The Gold I Married

Chapter Two

Anna sank onto the plush armchair by the window, her reflection barely visible in the glass. Pulling out her phone, she scrolled through her contacts until she landed on a familiar name: her sister.

She pressed the call button and waited. The line clicked, and a warm, teasing voice greeted her.

“Well, well, Anna. To what do I owe the honor?”

Anna exhaled, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. “Harrah,” she said softly. “I need to talk.”

“Well, what do you need to talk about?” Harrah asked, her tone amused. “The only time you call me is when you’re stressed. And the last time was… what, yesterday? What’s going on now?”

Anna sighed, twirling a strand of her hair. “How do you do it, Harrah? You’ve been married for two years. Living with someone you don’t even love. How do you manage?”

There was a pause before Harrah spoke, her voice now softer but unrelenting. “Have you forgotten everything, Anna? Does that even matter to us anymore? Love doesn’t exist. When there’s money, there’s love.”

Anna pressed her lips together, her grip tightening on the phone. “My husband wouldn’t even look at me.”

Harrah chuckled dryly. “Mine doesn’t look at me either. I only stay sane because I have his sisters here. They’re fun to be around, at least. They keep me distracted.”

“Well, I don’t have anyone here,” Anna said, her voice dropping. “There’s no one I can talk to. The only one around is Victor.”

Harrah groaned. “Oh, that boy. You have to find a way to get him out of the house. As long as he’s there, there’s no way Alexander will give you any attention. He’ll always have his son to focus on.”

“I don’t think that’s it,” Anna said quickly, frowning. “Alex is barely ever around. It’s not Victor who’s taking his attention.”

There was a slight pause. Then Harrah’s voice sharpened. “And why are you suddenly… sticking up for him?”

Anna hesitated, then sighed. “I don’t know. I just… I feel like he doesn’t open up to anyone. Not to me, not to Victor. He’s still hung up on… his dead ex-wife. How do you compete with someone who doesn’t even exist anymore?”

“You don’t,” Harrah said bluntly. “You don’t need to compete with her or anyone else. This isn’t about love, Anna. It’s about money, security. When we have enough, we’ll do something good with it. Build a hospital in Mom’s name. Maybe even another in Stepmother’s name, just to keep her spirit off our backs.”

Anna laughed lightly at the mention of their late stepmother. “I actually missed Second Mommy today,” she admitted with a chuckle.

Harrah laughed too. “Well, enjoy the nostalgia while it lasts. Anyway, I need to sleep. You know how my husband gets when he’s angry, and I don’t want to hear from him tonight.”

“Good night, Harrah,” Anna said softly.

“Good night, Anna. And remember, don’t overthink it. You’ve come too far to start caring now.”

The call ended, leaving Anna alone with her thoughts.

She sat by the window, staring into the dark expanse of the mansion’s gardens for nearly thirty minutes, the soft hum of distant city lights the only sound. Her mind buzzed with fragments of the conversation, with Victor’s face at the door, with Alexander’s cold dismissal.

Finally, she stood. Her fingers tugged at the zipper of her dress, letting it fall to the floor. Her bare feet padded softly against the cold tiles as she made her way to the bathroom.

She turned on the shower, stepping under the hot stream of water. For a moment, she let it wash everything away, the disappointment, the loneliness, the weight of her choices.

And yet, even as the water poured over her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something in her life was about to shift.