When I hear the front door swing closed, I set my coffee cup down on the counter and move towards the sounds coming from the hallway. Startled, Arielle looks up and stops. She is wearing the same outfits from yesterday, and her hair is wet. She had obviously spending the night somewhere, and it most definitely wasn't in my bed, where she was meant to be."What have you been up to?" I enquire in a tone that belies its calmness. "Ariel ." Her hand goes up to her chest. "You wake up early." I try not to show her how upset I am by giving her a defiant look. "I ask you a question ." I grab her wrist and pull her towards me as she scowls at me and tries to go past me. "Where were you?" I lose it. She looks at me while gritting her teeth. "After you had dinner with my sister, do you have the right to ask me that?" Stop being a hypocrite. I draw her in till her body is flush against mine. Yes, Arielle, I do have right. I am your husband. Her smile is humourless and her eyes flare. With a venomous tone, she adds, "You certainly don't act like one." A day after we were married, you and Loretta went out to dinner. Did you enter your house or did you leave last night? Ariel , did you fuck her?
I snap my jaw, shoving her up against the wall while I spin us around. "What were you saying?" I ask, clenching my teeth. "Did I mess with her?" Arielle raises her head to face me, rage flashing in her eyes. But suffering is also present there. I take a shaky breath and meet her forehead. "No," I mumble. Arielle, I didn't fuck her. Naturally, I didn't. You have my word that I will be faithful, and I will never break my word. Are you really that unappreciative of me?She puts her arms around my neck and takes a trembling breath. "Ariel , I'm not sure what to think," she concedes. "I never imagined that we would be in this predicament, but now that we are,I won't back down and allow you to pursue your happiness. I give her a nod and step back to give her a look. "I understand. I can accept that you have to make sacrifices. I felt it would be best to get things over with Loretta, but maybe it was a mistake to go out to dinner with her. I wanted sometime alone with her, Arielle, so I didn't go visit her. I saw her in order to set appropriate boundaries and call it quits on our relationship. Her eyes popped out. "You succeeded?"I grab hold of her and tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. Naturally, I did.After a few years, perhaps we can get back together. Who knows? She can only be my friend for the time being, though. I'm not going to betray you. Loretta has to live with her decision just as we do since she made it. I suppose there's not much I can say to persuade her, but she looks at me as if she couldn't quite decide if I'm lying to her or not. Time will tell if I'm sincere. "Where did you go?" Again, in a more subdued tone, I enquire. "Bianca's," she replies, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Naturally. I have to have realised that. Please return my calls and don't leave the house without telling me when you will be gone.Not only is it impossible for us to remain away for long, but it's also because I was concerned, Arielle. Although I am aware that you didn't want to be married, you have done so and with it some new duties. One of them is keeping me updated on things of this nature. She says it again, "Home," her face contorted in revulsion. She looks tired as she continues, "This isn't my home." Not even sure if it belongs to you. Loretta owns it. I move back and scan my surroundings. She is correct. Almost everything in this room was selected by Loretta. I never really loved my own house since I let her do anything she wanted. Why hadn't I noticed that earlier?"Arielle," I say to her."When I married you, I meant what I said. Although it wasn't what we both desired, we are now married. I'll take care of you, beginning with a formal declaration the following month. With wide eyes, she asks, "What?" "I had the thought..." You believed that our wedding would remain a secret? We are unable to. We've already had rumours about our wedding start to circulate. It would be much better if we could verify the rumours. I will not go around secretly with my own fucking wife. Furthermore, are you really thinking that Grandma would allow us to get away with it? She will break the news if we don't. We can at least control the story in this way. With a contemplative gaze, Arielle nods. "In three years, what are your plans?How are you going to tell the press that you are divorcing your wife in order to wed her sister? "I'll be honest with them. I'll demonstrate that, despite the years of dating, Loretta and I were compelled to get married. I'm not sure what she's looking for, but she seems to be staring at me. Ariel , I'd want to keep it under wraps. I want no part of being the abandoned wife. I don't want to be the antagonist in your narrative. I bite my tongue and move in closer, putting my index finger under her chin. I give her a cheeky little smile as I tilt her face up towards mine. "Mrs. Warren, I refuse to be your nasty little secret.You will do it with pride because you bear my name.After a moment of bewilderment, Arielle realises what is going on. Loretta made me feel insecure by keeping our relationship a secret for so long, but it seems like she can see right through me when she looks at me. "Ariel , I just made the suggestion because I believe it would be best for you. If it's not to your liking, I will not conceal our marriage. I'm not her. I glance away from her and release her, wishing I had maintained my composure. Why is it that with Loretta, I've always had boundless tolerance, but not with Arielle? "Don't," I yell, not sure if I should be angry with her or at myself. Don't make our union a secret.
Four weeks from now, I will formally announce it on my social media accounts, and I strongly advise you to follow suit. Our statements are being worked on by our PR team. She nods and gives me a smile. Yes. Tell me when, please. I would like to share this adorable picture that I have from our wedding. Her words have brought me such immense relief. Even though our marriage isn't real, at least it's transparent. No hiding, no feigning ignorance. With Loretta, that's what I've always desired. I trail behind Arielle as she enters our changing room. She's taking a dress off the hanger, and I'm watching.Even though it just took a day for the workers to pack up all of Loretta's belongings and swap them out for Arielle's, it's difficult to get rid of every sign of her. She created everything in this place, even this dressing room's décor. Although it never occurred to me, I do want that to change. Arielle will be my wife for the next three years at the very least. She expressed her desire not be shadowed by Loretta, and it is my responsibility to make sure she doesn't.