7. (Not) A Honeymoon

Danas remained silent, not answering. "Danas," Melvin called. This time his voice was somewhat raised.

Every woman wants to be adored, spoiled; why did I experience a fate like this? Am I wrong to want an attentive husband?! Every woman wants the same thing. But I have to discard all those desires; for me, hoping for such things to come true is merely in vain.

Danas's eyes were in a straight line with Melvin's hazel eyes, then she moved closer toward her husband.

She knew that the man was maintaining his image, yet that very thing made her heart ache. The pretense carried out by Melvin sliced into her deepest heart. It was not sincerity during moments of intimacy, but rather everything was fake.

An attentive Melvin was fake. A smiling and warm Melvin was fake.

Seeing Danas's slow steps, the man immediately pulled the girl's hand and made her sit on his lap.

"I-I will just sit in the chair."

Melvin tightened his embrace. "Be a good girl, sit quietly. Do you think I want to hold you like this? I just don't want them thinking inappropriately about me," Melvin whispered.

There was a sense of pain when her own husband said such a thing to her, even though she knew that what was happening was merely a performance, but it still hurt when Melvin said it.

Her hands were clenched tightly, trying to remain strong. She could not express how much pain she was harboring deep in her heart, enduring all of that man's treatment. Their marriage was not even a week old, yet she could not stand what was happening to her life.

Sitting on Melvin's lap made her body stiffen slightly; she was afraid that making a mistake would make her husband angry.

An arm wrapped around her waist, making her body stiffen even more. Never had she felt this close to Melvin. Being in that man's embrace made her fearful.

"I won't be rough with you; don't make everyone here look strangely at us," Melvin whispered.

Not a single word came out of Danas's mouth; the girl chose to stay quiet and smile. Occasionally, Melvin invited her to talk about a few small things, then fell silent again.

Pretending to smile felt so painful.

The journey was quite long and exhausting, causing her to unconsciously lean against Melvin's broad chest, gradually falling asleep. The man briefly glanced at his wife, who had fallen asleep on his lap.

The girl slept soundly, as if nothing had happened. Melvin stared at Danas's face as she slept.

"Beautiful, but I have no intention of being nice to her," he thought to himself.

The scent of mint and vanilla from Danas's body made the man unconsciously embrace the girl on his lap. He was not even aware that he was becoming addicted to the scent of Danas's body.

"I cannot lie that her body scent makes me feel calm," he thought to himself.

Danas, who was on his lap, also fell fast asleep while her husband slept embracing her.

Dimly, the ceiling of a room became visible, with a man lying beside her.

"When did we arrive in Germany?" she asked in her heart while getting out of bed.

Her eyes explored the room, followed by footsteps investigating every corner.

"Wow, this is like an apartment," Danas thought.

She looked for her bag, but could not find it.

"I must hurry to shower before he wakes up," she muttered while stepping into the bathroom.

Her face was washed with water first while she stared intently into the mirror in front of her.

The reflection of her face in the glass made her feel pity for herself. She should have been the happiest person to be married, but it was not a marriage like this that she had wanted.

Click!

The bathroom door opened, allowing Danas to see that Melvin was right behind her at that moment. For a moment, their eyes met in a straight line; realizing Melvin's arrival broke her daydream and made her quickly leave the space.

There was not much she did that morning—sitting to eat the breakfast that had been served, with her husband having gone off to who knows where. Occasionally, she walked out onto the balcony while looking at the view outside.

"Miss," Marvin called, making the girl turn toward the origin of the voice calling her.

"Are you not bored staying here?" asked the man.

Danas let out a soft sigh.

"You have worked with him for a long time, haven't you?" asked Danas to Marvin.

The man nodded his head. Danas leaned her body against the balcony railing, looking toward the man in front of her.

"So, do you know why he hates me?" Danas asked softly.

Marvin knitted his brows; he could not believe he was receiving such a question from the woman who had now become his boss's wife.

"T-that's because—"

The girl hoped to get an answer as to why her husband hated her so deeply, the reason behind Melvin saying that she was a murderer.

Bzzt...

Marvin reached for the phone in his pocket, then looked toward Danas.

"I'm sorry, Madam. I have to take this call," the man said, then stepped away from there.

She did not receive an answer as the man's words were cut off by a phone call.

"Phew!" A long sigh, while enjoying the view of the sky that was turning dark at that moment. Without friends, without anyone to make her feel less lonely.

The German sky at that time looked beautiful and seemed so vast for herself. Her husband had gone who knows where after leaving her behind. Being ignored was perhaps the right phrase for her.

What kind of honeymoon leaves one's partner behind? In fact, it was very far from the word honeymoon; to be precise, this moment was not a honeymoon.

Click!

The room door opened, revealing Melvin returning with clothes that were no longer as neat as when he had left. The buttons of his shirt were undone and missing.

Danas grabbed hold of the athletic body, causing her to wave her hand as she caught the smell of alcohol from her husband's body.

"Why did he drink so much?" Danas complained while laying her husband down on the bed.

His shoes and socks were removed by her.

A knock was heard.

"You..."

Danas saw Marvin in front of their room door, tracing a smile.

"What happened? Why—"

"Sir was drinking heavily."

The girl looked at Melvin, who was unconscious, then turned her sharp gaze toward Marvin before closing the room door from the outside.

"Tell me what actually happened. Why did he come here?"

"Th-that's..."

"Marvin..." Danas's voice sounded intimidating to the man in front of her right now.

"We had better speak somewhere else."

"Alright, let's go to the cafeteria."

Danas walked slowly. "Madam, the cafeteria is not in that direction, but over this way."

The girl turned her body to look at Marvin. "Ah, over there, I see."

Her footsteps followed the man who served as her husband's assistant; no one opened their mouth while they were inside the elevator. Marvin guided Danas toward a table and ordered drinks.

"So, tell me everything you know," Danas said while looking toward Marvin. "What made him come here?"

"A-actually, Sir came here to look for Miss Renata."

"R-Renata?" she asked.

She was rather shocked to hear that name.

"Who is Renata?"

"Miss Renata is Sir's lover."