Undivided

Chapter 2: Awakening Desires

With Elise 's remark, the car was plunged into another bout of silence, the atmosphere in the backseat growing even more delicate.

The driver, hardly daring to breathe, dropped Kyle off at Starport International and then turned towards the north of the city, heading for Clearwater Mansion.

The night sky, washed clean by the rain, was exceptionally dark and fresh. The Bentley sped along the elevated highway, with neither Elise nor Vincent uttering another word the entire way.

Clearwater Mansion, particularly Building 13, was Elise and Vincent's marital home, where they had lived since their wedding.

Pushing open the door, Elise was greeted by neatly arranged furniture and bright ceiling lights, not a speck of dust on the wooden partition at the entryway.

Vincent glanced around. "Haven't been staying here recently?" His tone was more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah, I've been out, keeping a young lover," Elise leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her voice casual, almost airy.

Vincent's gaze was steady.

Elise, finding some amusement, quirked one side of her lips, tilting her head and meeting his eyes unflinchingly.

Some people loved their pretenses. He knew too well that even if she was just eating grass in the country, countless eyes would report back to him, and yet he still asked such an obviously redundant question.

Two years apart, and he still didn't find such formal greetings both needless and laughable.

Their eyes locked for several seconds before Vincent was the one to look away. He never liked to linger on meaningless conversations, especially with his wife, whose mind seemed to short-circuit at the sight of diamonds.

The house, lacking human warmth for so long, felt cold despite the automatic temperature control.

Vincent started unbuttoning his shirt as he headed upstairs. Elise watched from a distance, kicking off her high heels, letting out a light scoff.

Though their marital relationship was lukewarm, they had never separated rooms. The master bedroom on the second floor was spacious, leading to an even larger walk-in closet.

As Elise entered the bedroom, Vincent was just opening the closet door—

The wardrobe lined all four walls, with a display table and jewelry stand in the center. The spotlights illuminated, causing the glass cabinet to shimmer brilliantly.

Vincent stood at the doorway of the walk-in closet, hands in pockets, unmoving for a long moment.

Elise didn’t approach him. Instead, she stood in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom, untying her dress.

"Elise."

"Hmm?" She glanced at him through the mirror.

"Clean this up."

Vincent half-turned, making room at the doorway. As he pulled off his tie, crinkling the collar, a slight frown formed on his brow.

Only then did Elise notice the walk-in closet was cluttered with gift bags and boxes, leaving no room to walk.

She was slightly taken aback. Stepping forward, she picked up a bag near the door and riffled through it, finally recalling, "These must be gifts from brands, there are so many."

After Vincent had gone to Australia, Elise spent most of her time traveling abroad, staying in her city apartment when in the capital.

The brands had the Clearwater Mansion address on file. Too lazy to change it, the gifts kept being sent here.

The housekeeper had called her once to ask what to do with these items. Busy with other matters, Elise had casually said to just leave them in the walk-in closet, not realizing they would pile up like that.

"This is too much, sorry about that, I'll clear it up."

Though she said she was sorry, from her hair to her toes, there wasn’t a hint of apology, nor any sign she intended to clean up.

Even more, she seemed intrigued as she unwrapped a shawl, holding it up for inspection and musing, "This shawl is too thick. Maybe I'll take it to Antarctica and could put it on a penguin."

"..."

Years of restraint had made Vincent forget how to roll his eyes. His expression remained blank, his voice shifting from initially patient and mild to cold and terse, "Put your things away, I need my pajamas."

Elise looked at him for a few seconds and then suddenly smiled, "Less than three sentences and you're already impatient, Mr. Sterling. Your patience really isn't up to much."

Her hand dropped, the shawl covering her exposed ankles. The next second, she playfully extended her toes, brushing them gently against his ankle, slowly moving up the inside of his leg.

It was a tease, almost a provocation.

Vincent gave Elise a deep look, his tone shifting suddenly, "If you're in such a rush to shower, you can just say so."

The smile on Elise's lips vanished rapidly. She turned, kicking aside the pile of gifts cluttering the walk-in closet, and yanked out a set of men's pajamas from the wardrobe, crumpling them into a ball and tossing them into Vincent's arms as if discarding non-recyclable trash.

Vincent held the clothing but showed no hurry to shower.

After a moment's contemplation, he asked, "Elise, do you have any grievances against me? Let's talk."

In the blink of an eye, he returned to his calm and gentle demeanor. Today, without his glasses, he looked even more like a kind-hearted young professor eager to enlighten his students.

Elise's voice dripped with sarcasm, "I didn't realize Mr. Sterling held my opinions in such high regard."

Just three days ago, Elise had seen a social media post by Nathan, featuring a photo from a club's private room, showcasing Charles and Ethan. But in a dim corner, Vincent's platinum watch, inadvertently captured in the frame, gave him away.

That watch, a unique Van Cleef & Arpels custom design featuring The Little Prince for him and a rose for her, was a wedding gift from the Sterling family elders.

Meaning, he had been back in the country for at least three days.

Three days without a call, a message, heading straight to Star City to revel with friends.

If not for her knowledge of his rich romantic history and his conduct in bed, she might have seriously wondered if she had inadvertently married a deceiving gay man, unwittingly becoming a trophy wife overnight.

After hearing Elise's complaints, Vincent finally understood her critical attitude towards him tonight.

He pondered for a moment, then offered, "I thought, given our relationship, you had no interest in my whereabouts. But if you're interested, I can have my assistant send you daily updates."

"..."

Who wanted his itinerary? It felt like a condescending offer, grating to her ears.

Elise was on the verge of exploding, the impulse to hurl expletives at him bubbling up, but something stopped her. She mentally chanted 'don't get angry,' forcing herself to close her eyes and calm down.

Naturally beautiful with fair skin, Elise's makeup for the evening had been light. Standing under the corridor light, her crimson lips pressed into a thin line, her face radiantly clear and striking.

Vincent, having known her for nearly two decades, never cared for her haughty demeanor, but couldn't deny she had always been a stunning beauty, captivating from the first glance.

Beauty often softens hearts. Seeing her on the brink of erupting, Vincent, uncharacteristically, conceded a step, "Alright, I admit my fault this time."

"Admit? Of course, it's your fault!"

Elise, barely holding back her anger, felt it reignited by his seemingly indifferent concession, characteristic of a typical aloof man.

Their marriage was a strategic alliance for both families, beneficial though not entirely pleasing for either. Children from such families were aware from a young age that their marital choices were not entirely in their hands. After all, one doesn't just pursue love and freedom after putting down their dinner bowl.

In matters of marriage, both Elise and Vincent had been exceptionally cooperative, having long reached a consensus on displaying affection in public.

"You return to the country without a word, accompany Victoria to a banquet where I'm present, bid on a necklace for her, and you don't even give me a heads-up. Who are you trying to embarrass? Are you trying to tell the world we're not close?!" Elise's voice rose with each word, her frustration evident.

Vincent rubbed his temples as if her voice was a nuisance, his explanation calm, "I had lunch with Director Perry. It was inconvenient for him, so I helped out. Victoria is over forty; I doubt anyone would think I was attending with her to slight you. Besides, I wasn't aware you'd be at the banquet."

Elise translated his words in her mind — Oh, who knew you'd be there? I don't pay attention to you. Who are you?

This was what Elise hated most about Vincent: his disregard for anyone and anything, always rational and calm, or rather, always indifferent.

She, always in the limelight, surrounded by adoration, found it hardest to bear this kind of indifference, not considering her the center of the world.

The conversation ended abruptly, and as Elise showered, she thought: If she could end this widow-like marriage, she would be willing to forego intimate relations for five years.

After spending two hours in the bathroom, Elise emerged leisurely.

Being as meticulous as she was, her daily beauty routine was never missed.

Before Vincent went to Australia, he had lived with her for a while and was familiar with her habits. Undoubtedly, she was the type who would apply full makeup even on the brink of fainting from anemia, beautiful yet superficial.

Now, Elise slipped into a haze blue silk nightgown, revealing her slender arms and legs. Her long, lustrous hair, dried and fluffy, fell loosely as she walked barefoot. Her casual hair and the sway of her dress, along with the lingering steam from the bathroom, added an innocent yet seductive charm.

Vincent took a glance. Perhaps it was because this 'vase' was too pleasing to the eye that he looked again after a couple of seconds.

"What are you looking at?" she asked.

Vincent just chuckled, not responding.

Elise, unsure what she was guarding against, kept her eyes fixed on him as she sat down on the edge of the bed, cautiously lifting her legs up. Seeing him make no move, she finally pulled the covers up and lay down, wrapping herself tightly, leaving only her beautiful head exposed.

"Turn off the light, I'm going to sleep," Elise declared.

Vincent complied, switching off the floor lamp.

In the darkness, their breathing fell into sync, calm and orderly.

After two years without sharing a bed with anyone, Elise felt somewhat uneasy, tossing and turning, sensing something was amiss.

Vincent, on the other hand, lay still, not moving an inch.

The air carried a faint woody scent, probably spruce, reminiscent of a rainy day.

As the night deepened, Elise, on the brink of slumber, suddenly felt an invasive presence close at hand. Opening her eyes, she found Vincent hovering over her, his arm firmly braced by her waist, enveloping her beneath him.

In the dim light of the night, she could barely discern the sharp contours of Vincent's jawline, his Adam's apple moving subtly. Looking up, his eyes, calm and profound, were swirling with desire.

Elise's response, dormant for so long, was initially slow. It wasn't until Vincent's gentle provocation, causing her strap to slip down, that her senses began to awaken.

Outside, the moonlight shimmered like water, temporarily casting aside the evening's displeasure and setting it adrift. Facing each other, they could no longer resist the instinctive pull of their bodies, their emotions surging in the dark.

Vincent's lips gently brushed against Elise's neck, his movements both skilled and tender. Her breath quickened, her body becoming sensitive to his touch. The air was filled with a faint fragrance, stirring their emotions.

Their bodies pressed closely, each touch seemed to reignite long-lost passion. Elise's fingers lightly traced along Vincent's back, each caress speaking volumes of the emotions buried deep within her heart.

As time passed, their movements grew more intense, as if trying to compensate for lost time. In this moment, words seemed pale and inadequate; only the primal language of their bodies could express their feelings.

With the arrival of c****x, Elise clung tightly to Vincent, her body overwhelmed wave after wave of sensation. In that instant, all displeasure and grievances were forgotten, leaving only heartbeats and shared breaths.

The moonlight outside, crisp and clear, swayed gently, temporarily shelving the unease before sleep. The discontent of the night lay momentarily stranded at the water's edge.