A month later.
Lina could be seen lying lazily on a lounge sofa as she munched on the chips in front of her. She was in a good mood as she hummed a song happily. She had been in this house for a month now. She didn’t feel awkward at all. Since her so-called husband is not around as he had not shown up since they registered their marriage.
The first time she entered this mansion-like house, she was wowed to the extent that her jaw dropped. She was amazed by the architectural design of the house. It was a three storied building, but looking at it from outside, one would think it’s just a two story building.
Inside it looks like a palace. Someone who hadn’t been here before would get lost easily with all the numerous rooms it occupied. The head butler has told her she can move freely as she likes in the house, but the third floor is off limits. That’s Raymond’s personal space. No one has been there before, except the butler and two trusted maids who cleaned up the floor regularly.
“Good afternoon madam” greeted a maid as she walked towards Lina, maintaining a distance from her. Lina was brought out of her thoughts by the maid.
“Hmm, she acknowledged as she nodded her head towards her. Since she had been in this mansion, she had been lazing around. Her worry of her one night stand making her pregnant had been dashed away after seeing her monthly flow a few days ago.
With all she had gone through the last few days, she had forgotten about using the morning after-pill. She remembered a few days ago, and she was so scared of getting pregnant since she doesn’t plan on being a mother for now.
Even though she had a plan of starting a family with her ex fiance, she planned on having a child a year or two after their marriage.
“Ma’am, lunch is ready”. The maid said as she looked towards her. “I will be there soon, she replied as she waved the servant away”. This had been part of her routine for the past month.
She was surprised at the large quantity of servants that were in the mansion when she first came here. When she was at her so-called father’s house, though they had servants who helped with the cleaning and cooking, they weren’t as much as the ones she saw here. It was like Raymond was rearing them.
She stood up not long after the servant left. She went to the lunch dining hall. The mansion has its dining hall for breakfast, lunch and dinner separately. The lunch dining hall was brighter with all the colors used for the decorations of the dining hall. Despite being a dining room, this place was designed to be a show off.
A huge rectangular chandelier with large crystals hung from above. The floor to ceiling window was covered with satin curtains which were hung in a rectangular pattern, creating an appealing natural folds. She was awed by the interior designer that designed every part of this mansion. She was always left speechless by every scenery she had seen so far.
As she looked at the Italian three course meal in front of her, her mouth couldn’t help but water. She took hold of her cutlery from the dining table and dug in. Since she had been in this place, the food they served her was all of the best she had ever tasted. Even if she doesn’t have an appetite, her taste buds would start acting up to the food aroma.
As she ate her food in silence which she had gotten used to, she couldn’t help but reminisce about when she was still a child, there had never been a day she had eaten alone. Her mother is always there to accompany her. A gentle yet lonely smile can be seen hanging on her lips.
“Madam, you seem to have a call.” One of the servants said as she walked up to her to give her the cellphone. “Thank you”, she thanked her with a gentle smile before glancing towards the cellphone in her hand.
Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar number displayed on her phone screen, her hand holding the phone couldn’t help but shake as she tried to pick up the call.
Since they got married, he hasn’t called her for the past month he disappeared, and she also didn’t bother calling or messaging him since the contract she signed with him didn’t say anything about checking up on each other.
“Hi,” she said to the speaker after picking up the call.
“And why the hell didn’t you pick up your phone” he shouted at her through the phone.
“I’m sorry, I dropped my phone at the lounge, I didn’t bring it with me when I left”, she answered him like a child that did wrong and was asking for forgiveness.
Listening to her shaky voice from the other end, Raymond couldn’t help but soften his voice. He had been frustrated for the past month in country Y. He should have finished his business trip two weeks ago, but something came up and he was stuck there.
He doesn’t know why, even when he had promised himself not to think about his newly lawfully wedded wife, his mind always drifted to the day they registered their marriage. She was so beautiful in the gown she wore that day.
Even with her makeup free face, she looked quite stunning. It’s not that he hadn’t seen his fair share of beautiful women, it’s just that Lina’s beauty was top notch. There is a natural air surrounding her which added more allure to her beauty.
Lina has long forgotten her lunch that has turned cold by now. “I’m coming back tomorrow and I want you to pick me up from the airport by twelve p. m tomorrow”.
Listening to the deafening silence at the other end, Raymond couldn’t help but frown. “This damn woman, why is she not answering me?” He thought.
“Ok, I will be there early.” She replied after a long silence.
That was all he needed to hear for his lips to stretch out in a deep smile. “Make sure you sleep early.” After saying that, he hung up.
After five minutes the call ended, Lina was still in a daze. It was like the privacy she had been used to recently would soon end. She thought to herself. She was thinking about how she would face the ruthless and cruel billionaire she got married to on impulse.
She thought that since this marriage started with the absence of her so-called husband, it would continue like that for some months or even till the end of the contract according to what she had read on some novels online, when a ruthless billionaire would marry a wife and keep her in a big mansion to leave alone.
Now that he told her he was coming back, how would she leave with him in the same house without feeling uncomfortable.
“No matter what happens in the future, I would have to get used to the life of a married woman sooner or later”, she thought.
Not long after, she stood up from the chair she had been occupying earlier and left for her room. She collapsed on the bed immediately after she entered. “Ding”, the sound of a message broke the silence of the room as her phone rang.
Opening the message, her lips couldn’t help but curl up as she read the message. This message alone took her away from her complicated mood. It was Rihanna who messaged her.
“My dear Lina, how can you forget about me after getting married. You didn’t come to look for me for the past month. I’ve been alone throughout the month. It’s like you don’t love me anymore”. she read the message that was accompanied with a crying emoji and a pitiful face.
Without replying to the message, she called her.
“Lina, how can you be this wicked, you left me alone to fend for myself for the past month. Even if we chatted and talked on the phone, it can’t be compared to seeing you physically, I’m heartbroken”, Rihanna sobbed on the phone after picking up the call.
Listening to the drama Queen at the other end, Lina couldn’t help but laugh at her fake sob. “Why would you be lonely when you have a company and staff to manage? I just don’t want to disturb you, since you just came back with a new business idea, and I knew the least you want right now is disturbance”.
It’s true, Rihanna has been so busy for the past month with her work . In this world, the only person she can create time for no matter how busy she is would be Lina. She had been so busy with the new design of clothes that has just been introduced to the industry.
She planned on launching the design before her business rivals produced something similar. The clothing industry is a place where designs are unpredictable. Two companies can come up with something similar at any time.
“How about we grab a drink or two at heaven’s bar tonight. I know your contracted husband is out of the country, so don’t give me any excuse of being busy or something, you must be there on time”.
“That sounds good to me”, Lina replied as she felt it was a good idea to at least take a glass or two of drink with Ria tonight. She had been bored for the past month. Going out for a night won’t cause any damage.