I don't know if I can let you in," he said low and uncertainly.

"Then let me show you," she pressed forward. "Let me in, just a little bit. Please."

The raw sincerity of her plea hung there, and for an instant it was almost as if he were going to yield. He then jerked his head away again, and defiance set upon his face once more. "I cannot, Sabrina. I will not."

And turning, walked off from her as though having just lost the greatest fight of her life.