Chapter: 2

Despite being married to Alan for three years, she felt the void of his affection.

Yet, he had always been generous with finances, which gave her a sliver of hope. Perhaps he would pay a ransom?

The phone seemed to ring endlessly, her knuckles paling as she clutched it tightly.

At last, a voice answered, but it wasn't Alan. It was a woman's. The caller was none other than the renowned designer Lilliana Willis, sister to Alan's beloved.

"Kaitlin? Alan and I are at Ashley's grave. What do you need?"

Lilliana's voice carried through.

Tremors ran through Kaitlin's hand.

The irony wasn't lost on her. It was their third wedding anniversary, and she had been kidnapped. Two days had slipped by, and Alan was none the wiser, instead spending his time at the grave of his first love.

Pain surged in her chest.

Alan's reasons for marrying her were layered; his grandmother, Beth Hewitt, longed for great-grandchildren, and Kaitlin bore an unsettling resemblance to his deceased true love, Ashley Willis, who had perished in a landslide three years ago.

The realization that she was merely a stand-in twisted the knife deeper.

Yet, this was not the moment for heartache.

Kaitlin struggled to hold back her tears and the pain that was evident in her voice. "Miss Willis, it's urgent that I speak with Alan. Please, could you hand him the phone?"

Lilliana let out a light chuckle. "Oh, Kaitlin, you know how Alan is. Today marks the anniversary of Ashley's passing. He's really not in the mood to entertain your drama. Why don't you just tell me what's happening?"

Biting down on her frustration as she noticed the kidnappers’ growing impatience, Kaitlin raised her voice and shouted into the phone, "I need to talk to Alan! Right now! I'm his wife, and you have no right to keep him from me!"

She dared not mention the kidnapping, fearing the kidnappers would panic and harm her.

Her assertive tone seemed to make an impact. She could hear footsteps in the background and then Alan's voice came through. "Who's that?"

Lilliana, feigning grievance, covered the receiver slightly and whispered, "It's Kaitlin. She's adamant about speaking with you. I mentioned we're visiting Ashley's grave, but she got quite upset and claimed her rights as your wife."

Alan scoffed dismissively. "Wife? Does she even count as that? She's nothing but a stand-in. Just hang up. Speaking to her will only disrupt Ashley's tranquility.”

With a chilling beep, the connection was severed, and Kaitlin felt her heart plummet.

Kaitlin was Alan's wife!

Despite his lack of affection, could he truly remain unmoved by her unwavering dedication during the last three years?

Alan had rescued her from the ocean's grasp, and upon regaining consciousness, she confessed her amnesia about her family, prompting him to take her in.

He likely assumed she married him out of necessity, believing she couldn't fend for herself. Yet, he was unaware that she had been smitten from their first encounter, as if enchanted.