Chapter 5 – The First Week

By the time I opened my eyes the next day, it was already afternoon. The sun was sinking low through my window, painting the room in shades of gold and amber. I hadn’t realized how much the past few days had drained me until that moment. Every memory, every argument, every haunting thought had taken its toll—so much that I’d slept through most of the day.

When I finally stepped out of my room into the living room, I saw a young woman standing by the couch. She smiled politely and introduced herself as my personal maid—hired that very morning.

Her name was Tessa. She was about the same age as Marielle, but there was something softer, more genuine about her. As we talked, I realized how easy it was to open up to her. She had this calm warmth that made the walls around me crumble.

She told me she was an orphan, working hard to make ends meet so she could sponsor her younger brother’s education. I admired her strength. In a strange way, she felt like the sister I never had—the one I always needed.

We got along well. The first week of my marriage was an emotional blur—a mix of silence, confusion, and loneliness. I didn’t even catch a glimpse of my so-called husband. I knew our marriage wasn’t born out of love, but still, didn’t he have the decency to at least see his newly wedded wife?

The house was beautiful but empty, filled with everything except affection. I barely had anywhere to go or anyone to talk to, but Tessa tried her best to make the mansion feel less like a cage.

Then, by the beginning of the new week, everything shifted.

I was having breakfast with Tessa in the dining room, laughing about something small and silly, when the air suddenly changed. The door opened, and he walked in—Lucas Rodriguez.

My husband.

My hand froze on the spoon. My heart raced as I stared at my plate, unsure what to say or do. The sound of his footsteps filled the room.

“You won’t even greet your husband?” he said, his deep voice cutting through the tension.

I looked up slowly to find his eyes fixed on me—cold, unreadable, and curious all at once. Tessa had already slipped away.

“Good morning,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Good morning to you too,” he replied casually, pulling out a chair and sitting across from me. The butler from yesterday appeared and began serving him.

The dining room that had been alive with laughter moments ago now felt suffocatingly silent. The only sounds were the clinks of knives and forks against porcelain plates.

After a long, uneasy stretch, I gathered the courage to speak. “You don’t plan on keeping me here with nothing to do, do you?”

He looked up, smirking faintly. “Oh, you can talk,” he said sarcastically, his tone dripping with arrogance.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Then, without warning, he reached into his coat and placed something on the table. A black card.

“I’m sure you received the wedding gift and signed the necessary documents,” he said coldly. “This is for you. Use it to get something to make yourself look… better. I don’t like my wife looking like—” His eyes traveled over me before he finished with a cruel smirk. “—that.”

The words hit hard. My anger simmered, but I forced myself to stay composed. I had sworn never to let anyone make me feel small again.

“You don’t get to talk to me like that just because you married me,” I said quietly but firmly.

He leaned back, his expression turning sharp. “Point of correction,” he said, his voice icy. “I didn’t just marry you. I bought you. With my money. And that means I can do whatever I please.”

The words sliced through me like glass. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

He watched me for a moment, then asked dryly, “So, what do you plan on doing? Assuming you actually have something in mind.”

I swallowed hard. “I’ve always wanted to be an actress… or a model. Maybe even a fashion influencer,” I said, my voice trembling slightly.

He nodded once, emotionless. “Okay.”

That was all he said before standing up, grabbing his waistcoat, and leaving the room as if he owned the world.

I watched his retreating figure until he disappeared from sight—then the dam broke. I buried my face in my hands and cried. The words “I bought you” echoed in my head again and again, tearing at what little pride I had left.

But what could I do? He was Lucas Rodriguez—untouchable, arrogant, and dangerous.

Tessa rushed in and wrapped her arms around me, guiding me back to my room. I was still crying when my phone began to ring.

I sniffed, forcing my voice to steady, and answered the call. But the moment I heard what was said, my heart stopped.