Chapter 10: The First Suspicion
870 Words
POV: Aaliya
The sharp ringing of my alarm dragged me out of sleep.
Groaning softly, I reached for my phone and silenced it before burying my face back into the pillow.
For a few precious seconds, I considered ignoring the day completely.
Then reality hit me.
The mansion.
The forced marriage.
Rihito Rodriguez.
I immediately sat up.
"Great," I muttered.
Another wonderful day in paradise.
The sarcasm in my own voice made me roll my eyes.
Sunlight filtered through the large windows of my room, illuminating the expensive furniture surrounding me. Even after spending days in this mansion, the place still felt strange.
Too big.
Too quiet.
Too cold.
Nothing about it felt like home.
Pushing the blanket aside, I climbed out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, I emerged dressed in black trousers and a cream-colored blouse.
Simple.
Comfortable.
Exactly how I liked it.
As I brushed my hair, my phone vibrated on the dressing table.
A message.
From one of my men.
Boss, someone was watching the warehouse yesterday.
My hand froze.
Immediately, all traces of sleep vanished.
Watching?
Who?
I quickly typed a reply.
Did you identify them?
A few seconds later, another message arrived.
No. They stayed far away. But they were definitely observing the area.
A bad feeling settled inside my stomach.
Very few people even knew the warehouse existed.
Which meant one thing.
Someone had intentionally been looking for information.
Delete all footage from yesterday. Move the remaining shipment tonight.
Understood, Boss.
The conversation ended.
I slowly lowered the phone.
Something wasn't right.
For years I had managed to keep my identities separate.
Chef.
Gang leader.
Wife.
Nobody had connected them.
Yet now, for the first time, it felt like someone was getting close.
My mind immediately drifted toward one particular person.
Rihito.
Could it be him?
I shook my head.
No.
There wasn't enough proof.
Still...
I couldn't ignore the possibility.
A knock suddenly interrupted my thoughts.
"Young Madam?"
One of the maids.
"What is it?"
"Breakfast is ready."
I glanced at the clock.
Almost eight.
"Coming."
After taking one last look at my phone, I left the room.
The moment I entered the dining hall, I stopped.
Rihito was already there.
Dressed in an expensive black suit.
A cup of coffee rested beside him.
His attention appeared focused on a tablet in front of him.
At least, that was what he wanted people to believe.
The second I entered, I felt his gaze lift.
Watching.
Observing.
Studying.
As though he was trying to solve a puzzle.
Strange.
Very strange.
I sat down across from him.
Neither of us spoke.
The silence stretched.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Finally, I had enough.
"What?"
Rihito slowly raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You keep staring."
"I'm eating breakfast."
"You can eat without staring."
"I wasn't aware you made the rules around here."
I scoffed.
"There he is."
"There who is?"
"The annoying version of you."
For a brief second, I thought I saw amusement flash through his eyes.
But it disappeared too quickly.
Maybe I imagined it.
The maids quickly served breakfast before retreating.
Neither of us touched the food immediately.
The atmosphere felt odd.
Different.
As if something invisible had shifted overnight.
Then Rihito spoke.
"How was work yesterday?"
The question nearly made me choke.
Not because of what he asked.
Because Rihito Rodriguez was voluntarily making conversation.
That alone felt suspicious.
I carefully placed my fork down.
"Fine."
"What did you do?"
My eyes narrowed.
"Worked."
"Doing what?"
Now I knew something was wrong.
Rihito hated small talk.
Yet suddenly he wanted details?
Interesting.
"Since when are you interested in my career?"
His expression remained unreadable.
"I'm simply asking."
"And I'm simply answering."
His jaw tightened slightly.
Victory.
I smiled inwardly.
For whatever reason, he wasn't getting the answers he wanted.
Good.
The conversation died after that.
Soon afterward, he left for work.
But before leaving, he looked at me one last time.
A long look.
One that sent warning bells ringing inside my head.
The moment he disappeared, I turned toward the nearest window.
Something had changed.
I could feel it.
Meanwhile...
Across the city.
Rihito sat inside the backseat of his car.
His phone rested in his hand.
A photograph filled the screen.
An image taken by one of his guards.
Aaliya entering an abandoned industrial district.
His eyes remained fixed on it.
The more information he received, the less ordinary his wife appeared.
A chef didn't visit heavily guarded warehouses.
A chef didn't hide entire parts of her day.
And a chef certainly didn't make experienced security personnel nervous.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
The first genuine smile he'd shown in days.
"Interesting," he murmured.
Beside him, Leo looked confused.
"Sir?"
Rihito locked the screen.
"Keep digging."
"What exactly are we looking for?"
Rihito turned toward the passing city outside the window.
For the first time since their marriage, curiosity had replaced irritation.
And curiosity was far more dangerous.
"The truth."
Back at the mansion, completely unaware of how close danger was getting, I stared out the window and felt a chill run through my body.
For some reason...
It felt like a storm was coming.
- Writer
