Living a double life

6 weeks ago 

Ruth's POV 

"It's Adrian Delacroix, the only child of the late Mr and Mrs Delacroix. Today he came with his stunning wife Ruth Delacroix. They are so perfect for each other, a match made in heaven truly." A reporter commented.

Adrian and I are attending a red carpet event, of course we had to act like the perfect couple for public image because that's all what I am for in the eyes of my husband. 

He needed my beauty and perfect body for his image and I needed the life his money had to offer. Our marriage is that of convenience but sometimes I can't help but want more from my husband than his cold behavior when we were alone or hiding behind the walls of our home.

He even had the domestic servants sign a nondisclosure agreement just so they don't expose us.

 

His hand around my waist tightened, he smiled lightly at the camera and waved, I did the same, waving at them.

"Mr and Mrs Delacroix, when are you going to start making a family? You've been married for what? A year now?" A reporter asked, he brought the mic so close to my face.

Adrian pushed it away lightly, acting like a gentleman and then he pulled me even closer to his side as if shielding me from the mic.

"Having children has always been my dream, my wife and I are planning to start a family very soon." He responded as politely as ever.

"Wishing you two all the best, with your perfect looks, I'm a hundred percent sure your children will be perfect as well." The reporter said laughing.

Adrian joined the reporter while I just smiled, looking as happy as I could. Faking it on camera was an easy task for me because I've been doing it for a while.

"We have to go now, my wife has been standing for hours, I know how uncomfortable heels can be." Adrian said gently.

A few reporters awwed, some stared at me with envy but I just smiled. 

We stood for one last picture before Adrian guided us to the car. Like a gentleman he opened the car door for me, I muttered a thank you, smiling at him sweetly. He rounded the car and joined me. 

The facade we had been putting up dropped, my husband's face turned cold, he pulled out his phone, completely ignoring my presence.

I feasted my eyes with the passing images on the tinted car window. When we arrived what was meant to be our home but instead it felt like a suffocating prison, he spoke;

"We are going to start a family, I want children." It sounded more like an order.

Don't get me wrong, I want children, I love them but the way he spoke made me angry. I don't want to bring children into this world to suffer the same fate as me, I don't want my children to pretend like they are living a happy life.

"Okay." I responded. I didn't have the courage to complain, I didn't have the right to argue because I knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to this marriage.

A week later, I got a call from a hospital. My husband was involved in an accident. Yes Adrian is cold and aloof, he doesn't give a damn about me but I still care about him, he is my husband after all.

So here I am pacing the corridor outside the emergency room barefoot, my hair looks like a bird's nest, my eyes are puffy from crying too much.

The doctor came out an hour later, "How is my husband?" I asked.

"Your husband is okay, he sustained some minor injuries, he is going to be transferred to a VIP room and then you can see him." The doctor said.

I breathed out in relief, I thanked him twice. Adrian was wheeled out of the emergency room, he was still unconscious, the doctor said it was the anesthesia that I shouldn't worry about it so I believed him.

When Adrian regained consciousness, he had this distant look on his face, he became even colder. I've tried asking him what the problem is but he has refused to talk to me about it.

When the nurse comes in to change the dressing on his injuries, he will change, his gaze will become soft, his words will be warm.

"The doctor said I'll be fine, you don't have to worry, Ruth." He has said one time, his fingers weaving through my hair.

He even went as far as to pull me into a kiss in front of the nurse, she had blushed and left, her cheeks crimson.

I couldn't stand it anymore so I went to the doctor to inquire what the problem was.

"Like I've explained to your husband, Mrs Delacroix, there's nothing to be worried about, he is fine. Actually I just signed his discharge form, you can take him home today." The doctor said as politely as he could.

"If you say so doctor, thank you." I picked up the fruit basket I had brought with me and placed it on his desk. "Thank you so very much for helping my husband."

"It was nothing Mrs Delacroix, I was just doing my job." 

I shaked hands with the doctor one last time and left. 

"I heard the doctor said I have been discharged." Adrian said, when I walked in. He sounded sweet and polite but the problem is there's no one in the room except for him and me.

That's what I thought until a nurse opened the bathroom door. 

"Oh Mrs Delacroix, thank God you are here. Your husband has been discharged, I've already packed his bags." She brought a wheel chair, "This is for him."

"He has refused to sit on the wheelchair but it's our hospital's policy, we can't let him walk out on his own, please talk to him." The nurse explained.

Of course I had to step in as the sweet wife, I took hold of his hand and sat at the edge of the bed gracefully.

"Babe, it's hospital policy, you can't walk out of here on your own. Do you want her to lose her job?" I asked.

"Of course not, I don't want that." Adrian said.

"Then don't be disobedient, do as she says." I caressed his cheeks lovingly, his hand on mine. 

I pushed him out of the hospital, the nurse was carrying his bag. When we arrived at the parking lot, I could spot a few reporters taking pictures of us. I think Adrian did too because he once again placed his hand in mine.

There are already pictures of his accident on the news paper, pictures of me outside the emergency room that day, barefoot, puffy eyes and scattered hair. I was called every man's dream wife. People said I didn't bother about my perfect look when I heard my husband was in danger.

The driver helped me put his bag in the trunk of the car while I helped him to his feet and helped him get into the car. 

I thanked the nurse and waved her goodbye, the moment I shut the door, the cold atmosphere returned, Adrian was back to being cold.

One day I had decided to cook dinner for Adrian, he had gone back to work and I thought why not? So I cooked for him, got dressed, applied makeup and sat on the dining table.

I waited but he didn't show up, he didn't come back home. Two days later Adrian still wasn't back home, I got worried and I called the police, they told me not to worry and that was it. 

My husband was missing and the information the police provided wasn't helping me at all. I waited and hoped until I stopped waiting.

I sat on my bed in my night dress scrolling through social media, this was the last thing I remember. When I woke up again it was past eleven PM. "When did I fall asleep?" I wondered to myself.