Sophia’s POV
Pressure was also mounting on me from Father and I knew I was running out of time.
The door to my room opened and immediately I realized Selena was the woman Anastasia had sent to get me ready, I was at her side in seconds.
“How is my mom doing?” I asked eagerly.
Selena gave me a soft smile, her smile lines visible.
“Don’t worry, she’s responding well to the new medication. The Baxters take good care of her.”
Shortly after my wedding to Jerry Baxter, Mom had been clinically diagnosed with Leukemia. It was the reason she had always been winded with so much joint and body pain.
The Baxters had no problem having her admitted and even paying all her medical bills in advance.
While I had cried when the doctor told me about the slim chances of her full recovery, I had taken cold comfort in the fact that with her being admitted into a hospital, Father would no longer be able to hit her.
Now do you see why I couldn’t afford to get on the bad side of the Baxters?
One word and Mom would be dying without any treatment.
I let out a relieved sigh at Selena’s news.
“That’s good.”
Selena looked at me, her gaze lingering on the arm I was cradling.
“What about you Sophia? How are you?”
I let go of my bruised wrist and ran my fingers through my hair.
“I’m fine, Selena. You know I don’t care what they say to me, not when they pay for Mom’s treatment.”
But she didn’t seem convinced by my words.
“Your mother wouldn’t want you to suffer like this.”
“I’m the daughter in law of the Baxters,” I shrugged, taking the diamond encrusted dress from her hands. Jerry was right. It was too expensive for someone like me.
Running my fingers across one of the diamonds, I flashed a smile I could barely feel at Selena.
“Women would die to be me, I wouldn’t call that suffering.”
Selena frowned. I didn’t think she believed my words but she didn’t disagree with me anymore as she got me ready for the event.
As I walked down the golden spiral staircase in my diamond encrusted ocean blue dress with chandeliers twinkling overhead, the live orchestra playing and the press taking pictures of a stunning woman who didn’t really exist, I really felt like the modern day Cinderella.
I spent the rest of the night smiling at people who tried to cosy up to me thinking I was a real member of the Baxter family.
“What is your skincare routine? You are glowing.”
Oh, you know. Just suffering. I wanted to respond but I just smiled instead.
“Is that a fifty carat diamond necklace? Wow, the Baxters truly really spare no expense.”
Another smile.
“Please take a picture with me, my followers love you!”
A broader fake smile.
“How does it feel to be part of one of the five richest families in North America?”
Suffocating. It felt suffocating. But once more I didn’t say anything. I just smiled until my cheeks hurt.
When I returned to my room, I took advantage of Jerry’s absence to splurge on a hot water shower before I leapt on my bed and fell fast asleep.
The feeling of my duvet being pulled away woke me up and I opened my eyes to see Jerry sitting at the side of my bed, his cold fingers on my cheek.
I sat up immediately disconcerted by our closeness.
“What are you doing, Jerry?”
Then Jerry kissed me. I froze, unable to understand what was going on.
I couldn’t scent or taste any alcohol on him. Why would he be doing this if he weren’t intoxicated?
My instincts finally kicked in and I pushed Jerry away from me ending our kiss.
“I still intend to castrate you if you try anything funny with me.” I reminded him.
Jerry smiled. A real smile, not his usual warped smirks and in that moment I couldn’t breathe as I realized what all his numerous girlfriends saw in him.
He was stunning.
“I know but I can’t get you out of my head, Sophia. Believe me, I’ve tried.”
I was so surprised by his words that I did nothing when he trailed his fingers down my bare arm before he lifted my hand and dropped a kiss on my wrist that he had held so tight mere hours ago.
His blue eyes met mine and my world stopped when I saw the sincerity in his gaze.
“I know I am all shades of fucked up, Sophia but please don’t push me away.”
Tugging me gently with his hold on my arm, Jerry leaned in and kissed me again.
This time despite my best efforts, I couldn’t help melting against his kiss.
His lips were warm, soft yet demanding and his fingers, good Lord, his fingers aroused a need in me that I wasn’t even aware I had.
It was sick. Maybe even a little pathetic. How could someone who treated me so badly be able to elicit this sort of reaction from my body?
How could he make me feel so hot that it felt like I was burning up from the inside out?
I was running out of air yet I hoped he would never stop kissing me. Was this what Stockholm syndrome was?
I wasn’t sure.
When Jerry finally pulled off my night dress, anticipation, anxiety and need had built up to a feverish pitch within me.
He looked down at me like I was the first woman he had ever seen naked.
“My God, you are exquisite.”
It was my first time and one of the best nights of my life.
At first, it had been painful, but Jerry was kind, soft spoken and patient and before I knew it, the need was back even more intensely than before and I hit a climax so high, I saw stars.
When I fell asleep cradled against his chest, it was with the thought that maybe just maybe this would be a fresh start for us.
Or if it wasn’t at least I would have the memory of this night.
The next morning, I woke up alone in my bed and a wave of disappointment crashed over me.
What else had I expected from Jerry? Breakfast in bed? Stupid, stupid, Sophia.
I felt stupid but by the time I was done brushing my teeth, I had self-affirmed myself into believing that if Jerry had used me, I had used him too.
If I got lucky, I would get pregnant and avoid death by Anastasia Baxter.
I was dressing up when the knock on the door came.
I opened my door surprised to see a group of maids outside my door.
“What do you want?”
Chrysalis, the head maid of the mansion who always looked down her nose at me bowed fully.
“Good morning, Ma’am. Mr Baxter has instructed us to return the closet to its former use.”
At first, I was puzzled then realization kicked in.
Did Jerry want us to share a bed now? We already had the night before but this… this would make things official.
I had no business feeling as excited as I did at this thought.
I hated Jerry, I tried to remind myself but it was futile.
“Where is my husband?” I asked. I needed to clarify what exactly was going on now.
“He was urgently summoned to the office but he said to tell you that he can’t wait for your wedding anniversary party tonight.”
I was stunned. A wedding anniversary party? We had never celebrated our anniversary before.
What exactly had happened to my cold husband to change him overnight?
I couldn’t wait for the party to find out.