Chapter - [ 5 ]

   ( Rain Anderson Blackwood )

The evening has rolled on.I spent most of the day lurking aimlessly in the huge mansion.Why do people build such grand house for only two or three persons to live.I do love this house but for me it's useless to spend a huge amount of money just for pomp and show.A home is built on the foundation of love,care and respect for one another.

I texted Candance for her advise on the dresss I want to wear for the dinner though he didn't ask me to be present but as his wife and the mistress of the house,it is my duty to attend the guests but a part,in fact each active cell in my brain says it's a horrible idea.

I deny it's constant warnings and decide to go with my heart.

Never give up on him.

I recall Elle's words.

Two hours later,I am finally ready in a decent navy blue knee length midi dress much to my own comfort though Candy snorted angrily on me for selecting a 'grandmother's dress' for the very first dinner as Mrs. Blackwood but I decided to go with my own conscious.I don't like to reveal my body which my Mom and Roselie finds oddly fat.I admit I am not skinny like Roselie and most of the girls who believe walking like a skeleton only coated in a thin layer of skin is being modern and sexy.I have flesh on my curves neither I have a flat stomach.They used to criticize me for not taking care of my feminine beauty but my Dad and Rainard always supported me saying they love my healthy figure.

I curled my long brown hairs at the end and left them open and did minimum make up.It is just a dinner.I highly doubt my husband would even allow me to step inside the dining area.

I match my dress with a set of rose gold necklace and small diamond studs.They belong to my late grandmother gifted to her by my grandpa.She told me it was his first gift which he gave her when he confessed his love for her after six months of their arranged marriage.They happily spent sixty years of being married until my grandpa died seven years back,she followed him within one and a half year.They were the perfect epitome of true love.She told me about the intial days of her marriage.They had a rocky start as he married her under the pressure of his family because he was seeing another girl but soon they found their soul mate in each other.

I compare my marriage with theirs.Will I ever get Nicholas's love or perish with my unrequited love for him?

"Rain I need your help in the kitchen if you don't mind."Elle knocks on the door.

I take a deep breath before walking out of my room.Elle,who was standing at the doorstep gasps as soon as her eyes landed on me.

"You look very pretty Rose."She compliments me with a thumbs up.

"Thanks Elle but you're exaggerating."I blush on her praise.

"I am not hyperboling.You are indeed looking very beautiful.I am sure Nicholas will have a hard time to control himself."She winks at me while we walk to the kitchen area.

"Why do you need me in the kitchen?"I ask her in confusion as Nicholas has an army of cooks and maids to do all the chores.I don't even need to lift a spoon on myself.She asking my presence in the kitchen drops me in a pool of confusion.

"Oh I just wanted you to see check the preparations that's all."She waves her hand in the air with a low laugh.

"I am not an expert in the culinary skills Elle and definitely not someone who knows the eating preferences of Nicholas and his friends."I give her a pointed look.

"Its totally absurd.You may not be a master in cooking art but you can at least learn his likes and dislikes so in future you want to prepare food for him,you would know his favorites.Let me tell you a little secret,"She leans on my shoulder bringing her lips close to my ear and whispers,"Most men's stomach is the path to their hearts.They do love the food prepared by their beloved wives.Nicholas isn't an exception my dear."She winks at last.

"It's too much to expect Elle.He practically loathes my presence in the same house let alone eating the food cooked by me.He lashed on me in the morning when I took his coffee in his room."My voice chokes as I remembered his harsh words before he walked out on me.

"Like I said,give him some time.He'll soon understand who is best for him."She gives my forearm a light pat and enters in the kitchen where several cooks are preparing mouth watering delicacies.They give a bow in my direction as soon as I follow her inside.

My eyes roams on the kitchen island where all the dishes are placed.

"What do you think?"Elle rubs her hands excitingly.

"I am speechless.It looks like the President of the country himself is coming for the dinner."I grin causing her to chuckle.

"Nicholas's friends eats like starving buffoons.Believe me Rain,all these bowls will be licked clean in no time.Damien is practically a black hole when it comes to food."Elle tells me about his friends and a part of me is really excited to meet them if they don't despise me like him.

"Ellle..."

"Elle sweetheart where are you?"

"Elle I can smell something delicious cooking in the kitchen."

I hear manly voices echoes through the hall causing Elle to drop the silverware.

"They are here Rain."She mouths excitedly and run out of the kitchen leaving me to gather my shits together.

I am officially nervous as hell right this moment.If I screw up tonight then I am in deep shit.It will surely earn me a good rebukes and insults from Nicholas.Being his forced wife doesn't exactly leave me with much room for mistakes.

"Everything is going to be alright."I inhale and exhale a few times before walking in the living area.All my way to where I can hear laughters of multiple men and a female voice,I rub my sweaty hands on my thighs. I can't make a fool of myself.I have always been a person of low self esteem unlike my sister who always succeeds in catching all the attention on her whereas I choose to remain low profile.

I fear criticism.

I have finally surpassed the invisible 'trespassers will be prosecuted' sign as I step in the living area where I spot Elle gathered in a tall man,who I remember as Mason who was best man of Nicholas and two other familiar faces.I don't exactly know their names but what catches my eyes and my sensitive heartbeats,a girl awfully clinging on Nicholas's side.To say,she is the epitome of beauty and perfection,an understatement.She is one of the top models of the city.She was invited on Roselie's birthday party last year.They kind of attended the same fashion institute.Her eyes shamelessly eye raping my husband but Nicholas is obnoxious towards her attempts to get into his pants.I feel a strange pain shooting through my heart but I promise myself not to show any trace of tears though my eyes is having a fierce battle with my mind.

My footsteps seem to grab their attention on me including Nicholas and the female buffoon's.I may be sounding a total blind person to call her an animal whereas she totally deserves the title of a beauty pageant but the natural jealousy of a wife surfaced from nowhere.

"Rain...finally we got the chance to meet you."Mason leaves Elle's side and walks upto me while I try my best to avoid the burning gaze on me coming from a certain person.

"Hey Mason."I greet him putting on a polite tone and a friendly smile.He looks okay with me as his friend's replaced bride but I can't take a chance with the others.

"Come and sit with us.We invited ourselves for this dinner for two reasons,we want to meet you properly and secondly,"He winks at Elle,"We were craving for Elle's food.Anyways come and meet rest of our gang."He places his hand on the small of my back.I flinch by his unexpected action but he didn't catch my discomfort though he meant no ill intentions so I let it go.

The other two men passes me a bright warm smile.They are genuinely happy to see me as Nicholas's last moment bride or they are faking pleasantries for the sake of showing off in front of house staff specially Elle,whom they don't treat like a maid.

"Hey I am Xavier."The other guy takes out his hand for me.

"Hi.."I gently shake his hand and feel a hot burning gaze on us,precisely on our hands. I immediately pulls my hand away from him and pass a formal smile in the direction of the barbie doll still pasted on Nicholas's hips.

"So she is your wife?"Her voice drops acid as she ask him about me.

"Elle is the food ready?"He ignores her question and focus his bored attention on Elle.

"Yes Sir,please take your seats.I'll tell the maids to place the food on the dining table."She passes a smile to everyone and leave me all alone to sail in the awkward water.

"So how's the life as Mrs. Blackwood?"Mason's question literally puts me in a position of a fish out of water.

"It's find I guess."I try not to give him a peek in our marital life though I highly doubt they are unaware of our arrangement.

"Good to hear otherwise Nicholas is not every girl's league.We bet he may even find a suitable match for his criteria he set for his future life partner but I do not find you fit in his shoes rather..."He leans closer to me,"I find you better."

My heart constricts inside my chest.If Nicholas ever consider giving me a chance to prove myself a worthy life partner for him.

"Don't exaggerate Mason.We all know how she trapped Nic."The barbie whose name I don't know yet snorts.Her words doesn't hurt me but his coldness as he didn't try to object her.

"Charmaine behave yourself."Xavier glares at her who in response gives a roll of her smoky eyes.

"I am sorry in her behalf.She is just the bait her parents use to trap Nic in their scheme.The whole city knows about her sister.I always warned Nicholas about that bitch but he never listened but I guess...he had something unique in his fate."I can't miss the oxymoron in her words.

"Char enough."Mason elbows her to end the direct insult she intended to throw at me.

"Whatever..."She sways her hips and walk behind Nicholas to the dining area.

Tears threaten to fall from my eyes by her harsh insults but I am not made of straws as everyone sees me because I stay quite and give them a chance to walk all over me and my pride.

"Just ignore her."The two friends pass me an apologetic look which walking head of me.

I stay behind and contemplate whether to follow them on the dinner table because Nicholas clearly not invited me and I haven't earn the title of the house's lady to host the dinner without my husband's permission.

I again find myself on the crossroad where I have to make a right choice.And I follow my strong mind over my timid heart.Walking in the dining area,I make my way to the left side of Nicholas where the bafoon Charmaine was about to sit.

"Thanks Charmaine.Please have a seat."I give her a fake sweet smile and gesture her to sit beside Mason as Xavier already occupied the chair in the right side of Nicholas.

"You bit-"She clenches her teeth while her eyes are shooting daggers at me.

"Charmaine my dear why are you still standing.Please take your seat and devour on the food before it gets cold."Elle cut her off as she orders the maids to serve us the food.

Through my peripheral vision,I observe Nicholas sit still with a very calm and stony expression but I know he is boiling from inside and the lava explosion will surely swallow me in its flames as soon as this dinner is over.