Chapter 3: Secret Room

• Miracle squirmed, blinked, and narrowed her eyes as sunlight streamed through the window, touching her face. She briefly massaged her temples to ease a slight dizziness, then cast her eyes around, taking in her surroundings. Her expression changed instantly when she realized she was still in the bridal suite.
• “I must have overslept last night,” she grumbled, looking down at herself and sighing at the sight of the wedding dress still wrapped around her. Her makeup was smudged, and her hair was a tangled mess. She remembered falling asleep the night before without changing or washing her face.
• Her stomach churned loudly. She groaned; of course, she was starving, having skipped dinner and breakfast the previous night. She rose immediately and headed for the dining room, but her steps froze when she saw Mateo there. She wanted to leave, but her hunger was too strong. With a flat, cold expression, she approached, pulled out a chair, and sat next to him.
• Mateo glanced at her as she began her breakfast. She deliberately avoided looking at him.
• “Miracle,” Mateo said, his tone cold and his face expressionless.
• “What is it?” she replied curtly, refusing to look at him.
• “I’m going home late tonight. If my parents call, tell them I’m busy with work,” Mateo said flatly. He didn’t look at her; even though she sat beside him, he only offered a brief, dismissive glance.
• “It would be much better if you didn’t come home at all,” Miracle retorted sharply.
• The corners of Mateo’s lips lifted into a faint smirk at her scathing words. He picked up his coffee and sipped slowly. “I don’t particularly want to go home either. But as you know, we just got married. The media will be hunting for any scrap of information about our lives, and I don’t intend to be tomorrow’s headline,” he said coldly.
• Miracle let out a long breath. Yes, she was married to a man like Mateo De Luca. Her life inevitably involved dealing with paparazzi who constantly intruded on her privacy. For a long time, Miracle had avoided the media. That’s why she had studied in Rome, far from her family in Toronto. Born into a prominent family, she had grown bored and weary of being the target of the press.
• She had once thought that marriage would give her freedom from scrutiny, but she had been wrong. The moment she replaced her twin sister at the wedding, she became the center of media attention. Even now, Miracle didn’t dare open her social media. Many people were already talking about her. Not just social media—she didn’t even turn on her phone, avoiding calls from friends.
• “Before I leave, let me remind you: don’t look for trouble. You are my wife now. I won’t interfere in your life, but your last name has changed to mine. Do not do anything that embarrasses me. I will not tolerate even the slightest problem you create,” Mateo said firmly, his brown eyes fixed on her.
• “You don’t need to threaten me. I’m not a stupid woman,” Miracle replied coldly, turning her face away. She didn’t want to look at Mateo as he spoke. “Besides, if I could, I’d drop your surname from my name entirely,” she added sarcastically.
• Mateo smiled sharply at her reply. She was baring her fangs, trying to appear strong, but he didn’t care. To him, she remained under his control.
• “Whatever you say,” Mateo said coldly. He rose from his seat, picked up the car keys on the table, and added, “I’m leaving.”
• Miracle did not reply. She kept her gaze averted until he stepped out of the dining room.
• “D*mn man,” she muttered irritably once he was gone. “I hope you never have to come home again!”
• She exhaled roughly, trying to calm herself. She had to accept this nightmare—facing Mateo every day was unavoidable.
• With her appetite gone, Miracle set down her spoon and fork and walked toward the back garden. The sunny air helped settle her thoughts. She was exhausted; bad luck had followed her ever since she arrived in Milan.
• As she neared the garden, her gaze landed on a room at the far end of the mansion. It looked different from any other room. Miracle frowned. There shouldn’t be a storage room here; the main warehouse was outside the building.
• “What room is that?” she muttered to herself. She wanted to ignore it, but curiosity got the better of her. She walked closer and reached for the doorknob.
• “Ma’am, no!” a maid shouted loudly, startling her.
• Miracle spun to face the maid. “Why are you forbidding me? I just want to see what’s inside,” she said, her gaze sharp and cold.
• “Ma’am, I’m sorry,” the maid replied, bowing quickly. “Mr. Mateo does not allow anyone in that room. I beg you, Ma’am, please do not go in. You may visit anywhere else, but not there. If Mr. Mateo finds out, he will be very a-angry,” she continued, her voice trembling.
• Miracle’s brow furrowed as she stared at the maid. “Why is this the only room I’m not allowed to see? What is Mateo hiding in there?” she asked, her tone slightly urgent.
• “Ma’am, you’d better step away immediately. There are CCTV cameras in that room. Mr. Mateo could be watching you right now,” the maid said nervously, keeping her head down.
• Miracle was silent for a moment, thinking as the maid desperately tried to prevent her from entering.
• ‘What is Mateo hiding inside?’ Miracle wondered, staring intently at the door.