The Morning After
The morning light filtered through the curtains of Ava's new bedroom, casting a glow on her, causing her to wake up. Slowly, she sat up, her mind replaying yesterday's events. Her head throbbed painfully.
A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. The door swung open, and a maid stepped inside, turning on the lights with no regard. Her face was unfriendly and unwelcoming.
"It's good to see that you're awake," the maid said.
"Good morning, Madeline," Ava greeted the maid, forcing a polite smile that felt awkward on her lips. Madeline, the personal maid of her mother-in-law, had always been unwelcoming to Ava, her disdain for her on full display. From the beginning, she had been all too eager to remind Ava about how undeserving she was of Alexander.
"Breakfast will be served in the dining hall. You're expected to be there promptly at 8 a.m.," she said, ignoring the pleasantries.
Ava nodded.
Madeline's gaze flickered to the wardrobe. "There are clothes in your closet," Madeline added and left, shutting the door behind her.
Ava sighed deeply at her new life. Gathering herself, she slid out of bed and made her way to the bathroom to do her morning routine. Luckily, all the essentials were available. Afterward, she walked to the wardrobe Madeline had mentioned.
The door was elegant and polished to perfection. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed it. When she opened it, she gasped softly at how arranged and spacious it was. This was way bigger than her old room combined with her dad's. She walked in like a princess, running her hands through the neatly arranged clothes, but something felt off. There were no tags or signs that the clothes were new.
The realization hit her hard. "These are Evelyn's," she mumbled to herself in disbelief. She remembered seeing some of the clothes on Evelyn when she came with her dad.
The realization filled her with a mixture of anger and humiliation. The hand-me-downs from her mother-in-law were a message to her. She wasn't just unwelcome; she was being made to remember her place.
How could she live like this? How could she face them every day, knowing that they would always see her as less than her?
With a resigned sigh, she pulled out one of the dresses. It was a pale cream-colored fitted knee-length dress. It hugged her body.
She looked at the full-length mirror, the girl in the mirror staring back at her like a stranger. Ava's heart sank as she studied the unfamiliar figure, dressed in clothes that weren't even her own.
Afterwards, she headed outside, and a maid was waiting by her door to escort her to the dining hall. As they descended the grand staircase, she could feel the eyes of the staff on her.
Her heart raced with each step, her shoes clicking on the polished marble floors. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the maid led her to a towering double door into the dining hall. It was grand, with a long table in the center filled with different cuisines.
The high ceiling was adorned with intricate moldings, and sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting a glow over the room.
She made her way inside the hall and saw Evelyn, sipping her tea majestically.
"Good morning," Ava greeted her mother-in-law politely as a male servant pulled a chair for her to sit.
"I see that you're finally awake. I heard that my son slept in the guest room on your wedding night," Evelyn said, ignoring the greeting. Her voice was laced with mockery.
Ava's chest tightened, the emotions from last night's events she had been hiding away resurfacing. She could hear Madeline, the head maid, snickering at the remark made by Evelyn while standing close to her.
In silence and at a loss for words, Alexander made his way to the dining hall, his presence commanding attention. He walked over to where Ava was sitting.
"Good morning, my love," Alexander said as he leaned down and gave Ava a kiss on the cheek, his skin barely brushing hers.
"Hello, mother," he greeted his mother.
Evelyn smiled at him. "Good morning, darling. I trust you slept well?"
Alexander nodded, taking the seat beside Ava.
"I heard that you did not sleep in the same room as your newly wedded wife. Already tired of your little game?" Evelyn said, a gleam of amusement in her eyes, her voice dripping with condescension. "Or have you finally seen how undeserving she is of you?" she added, not even bothering to hide her disdain.
Alexander's jaw tightened, but he quickly masked his irritation. He held Ava's hand before responding to Evelyn's statement.
"I had to make sure things were taken care of as I'll be taking a week off to go on a honeymoon with my wife," he said with a charming smile on his face. "I didn't want to disturb Ava's rest. She needs every bit of rest she can get before the honeymoon."
Evelyn was taken aback by Alexander. He had never been one to take a break from work, no matter what the occasion was. Now he was taking a whole week off for her? How unbelievable.
"How considerate of you. Is your father aware?" Evelyn asked.
"I spoke to him about it last night," he replied calmly. "Ava and I will be going shopping today. I realize that she's wearing your dress," he added.
Evelyn, though irritated, did not push any further. Instead, she stood up from her seat and left, her minion following her closely behind.
Ava sat in silence, her heart pounding. Questions flowed in her head. A honeymoon? This is how she was finding out about their honeymoon. Wow!!
Her thoughts flickered back to how he had walked out of the room last night with no explanation whatsoever. Was he just saying that to get his mother off his back?
"Where are we going?" she asked. Her voice trembled, barely hiding her irritation.
"The Amalfi Coast in Italy," he replied casually. "We leave tomorrow. I don't know much about women's clothing, so I called Lilly over so she could help."
Ava nodded and stood up abruptly, pushing her chair back and walking out of the dining hall, leaving Alexander sitting. Her steps quickened as she made her way back to the safety of her room, where she could be alone.