36

CHAPTER 36
Rachel, still feeling annoyed and agitated, left the dinner early and returned to her room, with no notion of going back to the room. Her anger and confusion were evident on her face. Her heart twisted painfully each time she remembered what had transpired between her and Leo back there, she was evidently hurt by Leo’s rude and inquiring questions.
As she entered her room, she immediately made her way to the bathroom. The bathroom was spacious and elegant, with marble floors and walls, and a large bathtub.
The countertops were made of granite, and the sink was made of polished brass.
Rachel undressed and started the water in the bathtub, letting it run until it was hot and steamy.
She added some bath salts and a few drops of lavender oil to the water, and the aroma of lavender filled the room. As she sank into the bathtub, she closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. The warm water and the aroma of lavender helped to calm her mind and ease her tension.
Rachel took her time in the bath, letting the warm water and the aroma of lavender soothe her body and mind. She let out a deep sigh and relaxed, letting go of her anger and frustration.
She felt calmer and more at peace as she washed her body and hair, feeling the tension in her muscles ease. After her bath, she dried herself and put on her nightgown, feeling refreshed and relaxed.
Feeling the need to calm her nerves, Rachel decided to take a bottle of wine from the cellar. The wine was a red blend, a rich and full-bodied wine, with notes of dark fruit and spices. The brand was a well-known and respected one, known for its high-quality wines. Rachel took a glass and poured herself a generous serving, feeling the need to dull her senses.
She suddenly started to feel so restless, it seemed as if the roof was creeping in on her. She dropped the wine back on the cellar and made her way out of the room to the garden.
Before leaving the room for downstairs to go out to the garden maze, she took a sip of the wine, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spread through her body.
As she walked downstairs and out to the garden maze, she took a sip of the wine, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spread through her body. She walked through the maze, her senses dulled by the wine, and she couldn’t help but think about her boss. She thought she saw him, a figure in the distance, but as she walked closer, she realized it was just a trick of the light.
Rachel was startled when she realized that the figure in the garden maze was not her boss, but her betrothed.
Feeling disappointed and let down, Rachel sat down on a bench and shut her eyes tight, relishing the silence. The effects of the wine was already kicking in and she felt as if her senses were dulled.
He seemed to be in deep thought as well. He turned around towards her when he noticed a presence behind him.
He approached her and asked her once again about her reaction to her mother’s speech. Rachel felt an overwhelming sense of annoyance and frustration and she couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Rachel?” He called, chuckling like he had an evil intent behind the voice.
“What is it?” She returned, glaring hard at him.
“I’m gonna ask you one more time-”
“Stop! Stop!! Just stop it, ok?!” Rachel lost it “Why do you keep asking me about my reaction to my mother’s speech? I don’t want to talk about it! Isn’t that clear”
Leo’s voice remained unaffected and passive, and his expression quite blank, which angered her even more “I’m just trying to understand, Rachel. Why did you react that way?” He said in an unusually calm voice.
What kind of trick was this man trying to play with her mind? Why was he so gaslighting? She questioned herself struggling to beat the alcohol in her system.
Rachel returrned with an angry reproach “Because I don’t want to get married to you! I’m only doing it to fulfill my father’s wish.”
Leo was slightly taken aback by her sudden outburst, and Rachel instantly felt guilty for blurting it out without thinking and perhaps, hurting his feelings. She apologized and tried to explain her feelings, but the damage had been done. The rest of their conversation was tense, and they both went their separate ways, feeling confused and disappointed.
“Are you drunk?” Leo asked her, noting her dutch courage which was a bit unusual of her, unusual for a woman who was meeting her betrothed for the first time.
Leo was shocked by Rachel’s revelation and for a moment, he couldn’t find the words to respond. He took a deep breath and tried to process what she had just said. He realized that he had been so focused on trying to understand her reaction to his mother’s speech that he hadn’t stopped to think about how she might be feeling.
Rachel turned around, closing her eyes to avoid the tears in her eyes from falling. Everything came flashing back to her. She had decided to keep herself happy at all cost by forgetting about it, knowing fully well that there was nothing she could do about her marriage to Leo. “It’s not fair” the tears streamed down her face as she shook her head in regret.
Leo took his time before responding, avoiding her gaze full of penitence”I understand, Rachel. I’m sorry if I’ve been insensitive to your feelings. I want you to know that I respect your decision and that I am respecting my family’s decision in this circumstance.”
“Oh.”
They both came to an unspoken agreement, that they would go through with the wedding, but they would not be a real couple. They both knew that they didn’t have any real feelings for each other, and they both knew that this was not a real marriage.
Rachel headed back to her room, feeling relieved and exhausted.
As she walked down the hallway, she stopped short when she saw the figure of her mother exiting the young man’s room, stealthily.
“Mom?” She called “What are you-”
Rachel’s mother jerked when she heard her daughter’s voice behind her. “Hey, Rachel.” She flashed her a fake smile as the door slowly thudded behind her. “Where have you been?”
She smelled like she just got railed, and Rachel didn’t know how to react to it. “I- I was with m-my betrothed. H-how are you catching up?”
They both greeted each other awkwardly, and Rachel could tell that her mother was hiding something. She didn’t want to assume she was lying and also didn’t want to pry, so she hurried to her room, feeling confused and exhausted.
Once inside her room, Rachel sat on her bed and thought about everything that had happened that night. She couldn’t shake off the discussion with her betrothed. She relaized that she was not the onlt one into this.
She knew that she would have to talk to her mother about it, but for now, she was too tired and too confused to think about it. She lay down on her bed and closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders.