Reminiscing about the day after the wedding she felt sympathy.
Sympathy for the man who poured all his heart and soul into making a vain attempt to capture her heart.
____________________________________
A woman in red cheongsam was looking around the house.
'He is as poor as a church mouse.' she smirked.
'How was my dad even willing to marry me with this man in the first place?'
Having already investigated him, Ira knew that Vivan was a struggling architect with almost no money in his name instead owing loads of debts.
The apartment was much smaller than she expected.
'He needed to take a loan for this rundown place!'
It was beautifully designed she could not refute, but it had only two rooms and a hall with an open kitchen.
One was the bedroom, the other a small study.
He moved out of his mom's place a year ago.
Then again she will never live with her Mother in law.
Now she could guess the reason for marriage. Her husband was dirt poor young and struggling. He would have the support of Lu's after the wedding.
In the bedroom, she replaced the red cheongsam with a comfortable pajama.
Her eyes were soon captured by a photo placed on the bedside table.
It was the wedding pic. In the photo, she was wearing a white wedding gown holding a bouquet in her hands. While Vivan was holding her waist from behind. The action looked natural and intimate.
His face was distinct with clear and a gentle smiling eyes.
While Her face showed no expression, showing her habitual indifference.
It would have looked like a couple who loved each other only if her face held a smile instead of a frown.
Dead tired she went slept unconsciously when she noticed someone's arrival in the room.
She sat up in an upright position quick and said words: "Why are you here?"
Ignorant of the changing expression on his face she briefly added: "I will sleep here. You sleep in the study."
Vivan stood dumbfounded at her words "Ira, We need to talk. I know we haven't known each other for long but...." There was a touch of bitterness in his voice.
"I am exhausted. Can we talk tomorrow? Please get out now." Though her words included a please, her tone like a queen ordering a servant full of Irony.
The cold words which fell on his ears in an instant ruined his passion, his desire, his hope.
He expected some problems at the beginning of marriage because they have not interacted much so she would hold some wrong notions about him. Their wedding was a quick one, a blind date with marriage fixed on the same day.
And in a week they were engaged and married.
But still, he did not anticipate that she will brush him aside on the wedding night. Treat him so coldly.
Even during the wedding, her attitude was forlorn and indifferent.
'There is still time' he thought and went to spend the night in the study.
If it weren't for the sake of her father urging her repeatedly to marry, she wouldn't have been married to Vivan.
For the sake of appeasing her dad accomplish her mission of timing a CEO.
If not Vivan there would be another. Marriage match won't end.
In return, she decided to support this man financially as he looked struggling.
She would provide him with funds for the new architecture firm that he had started and even give him some contacts.
Thus she felt that the relation between them was more of a business transaction. There should be no love or attachments involved.