Chapter 2

“Well, you finally woke. For a moment, I thought you decided to die. It would have been a considerable relief for me”, he heard a voice he detested.

He kept mute, trying to take in the light that made way into his eyes. He was furious and this was visible in his expression.

His brows were raised and rage pulsed through his veins.

The realization of getting up from a beautiful dream struck him so hard, making him more furious.

“Why did you wake me up?” He bellowed angrily, wishing that he could go back to the realm he had just woken from.

Barbara hissed aloud and strolled to the desk, where she dropped the small alarm clock.

He followed her with his eyes, clenching his fists and breathing heavily.

She was mischievous and he knew it! It was clear that she had intentionally woken him up.

Barbara turned around and peered into his eyes that were red in fury. Her lips curved into a wicked smile as she huffed and walked towards the door.

“Richard, stop gazing at me as though I committed a crime. Taking the alarm clock closer to your ears to wake you wasn't a bad thing, was it?” She asked with a face that lacked remorse

Richard sighed deeply and shifted his gaze outside the window.

For some days now, he had turned extremely quiet over Barbara's unnecessary chants and arguments.

“I'm on my way out. As usual, I don't expect you to ask me where I'm headed to. Luckily, I would be back before nightfall, but if I'm not, goodnight!” She said and strolled out of his room.

Richard was at the verge of letting out a loud scream of frustration. His face turned red, and his breaths became haggard, fierce veins were beginning to make way to his forehead and his eyes were bloodshot.

He was tired! Tired of what they called marriage. He was exhausted from being in a trap that was nothing close to happiness. He was a sad man, a depressed and unhappy married billionaire.

Richard owned the largest bank in Southern California. Apart from that, he had other business establishments in some parts of the United States.

He also owned a large winery, had shares in other top companies and made investments worth billions.

No doubt, he was a young, rich, handsome, and successful man.

Whenever he stepped out of his house, he tried so hard to create an image that contrasted with whom he really was.

He would wear a large smile, a face void of any glimpse of unhappiness and an image that displayed him to be a happily married billionaire.

People wished to be like him. Women used him as a vivid example to their men whenever they had conversations pertaining to being responsible, irrespective of one's fame and wealth.

Richard was tired of the whole camouflage. Most times, he wished people could look beyond his smiles to see how unhappy he was.

However, no one took cognizance of that and to maintain a perfect image in the eyes of the public, he resolved to being the happy and responsible man; the description that have been painted in their hearts.