The Man behind the Smile

Bella

Alex's world was full of men who smiled with their teeth and watched you with their eyes. After receiving the large sum of money, I realized that truly, I was nothing more than a pet in the eyes of Alex.

I had to do everything he told me to. I acted only in the way he needed me to act. I was already living the life of a textbook a few days after marriage.

After the planned dinner, I had nothing to do than follow him like a shadow when he was home. I wasn't really prepared for what I signed.

I stood frozen in the room after the door was opened without a knock.

“You seem to be extremely busy," he murmured as he walked into the room. The sounds of his footsteps sent shivers to my spine.

“You are the busy one," I replied quickly, shoving my robe to cover my body. His brows furrowed and he moved backwards a bit.

“Was there any part in the contract that mentioned you have to cover your body?” His voice was cold and distinct.

“Uhm, you didn't think I could also be feeling cold?" I replied, fast enough to make it seem like that was what was going on.

He fell on me, holding me so tight. "Then you would have asked for my warmth. I still have the responsibilities towards you as a husband.”

Goosebumps raided my skin as he held me tightly. For a moment, I closed my eyes as I embraced the same feeling I felt once in the hotel after our one-night stand.

I quivered at the thought that maybe what I truly needed was his body on mine, but it was so hard to do.

I knew he was attributed to Valerie.

When that got to me, I shook it off and moved away.

“What’s the issue?" he asked like he was enjoying it too.

“No—Nothing." I responded, holding the robe to make sure it was covering my body.

“I know it's going to be difficult for you. It's going to be hard to manage and also grow over the fact that you married your best friend's ex-fiancé, but you'll get over it." He pulled out a blunt as he dug his pockets for a lighter.

"When did you start smoking?” I asked, looking at him with a face full of disgust.

“Long enough. Really long,” he uttered with his lips barely moving after he couldn't find a lighter.

"You always seem to remind me that I married you for the benefits. What good does that bring?”

A smoking husband who didn't care about the mental health of his wife. A husband whose outgoing life was far off set as the most important.

He had no idea about the fact that there was much more to attribute to one's self than what he knew.

"I don't smoke, Bella. I just play around with the blunt. You know it gives a different level of vibe. For a billionaire like me, you should try to understand,” he puffed and blew the smoke.”

“I really don't mind,” I uttered nonchalantly, as I moved away. The smell of the marijuana made me feel extremely nauseous.

He moved around me after he dumped the bunt on the ashtray. The way he moved made me anxious.

"Are you tired already?” he asked and immediately grabbed my arm. My breath quickened, as I struggled to fathom what exactly he was going to do next.

“No, I never said that. I didn't mention such,” I replied immediately as I caught my breath in between every word I uttered.

"There's dinner again tonight. I need you to prepare. You have the black card with you, so get anything you think would make you look like a luxury wife. I don't need to see anything less,” he carefully addressed.

He let go of my hand abruptly and immediately walked out of the room.

I knew this was going to be my main debut as the CEO’s wife.

After 6 hours, I was almost done with my make-up and, for the first time, I decided to dump all my worries and behave like his wife. To act like we have been lovers for the longest time.

I walked down to check how the setting was going. To dish out the best performance, I had to be conversant with every single thing that was going on.

"Bella?” The voice was deep and engrossing. I immediately turned, and it was a tall, good-looking man. He was neatly dressed, and his aura was one of the most comfortable things I've ever experienced in my stay in this house.

He looked like the smaller version of Alex. His cupid bowed lips and his grey eyes pushed me off balance.

I blinked immediately to snap myself out of it, “Who?" I asked. I'm very sure I sounded like a billionaire’s wife.

The pose. The aura. The attitude.

“I'm sorry for the abrupt way I called out," he uttered.

“I'm Ethan. I'm sure Alex has mentioned my name one over and over," he continued. He stretched out his hands for a handshake.

“Oh, Ethan." I repeated. It all looked like I'd never heard of such a name before.

I threw my head to the other side and I left him sinking in the awkward moment of not shaking his hands.

“You look beautiful, indeed.” He complimented me and I was thrown off balance. For the second time!

No one has complimented me in such a long time. Probably the last time I got a compliment was when I went clubbing and had a one-night stand with Alex.

"Ethan,” I called out his name and I stretched out my hands for a handshake. Without thinking, he didn't hesitate to shake me.

"Yes. Nice to finally meet you, Bella,” he replied. At that moment, I was struck by a kind of familiarity I couldn't decipher. There was something about his posture, and the way he tilted his head to listen to me any time I spoke.

Ethan was charming without effort. He was the kind of man who made the room feel warmer. The little moment I wasn't with him felt like a detox from the kind of aura I usually got from Alex.

“I hope you're enjoying everything here. How's work?" he went on to ask.

“Uhm… I haven't resumed yet. I don't know how to handle being a billionaire’s wife and doing some more work with my agency,” I replied confidently.

"Ohh, nice. If it is what you love, it should…it would not be an issue.” His response was honest.

He watched me as I spoke with an unreadable expression.

“Thank you," I uttered. The music interrupted the conversations we would have had.

It would have been more, but the event had started even when I just wanted to come to see how it all looked like.

I had no idea it was just me going for the event all at once.

Everything went on, and I just had to act like a ghost in all of these moments. The smiles of the visitors that came were quite unreadable, and I had no specific way of responding to questions than nodding.

And finally, it was the first dessert.

"Ethan, what do you think about the structure of the second contract?” Alex started as he dropped his glass of wine.

"Nothing specific. I think they have to look at it again. For now, it looks like it's going to be something big, but if you look deeper, we are losing in the long run.”

Was it a business deal dinner? I had no idea!

His response was sharp and quite insightful. Even for me who didn't know exactly what they were referring to or talking about. I understood it quite well.

There was a brief silence after his not-so-short talk.

While I was staring at how everything changed. I saw how delighted he was.

Just when I thought I was just a wife with no duties or attraction. I was caught in the gap between two men. While I was looking at Ethan as he made the visitors clear out the confusion, I saw Alex grabbing his glass of wine again. This time around he was looking at me.

The last time he had to look at me was when we wedded publicly in the courthouse.

After the guests left, I was fatigued. I barely remembered I was pregnant.

I walked sluggishly to the corridor of the mansion which led to my room.

“Alex, I don't get you. What are you doing?” Ethan whispered.

I stopped to listen as I leaned closely to the wall.

“It's just a contract marriage. It's nothing really. I'm still doing what I feel comfortable doing." Alex was ignorant.

“No, man. She is not what I expected."

My heart fell slightly and too quickly into my stomach. It's the best way I could describe how I felt. I couldn't wait to hear Alex's reply.

I didn't want to be shattered — at least not yet.

I couldn't return to the room. I found myself walking towards the exit of the mansion which was close to the garden.

As Ethan said goodnight, he paused at the entrance of the door, staring at me. It looked like he knew something about me that I didn't mention to anyone.

“It was genuinely nice to meet you,” he said.

“Take care of yourself, both of you."

Both of you?