Chapter 10

We secured the bags, the dresses, shoes, jewelry and everything that Adrian insisted I picked out.

Even though I tried to assure him that I was fine with the ones he got. He didn’t agree.

“Baby, even if you had a hundred back home, you can still get more,” he had said “You’re my wife and come tomorrow, the only thing that should stress you out is the option of choosing whether you wanted gold or diamond earrings”

I could only nod in response, even though he treated me like this and was so nice and caring, a part of me feared the other side of him. The one he showed to Cheryl, the one he showed when I wasn’t there. So I could only nod.

The weight of the ring on my finger still pressed against my bones. It felt heavy in a way, like I was carrying more than his proclaimed adoration for me, it held promises that should have been made to another—Emily, my sister. The real bride.

We drove home in silence, but not without his glancing at me every second with a sheepish, boyish grin on his face. If not for my preconceived notion of him, he was totally sweet, and in a normal world, I could see myself falling for him.

By the time we got home, I was exhausted and beat. From trying multiple clothes and having to follow Adrian as I miraculously picked out every single item I had even the slightest of liking to. I really don’t know how he did that.

When we got in, I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “Why.. are you being so nice to me?” I stopped abruptly leaving him to walk ahead.

He stopped immediately, facing me, his face holding more than response, it held curiosity, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re just meeting me for the first time today and you….,” I closed my eyes, pacing myself, “you’ve been nothing but nice to me, a big contrast to how I…”

I quickly stopped myself, before letting that out. It was true, his behavior towards me was a big contrast to what I expected it to be.

“What I mean is, I’m not even your wife yet. This was meant to be an arranged marriage, why are you being so serious about it,” I breathed out.

Even as I’m losing my breath and steeling my resolve to ask him this, he only smiles in response, a wide, genuine smile.

“So you do speak?”

“What?”

He smiled, moving closer to me, “You’ve not spoken this much words at once all day.”

My neck reddened, I…I didn’t even realize, I was so overwhelmed by him. By all of his weird behavior.

“That was not what I asked though,” I shot back.

He clicked his fingers like he suddenly remembered, “oh.. yes.” Looking straight at me now he continues, “Baby, if you think I’m being nice now, wait till tomorrow when we get officially married.

Furrowing his brows now, he looked dejected as he said, “ I’m quite unhappy to know that my very *normal* acts seemed like such great act of kindness.”

I couldn’t even face him. Was I broken or that depraved of genuine care that I unknowingly made all his acts into such grandiose behaviors.

The thought lingered in my mind, sour and heavy and it must have been obvious in my appearance.

Adrian moves closer, lightly touching my arm, “Come on, let’s get some food to eat and head to bed, we have a long day tomorrow.”

We had dinner in a comfortable silence and it was now time to head to bed. I was still yet to figure out where my room was.

Whether it was in the attic or the basement, I had no idea. I’d not even seen my boxes and luggage’s since this morning.

“Uhm…I’m going to head to sleep now,” I whispered, gesturing my hands up the stairs. I had no idea where my room was.

He quickly tidied up the rest of his food as if to follow, “Great, let’s go together.”

Uh?

“No… no. You don’t have to, I’d find out my room in no time.”

“I know,” he rasped. “I’m heading to bed also.”

“Alright then,” I replied, turning without much thought and heading down the hall.

I didn’t hear him say anything else—only his footsteps behind me.

At first, I ignored it. But as I continued walking, a quiet unease settled in. I glanced back once… then again.

He was still following.

My steps slowed. My mind began to race—trying to figure out where the hallway would split, where his room would be… and where mine was supposed to be.

But it didn’t. He never stopped, he continued to follow me much like a lost puppy.

I stopped, turning to face him. He looked cool and collected as he walked behind me, hands in pocket just trudging along. “I don’t know where my room is,” I said, trying to sound composed. “You can just point me to it—or tell me where it is. I’ll find it. And you can retreat to yours also,” the last piece was added a little quietly.

He stopped a step away from me, his expression shifting slightly into confusion.

“Baby,” he said quietly, “you’re my wife.”

My breath hitched.

“We’re getting married tomorrow,” he continued, his gaze steady on mine. “We’ll be sharing a room, a bed. Our room is at the end of the hall there. Let’s go.”

The words settled heavily between us.

I swallowed, my fingers curling slightly at my sides. “Wait!” I all but yelled. He dropped in his tracks looking back at me. “I—” My voice faltered. “Can… can we wait until tomorrow? I’m not sure I could share a bed today.”

For a brief second, something flickered across his face. Disappointment. Maybe even hurt.

But just as quickly, it was gone.

He straightened, his shoulders squaring, and a faint smile touched his lips—too controlled to be genuine.

“Alright,” he said. “Because come tomorrow…” His voice dipped slightly, quieter now, but with a sinister mischievous smile on his face. “We’ll definitely be sharing a bed.”

He was about six inches taller, so when he angled his body towards me, I could only look up at him. But he doesn’t move and I could feel his breath in my face.

He winked at me and took a step back, as if to leave —but not before leaning back in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead.

Then he was gone.

My reaction came in belated because seconds later my body temperature started to rise.