Chapter Eleven

Posy glanced down at her sexy red dress, her eyes flickering over to the door she was standing in front of.

It had come to this. Ever since Runes agreed to marry her instead of Thea, he and his family are yet to say anything.

She decided to do something about it and here she was, standing outside Rune's private apartment.

She placed a knock on the door and it swung open to reveal Runes. He looked like a mess. His eyes met hers and she knew he was drinking.

Runes leaned against the doorframe, a weak smile spreading across his face as he took in her appearance.

"Posy," he said, his voice a low rumble. "I wasn't expecting you."

“I called. Multiple times but you didn't respond."

He ran his fingers through his hair, still offering her a sad smile. He hasn't been handling the break up with Thea rather well.

“My bad.” He whispered. He stepped aside. “Come on in.”

She stepped inside, and he closed the door behind her, the lock clicking into place with a thud.

“What would you like to have? Tea? Coffee?” He asked.

"I know it is hard to come to terms with the current situation of things…" she replied, her voice soft but steady.

Runes met her gaze and froze. Posy had taken off her clothes and standing in the middle of the room is her in nothing but lacy lingerie.

“Posy…”

“And you'll have to forget about her eventually…” she purred, covering the distance between them.

His eyes watched her as she approached him, one seductive sway of the hips after another. “I’m going to be your wife.”

Runes swallowed, averting his gaze away from her. “What are you doing?”

Posy got closer and pulled his arm over her breast, forcing him to give her a squeeze. “I know Thea didn't give you this.. but I'm not Thea…”

“And that merger has to happen..” she whispered into his ear.

Runes exhaled, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in before taking her lips in his. Posy's fingers threaded into his hair, and she pressed herself against him, a soft moan escaping her throat.

He lifted her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder as he carried her toward the bedroom. And mere seconds later, her moans and his grunts filled the room..

“Fuck you're perfect..” Runes said as he thrust into Posy, groaning in pleasure.

Posy smirked, it worked. There's no way he won't take action now and importantly, she's got Thea’s man in her arms.

****

The sunlight, filtered through heavy curtains, forced Thea to open her eyes.

The room was quiet, the curtains moved slowly in the wind as she stared out the wall of glass into the sky. She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the light. He threatened her last night.

The memory crashed over her like a sharp pain. Seth. His threats. The way he had backed her against the wall, his menacing words..

She bolted upright, her heart thumping. What did he mean by that statement? Hell, she could barely sleep last night, replaying those words in her head over and over again.

And he had chosen to sleep in the living area. Good. The last thing she wanted was to be in the same bed, thinking about what he said to her.

Thea stood up from the bed, her eyes scanning the room and the oddly quiet suite ; the rose petals from the previous night were still scattered across the duvet and the carpet.

A quick check of the adjoining living area and bathroom confirmed her suspicion. Empty.

He had meant what he said. He had slept somewhere else, leaving her alone in the suite.

But where did he go? Did he book a different room for himself in this same hotel or did he have work to attend to? She sat on the bed, not sure what to do next.

A knock sounded on the suite's inner door. "Housekeeping, with breakfast, Mrs. Blackwood," a polite voice announced.

"Come in," Thea called out, pulling the sheets higher to cover herself.

A hotel assistant, a young woman in uniform and a pleasant smile, wheeled in a cart laden with breakfast spread. Fresh pastries, fruit platters, a silver teapot, and an array of juices filled the air with inviting aromas.

"Good morning, Mrs. Blackwood," the assistant said, setting up the table by the window. "Mr. Blackwood sends his regards. He had a meeting early this morning and left with Mr. Arian."

Thea's brows furrowed slightly. Arian? She didn't recognize the name. Seth had simply vanished, leaving a vague message through a hotel staff member.

She wasn't sure why but the casual dismissal stung a little. It wouldn't cost him an arm or leg to tell her exactly where he was headed himself. But that would be her asking for way too much for a contract marriage.

"Oh. Thank you." She tried to keep her voice even. "Do you know when he'll be back?"

The assistant hesitated. "He didn't specify, ma'am. Only that he had an unscheduled engagement." She offered a final polite smile and exited the suite.

Thea stared at the untouched food. The suite felt emptier now and she would lose the last bit of sanity she had left if she spends her full day in the huge and empty room.

She decided to take a long, hot bath, hoping the steam would wash away the tension from the night before. Submerging herself in the scented water, she finally pulled out her phone. There was only one person she wanted to call.

Daisy.

"Hey!" Thea's voice was cheerful, too cheerful. "Are you busy today? I was hoping we could... hang out." She left out the 'I'm stuck in a fancy hotel alone and miserable' part.

"Good morning, Mrs. Blackwood!" Daisy's cheerful voice filled her ear. "Busy? For my best friend on her honeymoon? Never! Though I must admit, I'm surprised you're calling so early. Shouldn't you be... busy?" Daisy teased, giggling uncontrollably.

Thea chuckled dryly. "Nothing happened. My wedding night was far from 'busy.' He slept in the living room. Or I think he did."

A pause on Daisy's end. "Oh. Well, that's... not very romantic." Daisy sounded disappointed for her. "So, stuck in your love nest all alone?"

"Yes." Thea confirmed. "Can you come over? We can have lunch, maybe tour the hotel. Anywhere but here, alone. And…I need a few clothes. I got nothing"

"On my way!" Daisy promised.

True to her word, Daisy arrived less than an hour later, buzzing with curiosity. She surveyed the suite with wide eyes while Thea changed into a pair of shorts and a random top that Daisy had got for her.

"Wow. This is... something. So, no wedding night fireworks?" Daisy asked, settling onto a plush sofa.

Thea recalled his words from the previous night, she wasn't sure if she should bring that up with Daisy. " He said this was all Celine's idea and I shouldn't think much of anything."

Daisy sighed. " I…I can't believe you two had a one night stand and won't have a…wedding night…stand..”

Thea chuckled. “Daisy.”

“I know but like, it doesn't make sense to me. He seems like a pretty complicated man.”

Thea sinks into the sofa, she can say that again. She wasn't thinking when she agreed to marry this man and now, she might be regretting it. Just a little.

“I think he was mad that Celine might have intervened.”

“No..I d0nt think that's the case.” Daisy muttered. Thea finally settled on the couch with a sigh of relief.

“Can we stop talking about Seth please? I signed up for this, I should have seen this coming…”

Daisy's phone beeps, she glanced at the phone screen and frowned. “Goodness, I've never wanted anyone gone in my entire life!” She snapped.

Thea, curious about what caused her friends outburst, leans closer to see what she was so mad about.

“What is it?”

Thea’s eyes settled on the headlines and her heart sank.

The Disowned Daughter Of The Balmero Family, Spotted in a Cafe, Waitressing And Disgraced.

A picture Yolanda took of Thea's face buried in floor ice cream was plastered alongside the headlines.

Daisy snatched her phone away from Thea, shaking her head. “Ignore her. You know she's a little brat and an attention whore..”

Thea takes the phone from Daisy and scrolls down to the comment section, it was just as ruthless as the headlines.

“Thea, you don't have to pay any of this attention. You're married to Seth now and all of this won't matter once karma catches up with Posy soon enough.”

“Not if I catch up with her first.” Thea muttered under her breath.

Daisy took the phone once more, placing it out of her reach. “Hey, it's okay. I really think you should put all this behind you. Posy, Runes…your family.”

She wanted to. But after what Yolanda did that day? And Posy's interview with the press, she's not going to. Never.

“I don't know why, call it a gut feeling, but I think Seth is a good man. You know I'm not one to vouch for people easily, especially the elite crowd. But with Seth... I have an inkling. He will treat you right. In his own strange way."

Thea scoffed. "A strange way that involves sleeping on a different sofa and leaving the next morning with a vague message.”

"Hey, it's could have been an emergency or something. If you ask him, he might just be honest with you.”

Thea's phone chimed.

Her stomach dropped when she saw the caller ID: Adam Balmero. Her father.

The same man who had disowned her and stood by while she was humiliated. A knot of dread tightened in her chest.

"It's my father," Thea whispered to Daisy, her voice barely audible.

Daisy's eyes widened. "What does he want?"

Thea took a deep breath, steeling herself. “I don’t know..”

Daisy stared at her in silence, hesitation in her eyes. “Did he find out about your wedding?”

Thea was silent. “There were no reporters at the wedding. And I don't think any news outlet covered it either..”

Daisy glanced at the phone which was on the center table. “Talk to him. Let's hear what he has to say.”

Thea exhaled and nodded.

"Hello.” she said, her voice devoid of emotion.

"Thea," Adam's voice was curt, as always, lacking any warmth or welcome. "You are to be at the family house this evening. We need to discuss something." It wasn't a request; it was a demand.

"To discuss what?" Thea asked, her grip tightening on the phone.

“Important matters concerning the family. Be there by seven." Without waiting for a confirmation or a protest, he hung up, the line going dead.