I had stumbled into something extraordinary... My eyes swept around the room as I slumped helplessly on the bed. Now I was a married woman. I began to think about all the things I was required to do as a wife - cooking, cleaning up, or maybe that was the job of the servants. But wouldn't it seem prideful or condescending towards them? I thought about how I'd greet my husband, iron his suit for work, and help him with his coat when he returned, like in the movies. What about the consummation of the marriage? All these thoughts swirled in my head as I tossed and turned on the bed, but when I remembered the contract and its contents, I felt more at ease and decided to sleep on it and continue worrying tomorrow. One thing I knew for sure was that this husband of mine was everything but ordinary, and this marriage wasn't going to be an easy one. I knew it looked like it was served on a platter of gold, but I also knew it was all a facade. All the people I'd met here so far were devilishlyly good looking. but I wasn't going to waste time or sleep all day. There and then, I braced myself for what was to come. I sighed and headed for the land made for rest.
I woke up a few minutes later to meet that same figure in that same spot. He was looking out the window, and his side profile was like a rock - lone, majestic, but steady and strongly rooted to the ground. At that moment, I unconsciously wanted to reach out to him, and coincidentally, he turned around to meet my hand hanging in the air. I awkwardly withdrew my hand as I noticed something flashing for a split second, shimmering behind those cold eyes. We stared at each other for long seconds before he snapped and sat down on the bed, yet he still towered over me. He leaned closer, and I could feel my face getting hotter as I tried to keep my emotions in check. Then he moved backward and showed a tiny piece of thread to me. I felt so awkward that I chided myself for acting jumpy around him. The devilish man just sighed as his expression turned serious, and he began, "Listen, I know I made it clear in the contract, but it just occurred to me that you might not take it seriously. I don't want any form of emotional nor physical attachment. For your own good, we're just two people transacting business that'll benefit both of us, and we'll part ways after the agreed duration. If you become clingy, even slightly, I'll reduce you to nothing and make you regret being born into this goddamn world."
There was a dangerous glint in his eyes that told me all I needed to know. I knew he was definitely not joking around nor trying to scare me; he could do every single thing he said. "I understand, I promise to never form any emotional attachment. And FYI, I'm not a clingy woman, not even to the one I loved... not to mention a contractual agreement. Let's just keep to ourselves till the expiration of the contract, and thank you for the reminder. But trust me, you don't need to worry one bit." I immediately came up with a comeback because I didn't want him to see the effect his words had on my ego. It's not like I had any intention of love, especially not in this condition, but his words hurt. I could see mine also got him pissed, as he furrowed his brows deeply and muttered an inaudible "better" as he walked out of the room.
Such an arrogant man he was... So there and then, I made a mental note to refrain from looking into those hypnotizing eyes that could cause misunderstandings before I sank deeper into the bed and went back into my thoughts land. I wondered what Leah and Max were up to. I'm sure they would be celebrating my demise and their new life as a couple. I clenched the sheets at the thought of that and got rid of any hesitation, deciding that this marriage was for the best. I decided to focus on building myself into a strong woman whose presence was enough to swirl the wind. I was so lost in thoughts that I didn't notice a dainty little lady at the door with a tray in her hands. I immediately guessed through her outfit that she was a maid. Her expression looked a little off and unfathomable as she walked towards me. "Here's your breakfast, Madam," she said. It might just be me, but I thought I heard her say the "Madam" through gritted teeth. I tried to read her expression, but as if on cue, she turned away and scurried out of the room while stomping her foot in the process. What's her deal? I shrugged as I peeled the cover off the tray, and a delicious smell wafted through my nose. My stomach growled in response, and that was when I remembered I hadn't eaten any food for almost two days. The waffles and coffee with scrambled eggs as side dishes were just what I needed at the moment. I immediately wolfed down the food, and as I reached for the bottle of water, I saw a pair of black Timberland male boots, and my gaze traced upwards to the owner. I saw the Xavier guy from before; he was no longer in formal clothings, and his lips slightly wobbled as if he was going to burst into laughter anytime soon. I was so embarrassed; I wished for the ground to swallow me in. I could feel my face getting hotter, but the man cut me some slack as his face turned formal. "Madam, I would like to give you a quick tour around the house and how things work here." He crossed his arms around his back and walked majestically towards the door. I rolled down the bed as I followed behind him. He led me through a dimly lit passage and we arrived at a room which he was aware I knew was obviously a study but he still muttered 'Here's the study'.The place didn't match the majestic interior of the mansion, It was poorly furnished but tidy, it was cosy and homely like and the books looked like they were a 100 years old and more,He showed me a back door which led to the balcony and we went through another row of stairs to the backyard and in the backyard was a duplex which he called the boys' quarter, where the maids resided. I was in awe as I stared at the glistening blue pool and the twin beach benches, He gestured for me to follow him and it took the last string of my self restraint to not jump into the inviting pool,it was magical!!, I quickly looked away from the beauty and we came to a halt in front of another gate?!!, "This is the guest's residence" he muttered as if he were talking about the weather.