the morning after

The sunlight streamed through the large windows, bathing the room in soft golden light. Bella stirred in the bed, her eyes fluttering open. For a moment, she forgot where she wasthen the memories of the wedding, the coldness of Dominic’s presence, and the unnerving event from the night before rushed back to remembering how he left her half naked

His words echoing in her ears

"I'm not in the mood again"

the intense kiss scene playing in her head again.

She brushed her hands against her lips thinking about how she had lost her first kiss.

She sat up in bed, feeling the coolness of the sheets against her skin. Her wedding gown, still hanging from a chair in the corner, she had tossed it away and changed into comfortable clothes, the wedding dress felt like a distant reminder of the girl she used to be. The girl who once dreamed of romance, of love none of which had come from this marriage.

She glanced over at Dominic’s side of the bed. He wasn’t there. The sheets were smooth, as though he hadn’t slept at all. That wasn’t surprising. He hadn’t spoken a word to her the night before, nor had he tried anything further. Instead, he had simply walked out of the room after their brief exchange, leaving her to lie awake for hours, her mind racing with a million thoughts she couldn’t escape.

After a few moments, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. The coolness of the marble floors sent a shiver through her body, but she didn’t care. She needed to move. She needed to do something, anything, to break the silence that stretched between them.

Pulling on a robe, she made her way downstairs. The mansion was eerily quiet, the air thick with the sense of detachment that seemed to cling to everything. She walked through the grand hallway, glancing into the various rooms she passed. Each one was immaculate, pristine, but there was no warmth here, no sense of home.

Eventually, she found the kitchen. It was spacious and modern, with sleek countertops and stainless-steel appliances. The morning light filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room. Bella took a deep breath, trying to push the anxiety in her chest aside.

It was time to do something for him.

She hadn’t cooked in ages, but she knew enough to put together a simple breakfast. Eggs, bacon, and toast nothing too extravagant. Dominic didn’t strike her as the kind of man who would care for anything too elaborate anyway.

As she moved around the kitchen, chopping vegetables and cracking eggs, her mind wandered. She wondered if Dominic ever smiled. If he had a softer side, a hidden part of him that wasn’t so... cold. But then she caught herself. This wasn’t the time for fantasy.

She set the table with meticulous care, making sure everything was arranged just so. She had no idea when Dominic would come downstairs, or if he even planned to eat at all. Still, it felt like something she could control something she could do for him, even if it was just a small gesture.

After about half an hour, she heard footsteps approaching. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly composed herself, turning toward the entrance of the kitchen.

Dominic stood in the doorway, his expression as unreadable as ever. He was dressed in a simple black shirt and pants, his dark hair slightly tousled. His presence was overpowering, but he said nothing as he looked around the kitchen, his eyes landing on the breakfast she had prepared.

“Breakfast is ready,” Bella said, trying her best to sound casual, even though her heart was racing.

Dominic didn’t answer immediately. He simply walked toward the table and sat down, his movements fluid and deliberate. He didn’t thank her, didn’t comment on the food he just began eating.

Bella stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. Should she sit with him? Should she offer him conversation? Or was this all just a meaningless formality to him, something he would disregard just like everything else about their marriage?

After a beat, she gathered her courage and sat down across from him. She picked at her own food, her stomach still knotted with nerves.

“So,” she began, trying to sound casual, “how do you like your eggs?”

Dominic glanced at her, his eyes cold and distant. “They're fine.”

Bella nodded, though his response gave her little to go on. She pushed her food around on the plate, trying to think of something else to say, but the silence stretched on.

It was maddening.

She tried again, this time more focused on the need to make some sort of connection. “Do you usually work this early?”

He glanced up at her, crumbs of bread sitting prettily on her lips.he swallowed hard,his gray eyes flickering with something unreadable. “Yes.”

Bella nodded, her attempts at conversation growing more futile with each passing moment. She wasn’t sure what she had expected from him some kind of acknowledgment, perhaps, but all she received was indifference.

He finished his food in silence, his movements deliberate as he set his utensils down on the plate. When he stood up to leave, Bella’s heart skipped.

“Thank you for the breakfast,” he said, his voice low, but still lacking any real warmth.

Before she could respond, Dominic turned and left the kitchen without another word.

Bella sat there for a long moment, the weight of his absence pressing down on her chest. She hadn’t been able to make him care, to make him see her as anything other than a part of his world. She had hoped, foolishly, that maybe breakfast would be the start of something a tiny bridge between them. But now, she saw how futile that hope had been.

It was then that she realized just how lonely she truly was in this massive house. Despite the luxury, despite the opulence, there was nothing here to fill the emptiness she felt inside.

And Dominic, it seemed, wasn’t going to be the one to change that.

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