CHAPTER SIX:Behind Closed Doors
406 Words
Anna’s POV – Present
The applause fades hours later.
The music softens.
Guests begin to leave.
By the time the car door shuts behind us, the world feels quieter.
Too quiet.
The mansion is larger than I imagined.
Tall ceilings. Glass walls. Minimal warmth.
It doesn’t feel like a home.
It feels like a statement.
The staff disappear discreetly after greeting us.
And suddenly—
It’s just us.
Mr. and Mrs. Cortez.
The title feels heavy in my mind.
I stand in the center of the living room, unsure what to do with my hands.
Or myself.
Xavier removes his suit jacket calmly.
Places it over a chair.
Rolls up his sleeves slightly.
Effortless.
Composed.
This is his world.
Not mine.
The silence stretches.
I break it first.
“Your family doesn’t know, do they?”
He pauses.
Just slightly.
“No.”
That simple.
My stomach tightens.
“They’re going to find out soon.”
“Yes.”
Still calm.
Still unbothered.
“How bad will it be?” I ask quietly.
His gaze shifts to me fully now.
Measuring.
Not dismissive.
Just calculating the truth.
“They will question you.”
Not me.
You.
“They will test you.”
My fingers tighten around the fabric of my dress.
“And if I fail?”
A beat.
Then, calmly:
“You won’t.”
The certainty in his voice surprises me.
Not dramatic.
Not emotional.
Just… decided.
He walks closer.
Not invading my space.
But close enough that I feel the shift in the air.
“This marriage was my decision,” he says quietly. “They will adjust.”
The words should feel cold.
Instead, they feel protective.
I swallow.
“This is just a contract,” I remind him softly.
A line we both know.
A boundary.
His eyes darken slightly.
“I’m aware.”
But something in his tone suggests he’s thinking beyond that already.
He steps back then.
Restoring space.
“You’ll have your own room,” he says calmly. “You won’t be expected to share mine.”
Relief floods me unexpectedly.
Not because I fear him.
But because I don’t know him.
And I don’t want to pretend in private too.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He studies me for a second longer.
“You’re safe here, Anna.”
Safe.
It’s such a simple word.
And yet…
It’s the first time in weeks that I almost believe it.
- Writer
