Chapter Two

Liora’s POV.

I could still hear Camille’s laughter ringing in my ears as the tears rolled down my cheeks, slipping into the crack of my lips and filling my mouth with that salty taste as I stared aimlessly at the dark clouds that had gathered in the sky.

My husband had just kissed another woman right in front of me without even a glance in my direction and drove off with her without a word.

Was this really going to be my life?

Camille and Helena had already scarred me enough, was marriage not supposed to be my happily ever after?

“Mrs Carvers.” A gentle voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I glanced up to find a young man dressed sharply standing before me.

I had been so lost in thought that I didn’t noticed him or the car parked behind him.

“Mr Reginald sent me to take you home.” He said as he pulled open the door for me.

Mr Reginald was Sebastian’s father, the same man that had insisted on this wedding. I didn’t say a word, I simply slid into the back seat and we drove off.

I wrapped my arms around myself as the car sped past most part of the city, wishing everything was just a nightmare I was eventually going to wake up from. Soon, the car pulled up in front of a huge mansion and my throat went dry.

I knew the Carvers were rich but I just never imagined they would be this rich. The mansion was big enough to be a museum and the lavish fountain in front of it gave it an even more expensive appearance.

A maid opened the door and her eyes swept over me,

“Mr Sebastian is not home, I will show you to your room.” She said as she spun around and headed inside the house.

She led me up a grand staircase and down a long, quiet hallway. She opened a door to a room so big my entire bedroom back at home could fit inside it twice. It was beautiful, designed with soft colors and expensive furniture.

“This is your room.” She added before walking out and closing the door gently behind her.

My room. Not our room.

A wave of relief washed over me with such force that it made my knees weak. I was so relieved to hear that I wouldn’t have to share a room with him. Not tonight. Hopefully, not ever.

I wouldn’t have to pretend I wasn’t terrified by the mere thought of him.

I collapsed on the king sized bed, my body trembling lightly from everything that had happened. It was all happening so fast that I barely had time to adjust to the changes.

The hours flew by but there was no sign of Sebastian.

The maid said he wasn’t home, but where could he have gone to on his wedding night?

At first, I wasn’t exactly worried, the thought was just a small knot in my stomach that kept me awake since this house still felt so unfamiliar and uncomfortable but then, some weird ideas began to creep into my mind.

Was he with… her? The woman from the car?

The thought made me sick, not like I cared what he was doing but it just didn’t sit right with me.

When the bed side clock struck 2am, I felt a chill race down my spine. What if something had happened? What if he’d been in an accident?

I was probably just overthinking things and maybe needed some sleep so I rolled out of bed and slipped off the wedding dress. I found a robe in the dresser and put it on.

A little after 3am, I heard the sound of a car pulling up in the driveway. My heart leapt into my throat at the sound of the door slamming shut.

I heard his footsteps on the stairs, and the sound of him fumbling with his door as he muttered curses under his breath. His room was right across the hall from mine and as I stood behind my door, watching him through the small crack I had created, my mind raced.

I had no idea what I was thinking when I stepped outside and began to walk towards his half open door after he stumbled inside. The heavy smell of whiskey and cigar filled the air, a clear hint that he was drunk.

This was bad… I had no idea what I was doing but I tiptoed down the hallway and paused at his doorway.

His entire room came into view. He had his back to me, standing by his bed as he yanked off his shirt. My breath hitched at the sight of his broad muscles shifting under smooth skin in the dim light of his room.

His pants hung loosely on his waist, revealing way too much that made my lips part in both shock and something else entirely.

A strange, hot flutter rushed through my stomach. I’d never seen a man like this before. He was…

I swallowed hard.

He must have heard me gasp or felt my presence because he spun around. His eyes, dark and wild, landed on me. My entire body lit up like it was on fire under his gaze.

“What are you doing here?” He growled, his voice low, rough and oddly intoxicating.

I flinched, unsure of what to say, “I… I heard you come in. I was… I thought… maybe we could… talk? I mean since we’re…” I stammered heavily.

He crossed the room in two long strides. Before I could move, his hand shot out and grabbed my upper arm. He pulled me past the door, slammed it shut behind me so hard it shook on its hinges before he slammed me against it, his body caging me in.

“Let me make one thing perfectly clear,” he snarled, his face inches away from mine, his breath warm against my face as his eyes bore into mine, “you’re not my wife. Not in any way that matters. You have no right to be in my room.”

He was too close… too close that my skin was brushing against his bare chest.

“Your place is where I put you, which is in that room across the hall. You will stay there and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out of my way.”

My throat burned and tears sprung to my eyes due to the sharp pain his tight grip on my wrist was inflicting and because of how harsh his voice was.

“I was… I was just trying to—“

“I don’t care what you were trying to do!” He yelled, cutting me off, “I don’t want you here and if I had my way, I’ll have you thrown out right now. Do you understand?“

My chest heaved heavily but I managed to nod while my entire body trembled.

His eyes suddenly dropped down to my chest and his face twisted in disgust. My entire body stiffened when I glanced down to realize my robe was half open and a provocative amount of cleavage was right in his face.

His lips curved into a sneer, “you’re not even my type.” He spat.

“You will never be my type.” His jaw was clenched tightly.

“No, I…” I tried to speak, to explain that he had it all wrong. I had no idea my robe was like that, I had no intention of seducing him but before I could speak, he pulled open the door and shoved me out of the room, roughly.

“Know your place.” He hissed and he slammed the door shut in my face.

I stumbled around, almost falling face flat on the floor. My arm was throbbing at the exact spot where he’d grabbed me. My heart was pounding with each step I took.

As soon as I was inside my room, I crumbled to the floor, panicking as my chest heaved heavily.

I can’t be married to someone like him! I need to get out of this!

“Oh My God, what have I done?” I cried out, burying my face in my pillow as the sobs shook my entire body.