Chapter 10

The sound of guests cheering filled the room, what did they ever know, blinded by the surface, never understanding what lingered beneath.

I looked up to see her, faking her smile like her life depended on it.

She was too timid to be true, a victim that was forged out of obligations. Our obligations.

I didn’t plan to marry her, I wanted her sister.

But fate had a way of intervening and the story checks out.

Her bouquet was wrapped back after the wedding play.

And we waved goodbye as we entered the black decorated SUV, made especially for our newly wedded affairs.

The cameras clicked,paparazzi lashed their lights, waiting for a mistake.

But that won’t happen, so I quickly opened the door for her in the backseat, entertaining their lovely wedded act.

She entered, traces of her lace sweeping gently into the car.

And at that I took a bow at them, and they all took their final sight at us.

We were fast driven in the car, silence reigned and none of us could break the air between us.

I could see the way her fingers crumbled into her dress, head down. I could see her fear.

And it was true, I wouldn’t love her and I hated both her and myself for it.

The long silent journey was over as we reached my penthouse,

Like the gentleman I was, to secure the curiosity of anyone that followed us, I opened the door to pick her up, carrying her in my arms, her cheeks flushed with red… how smitten she fell for me.

I took inside,climbing the stairs then dropping her at her room, already arranged for her.

“That’s enough acting for today, get some rest” I said, letting her know this was all fake.

She only nodded but her body language said something different, she was amused and confused.

I turned back to set things straight”

“Olivia” I said, she hummed, her eyes finally facing me.

“This marriage is purely but a play, you are only my wife on paper, you have my protection, my house, my wealth, my name ,my fidelity… but never my…”

She interrupted, like she had expected this little speech of mine.

“Heart… never your heart” she said, good she was smart enough to understand.

“Yes… now go get some sleep” I said to her.

“I’m not a child, I’ll sleep when I want to” She said, stubborn as always.

“Whatever you wish” I said to her, not caring less, well not showing I cared.

She just nodded like usual and was about to enter, but then she stopped.

“Why did you agree?” She asked, she wanted to know why I set her up for this.

“It was just… unforeseen fate” I answered, that was the truth… it wasn’t planned, but I had to do everything I could to fulfil my name.

“Would you ever think of me as a woman ?” She said, this same question over and over.

Her eyes was filled with vulnerability and an ache for warmth and comfort.

I stepped closer, enough to fill the gap between us, I shouldn’t be doing this, not this close but here I was.

There was some pull between us, like the more I tried to hide from her. The more I was brought closer.

I took a strand of her hair back, the soft straight silk felt on my finger tips.

Meeting her eyes again before I spoke.

“You mean nothing but a sister to me” I said, and my conscience laughed at my own words.

“Families don’t get this close to each other” she said, she was right.

And you may judge me, but I wanted to claim her, but didn’t want to be claimed by her.

I kissed her forehead lightly and got away.

Before the man in me would do things I’ll regret later.

“Make yourself feel at home” I said, then moved down to my bar to drown myself in alcohol.

To escape from what had just happened.

While drinking, I noticed a strange item.

A piece of paper folded neatly in my empty glass.

“What’s this ?” I said, half drunk.

I opened the paper to see Katherine’s handwriting.

“Did you miss me ?, I’m just on a break I’ll be back babe”

I was supposed to feel surprised but all I got was a feeling of disgust.

Did she just dump me to ride me in this emotional roller coaster?

I shedded the paper and continued drowning myself in linquor.

Causing myself for tainting an innocent beautiful girl like her.

Olivia, the smell of olives, so innocent would have to lay next to me… it wasn’t fair on her, and that was why I needed to be livid.

I poured more liquid, the taste stinging my already bruised heart.

Looking at my ring and remembering the vows we took.

“It was never meant to be you, “ I said, trying to control my drunkenness.

And yet it was her.

Before I could fill another glass, I heard the sound of glass, real heavy glass breaking into pieces.

Thoughts spiraled and I rushed upstairs to check on Olivia.

Reaching her room, I couldn’t help but notice her lock crushed.

Someone had entered, who?… why?… Most importantly, how ?

With no time to think, I opened the door the see scattered marbles of glass on the floor.

Olivia panting in the exact same spot.

She was bleeding through her neck, like it was sliced.

“Olivia!” I knew fear, this was the time I had tasted and swallowed fear whole in. I rushed to her, carrying her to the bed.

She was fatigued as more blood rushed through her neck.Staining her white silk nightmare.

I looked deeper and it was a tiny slice, but the damage it did was brutal.

Without thinking,I found a cloth to stop the bleeding.

Calling for guards to take her to the hospital.

They came, this was the reason why I didn’t want her near me.