CHAPTER FOUR
1653 Words
“Something is wrong,” I muttered to myself. My eyes still closed because there was definitely a problem.
This bed was way too soft and the room smelled faintly of flowers and my vanilla perfume.
Which was confusing, because no matter how hard I cleaned my room, that weird attic smell never fully disappeared.
“This is definitely not my room.”
I sat up too quickly, blinking at the unfamiliar ceiling.
Then everything came rushing back.
“Right,” I whispered. “I'm married. How could I forget”
The mansion was awfully quiet like nobody actually lived here.
Maybe Damien had left for work. “So much for a honeymoon” I muttered again.
‘Okay I need to stop talking to myself.’
But on the bright side, less chance of being interrogated at breakfast.
A light knock from the door brought me out of my thoughts.
“Mrs. Voss, breakfast is served,” a small feminine voice said.
‘Right. Here, you're called upon for breakfast instead of waiting for everyone to be done before you prepare your own food.’
“Uhm, I’ll be down in a few minutes. Is that okay ?”
“Yes ma'am”
After I heard her retreating footsteps, I quickly got ready and went downstairs where I was led by a butler to the dining room.
Calling this place a dining room felt disrespectful.
Everyone bowed slightly as I passed.
I had absolutely no idea what to do with that.
I got to the dining table and I just couldn't help my jaw from hanging. ‘Are these people trying to feed a whole town ?’
“Mrs. Voss, would you like to take your seat please ?” It's the same voice from earlier. Only now she sounds scared.
I quickly sat down so she didn't misunderstand.
“Is anyone joining me ?” I asked the girl.
“No ma’am”
‘Either people ate terrifying amounts of food… or this was considered normal here.’
I added a bit of everything to my plate while the girl from earlier kept a mug beside me. I took a sip from the mug without checking its content and I regretted it immediately.
I took a sip of water to mask my discomfort so I wouldn't scare the girl away.
“Sorry but I prefer iced coffee” I said quietly.
“Oh my God, I'm so… sorry ma’am” she stuttered. “I didn't know. I’ll get that for you just give me a…” she rambled.
“No it's fine” I said quickly, playing with my fingers beneath the table. “I can do it myself”
The idea of standing there while someone served me made my skin itch.
The poor girl looked relieved and terrified at the same time.
I stood up before she could apologize again and carried the mug towards the kitchen area connected to the dining hall.
Everything looked so organized. Even the fruit basket looked like it was from a painting.
I threw the coffee in the sink, rinsed the mug and added ice from the fridge into it before pouring the coffee.
I took a sip and *sigh* It felt like heaven.
“Thank you” I told the girl quietly before leaving the kitchen and returning to my seat.
She blinked at me like I'd said the strangest word.
And it felt… sad.
“What's your name ?” I asked her
“Ayana ma’am” she replied timidly.
“It's nice to meet you Ayana”
She didn't reply, she just gave me a smile and bowed her head.
“Good morning Mrs. Voss, I'm the house manager” A man who just arrived greeted me.
“Good morning, welcome” I replied. It sounded awkward but I’m an awkward person who doesn't know what to say.
He walked over to a small table beside the kitchen counter and began going through some books and asking Ayana questions about grocery shopping.
"No matter how carefully I plan, we exceed the grocery budget every single month” he complained to her.
“Maybe you're overpaying the suppliers” I blurted out.
The man stopped to stare at me and I felt embarrassed immediately.
“Sorry, just ignore me”
“How did you know that ma'am?” he asked politely.
“My grandfather used to teach me these things” I said shyly.
Breakfast ended soon after that. And I escaped quickly before another staff member could ask if I needed anything.
The mansion was big, so I decided to explore. Every hallway echoed and every room looked squeaky clean. Like people existed here but don't actually live here.
I wandered around until I found what looked like a lounge area connected to a library.
My steps halted automatically.
Books,
Actual books.
Shelves covered an entire wall and for the first time since yesterday, something inside me relaxed.
‘Maybe marrying a terrifying billionaire had one benefit.’
I walked closer carefully, running my fingers along the spines and inhaling that old book smell before pulling one out.
‘Romance of course. Because why not ?’
I almost laughed.
I settled into the couch near the window and started reading.
‘Peace at last.’
I curled further into the couch, turning another page of the book.
The sunlight near the windows had shifted by the time I heard footsteps approaching.
My body stiffened before my brain processed who it was.
‘Trauma truly was efficient.’
I looked up just as Damien walked into the lounge even if there was nothing dramatic about his entrance.
His eyes landed on me immediately, unreadable as always. I suddenly became very aware of the fact that I'd been sitting in his library for hours like an unpaid librarian.
‘s**t.
Is he going to kick me out ?’
“You've been here all day?” He asked.
I glanced towards the windows and blinked.
Oh, the sun was setting.
“I think the books kidnapped me,” I admitted before I could stop myself.
‘Oh Lord, what is wrong with me ?’
Damien paused before walking further into the room, loosening his tie slightly.
“I’ll alert security,” he said dryly.
I stared at him, my mouth hanging open.
Nope, that couldn't have been humor. I had to be hallucinating.
“I knew billionaires were powerful but I didn't know you could threaten paperbacks too” I said, slowly closing my book.
His expression didn't change, but his eyes remained on me a second longer than necessary.
“You read romance” he observed.
I looked down at the cover and immediately regretted every decision that led me here.
‘Wonderful, another person who thinks I enjoy fictional emotional damage.’
“At least fictional men admit they're emotionally unavailable” I muttered.
‘Wait. Did I say that out loud ?’
My stomach dropped and I felt the colors draining from my face.
‘Maybe next time don't insult your terrifying husband, you dumbass.’
I cleared my throat quickly.
“Not specifically you”
“Hmm”
‘That's it. He's going to kill me.’
I shifted uncomfortably beneath his stare. Every conversation with him felt like walking into an exam I forgot to study for.
Damien reached for the glass bottle next to one of the shelves and poured himself water.
The room stayed quiet except for the sound of the glass touching the counter.
The silence felt threatening.
“You look comfortable,” he said eventually.
I blinked. “In the library?”
His eyes moved toward the shelves briefly before returning to me.
“You look less nervous”
Oh
That caught me off guard.
I didn't realize he noticed that much.
“Well,” I adjusted the book in my hands awkwardly. “books are less intimidating than people”
“People intimidate you ?”
‘You especially’
“I prefer quiet environments” I corrected timidly.
I hated how observant he was. It made me feel exposed in ways I didn't know how to explain.
Damien checked the time on his watch before speaking again.
“Get ready.”
I frowned slightly. “For what?”
“Dinner”
‘That sounded ominous already.’
“With my family.”
‘Of course. The universe saw me survive one dysfunctional family and decided I deserved a sequel.’
I placed the book down slowly and stood from the couch.
“I’m assuming this isn’t optional.”
“No”
‘As expected’
I nodded once even though my stomach had already started tightening.
Damien watched me for another second before speaking again.
“My family pays attention to everything.”
That definitely sounded like a threat.
“What exactly does that mean?”
“It means they’ll notice if you’re uncomfortable.”
‘Well that's unfortunate because I’m uncomfortable breathing around him sometimes.’
“I’ll try to hide my ongoing psychological collapse then”
His jaw ticked at that.
It was honestly unsettling how little emotion he showed. I kept expecting him to snap eventually, or raise his voice, or react like a normal person.
Instead he just watched everything.
“I told you, you use sarcasm when you’re nervous,” he said calmly.
“No, I don’t” I lied
“You’re doing it right now”
I looked away from him
“Be ready by seven” Damien said, turning toward the exit.
Then he stopped walking.
“And Elara ?”
I looked back at him immediately.
“Don't make tonight difficult,” he paused. “And don't embarrass me”
‘There it was. The reminder that I'm not to be trusted.’
I nodded quietly anyway.
I didn't know when but his opinion had started mattering to me and it felt like the most dangerous part of everything.
- Writer
