The 365 days wife

The grandeur of the Cole estate was suffocating. The towering chandeliers, the perfectly polished marble floors, and the air thick with superiority—it all reeked of old money and rigid tradition.

Damien had grown up in this world, but tonight, it felt different.

He wasn't just the prodigal heir returning home. He was a man who had made a choice—one that his parents would undoubtedly rip apart.

Seated in the vast dining hall, Damien swirled the amber liquid in his glass, watching the ice cubes clink against the sides. The tension in the room was palpable, a silent war waiting to erupt.

Nathaniel Cole, the formidable patriarch, sat at the head of the table, his sharp, calculating gaze locked onto his son. His mother, Eleanor Cole, held the same cold expression, her fingers elegantly wrapped around the stem of her wine glass.

They had summoned him here for one reason.

To interrogate him.

"A wife," Nathaniel finally spoke, his voice filled with controlled disbelief. "You went and got yourself a wife."

Damien leaned back in his chair, unfazed. "Yes."

"In less than a month." Eleanor's voice was softer, but no less cutting. "Do you understand how absurd that sounds?"

Nathaniel exhaled sharply, clearly unimpressed. "And not just any woman. Someone with no influence, no social standing, no wealth." His gaze darkened. "Explain, Damien. Why the rush?"

Damien knew this conversation was coming. He had rehearsed his response, knowing the truth was not an option. His father's clause—marry within a month or lose the company—was a secret he would take to his grave.

"I married because I wanted to," Damien said smoothly.

Silence.

Then Eleanor scoffed. "That's the best excuse you could come up with?"

Damien smirked. "Would you prefer I tell you I was in love?"

Nathaniel's jaw tightened. "Don't be ridiculous."

Damien set his glass down, his expression unwavering. "Then what do you want to hear? That I was lonely? That I craved companionship?" His voice lowered, laced with defiance. "That for once in my life, I made a decision that wasn't dictated by you?"

Eleanor's lips pressed into a thin line. "We don't expect love from you, Damien. But we do expect sense. A man of your status cannot afford to make reckless decisions."

"This isn't reckless," he countered smoothly. "Ava is my wife now. That won't change."

Nathaniel's expression darkened. "And what does she bring to the table? What does she offer you, aside from a pretty face?"

Damien exhaled slowly, meeting his father's gaze head-on. "Maybe I don't need her to bring anything."

His father's voice hardened. "In this family, marriage is a contract—an alliance. You know that. Your grandfather didn't build this empire by marrying for pleasure. I didn't either. And now you—" He exhaled sharply. "You have thrown away an opportunity to strengthen our position."

Damien's smirk didn't falter. "I wasn't aware I needed your permission to choose a wife."

"You needed wisdom," Eleanor said coldly. "And you've clearly lost it."

A tense silence stretched between them.

Then, Nathaniel leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "We want to meet her."

Damien's expression didn't waver, but inwardly, he was already calculating the risks.

Eleanor's voice softened, but there was an edge beneath it. "You've made your decision, Damien. Now we will see for ourselves if she is truly worthy of it."

---

Ava Faces the Coles

The next afternoon, Ava stood in front of a full-length mirror in one of Damien's many guest rooms, her hands smoothing over the fabric of her dress.

Dark green. Elegant, but not flashy. Damien had instructed the staff to prepare something 'appropriate' for her meeting with his parents, and this was the result—a gown that fit her well but still made her feel like an outsider in this world of wealth.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at her reflection.

Would they look down on her?

Of course, they would.

She wasn't from their world. She didn't have a prestigious last name or a bank account overflowing with millions. She was just… Ava. A former secretary who had stumbled into a marriage with one of the most powerful men in the country.

A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts.

"Ma'am," one of the house staff said, peeking in. "Mr. and Mrs. Cole are waiting."

Ava took a deep breath, smoothing her hair before stepping out.

As she walked down the grand hallway, her heels clicking softly against the marble, she forced herself to stay composed. Whatever happened in the next hour would determine how Damien's parents saw her.

And she refused to cower.

She entered the sitting room, where Nathaniel and Eleanor were already seated. Their gazes locked onto her the moment she stepped inside.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then Eleanor offered a smile—a practiced, polite expression that didn't reach her eyes.

"Ava, is it?"

"Yes."

Nathaniel wasted no time. "Tell me, what is your background?"

Ava straightened her posture. "I studied business administration, but I had to drop out before completing my degree."

Eleanor's brow lifted. "Why?"

Ava hesitated before answering, "Financial reasons."

Nathaniel's lips pressed into a thin line. "So, you're not formally educated."

Ava clenched her fists in her lap, forcing herself to remain calm. "I may not have a degree, but I have worked hard all my life."

Eleanor's gaze swept over her. "And what do you do for a living?"

"I worked as a waitress," Ava admitted.

Nathaniel let out a scoff, shaking his head. "So, my son, the heir to the Cole empire, married a waiter?"

Ava's chest tightened, but she held her ground. "Your son married a woman who isn't afraid of hard work."

Eleanor's lips curled in amusement. "Tell me, Ava, do you honestly believe you can fit into this world? Do you understand the expectations that come with being Damien's wife?"

Ava met her gaze without hesitation. "I understand that I will be judged. That people will assume I am not worthy. But I also know that I didn't marry Damien for wealth or power."

Nathaniel's cold laugh echoed in the room. "Then why did you marry him?"

Ava hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Because circumstances led us here. And now, I intend to honor that."

Eleanor and Nathaniel exchanged glances, their thoughts unreadable.

Finally, Eleanor sighed. "We will see."

Ava knew this wasn't the end. It was only the beginning of their scrutiny.

And she wasn't sure how long she could endure it.