Locked With The Wrong Lockwood

Chapter No. 3

Calista Lockwood:-

All around me was a thick quietness that seemed to lie on my chest like too much weight. The breeze came in through the balcony, making the curtains move gently as if someone were there touching them every time the wind changed. However, I felt like time had stopped within the room. We were surrounded only by the quiet sound of our breaths.

The aftereffect of the s*x and our vows was still present, aching inside me. Artemis Lockwood took hold of me as if he were marking something as his own. But a silly part of me still wanted to find something tender about his presence. We remained silent on the smooth sheets, our hearts both scratched and nervous. He was looking up at the ceiling, and his eyes were frozen, while his jaw showed the strength of his thoughts.

“Calista, I want you to finish your master’s degree and take over your roles as the Lady Lockwood from tomorrow morning.” He announced all of a sudden, making me frown and look at him confused.

"What?" I asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"I know you wanted to take admissions for Master in Business. Your father mentioned it once and twice during out meeting. He also mentioned how Nathan didn't want you to do it, but I do." he answers in a thick tone, without glancing at me.

"I can see you are a intelligent and sharp woman, Calista. Don't waste your brians and talents for nothing. Just because you married me, doesn't mean you hand over your freedom to me. You are free to do whatever you want. If you want to continue studies, then go ahead and do it. I will support and pay for it."

"And, what about the Lady Lockwood role?" I asked, and he sighed and looked at me, and caressed my bare shoulder.

"It's time for things to change at the Lockwood mansion, that were due for a very long time. You became the current Lady Lockwood of this family the moment I slipped my ring on your finger." he explains.

"You will run this place just the way your heart desire. You will have the full authority to discipline and take actions against the family members living over here. You didn't just married me, you married the power and resources that comes by tying knot with me. Use them wisely and to your advantage."

"But, in return I will have to warm your bed, attend functions, smile for the public, be your trophy wife, and give you an heir. Don't I?" I asked with a cold laugh and didn't relaize when the lonely tear fell from my eyes, until he wiped it and turned my face around so I was looking right at him.

"I forbid you from shedding a single tear for Nathan and your sister. Do you hear me? They don't deserve your tear or anything from you, but your hatred and anger." he ordered in a stern tone. "I made it clear to you in the car eariler that I despise weakness and weak people. So, don't make me repeat myself and lastly, I don't ever want to hear my nephew's name from your mouth. You understand?"

"I understand," I said as I gave a parched laugh, "And, as for Nathan? Trust me, you won't hear me say his name ever again. I loved him so much, but now hate him more than I ever loved him. All I want is to make him pay for what he did to me. His name feels like a poison on my tongue, so you don't have to worry about it."

A slight smile moved the corners of his lips. “Good. Then everything will work out for us just fine."

"Can I ask you something?" I asked, nervously as I gained a little courage to ask, "Why are you doing all of this? Why do you hate your nephew so much? Is it because he stole Caroline from you?"

Artemis retained the same expression. It stayed fixed, lined with hard lines and an absolute silence. As soon as I said the words, I felt regret. I had gone further than I thought was acceptable. His face muscles tightened. A short while after I felt his fingers caress my cheek with such gentleness, they clenched into fists on the bed.

He shook his head and answered, “No. Caroline had no effect on me. I never had the chance to meet her."

I gaped at him in disbelief. "But why? Why didn't you both met one another? After all, she had been meant to marry you."

“It was your father who chose her. Nothing else,” he immediately replied, now keeping his eye fixed somewhere far from us. "I didn’t care about the name, or her, so I didn’t have an issue. Caroline. Cassandra. Calista. It could have been any person in that place. It wasn’t meant to be about her. You were never meant to be the main focus, either. I just needed a wife to give me an heir. That's it."

His remarks were so sharp and hurtful that my skin felt like it was burned by glass. I clamped my jaws tightly together to keep from saying anything.

“The reason I agreed was because Nathan and his mother took something from me,” he added, now sounding very determined. "Something that is lost permanently. Something that did not belong to them. They took something precious from me and now act like they can do whatever they like with our family name."

When he turned, the way he looked at me was as if I had started a fire in him.

"Letting them get their hands on this inheritance is not an option. That’s exactly what it comes down to, Calista. Vengeance. Redemption. Reclaiming what was mine and destroying every bit they created and based on lies.”

"Can I ask what did they exactly take from you, Artemis?" I asked carefully.

A bitter and funny-sounding laugh escaped him as he spoke. "No, you can't."

“But—”

"Don't you hear me, Calista? I said NO!" he snapped, harshly, making me flinch. He sighed and muttered curses under his own breath. "You don't need to involve yourself in my personal matters. Just do what is asked from you, and I will do as I promised. I will take care of your mother's medical expenses and keep your father's company from falling and going bankrupt.

I will support you and your family, but I won't support your slut of a sister. She means nothing to me, and if she means nothing to me, she shouldn't mean anything to you either. Do you hear me?" he demanded and I nodded.

"Yes, I hear you." I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Since, I am not suppose to involve myself in your personal matters. I wanted to ask if I am allowed to ask something that involves both of us?"

"What about us?" he asked, a frown taking over his face.

"Do you want to produce an heir to secure the Lockwood inheritance?" I asked. "Or, is it something more than that? Maybe, a bigger picture I am refusing to see?"