Chapter 7: Special night

“Congratulations to the both of you, man! I’m so happy that you’ve finally found the right one,” someone said, and if I’m not mistaken, it’s his friend.

After the wedding ceremony, we rushed to the wedding reception. Zeno was driving his car seriously and didn’t even bother to glance at me after entering the driver’s seat. His eyes were on the road and I could also see his jaw clenching since I was looking at his side profile.

He still looks handsome and I understand why many women were admiring him as if he’s like the Prince Charming of their life. Who wouldn’t have thought that? His face is so handsome, he also has an athletic body and height. But you can sense his coldness with his eyes.

My eyes landed on his red and pouty lips. That lip met mine when the priest announced to everyone that the groom could now kiss the bride. I admit, that kiss was sweet. It only took seconds, but he managed to brush his lower lip to mine, kissing me passionately in front of his friends, relatives, family, business partners, and the media who were recording our wedding before wrapping his arms around my waist to pull me closer to him.

It’s romantic and I can’t even think straight right after that scene. I didn’t know that the kiss we shared would be like that, a novel type of kiss where I used to write with my imagination. I almost lost my balance if he didn’t wrap his arms around my waist as if he took all of my energy, even if that was just a second.

It preoccupied me when that scene played in my mind. I didn’t even realize that I was brushing my lips while looking at the window of the passenger seat with a smile on my lips, as if I enjoyed our first kiss as a husband and wife.

When we reached the wedding reception, he opened the passenger’s door and offered his hand in front of me. I don’t know if he’s just doing this for a show, but I’m enjoying everything and I’m afraid to hear that all of this was just his act, just to have a beautiful image for everyone.

“Shut it off, man. It gives me shivers in my spine,” he whispered, but enough for me to hear.

I smiled bitterly and tilted my head just to erase the thoughts in my mind. I already know about this, but why am I still hurting? Where did I get the confidence to assume that he’s not acting? How could I forget that it’s all for the show?

‘Stop daydreaming and expecting, Annalise! He’s just doing that because of the media! He’s doing that for the sake of his reputation!’ I said in my mind, trying to wake my mind up.

They all laughed at what Zeno replied, but his arm was still on my back, wrapping it tight as if he didn’t want me to let go. Why is he doing this? He’s low-key, humiliating me in front of his friends as if I don’t have any feelings and I can’t hear everything. Do I look like dumb?

“What? So you will not go to play around, dude! You’ve been playing around as if girls are just a toy,” someone joined the conversation but I didn’t have the confidence to look at them so I just looked at the right side to examine all our visitors and to distract myself from hearing them.

“Cause they are. They were offering their body to me as if their life depended on it, so who am I to refuse?” he replied, which made my heart clenched.

I didn’t expect him to be a playboy. All I thought was that he was a vicious man, but hearing this kind of conversation makes me want to vomit. Why do they have to open that kind of conversation in front of his wife? I didn’t even think that they would talk about that in front of me, which is kinda disrespectful.

I act like I didn’t hear anything. If they were going to ask me, I would just smile at them and answer them calmly, making them stunned, just like Zeno beside me. Because of that, I excused myself and talked to the other guests because they were taking our time so instead of listening, I’d rather use my professionalism to ignore everything and act like I didn’t even care about that.

“You’re beautiful, Rose. Where’s your parents?” the beautiful woman asked and smiled sweetly at me, causing my heart to melt.

“They were busy, Ma’am. No one will manage our business, so I told them not to worry if they can’t come,” I simply answered.

“Your parents must be grateful to have a daughter like you,” someone interrupted us, but the woman in front of me agreed.

“Yes! Look at how beautiful and understanding she is. I’m not surprised that Zeno married this woman because of her attitude,” she replied. If only you all knew that this marriage is only an arranged marriage.

I’m currently in my room, writing the novel again since my imagination started to work again, which I’m very thankful for. I tried to revise the chapters that I made for the past few days and I’m satisfied.

Tonight is our honeymoon, and we are supposed to do that, but he decided to spend his time in his room. Good thing he did that because I have no plans on doing it with him, thinking about how he shared his nights with another woman and I can’t risk my health for that.

I’m not sure if he’s healthy but if he is, then it’s great news because he didn’t receive any illness from the other woman whom he fucked. I don’t even know why they love playing around. Is it bad to stick with one person?

My phone suddenly rang, which made my eyes roll. I’m in the middle of my project and yet, they are calling me. What kind of thinking do they have? But instead of ranting, I decided to answer the call, and guess what? It’s my friend.

“What the f was that Annalise?!” she shouted. “You get married to Zeno Myer Mercedes? I thought Fitz broke up with you, but how come that you — huh? I can’t understand!”

“It’s a long story,” I said and let out a deep sigh.

“But—” I cut her off since she seemed confused. She can’t even finish her sentence since everything went fast.

“I’ll just text you everything, but right now, you have to focus on your business. I heard someone talking—”

“Don’t mind him! Answer everything—”

“Ciara Savannah Corpuz! I’m talking to you!” someone shouted.

“But I’m talking with Annalise! She owes me an explanation!” she reasoned.

“I apologize if Ciara is bothering you.” I heard him say that.

“It’s okay—”

“Hey! Don’t end the call! I’m still talking to her!” Ciara exclaimed.

“You’ll talk to her tomorrow! Not now since it’s their special night with her husband,” he replied before ending the call. Who’s that?

Wait — what?

Special night with my husband?