Nicholas held his left cheek. He looked so shocked that he could mistake this scenario for a bad dream, a Nightmare!, But no. The lady who happens to be his wife was still fuming with livid. He never knew if he should retaliate or not. But he could feel her emotions. That was really hurtful for her. For a moment, he felt sorry. He watched her turn and enter the bedroom. The door slammed so heavy that the walls vibrated. That Nicholas himself, shuddered.
Lily collapsed on the floor and rested her back on the door. She held her chest while breathing so hard as if she was running out of breath. Yes, she ran out of breath.
"Breathe Lily, breathe" she murmured to herself.
Fear had gripped her when she slapped Nicholas. But a guy with such a remarkable temper should have retaliated with cruelty. That, at least, she expected. Her cheeks already burned hot even when the retaliation hadn't come. That Nicholas didn't slap her back or kick her tummy or break one of her bones is still perplexing.
"Are those rumors really correct?" She asked herself.
She stood up when she felt like she will be able to stand and walk, trying to walk she kept staggering and falling like a baby learning to take its first steps, and removed her clothes. The normal routine of freshening up and preparing to sleep continued. But Nicholas hadn't come or wasn't coming. Is he still standing there with his hand on his cheek? Lily wondered. But she didn't feel sorry. He had talked ill about her family and that, she will not allow to slide.
She lay on the bed and cuddled her pillow. Her thoughts drifted again. But this time she didn't reminisce on her past but her future. Where the marriage would lead her to. The fate of Lustre after the merge takes place. She knew deep down that Mr. Franklivania has suceeded in his life's dream. But would Lustre remain under FM Group? Many thoughts ravaged her mind not to talk of her rebirth and the visions. Then she had an inkling. The visions.
"Maybe I'll get to know more if find out everything that happened before" she thought. The fate of Lustre might lie in those visions. For what's to come, she needed her rest. So she succumbed to sleep.
At the very dawn of the next day, with a relentless buzz that echoed through the city streets like a melody. People huddled in small groups, their faces animated as they shared whispered conversations. In cafes, strangers nodded in agreement, their eyes scanning the room as if one was to say she was searching for someone to share the latest gist.
"Can you believe it?" a woman with a designer handbag whispered to her companion, eyes widening for dramatic effect. "Married for appearances. It's all over the papers."
At the bustling market, vendors exchanged knowing glances as they packed their wares. "Nicholas and Lily? A business deal, they say," one vendor murmured to another, pausing to adjust a display of vibrant fruits. "No love there, just convenience."
On social media, fingers flew across keyboards, typing out snarky comments and posting speculative posts. Posts that say "Nicholas and lily's marriage is a total sham!... Just a business arrangement, folks. Don't be fooled... #NoLove"
Meanwhile, in their apartment, Nicholas paced up and down, his mind full of frustration. The weight of public gossips wore down on him grossly, threatening to suffocate any form of his calm stature.
Lily, in another room, stared out the window with a steely resolve, her jaw set in defiance against the swirling rumors.
Just as the tension threatened to overwhelm them both, Nicholas's phone rang with an urgency that cut through the air like a sharp knife. It was his father, his voice sounding quite devious as to be likened to when he's cooking a diabolical plan. "Nicholas" he called " What have you been doing with Lily?"
"Nothing" Nicholas answered curtly.
"Then I guess you start doing something. We cannot allow these rumors to disrupt the company sales. Maybe, some pictures might help"
Nicholas hesitated, his jaw tightening as he processed the directives.
"Put an end to these whispers once and for all." His dad then hung up.
It's always about the company and never about him. He knew this was an order not a plea and he had given him an option. Pictures. But how is he going to go about it? Last night hadn't been the best of nights. And Lily is not even awake. He went straight to the bedroom, knocked on the door and acknowledging the lack of response, he opened it regardless.
She had pretended to be sleeping when he knocked so she jerked up in full consciousness, just to continue the pretence.
"We need to go" Nicholas said bluntly.
She yawned. "To where?"
"To take pictures."
"Why" Lily rolled her eyes, feigning complete ignorance.
"Open your phone "
Lily opened her phone and saw the headlines. She widened her eyes to affirm her pretence.
"My father suggests we take pictures to quench the whole drama"
"Pictures?" She asked. "Like honeymoon pictures?"
"Yes if that's what you'll call it"
"It's what it is" Lily corrected. "Alright, so when are we going?"
"Now"
"Alright. I'll have to prepare"
Evading argument with Nicholas, she took to mind the frailty of the the room she read, discovering she at that point with any alternative act could annoy Nicholas. She decided not to.
The duo went on to prepare for the arranged picture shoot. Lily was still surprised as to how he didn't mention about last night. Nicholas as a person was confusing her and she would admit it.
"He might not be what they say" she whispered to herself.
But she was soon put off from that thought.
"Where are you!" He thundered.
He had finished and called his driver to drop them by. But Lily hadn't finished. She rushed, trying to meet up with the time even as he kept thundering.
"Are you always this late?!!!" He shouted with a sour distaste.
Lily quickly stood up and rushed to leave only for the door to deny her passage. She knew that the night before that present day was a narrow escape so she didn't want to wake his anger again. With hurry, she dragged the door knob, wondering it's refusing to open.
Then the visions came.