001

CHARLOTTE

~•~

I let out a satisfied sigh as the door of the van closed after me. I loved my job. I really did, but dealing with so many people at a time got draining sometimes.

Iris laughed as I leaned back on the car seat. “Finally happy to be back home, aren’t you?”

I smiled. I truly was. I had missed my husband. If he weren’t so busy, he could have visited me in different locations and we would have had the opportunity to explore together. Sometimes, I hated that he was working a corporate job, but I was sure he felt the same way about my job as it required me to travel around the world.

Well, I wasn’t that famous yet, but I did have to travel around the continent in order to satisfy the few fans I had.

“Wasn’t Mr. Calloway supposed to pick you up?” She asked again.

“He got held up at work.” Besides, if he had picked me up, it was going to be another unnecessary headline about how perfect our marriage was. A husband picking up his wife from the airport was the bare minimum yet the media ate it up like it was the most iconic thing ever.

I didn’t mind the attention. Honestly? I thrived in it, but when that attention came from my marriage rather than my music, it was a little annoying sometimes.

“There’s this infatuated look in your eyes whenever you talk about him,” Iris went on. She was talkative but I didn’t mind because she filled the silence whenever I had nothing to say. “It’s so admirable. I wish to have a love like yours one day.”

I looked over at her. She had only been my assistant for a year. Fresh out of college, she decided to take a gap year to work. One year turned into two and I was sure she had no plans to go back to college for now.

“Speaking of, does he have any brothers? Any cousins?”

I laughed. “Unfortunately, he only has a sister who is straight.”

“No friends?”

“I’ll ask and find out if anyone is single.”

Iris grinned. “You’re the best, Charlotte.”

I closed my eyes after that, soaking in the ride back home. I finally had time to be with my family but my break only lasted two weeks. Thankfully, Thanksgiving and our second anniversary were included in those two weeks.

As soon as the van started to slow down, I sat up straighter and looked out the window. I’d been away for a few months and I missed everything about home, most especially the man who shared it with me, even if he had managed to visit me a few weeks ago because of a business trip. That wasn’t enough though because we only got to spend a night together.

As the van came to a stop, I quickly got out. Iris followed after me, going straight to the trunk to get my luggage.

I walked over to the door, expecting it to be locked, but was surprised to see that it was open. Was Alexander in? Excited, I rushed inside the house and just as suspected, Alexander was by the fridge, drinking a glass of water.

Since he didn’t turn around, I assumed he didn’t hear me come in, so I tiptoed, making sure my steps were light as I approached him. As soon as I was close enough, I wrapped my arms around him from behind.

He was startled at first, but calmed down when he realized it was me. He sighed. “You scared me, Char.”

I grinned, releasing my hold on him and letting him turn around to face me. “Didn’t you say you were held up?” I asked with a pout. “You just didn’t want to pick me up, right?”

He stared at me for a few seconds, not responding. His expression was pretty blank. Then he moved away to rinse the glass before he spoke. “I just left work. I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”

If only he knew what I wouldn’t mind waiting for him, but I understood his logic.

I opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted when the door opened again. Iris came in first, dragging one suitcase behind her. The driver followed with two suitcases in both hands.

“Just leave them there,” I told them.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to arrange them!”

“It’s fine,” I assured her, but I really just wanted them to leave so Alexander and I would be alone.

“Alright then, see you later,” Iris said as they let go of the luggage. “Bye, Mr. Calloway.”

Alexander gave her a tight smile as they left. I frowned at his expression. “What’s wrong? Did something happen at work?”

He let out a breath and walked out of the kitchen. I followed behind him.

My frown deepened. Why was he not replying? Was he mad at me? He was acting very odd. Usually, Alexander would be the one to open the door for me if he didn’t pick me up and he’d welcome me with a kiss, or at least, a hug. This time, he was evading my hug as well as my questions. It was odd.

“Wait,” I held his hand. He stopped walking and exhaled like I was a bother. My eyebrows raised in confusion. “Are you mad at me for something? Did I do something wrong?”

But how could I have done anything wrong when we weren’t even in the same city? Then again, if I thought about it, we hadn’t been texting as regularly as we used to in the past two weeks.

“I’m not mad at you,” he finally replied. “I’m just… stressed from work.”

“Did your MD give you shit again? What happened?”

“None of that, Char.”

“Then what’s wrong? Talk to me.” His managing director was his uncle, who didn’t like him very much. It wasn’t usual for him to stress him out at work.

“Do you have anything to tell me?”

I frowned at that question. I had just come back from a long trip so of course I had a lot to tell him. “Of course, I have a lot of things to tell you? Is that why you’re angry?”

“No, not that,” he sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I mean a secret of yours. Do you have anything to tell me?”