MY HUSBAND
1268 Words
And I had to spend the rest of my life beside him.
The thought followed me through the rest of the reception.
People smiled at me.
They congratulated me.
Some even tried to make conversation.
But I barely heard them.
My eyes kept drifting toward Kael.
He hadn't spoken to me since walking away from the altar.
Not one word.
Apparently, that was my husband's idea of romance.
I looked down at the ring on my finger.
It was simple.
Elegant.
Expensive, judging by the way everyone kept staring at it.
I twisted it around my finger.
“Beautiful, isn't it?”
I looked up.
An older woman stood beside me, smiling.
“I suppose.”
She laughed softly.
“You'll get used to him.”
“Kael?”
She nodded.
I hesitated.
“Do people usually get used to him?”
Her smile disappeared for half a second.
Then she looked toward him.
“Eventually.”
Before I could ask what that meant, she walked away.
I frowned.
Everyone around here spoke like they were afraid of saying the wrong thing.
I was beginning to understand why.
A few minutes later, my mother came over.
She hugged me tightly.
I hugged her back.
Neither of us spoke.
I didn't want to cry.
Not here.
Not in front of all these strangers.
She pulled away and held my face between her hands.
“Be careful.”
I frowned.
“Mom, it's a marriage, not a war.”
Her eyes moved toward Kael.
Then back to me.
“You don't know him.”
“That makes two of us.”
She smiled sadly.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She hugged me again.
When she finally let go, I realized something.
She looked relieved.
Not happy.
Relieved.
That bothered me more than I wanted to admit.
Before I could ask why, Kael appeared beside us.
My mother immediately stepped back.
“Mr. Draven.”
Kael gave her a small nod.
“We're leaving.”
My stomach tightened.
“We?”
His eyes moved to me.
“Yes.”
I glanced at my mother.
She looked at me for a moment before forcing a smile.
“Go.”
I didn't want to.
But I couldn't stay.
I picked up the small bag beside my chair.
Kael turned and walked toward the entrance.
I followed.
He didn't slow down.
Outside, a black car waited.
One of the guards opened the door.
Kael entered without a word.
I stood there for a second.
Was I really supposed to get in?
I sighed and climbed inside.
The door closed behind me.
Silence.
The car pulled away from the mansion.
I stared through the window as my old home slowly disappeared behind us.
I had expected to feel sad.
Instead, I felt strangely empty.
Everything had happened too quickly.
Yesterday, I had been Lena.
Today, I was Mrs. Draven.
I looked down at my ring again.
“I still can't believe this.”
Kael sat beside me, looking out the opposite window.
“Neither can I.”
I turned toward him.
That was the longest thing he'd said to me all day.
“Then why did you do it?”
He didn't answer immediately.
“Because it had to be done.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“It is the only one you're getting.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You know, you're really good at being difficult.”
He looked at me.
“And you're really good at asking questions.”
“Someone has to.”
His lips almost moved.
Almost.
I wasn't sure whether he was about to smile.
Then his expression returned to normal.
I looked away.
“So where are we going?”
“My house.”
I blinked.
“Your house?”
“My family home.”
I stared at him.
“You mean the Draven mansion?”
“Yes.”
My stomach dropped.
“I'm living there?”
“You're my wife.”
He said it so casually.
As if that explained everything.
Maybe to him, it did.
The rest of the drive passed quietly.
Eventually, the car slowed.
I looked out the window.
My breath caught.
The Draven estate was enormous.
Black iron gates opened as we approached.
Beyond them stood a massive mansion surrounded by tall trees and perfectly trimmed gardens.
It looked less like a home and more like a castle.
Several guards stood outside.
The moment the car stopped, they straightened.
Kael stepped out.
I followed.
A line of servants stood at the entrance.
All of them lowered their heads.
“Welcome home, Mrs. Draven.”
I stopped.
Home.
The word felt strange.
This wasn't my home.
Not yet.
Maybe it never would be.
Kael walked inside.
I followed him through the enormous entrance hall.
Everything was dark and elegant.
Black marble covered the floor.
Large paintings decorated the walls.
There was an enormous staircase in the center of the room.
I looked around.
“Do you live here alone?”
“No.”
“Who else?”
“My family.”
I stopped walking.
“Your family?”
He looked back.
“Yes.”
“Like... your parents?”
“My father.”
I waited.
“And your mother?”
Silence.
Kael looked away.
“She isn't here.”
Something about his tone told me not to ask.
So I didn't.
He continued up the stairs.
I followed.
When we reached the second floor, he stopped in front of a door.
“This is your room.”
I stared at it.
“My room?”
“Yes.”
“You're not going to tell me where your room is?”
He looked at me.
“Why?”
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
I didn't know what to say.
He opened the door.
The room was beautiful.
A huge bed stood in the center.
There was a balcony overlooking the gardens.
A wardrobe filled with clothes.
Everything looked new.
Too new.
I walked inside.
“You bought all this?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before the wedding.”
I turned toward him.
“You prepared a room for me before even meeting me.”
“I knew you were coming.”
That sentence made me pause.
Of course he knew.
The marriage had been arranged.
Still, hearing him say it felt strange.
I looked around again.
For the first time that day, something inside me loosened.
Maybe this wouldn't be as terrible as I imagined.
Maybe I could survive this.
Kael turned toward the door.
“I'll leave you to rest.”
“Wait.”
He stopped.
I hesitated.
“Are we really married?”
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
I looked down at my ring.
Then back at him.
“Then what happens now?”
Kael's eyes stayed on mine.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he said quietly,
“Now you learn how the Dravens live.”
He closed the door.
I stood alone in the enormous room.
I walked toward the balcony and opened the curtains.
The sun was beginning to disappear behind the trees.
Everything was quiet.
Almost too quiet.
Then I noticed something.
Across the garden stood a second building.
It was much older than the mansion.
Its windows were dark.
Its doors were locked.
I stared at it.
A strange feeling settled in my chest.
I don't know why.
But something told me that whatever was inside that building...
I wasn't supposed to ask about it.
And somehow, I knew I would.
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