My Comatose Bridegroom

The corridors of the Wilde Villa were cloaked in shadows as Aurelia Sterling trod cautiously behind the butler, Dorian Grey.

Her delicate dress contrasted starkly with her pale, tender skin, and her fine features seemed at odds with the grim villa.

"Ms. Sterling, being medically trained, you should know how to care for a patient..."

"But I'm an obstetrician..."

Her reply was automatic, but as she caught sight of Dorian's scrutinizing gaze, her voice trailed off, and she continued to follow him with trepidation.

Dorian's steps abruptly halted.

Aurelia looked up to find herself facing the gaping entrance to a vast room as if standing at the mouth of an abyss ready to devour her whole.

Unease whispered through her.

Dorian's voice, cold as the hallway's gloom, pierced the silence. "Today marks your wedding night with Mr. Wilde. I trust you'll take good care of him."

"Wedding night?!" Aurelia gasped, stunned.

Before she could process the reality, she was pushed into the room, and the door slammed shut behind her with a resounding thud.

Inside, her heart beat in panic, and she lunged at the door, pounding it desperately.

"Isn't there some mistake? I came here to attend to Mr. Wilde, not to marry him. Cressida is his fiancée, not me!"

Her explanations were pointless. The door remained unyielding. Instead, the sound of a key turning sealed her fate.

"Ms. Sterling, let's not jest. Your father affirmed you agreed to this marriage. You're just an illegitimate daughter. If it weren't for Mr. Wilde's condition, you wouldn't be allowed entry into the Wilde family."

The words struck Aurelia like ice.

She had been deceived by her biological father, Leopold Sterling!

The Wilde family ruled over Greenvale, and their heir, Beckett Wilde, with his handsome face and staggering fortune, had once been a prominent figure.

That all changed four months ago following his accident. The doctors feared that without awakening soon, he might remain a vegetated man for life.

While it was true that the Sterlings were connected to the Wildes, it was Cressida Sterling, the legitimate daughter, not Aurelia, who was brought into the family fold only a decade ago, who was betrothed to Beckett.

Just days before, Leopold had offered her a means to cancel the debt of her upbringing by replacing Cressida to care for Beckett.

Desperate to be free from the Sterling family, she had hastily agreed, little imagining this scenario awaiting her.

As time trickled by, Aurelia's panic subsided, replaced by a grim resolution.

Better to embrace this bizarre twist of fate than to be subjected to a marriage forced upon her by her family.

With newfound clarity, she surveyed her "marital chamber," a barren space save for the consistent ticking of nearby equipment that lent an eerie tone to the dimness.

Beckett lay still, only the faint rise and fall of his chest indicating life.

Aurelia watched his emaciated body, feeling a surge of pity in her heart.

She remembered a distant encounter with him. Back then, he was sharp and formidable. Now he seemed so reduced.

Drawing a deep breath, Aurelia fetched a basin of warm water.

Beckett needed regular massages and cleaning to counteract muscle atrophy due to his prolonged bed rest.

Despite his thin frame, his skin remained taut, belying the fact that he had been in a coma for four months.

After she massaged his muscles, it was time to wash him.

Her cheeks flushed as she realized she had never before been so intimately close to a man.

Beckett, though unconscious, was still undeniably male.

Resolutely suppressing her timid instincts, she reminded herself again and again that he was just a patient.

Gradually, she peeled away his clothing and bravely cleaned his upper body.

She shut her eyes as her trembling hands reached his belt.

But then, her slender wrist was caught in a firm, encompassing grip.

Aurelia looked up in shock, straight into a pair of eyes as dark and deep as onyx.

"Who... are you?"

Beckett's voice, unused for so long, was hoarse and unrecognizable, and he looked startlingly gaunt against the pillow, recalling to her the image of a vampire from a nightmarish tale.

The biting cold of his grasp snapped Aurelia back to reality.

Beckett was awake!

News of Beckett's awakening sent shockwaves through the Wilde Villa, which became a beacon of activity in the dead of night.

Doctors in white coats bustled around conducting a full examination on Beckett.

Aurelia stood frozen at the door, still reeling from the surprise.

Dorian, who had been nothing but cold to her moments ago, was now all smiles.

"The Sterling family said you could bring good luck. It seems to be true. Mrs. Wilde, you're indeed fortunate!" he exclaimed.

Leopold had spun quite the tale to ensure her substitution in the marriage.

Aurelia scoffed inwardly, and then her heart sank.

Now that Beckett was conscious, would he send her back to the Sterling Villa if he learned of the deception?

The thought clenched her heart with fear.

She would rather die than return to that hellhole.

Determined, Aurelia resolved that if Beckett asked her to leave, she would make a scene, doing whatever it took to stay.

When the doctors left, Dorian emerged and beckoned Aurelia. "Mr. Wilde wants to see you."

Her heart heavy with dread, Aurelia entered the room to find Beckett, the most eligible bachelor in Greenvale, with looks and stature that made women swoon.

Sitting up in bed, he looked down slightly, his hair obscuring his brooding eyes, an aura of detachment enveloping him.

"You... You wanted to see me?" she asked tentatively.

Beckett looked at her, "Pack your things and get out!"

Her fears were confirmed.

Despite his harsh dismissal, Aurelia replied with a nervous smile, "Take it easy... We are husband and wife. It's unheard of for a bride to be sent back to her parents on her wedding night."

"Husband and wife? Bride? You? Your half-sister refused to marry me and sent you in her place. Is this how the Sterling family cleverly keeps their fortunes close? Very shrewd," Beckett's gaze was icy, his disdain clear.

Sweat formed on Aurelia's back, leaving her speechless.

She forced herself to remain calm, pleading with pale despair, "Please, don't send me away. My father will not be merciful... I'm a doctor, and you still need care. I promise I will take good care of you."

Her delicate beauty, her eyes brimming with tears, tugged at the heartstrings, appearing as though all she needed was someone to shelter and cherish her.

But Beckett was unmoved. "The Wilde family employs plenty of servants. I don't need you. Aurelia, I'm not a good man, and I am not known for compassion. Your act has no effect on me."

Her eyes dimmed with rejection.

Then, unexpectedly, Beckett's tone softened, "I'm a businessman. I believe in fair trade. If you have something of value to offer me..."

Aurelia was taken aback. She had nothing. No family affection, power, or status. Her only possession was herself.

Resolute, she gripped her neckline, "Beckett, I offer myself to you."

Closing her eyes, she unfastened her blouse button by button.

Her skin was pale and luminous under the light as her last garment slipped away.

"I offer myself to you as long as you allow me to stay in the Wilde Villa. From now on, I belong to you. Whatever you ask, I will comply."

She clasped her shaking shoulders, her vulnerability apparent, yet her gaze was resolute.

Beckett seemed momentarily lost, as her delicate face overlapped with another from his memory.

Averting his eyes, he scoffed, "Aurelia, you're well aware that I'm disabled right now, incapable of doing anything."

A chill set in Aurelia's heart as she realized he was still intent on sending her away.

But then a jacket with a cool touch landed over her, covering her pale skin.

"Put on your clothes and get out. Call Dorian in," he directed.

Numbly, she dressed and headed for the door, only to be stopped by Beckett's call, "I'm hungry."

"Huh?" she responded, baffled.

"You said you wanted to take care of me. I'm hungry," he reiterated.

Joy sparkled in her eyes. "You... You're letting me stay?"

His face was expressionless. "Don't you want to?"

Without hesitation, Aurelia hurried to prepare a meal for Beckett and fetch Dorian.

Watching her disappear, Beckett relaxed, glancing down at his crotch.

He was surprised. Merely seeing her body had elicited a reaction in him.

How was that possible?

It must have been due to his lengthy period of unconsciousness.

When Dorian entered with the wheelchair, he recalled Aurelia enveloped in Beckett's clothes, a look of contemplation on his face.

"Mr. Wilde, Mrs. Wilde seems quite familiar. I can't help but feel I've seen her before."