Grayson Carter!
That was the name of the man I got married to. Dozen of his images flashed on my iPad screen as I went from one article to the other. He was everywhere, he was once America's top ten eligible bachelors and also a business mogul who had everyone either envying him or adoring him.
He is the youngest son of Anthony and Lydia Carter who owns the biggest law firm in the country. I didn't know if I should be impressed or horrified at how quickly he had cemented his place in the world. The craziest thing is that I was his wife! Grayson Carter was clearly every woman's dream, I mean there were dozens of fan page and fan edits all over social media. He was the dream, the fantasy, the kind of man that women longed for. And yet, he chose me.
He chose me and for some reason, he didn't quite seem to like it. The man at the wedding reception had looked happy but I had learned quickly that it was a lie. The look he gave me in the garden was that of a man who hates me, well not necessarily me, he hates her!
Andrea Christabel Miller, daughter of Aiden Miller, the richest man in America who is also my father. I was also the heiress to a billion dollar empire. Aiden Miller owns multiple business across the country, all which are managed by me, at least in theory. There are talks about me being the next CEO, whispers of my father's retirement growing louder by the day. Speculations run wild about when I'll take over and how I'll handle the empire.
But honestly, there was a lot I honestly didn't know about me. Nothing about my life was clear, I had tried to kill myself because I didn't want to get married but somehow I got into the body of a multi billionaire heiress and gotten married.
Another thing was the crazy resemblance we shared with each other. The same long dark hair that cascaded in waves down my back, sharp cheek bones and brown eyes. But somehow, my skin was clearer, no sign of the hardships I had to endure for eighteen years of my life with uncle Jacob.
It still wasn't clear, how or why I became Andrea Miller but I suppose it could have been worse. I was still going to get to the bottom of it. Uncover every secret of Andrea Miller and learn how I could become her but first I have to survive this wedding and also…him.
My gaze moved over to where Grayson was in the pool. I tried so hard not to let my eyes linger but I failed. Don't blame me, it was impossible not to stare! Fate had a funny way of changing things, changing life upside down in the blink of an eye. One moment, you were running away from your shitty life and the next the universe proceeds to hand over a good life and a ridiculously attractive guy on a silver platter.
Who could say no to that?
Grayson swam with ease in the water, like it was second nature to him. Each stroke was smooth and effortless and the way his muscles tensed and relaxed with every motion sent a little thrill down the spine. It was surreal to be here, in a rooftop pool of a luxury hotel, supposedly enjoying a honeymoon, yet feeling completely miserable.
I watched as Grayson's hand grip the edge of the pool as he surfaced, water dripping from his hair and running down his shoulders and roll down his six packs disappearing into the tight fitting…
"You planning on saying something or just continue staring?"
Grayson's words pulled my focus back to his face and it was only then I realized how close I was standing to him.
"Oh," Heat rushed to the cheeks as I took a step back trying to put some distance between the tension and the flood of emotions. "I apologize for that, it's just we need to talk."
"Well yeah, I've got nothing to say to you!" Grayson said, his voice gravelly, almost harsh as he brushed past me.
The statement felt like a punch to the gut, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake. Two days, two days since we've arrived at the hotel for our honey moon and those two days, I might as well have been nonexistent to Grayson. He avoided like one would the plague, leaving me to my own thoughts which wasn't what I wanted.
Questions had been swirling constantly, piling up until they became a heavy weight pressing down, suffocating and I just decided that today, I've had enough.
Steeling myself, I went after him. My steps quickened as the sliding doors leading to the bedroom were pushed open. I met Grayson who was busy drying off with a towel. "We need to talk."
"Didn't you hear what I said earlier?" He responded without looking at me and somehow that infuriated me further. His indifference made something inside of me snap, I was so done with this!
A scoff escaped before it could be held back, "About you not wanting to talk earlier? Yeah I heard you. But the thing is buddy, that's what you want not me!"
"Buddy? That's new." Grayson says a slow smirk curling on his lips.
Leveling a glare at him, I moved forward till I was practically eye to eye with him. "We need to talk!" Each word enunciated with deliberate force, leaving no room for argument.
Grayson's gaze roamed over my face lazily before the infuriating smirk appeared on his face, "Very well then princess."
"Oh!" I said softly surprised he agreed but thankful he did too. Aware of our close proximity, I stared down at his body wincing when I saw that his boxer was leaving little to the imagination. "And could you please put something on? I'd prefer not to have a serious conversation with your junk becoming hard seeking attention!" I said with a groan.
Grayson's laugh was low, almost a rumble as he casually tossed the towel aside, "Perhaps it's only hard because your gaze keeps drifting to it!"
The nerve! An exasperated breath escaped me but still, I turned away just to give him some privacy. The soft rustle of clothing followed shortly after.
"Okay, I'm decent now." Grayson announced
I turned around only to see him in a bathrobe. His chest was still on exposed but I suppose it was an improvement. He then motion to the chairs in the middle of the room. I took my space and waited till he was seated before I decided to speak.
"I want a divorce." The words escaped my lips without me thinking it true.
A perfectly shaped brow went up at my demand, "Is this a joke?"
"Believe me I wish it was." Came my low grumbled response before I stared back up at him. Adjusting myself on the seat, a deep breath helped gather whatever composure I had left. It had to be said without him suspecting foul play. "Look after careful consideration and some deep thinking about my life's choices, I have decided that we are no good for each other. I want to marry a man who loves me, someone to treat me like I matter instead of ignoring my entire existence, so with this, I think it's best if we were to go our separate ways."
My own words sounded like total bull shit even to my own ears but at least, I hoped Grayson believed it.
Looking at Grayson, his expression turned blank, a mix of confusion and disbelief as he simply stared at me. Each second stretched painfully and the silence was starting to get on my nerve. I waited, hoping he was going to say something but he still didn't. I opened my mouth to speak but before I could the strangest thing happened!
Grayson smiled and then let out a chuckle before he turned into a full blown laughter. Now it was my own turn to shoot him a look. Grayson continued to laugh, his shoulders shaking with each wave of laughter. The sound wasn't completely one of humor and it felt completely inappropriate at that moment.
"Mind telling me what's so funny?" I asked shooting him an incredulous stare.
Grayson wiped at his eyes, still chuckling. "You know there are sometimes I question who you actually are."
The moment he said that my heart skipped a beat but I adjusted myself on my seat, hoping the surprise didn't show on my face. "Why do you say that?"
"You really are serious about this aren't you?"
I nodded my head at him in response, "Of course I am but apparently you are not taking it as serious as I am!"
Grayson snorted in response, "Yeah forgive me if I am not being too serious about this because it's something that can't happen."
"What can't?"
"The divorce!"
"And why is that?"
"Because I didn't want to be married to you in the first place goddammit!" Grayson yelled all of a sudden, hitting the table which made me flinch as I stared at him with widened eyes as he rose from his seat. But Grayson didn't seem to care as he continued, "I begged you, I fucking begged you Andrea to not see this marriage through, for you to convince your father. I begged you to allow me to have a love story of my own but what did you do? You ruined it, destroyed it and make sure I never get to see it again. Now, you sit before me and claim you want a divorce because you want a marriage with love when you ruined the one chance of getting to experience that? How dare you?"
As he spoke all I could do was just stare into his eyes. Those grey eyes were filled with anger, but they were also filled with pain. So much pain it felt like a punch to the gut the more I stared at him. I had no response to what he asked me.
"I…I…" The words came out of my lips but now proper sentence came out. I couldn't say anything because I didn't know anything!
"So no Andrea, we are not getting divorce. We are seeing this marriage through, for better or worse remember?" Grayson asked leaning forward to stare down at me, "We are staying married and I promise to return every single pain you made me feel to you. You will never know happiness Andrea, not when you took away the source of mine!"
With that scary horrifying threat, Grayson left the room, slamming the door with more force than necessary which left me wondering what the fuck Andrea did to Grayson?