A cold husband

A sound from inside made her turn. Reid was standing by the glass doors, holding a thick, cashmere wrapper. He had changed into dark trousers and a simple white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked tired and exhausted, she wondered it must have been a long day for him. Navie admired her husband once more, he was devastatingly handsome. She felt lucky he was hers, yet she felt trapped.

He didn't say anything. He simply stepped forward and draped the wrapper around her shoulders. But his fingers, for a fleeting second, brushed against the skin of her neck. His cologne filled her nostrils, he smelled wonderful. 

"You'll catch a cold," he stated, his voice low.

The cashmere was soft and heavy, instantly trapping her body heat. It smelled faintly of his cologne. The simple act of care was so heartwarming it stole her breath.

 "I'm fine," she managed, her voice barely a whisper.

He stood beside her, not looking at her, but at the glowing city line below them. The silence between them was thick with tons of unspoken emotions. 

“Dad is hosting a family dinner at the estate on Saturday,” he said, finally breaking the quiet. “We have to be there, he wouldn't tolerate any excuse.”

Navie nodded, pulling the wrap tighter. George Andros kindness was a beacon. “Dad would be happy to see me”. 

“Don't bother dressing yourself up, the stylist is coming. I would not want to be humiliated like last time”. 

Navie's smile disappeared, she recalled the last time they went for a party. She didn't grow up in luxury and didn't learn to dress like one. Her tacky dress embarrassed Reid so much that he left the party without her. He emphasized that he didn't want to take her along in the first place if not for his father's insistence. 

He turned his head, his stormy gaze settling on her. It was a rare occurrence to be the sole focus of his attention. It made her heart thud uncomfortably against her ribs. She gulped nervously. His eyes dropped to the wrapper, and then to the way her hand instinctively rested over her swollen belly. 

A strange, tense expression flickered across his face, a quick tightening of his jaw. She blinked, expecting him to say something. That he was sorry for yelling at her earlier. That how was the competition, maybe it wasn't stressful. Just anything. Anything lovely. 

Then, just as quickly, it was gone. The mask of the impassive CEO slid back into place, colder than before. He frowned and the usual look of disapproval that he always seemed to reserve for her spread across his face. 

"The… chill is bad for my baby's health," he said, the words coming out stiff. He wasn't looking at her eyes anymore; he was looking at the baby bump. 

“See that you’re ready by seven on Saturday. Don’t be late. Estelle would come here to pick you up. I have a meeting outside the country so don't wait for me”.

The correction was a bucket of ice water. His baby's health. Not her. 

He didn't even say "Our" baby. Once again, he reminded her she was just a woman carrying his heir and he had brought the wrap for the woman carrying his heir, not for his wife. The moment of fragile connection shattered, leaving her feeling more alone than before. 

Navie refused to doubt the meeting, but her conscience jabbed at her. What if he just didn't want to go with her? She wiped the tears off her face and smiled. 

He would change one day. She's sure of it. Even though it was his father that fixed their marriage, he would love her one day. And of course, Estelle. Her sister-in-law is more than a darling to her. She saw the elder sister she never had in Estelle.

He turned and walked back inside, leaving her wrapped in the lingering scent of loneliness. 

She sighed and caressed her baby bump. Her phone rang in her hands, her mood lit up instantly when she saw the caller ID. 

“Mom”, she raised the phone to her ear delightfully and went inside. 

Reid entered his room and closed the door in anger. He disliked everything about Navie. Her innocence irritated him to the core. Yet he feels drawn to her and he hated that feeling more than anything else. When his father arranged his marriage to his assistant's daughter, he felt his world collapse. 

His father had always been a sensitive man ever since his mother left him for a richer man. But she died in the man's house. George Andros had a love marriage, he loved his wife to the wholeheartedly but his wife only cared about his money, when Andros Group went under, she left seven year old Reid with his father. Ever since then he refused to let Reid have a love marriage, he believed an arranged marriage with a carefully selected bride would be better than someone that pretended to love him. He always drummed it into ears that an arranged marriage is better. 

As Reid grew up, he had always been wary of women except his childhood friend Bianca, she stood by his side and comforted him.

Forcing him to marry Navie was his father's excuse to prevent any gold diggers from getting him. He said they watched Navie grow up and she's the perfect one for him. Just how much Navie's father, Cooper and his own were close, he has no idea. Cooper served his father long before he was born. George trusted Cooper to the core. When Cooper passed away, he promised to take care of his wife and their daughter, Navie. He married Navie to his son without hesitation. 

Saturday came by quickly. The stylist did nothing to tarnish her image of perfect glamour. Even while seven months pregnant, Navie still glowed like a newly wedded bride. Estelle was astonished when she saw Navie. 

She squealed in delight and ran to Navie. 

“Look who's glowing!”, she squealed and laughed. 

Navie blushed, her eyes fixed on the floor shyly. Bella held her hands and lifted her gaze. 

“Our mommy to be looks so prettyyyyy”, she exclaimed in delight. 

“Thanks Estelle”, Navie replied, a sweet smile spread across her face.

“Come on, we will be late”. The ladies went out of the house and drove to the Andros family house. 

Everyone fussed over Navie repeatedly, especially George, her father-in-law. He was particularly fond of her. Daniel, Estelle's husband gifted Navie an aromatherapy kit.

“Estelle loved this a lot while she was pregnant with Migo”, he said and patted his wife's head. 

“Look at that, you have been married for twenty years and you still do PDA?”, Marissa, her mother-in-law commented.

“Mom!”, Estelle protested with a pout. Navie laughed at their antics. 

“Hello!!”, a shrill voice cut through the family time on the table. 

They were all too familiar with that voice. Bianca swattered in, her arm intertwined with Reid's. Navie turned to look at the owner of the voice, her smile faltered. Her gaze went to their arms. Everyone's gaze went there. The once happy dining room suddenly went silent.