Chapter two

CHAPTER 2

“Remember,” Ashton said as we stood outside the dining room and waited. His hand was resting on my lower back that looked affectionate, but we both knew it was far from that. “We’re happy together. We’re adjusting well, and everything is perfect.”

It was Friday, and we were having dinner with his family. I hated the thought of it, especially after Brenda’s solo visit the other day.

“How long do we have to do this?” I asked him as I forced myself to relax.

“However long it takes for them to leave,” he replied.

The door opened before I could say anything else, and we were suddenly putting on our masks of smile, touching, and pretending.

Brenda watched us like a hawk throughout dinner, her eyes storing every single interaction between Ashton and I. She looked as if she was taking note of every word and recording every breath. But when Ashton’s hand grazed against mine on the table, her expression tightened as if it was the most disgusting sight she had ever seen.

“You two seem to be settling in with each other nicely,” Ashton’s father, Winston, said with a warmth that sounded genuine and surprised me to hear. He was nothing like his wife, which was something I hadn’t expected. He was softer, kinder, and he seemed oblivious to the silent tension cutting across the table.

“We are,” Ashton replied perfectly. “Mariah’s been wonderful.”

I almost choked on my wine at just how smooth he was with the lie. This was a man who barely saw me more than three times in the days we had been living together in his house.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Winston said and smiled at me. “Welcome to the Langford family, my dear. I know it’s coming a little too late, but you know how it is with people like us. Always busy.”

I smiled back at him, looking down at my food to avoid eye contact with Brenda. I could feel her gaze tearing into my skin.

For the rest of the evening, we followed a script. We laughed at the right moments, telling fake stories about how we’ve been living together and getting used to each other. We played the role of newlyweds who actually liked each other.

“We really should let you two get back to your evening,” Winston said after dessert. “I’m sure you both have better things to do than entertaining old folks like us.”

Ashton and I walked them to the door with his arm around my waist and my head resting against his shoulder as we waved them goodbye.

As soon as the door slammed shut, Ashton’s arm fell off my waist as if the contact with me burned his skin.

“That wasn’t so bad,” I commented weakly, but he was already walking away.

“Same time next month. Try to be more convincing.”

I stood alone in the foyer again, and I wondered how long I could keep pretending. This couldn’t possibly be how my life would end.

~

Ashton avoided me.

He had been doing that ever since the dinner with his parents. Brenda visited weekly, and her comments each time she saw me got even more and more pointed. It was already obvious to anyone who had a brain and eyes that she didn’t like me.

Three weeks into the marriage, I stood in front of Ashton’s study as I got ready to talk to him about his mother and how uncomfortable I was.

I raised my hand to knock, but before my knuckles could connect with the door, I heard voices arguing inside.

“And I don’t care what your father says, Ashton.” It was Brenda’s voice. “She doesn’t belong here. You know it, I know it. Even your father knows it, no matter how much he tries to be welcoming to her.”

It didn’t take much thought for me to realize that she was talking about me.

“It’s done mother,” Ashton replied, his voice tired. “We’re married.”

“And marriages can be undone.”

Silence. My heart thudded so fast that I feared they could hear it from inside that room and figure out that I was out there.

“I’m working on it,” he finally said. It was so quiet that I almost didn’t hear it.

My hand dropped from the air in defeat, what I was here to talk to him about long forgotten.

Working on it.

I turned around and walked away, keeping my footsteps as silent as possible. I felt my heart hammering against my ribs, and I hated it. I wanted to grab a hold of my heart and toss it out of my chest so I couldn’t feel it anymore.

Ashton was planning to get rid of me just three weeks into the marriage. I should have been relieved at it. After all, this was a temporary arrangement with an expiration date.

But it felt as if the ground had dropped down from under me as I finally got back into my room, tears rolling down my cheeks.

“Oh, goodness!” I gasped, jumping when my phone vibrated from the nightstand with my father’s caller ID on my screen.

I wiped my tears as I picked up the phone, smiling so he could hear it on the other end and not know what was happening.

“Mariah?” He called to break the silence.

“Father,” I replied. “How are you doing?”

“Forget about me. You’re all the way in an unfamiliar place. How are you holding up, sweetheart?”

I stared at the wall across from me as I considered breaking down and telling him that I didn’t want to be there anymore. But I remembered that I was doing all of this for him.

“I’m doing great. Ashton’s treating me well,” I answered.

I could endure Brenda’s cruelty, and I could survive Ashton’s indifference if it meant that my family would be happy.

“That’s great to hear. That’s perfect, in fact. We’re all very worried about you. Your mother can’t stop pacing back and forth ever since you left. We miss you.” I heard his voice break when he said this, and I hated it.

“You both don’t have to worry about me. How’s the company. Are they…” I paused, placing my hand on my chest as I tried to get my heart to stop beating too fast. “Are they investing in the company? Have they given you anything since Ashton and I got married?”

“They have. In fact, just yesterday, we received two new investors from Langford holdings,” he said, and I could tell that he was smiling.

That was all I needed to assure me that bearing this marriage would be worth it for my family. As soon as our business picked up and got back in the race, I wouldn’t have to bear it here anymore.

“That’s good,” I said with a genuine smile. The first one I had managed ever since I got married. “I have to go. Ashton and I have to go for a walk.”

I knew that if I stayed on the phone even more, I would start to cry and my father would push me to tell the truth.

“That’s good. When your mom returns, she’ll give you a call. I’ll tell her you’re doing fine. Bye, sweetheart.”

“Bye, Father.”

As I hung up and was about to set my phone down, it buzzed. This time, it was a text from an unknown number.

You kneed to leave that marriage and that house while you still can.