The Inheritors

CHAPTERTWO

Tension, distance, and a pensive silent battle of wills.

A smooth black Rolls Royce phantom glides through the city at night.

A suffocating silence sat between them.

Amanda sat stiffly in the back seat, her hands held tightly on her lap. Shawn lounged like a king in his castle gazing at the darkened night skyline. It was beautiful to behold. He hadn’t said a word to Amanda since they left the church.

No congratulations. No smile nor gesticulation signifying acknowledgment or “welcome to your new home.” Nothing. Just dead silence. One could wonder if he was born dumb.

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to wake from what felt like a dream. But when she opened them, the reality remained—a cold husband, twinkling lights, hypocritical laughter, and insincere complaints devoid of warmth flew through from all directions.

And then, her father…her father! Clearing his throat, his voice steady with pride said.

“Today, I give not just my daughter, I give a piece of my soul. You’ve grown into an amazing woman, and I know you will build a beautiful home filled with love, strength, and endless joy. May this journey be a blessing for generations to come”

“Mtchew..” she let a weary sigh.

She stole a glance at Shawn. The sharp edges of his face were impeccable. Set in stone, his jaw tight. He was beautiful in an untouchable way like a sculpture carved out of ice.

She was now married to this man.

She felt a growing Nausea in her stomach.

The driver pulled into the horseshoe driveway of a magnificent mansion. The towering glasses reflected the beautiful moonlight. Amanda gasped. She had known Shawn Martins was rich—he’s the son of Isaiah Martins. But standing here before a sprawling estate that looked more like a fortress than a house made it all sink in.

The car door clicked wide open, and Shawn stepped out first, strutting like a peacock on his way to the gallery, not offering a hand—not that she was expecting him to.

She exhaled and followed him, her heels waging war with the marble driveway.

A manservant, humble, dark, and demure appeared at the entrance, he said “Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Martins” bowing slightly.

That name slapped her hard in her mouth like one who chewed a bitter cherry.

“Mrs. Martins?”

She didn’t feel like a wife to anybody.

Shawn walked in without acknowledging her. Amanda hinged back before she stepped in.

The anteroom was breathtaking—the ceilings stood high, the chandeliers screamed grand, and the sweeping stairway twisted into the upper floors. Everything gave indications of wealth and sterility.

Shawn shrugged off his coat onto a waiting servant’s arm. “Your room is down the hall,” he said not bothering to take a look at her.

Amanda bit her lips slightly and tightened her fist.

“My…room?”

His gaze finally met hers “Did you think we’d be sharing one?”

Her face heated. Of course not. Does she look naive or stupid?

She lifted her chin in defeat “Where is it?”

He nodded towards the west wing “The door on the left” Without saying another word, he turned and went up the stairway

Amanda let out a sigh. So this was it. No wedding night. No forced intimacy. No affection. Just…distance and separation.

She shouldn’t be worried.

But why does it feel like she has already lost a battle she has not even begun to fight yet?

****

Amanda stands in her bedroom—a lavish but unfamiliar space.

The room was twice as big as her former apartment.

The massive bed with silky pink laced with white sheets, a walk-in closet filled with expensive wears that she didn’t choose, and a bathroom with marble and gold fixtures.

She swallowed hard. This is it.

She had never imagined marriage to be like this. Not that she is one to dream of fancy fairy tales, but she had hoped at least to have respect in her marriage and maybe warmth.

But She was nothing more than a business transaction. A debt paid off. A fancy pawn wrapped in silk.

She stared with rheumy eyes the weight of the idea evident in her gaze but she refused to let the tears fall.

This. Is. Temporal.

That was the only thought that kept her from going crazy.

She sighed. Turning away from the mirror, she needs to shower, change, and wash off the weight of the day from under her skin.

As one of her feet stepped into her bathroom, the door to her room swung open suddenly.

Her breath ceased.

Shawn.

Still in his wedding suit. Still detached. Still cold and looking at her like a duty he rather have nothing to do with.

Her left hand curled through the bathroom doorframe and the other hand on her hips. “Do you need something?”

“We have to set some rules,” Shawn said Leaning against the door with his arms crossed.

“Rules?”

He nodded. “We may be married but you are not my wife. Don’t interfere with my life and I won’t interfere in yours. You show up for business events and act the part. Smile, wave, and speak when required. Beyond that, we have nothing to do with each other.”

Each word made a severe cut to her chest. “Was she expecting anything more?”

Her throat tightened. “Understood.”

He looked over her for a moment, accessing and calculating before pushing himself off the doorframe.

“Good.”

Amanda stood there fuming, her nails clenching hard into the bathroom doorframe

So this is how it’s going to be? A house; A wedding but not a home; not a relationship?

And yet, deep down, something inside whispered— this is not over.

Not by a long shot.

****

Amanda could not sleep

She had turned and tossed around the bed for hours. Her mind was restless and her body was trapped in a bed it identified not to be hers.

So she gallivanted.

The halls of the mansion were filled with an eerily Silence. It was vast and cold. Amanda found herself in the kitchen looking for something—anything to distract her from this reality. The emptiness settled in her chest.

A voice shattered the silence as She reached for a glass on the kitchen cabinet.

“Having trouble sleeping?”

She froze.

Turning slowly, she found Julius Martins standing there with his hands tossed in his pockets, watching her with a smirk.

Julius had an easy charm, unlike Shawn. His dark blonde hat was rumpled, and his crisp shirt slightly undone revealing his built body.

Amanda tightened her on the glass.

“I didn’t think someone else would be awake by this time” pressing the warm water button on the dispenser.

“I could not sleep either” He stepped closer, slow and deliberate.

“But then, I figured that this night would be difficult for you” his eyes flickered on the ring “Staying with my brother is the difficult thing to do…then, marriage…” he fell silent.

“he’s not an easy man...you know.”

“I will manage” Amanda forced herself to hold his gaze.

Julius chuckled “Will you?” He moved a step further, invading her space “Because if you ever need a friend, I am always here to help.”

There was something not right with his tone. A knowing; a challenge. It was unsettling.

Amanda let out a weary grin. “Thanks. But I don’t need a friend”

Julius tilted his head in amusement “We will see about that”

Then, with a smirk he turned and strolled out leaving a heavier silence than before

Amanda exhaled sharply, gripping the counter to support her fainting heart.

She has just entered a world where trust and loyalty are only but a liability and friendship is for the highest bidder.

In this house, the real battle has just begun.

“We would see about that?” Amanda looked at the ceiling.