I gazed down at the marriage certificate in my hands and a wave of uncertainty washed over me. What had I gotten myself into? My name, once mine alone, now shared with another. It felt foreign, so unfamiliar.
Seated in the plush back seat of a sleek black Lamborghini, I marveled at the opulence surrounding me. It was my first encounter with such extravagance and it left me in awe. I felt the soft leather against my skin surrounded by the smell of pure luxury. Next to me, my husband was totally absorbed in a bunch of important business calls, speaking with such confidence and determination. Though I couldn't understand the specifics of his conversations, it was clear that they revolved around important matters.
We just got back from the marriage bureau and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed about what comes next. I guess he'll have to drop me off at home so I can take some time to process everything. But before that, curiosity got the better of me so I pulled out my phone and decided to do a quick Google search on him. What I found left me in disbelief. How did I never know about his background?
Turns out, he's an acting CEO! No wonder he was so focused on getting married to take over fully. And what surprised me even more was that there's no record of him being seen with any lady before. It made me wonder if what he told me about not having feelings for women was true.
It's definitely a lot to process and I can't help but have questions swirling in my mind.
I closed up my phone and stashed it in my bag, feeling like I had done enough digging around. Right now, all I need is to get out of this dress. My legs are killing me! And on top of that, I'm starving. I carefully set the marriage certificate down on the seat between us, silently urging him to keep it. The sight of his name entwined with mine on that document made it nearly impossible for me to love freely. It felt like a constant torment, threatening to drive me to the edge of madness. With a heavy sigh, I rested my hands on the door handle and propped my head up with my hand, fixating my gaze out the window. I desperately needed a distraction, anything to escape the overwhelming thoughts that threatened to consume me. So, I chose to lose myself in the passing scenery hoping it would provide some temporary relief from the turmoil within.
"What's on your mind?" he asked in a calm tone, his voice brushing past my ear and causing me to turn slightly. It seemed he had just ended a phone call and now his gaze was fixed on me which made me feel incredibly uneasy.
I let out a small cough before quietly replying, "Oh, nothing really." It felt as if my voice had vanished into thin air, leaving me wondering what was wrong with me. He glanced at me for a moment before nodding and returning his attention to his phone, typing with a serious expression. I could only assume it was work-related again. I couldn't help but wonder what it was like to manage such a large company. I imagined the schedules must be incredibly tight and demanding.
I shook my head, trying to clear my mind of any lingering thoughts. "Hey, do you mind dropping me off at the next block? My place is just around the corner."
"Where are you headed?" he asked, his eyes leaving his phone to meet mine with a look of confusion crossing his face.
"Just home," I replied simply.
"What do you mean 'home'? Did you forget that you're now married to me? You don't have any other home besides ours Mrs. Ben," he said with a slight smile.
"Wait, so I have to live with you? It wasn't in the contract," I said, frowning slightly. I realized that I had rushed into his offer without making any adjustments and now he seemed to have the upper hand.
"Married people usually live together Mrs Ben. Don't push it," he replied firmly, making it clear that he didn't want any room for argument. He didn't even glance at me when he spoke those words. His change in demeanor left me stunned, is this how my life with him will be? I find myself hoping for a space of my own, a sanctuary for peace of mind. But wait, am I truly considering all of this?"
"What have I gotten myself into? Is this regret?" I pondered,silently regretting my hasty decision. I should have taken more time to consider before diving into this. A heavy sigh escaped my lips, a reflection of my clouded mind. As I glanced ahead, I realized we had arrived at an unfamiliar location. Sitting up straight, I strained to decipher our whereabouts. My eyes landed on a signpost proudly proclaiming "Emporium."
"The Emporium? Oh my goodness! I've never set foot in this place before. Sasha told me it's a fancy restaurant for the wealthy, and boy, it is pricey! As the car pulled into the parking lot, I couldn't help but take in the magnificent surroundings. This place was seriously cool.
So, the car stopped, we hopped out and I trailed behind Benjamin as we entered The Emporium. I found myself naturally walking behind Benjamin trying my best not to get caught staring. It was hard to resist!
Inside, several staff members greeted us which felt a bit awkward since I wasn't used to such attention. They led us to a private room for our meal and it was clear that Benjamin was a regular here. The ambiance was different from the main restaurant and the prices were definitely on the higher end. I was in awe as I looked around, still unable to believe that I was actually here. It was beyond anything I could have ever imagined.
"You've been staring since we got here, can you stop?" Benjamin's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I turned to face him as we took our seats. How did he know I had been staring? Had he been watching me without my knowledge? Embarrassment washed over me but I couldn't really blame myself. After all, I was just a girl who was used to living on a tight budget and this whole experience was completely new to me.
I could tell he saw how cringe I was just by looking at my face. His eyes were fixated on mine and I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze. Instead, I shifted my eyes to the intricate calligraphy on the wall. I couldn't make out the words but they drew me in immediately. After we left the bureau office, I found myself at a loss for words. It was completely out of character for me.
"You really need to figure this out," he sighed, his voice filled with exasperation. "I get that this whole situation is new to you, but you can't carry yourself like this if you're going to be my wife. Do you want to bring shame upon our family name?" His words echoed in my ears filled with a mix of disappointment.
"First things first, you're the one who approached me with this offer. I never asked for it, so don't act like you're doing me a favor because you're not. And I don't understand why you carry yourself with such arrogance, flaunting that overly confident and attractive face of yours." I blurted out, my frustration getting the best of me. Suddenly, I paused, realizing the words that had just slipped from my lips.
My face flushed with embarrassment as I instinctively covered my mouth with my hands. I couldn't believe I had let those words slip out without thinking. As I nervously glanced at the man sitting before me, his lips curled into a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying the moment.
"So you think I'm attractive, huh?" he teased, his voice laced with playful curiosity.