I am Liana Vergara, 23.
I grew up poor—but I wasn’t born without dreams.
I wanted to be an architect, I wanted to finish my studies, I wanted to leave our shack that gets swallowed by the flood every rainy season.
But the day came when my dream—
was exchanged by my family for money.
Not for gambling.
Not for debt.
But… for a marriage.
A marriage…
to a man I didn’t even know.
THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT
One evening, my father made me sit down at the old table.
His voice was still trembling.
“Daughter… we need you. We have a huge debt to pay.”
I took a deep breath.
“What do I have to do with it?”
My father looked at my mother—her eyes were bloodshot, as if she had been crying all day.
“Someone wants to marry you.”
It felt like the air was knocked out of me.
“W-who?”
“Mr. Armando—the billionaire with the mansion in Monte Verde. He’s fat… a bit old… but they say he’s kind.”
A bit?
They say?
After he said that, I cried all night.
But morning came, and the contract was in front of me.
Money in exchange for my life.
In exchange for my freedom.
And because I love my family—
I accepted the fate I did not choose.
THE FIRST MEETING WITH THE FAT BILLIONAIRE
I was brought to a grand mansion.
Marble floors, a chandelier as expensive as our entire barangay.
And there I saw him.
Armando.
Fat.
Had trouble walking.
His breathing was heavy.
He coughed every time he spoke.
Clearly sick.
Clearly not someone I would choose if it were up to me.
He was smiling—but I could feel it was forced.
“Liana… thank you for accepting the marriage.”
I smiled even though it was heavy.
“I have no choice, Sir.”
But the man didn’t get angry.
He just nodded and looked at me as if he was hiding something.
And that’s where his mysteriousness began…
The wedding took place inside the mansion, quick and quiet. There were no invitations, just our family and Armando’s legal team. The entire ceremony felt like a business transaction—no love, no vows, just signatures.
After the wedding, Armando brought me to my room. It was a suite twice the size of our entire house. It had its own bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a balcony overlooking the infinity pool and the entire city.
“From now on, you will live here, Liana,” he said, standing by the door, looking at me for a long time.
“Thank you, Sir,” I replied.
But what he said next sent a chill through the entire room.
“I have some rules. Never forget them.”
THE THREE FORBIDDEN CONDITIONS:
Never enter the Master’s Bedroom.
“This is my room. You will never enter it. For no reason. Even if I call you to come in.”
Never ask about my health.
“I may be fat, sick, and weak, but you will pay no attention to it. You have nothing to do with my personal problems.”
Never try to find out where I am at night.
“Sleep in your room. We will eat together during dinner—that is the only time you will see me. Afterward, do not ask where I am. You do not own me.”
I was puzzled. Why was it like this? It was as if we agreed to be married… but not to be husband and wife. Why did he marry me if he didn’t even want to see me?
“I understand, Sir Armando,” I said, bowing slightly.
He smiled—that forced, mysterious smile—and left.
THE SCREAMS IN THE NIGHT AND A SHADOW
Weeks passed. My life became that of a trophy wife—eating at expensive tables, wearing beautiful clothes, sending money to my family. But inside the mansion, I had no rights, no freedom.
Every night, after the Master’s Bedroom door clicked shut, I would hear a soft coughing and heavy thuds—like someone walking, but with great difficulty.
One night, around midnight, I couldn’t sleep. I heard a faint clanking of metal from the hallway.
I felt a shiver. I turned to the window, and I saw a shadow.
It was not Armando’s shape. The shadow was slim and tall, like an athlete walking quickly.
That shadow came from the direction of the Master’s Bedroom and quickly headed toward the mansion’s exit.
Who was that? Was it a thief? Or maybe… Armando had another person inside his room?
I slipped out of my door and stopped in the hallway. The Master’s Bedroom was slightly ajar. There was a cold draft and a smell of metal and medicine coming from it.
I couldn’t stop myself. I couldn’t call it breaking the condition, because I didn’t enter. I only looked.
What I saw was… an empty shell.
The room was empty. But on the floor, there were thick paddings and mechanical metal. It looked like a large costume scattered around.
I turned around when I heard a sound behind me.
“Liana, what are you doing here?”
Armando was there, but he was alone. And now, he was wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants, as if he had just arrived from outside. And he was much slimmer than usual. It was like…
“Sir Armando, I-I’m sorry,” I whispered.
His eyes glowed with anger. I didn’t pay attention to his body anymore, because his gaze was terrifying.
“Leave. Now.”
And that’s when I realized: This man has a big secret. And that secret lives in the Master’s Bedroom.