*Melissa*

Waking up to an empty bed. Seeing the ruffle of his side of his bed showing that he was at home, but he isn't beside me anymore. I am unfazed. It is nothing new. Liam Wright and Melissa Ria Wright were only married in paper.

Ten years of marriage, and yet, my husband and I barely sleep together or even beside each other. He is always up and running, and most times he doesn't tell me when he is going to like right now. I have no idea where and what he is doing. Why am I even still married to him?

Oh yeah, because I love him.

Ten years of marriage. 

Married to my best friend who ended up marrying his career, and we have lived a pseudo separated life. 

Liam and I were married when I was 18 an he 19. We were so young and in love. We grew up around each other, and fell for each other at a very young age. When we married, I felt like it was a wise decision seeing as he was the love of my life. Had I known, I would not have married as a young adult yet to grow her frontal lobe. 

I sigh and stand up from our bed and notice that there is a note on our bedside table. Seeing the handwriting, I suspect it was written by Liam's assistant. It says:

My love, by the time you get this letter, I would be on the plane to Milan. I will back in a month or more depending on how hectic the set is.

 Your love.

My love indeed. 

I scoff with disdain. He could not even write these two sentences himself. I sigh and walk to the kitchen thanking God that at least no one will be around this early, or so I thought. 

I see a bulky shadow, and I immediately scream. 

"Jesus Christ," a deep voice says. 

"Who are you?" I ask accusingly.

He comes into the dim light, and puts on the bright light, and I see the single most handsome man I have ever seen. My eyes widen immediately, and I wonder when gods began to be on earth. 

In his deep voice, he says, "Your bodyguard."

I study his curls, and I laugh. "You must be joking," I say.

"I do not joke."

"That is a pity," I say. "What happened to my old bodyguard?" 

"Apparently, his spouse had a fracture last night. He probably sent a message to you, but you are just waking up so..." He trails up after saying such a judgmental thing. 

I narrow my eyes at him, and he raises his eyebrow. "You are just waking up right? You do know it is 10am, right?"

I squint my gaze at him immediately. How dare he make me sound like I am lazy when I slept by 3 a.m. "Who made you my bodyguard then?" 

"Your husband," he says in an obvious stare.

I grit my teeth in annoyance because I know it was his assistant who picked him not my husband who could not even write a two sentence letter to me. I am sure he told him to accept anyone as far as his background check was clear. 

I hold in my anger and ask my new bodyguard, "What is your name?" 

"Sage Minho Brown."

"You are Korean and African American?"

He nods. 

I mutter, 'damn' under my breath because he is a fine specimen even though he called me lazy not in words. I remember I just woke up, that my hair is in my bonnet and I am still in my nightwear. 

I shake those thoughts off, and go to make coffee to drink. When I am done with coffee, Sage comes in front of me. 

"We need to talk Mrs. Wright," he says.

My eyes twitch at the title, and I say, "Just Melissa."

He shakes his head and says, "Mrs. Wright, I would like to set some ground rules."

At that, my eyebrows rise up to my forehead, and I genuinely ask, "What do you mean by ground rules?"

He snobbishly replies, "basic principles." 

I narrow my eyes at his stupid reply. "I know what they mean," I bite out.

"I apologize," he says.

I nod, and he says, "Well, I want you to know that there are some things that should make this partnership between us work." At that, my interest is perked. 

"One, if you want to go out, I must be aware of where, when, who you want to see, and whom you will be going with. Two, anywhere you go, I will go with."

At that, I laugh out loud. He seriously asks, "What is funny?"

I look at him in the eye, and ask, "Are you really asking that?" When he nods, I laugh, and say, "You expect me to always report back to you, and do you think that if I go out to the restroom, you will come in?"

He steels his gaze and says, "If there is a need to, yes. If you stay for more than five minutes, best believe that I will be coming into the restroom."

I swallow, and I mutter, "Pervert." He shrugs at that and I roll my eyes. 

"Anyway, my third main rule is that you should not even try to sneak out."

I laugh and I notice he is very serious.

"You must be joking," I say.

"I don't joke," he says.