The Invisible Wife Trapped in a Villain's Body

"If you want your spouse to be loyal, tie them to your neck." A woman spoke with no emotion, despite the visible anger in the eyes of her listener. She remained calm and composed.

"CUT! That was perfect!" A man wearing black glasses shouted as the woman fanned him.

"Chantal Lucero is back!" he added while clapping his hands, as the woman returned to her seat. After the first TV series, she had taken a short vacation in Spain, and within a week, she received another project due to her popularity.

"You still got it!" The man praised the woman while forcing a smile, so as not to roll his eyes.

"Thank you." The woman responded lifelessly, knowing that the director was just trying to flatter her, as he would surely want her father to do another project with him.

"The death penalty bill has been reinstated by Senator Almonde Lucero, he believes that this will be the key to lessen the increasing crime rate in the country." The woman's attention was caught upon hearing her father's name on the television in the distance, and she furrowed her brows.

"Death penalty my ass." She muttered before blinking and standing up, then leaving the room, as filming for several episodes of the TV series where she played a villain, had already ended. Although she had won several awards, proving her acting prowess, she knew that her surname also played a big role in her career.

"Did you book my flight to El Nido?" She asked the woman who was rushing to follow her out of the establishment, as she walked away.

"Y-yes, Miss Chantal." The woman replied hesitantly, stopping in her tracks. She winced as someone bumped into her from behind, and she turned to glare at the person.

"I-I'm sorry, Miss Chantal!" The woman apologized, shivering with fear, and unable to look straight at her.

"You're working for a famous villain actress, yet you don't have the confidence to talk to me. Aren't you ashamed of earning that much salary, considering the fact that my father is just wasting my money on you with your unworthy service?" She asked the woman directly, as the woman paled and looked around in embarrassment. Some people who overheard their conversation stopped and others took out their phones to capture the scene.

"Or is it true that you're my father's mistress, that's why he hired you even though you're incompetent?" The woman's eyes widened at the words of her employer.

"I-I think this is going too far..."

"Sssh. Enough of the drama. Have you forgotten the industry that I'm working in? I could easily distinguish real tears from fake ones." The woman interrupted, knowing what would happen next. With so many cameras focused on her, she wouldn't be surprised if she made the news again the next day. She needed to get ahead of what the woman in front of her wanted.

"I'll deposit your salary for the next few days of your work. You're fired." She stated plainly before turning around and getting into her expensive black car. She quickly started it and drove away from the suffocating place.

She hasn't gotten used to it. In her two years in the industry, her life has been an open book to the public, not to mention the fact that she's the child of a famous senator. Although she's thinking of not coming back to the country and living a simple life far from the judgmental public, it seems like acting has become a part of her and she can't deny that she likes her career.

Her attention was caught by the sound of her phone ringing.

"Hey b*tch, I just woke up and you're already trending on social media!" Her friend greeted her on the other side. She just grinned at what she heard because the scene happened less than an hour ago and she was already trending. She accelerated her driving and turned her annoyance towards the steering wheel.

"Tell me something I don't know yet." She replied emotionlessly while driving towards the airport. She looked at the vast blue ocean, it was so beautiful and calm that she couldn't help but feel envious. She wished her life could be that peaceful. She looked up at the sky and frowned as the surroundings gradually darkened. The sun was slowly being covered by a shadow, which she thinks is the reason for what's been happening.

"What's going on?" She asked herself and forgot that she was still talking to her friend on the other line who answered her question.

"It's a Lunar Eclipse, stupid!"

She didn't pay attention to her friend's answer as she automatically focused her attention on her phone's screen. She cursed in her mind when she saw her father's name-calling, and she already knew the reason for it.

"I'll hang up, Senator Lucero is calling."

***

A woman was staring blankly into an open space in a room surrounded by darkness, her tears were flowing continuously as a man in a black tuxedo entered.

A deafening silence dominated between the two, the man's disgust towards the woman was visible in his eyes, his anger was evident, and he was trying to control his patience so as not to hurt her physically.

"I didn't think that we'll end up like this." The man began, catching the woman's attention, who seemed to have just noticed his presence. Her eyes were red and it was obvious that she hasn't slept for days.

"C-Caleb." The woman was about to hold the man's hand, but he only tapped it.

"How could you kill my child, Tanya?" The man asked firmly, his voice filled with pain. The woman covered her mouth to prevent her sobs from making any noise as she continued to cry. She thought he was the only person who would believe in her, but it seems like she was wrong.

"I'll never forgive you, please do me a favor, disappear from my life. I don't want to see you ever again… ever." After uttering those words, the man turned his back, but before he could take a step, the woman quickly grabbed his hands and kneeled down.

"B-Believe me Caleb, please, I didn't do anything wrong, this is just a setup, you're the only one I have left, so..."

"Enough of your lies, Tanya!" The man shook off her grip on his hands, causing her to fall to the ground, but she didn't mind the wound caused by the fall. "I shouldn't have trusted and...loved you." He added, making the woman cry even harder. The man disappeared in front of her, unable to stop him any longer. "N-No, please don't leave me." She pleaded, but her hope disappeared with him.

As the door opened again, she thought the man had come back, but she was dismayed to see men in uniform. She sobbed as they dragged her out of the cramped room.

"Let go of me! Where's Caleb? I want to talk to him. I didn't do anything wrong! Let me go!" She screamed at them, but they seemed to hear nothing and continued to drag her until she knelt in front of two pairs of expensive black shoes. Without looking up, she knew who the owners were. When their eyes met, she could see the anger in their eyes.

"A-Agatha, D-Doña Isabe..." Before she could finish mentioning the names, a strong slap landed on her cheek.

"That's not enough for all the things you've done to our family! You're a criminal!" Donya Isabe uttered with rage, her eyes glaring at her. Even her close friend beside her was crying and shaking her head, but behind her innocent face was just pretending.

"After all the proceedings and trials, the court found the defendant guilty of infanticide, she'll be punished according to the law of the death penalty." With three sounds of the gavel, Tanya's world collapsed.

"D-Death penalty?" She asked herself and couldn't believe what she heard. "I don't want to die! I'm not a killer! Father, Mother!" She desperately looked around the four corners of the room, hoping someone would come to her, but all she saw were judgmental and merciless eyes.

Her attention was drawn to the cold metal that embraced her hands.

"Is this the end for me?"

Everyone's attention was drawn to a familiar man walking in the middle of the room, holding a cane and showing no emotion on his face. Everyone gasped when they noticed armed men behind him, and the police quickly surrounded the room.

"Father," Tanya said when she recognized the man, even she was surprised by his sudden arrival.

"Release my daughter or we'll all die together in this establishment." The old man began threatening the jury, his eyes fixed on them. It was evident how the judging eyes were filled with fear inside the room.

"My daughter is not a killer." After saying that, he looked at Tanya and continued, "We'll get through this, my dear."

The young girl cried again for the first time, feeling that she had a father. That moment was brief because two solemn men helped Tanya out of the room. She looked back at her father, who was full of worry about what might happen. Her father only responded with a smile and a nod before the door closed slowly.

She was quickly pulled out by her father's two men to escape, but there were uniformed people running toward them. One of her father's men handed her the car key, and she had no choice but to get into the car as they were left behind to stop anyone following her.

Tanya couldn't do anything but start the car and drive away from that place. Tears continued to flow from her eyes due to the fast-paced events and worry about her father leaving behind.

In fear and overwhelmed by thoughts, she didn't notice the speed she was driving until it was too late, and she realized there was a car coming toward her. Time seemed to stop at that moment, and she felt a strong force hitting her body. With the last drop of her tears, she saw the sun slowly being engulfed by darkness and closed her eyes tightly.

"If I am given a second chance, I will never trust again. Everyone who abused me will pay, and everyone who is guilty will be held accountable."

***

Tanya woke up gasping for breath. Everything felt like a nightmare, but it seemed real. She quickly turned her eyes to the unfamiliar room.

"Where am I?" she asked herself. A few moments later, she stood up from the soft bed and walked towards a large mirror several meters away from her.

Her eyes widened as she saw the familiar but unrecognized face of a woman mimicking her reflection. The woman was stunning, and she knew she had seen her before, but she couldn't remember where.

"W-Who are you?!" she asked the unfamiliar woman in the mirror, mimicking her reaction. Tanya's heart was beating fast, and she was confused about what was happening until she decided to leave the room.

"Oh, dear, you're awake?" An elderly woman greeted her, carrying a tray of food and heading toward her room.

"W-Who am I?" Tanya couldn't help but ask the woman.

The old woman approached the girl with a frown. "It seems like an effect of the accident," she whispered, but Tanya heard it clearly.

"I- I had an accident?" she asked, slowly remembering that day when she was sentenced to death by the court, when her father sacrificed himself just to let her escape, and when she didn't notice the car coming towards her own vehicle.

"Please sit down, dear. I will call your mother. The doctor mentioned that you may have amnesia due to the accident, but it's only temporary. I will leave you for a while. I'll be back soon..." Before the old woman could leave, she stopped and smiled at Tanya.

"You're Chantal..."

"Chantal Lucero."

"I really don't want to marry a man whom I don't fully know and love." My voice was shaking as I tried to fight off the bitterness of being forced to live under one roof with that man.

"You have no right to object, Tanya. You're my child and you should follow our wishes, your mother's and mine. The Yu Empire is the biggest and most renowned company in the country and, even in Europe, it's a great opportunity for you to marry the only heir of the Yu family. Don't disappoint us, Tanya." My father went on a long lecture.

"But don't I have the right to choose..." I didn't finish my sentence as an expensive vase with roses fell to the floor and made a loud noise as it shattered into pieces. My hands shook and my heart raced in fear.

"Don't test my patience, Tanya. No matter what you say, you'll marry the heir of the Yu family and in two months, you should have won his h