Chapter Three
1263 Words
It was 4:45 a.m, and Annabelle found herself wide awake. She couldn't sleep any longer. Waking up early was something she was used to, especially after years of getting up at dawn to help her foster mother before school. But now, lying in bed next to someone else, her mind was filled with so many thoughts.
"I'm married… gosh!" she whispered to herself, still adjusting to the reality. She turned slightly, her eyes settling on the man sleeping peacefully beside her.
She looked at him, taking in his calm expression as he slept. "Why are people so scared of him?" she wondered, thinking back to all the stories she'd heard about Derek Morano. The rumors, the warnings—it was as if everyone thought he was dangerous. But right now, lying beside him, he didn’t seem scary at all.
Just then, Derek stirred a little, and Annabelle quickly closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She held her breath, her heart racing, hoping he wouldn’t notice she was awake.
After a few minutes, she peeked again, and when she was sure he was still asleep, she relaxed. She realized how hungry she was and decided to slip out of bed quietly to make them a meal.
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"I heard the new Mrs. Morano is dumb , ignorant and completely clueless," whispered Daisy, a woman in her forties, as she nudged the woman beside her, a sly grin on her face, while they walked toward the kitchen.
"You're not wrong," Dominique replied, laughing hard. "The bodyguards said there was a whole scene in the boss’s room. They kept hearing moans, you know? They even said it finally quieted down after a while, like she ducked under a blanket or something!" Dominique laughed louder, clearly amused by the thought.
Daisy snickered. "Honestly, I doubt she’d even think to do that, Dominique. She’s too—"
Suddenly, a voice cut her off. "Good morning."
The two women froze in place, their smiles vanishing. Standing a few feet away, with her back to them, was none other than the new Mrs. Morano. She was wearing a short red faded dress, and even from behind, her beauty was so alluring and catching.
They exchanged quick, panicked glances. Had she heard them?
"Come closer," she said, her tone calm but with an edge. She turned her head slightly, just enough to reveal a calm, unreadable smile.
Daisy’s heart raced. She leaned toward Dominique, whispering, "You think she heard us?"
Dominique just shrugged nervously, but both women took a hesitant step forward, their nerves now on high alert.
"Mrs. Morano, you’re up so early," Dominique quickly said, hoping to break the uncomfortable tension that filled the kitchen.
"It’s not early; it’s already five in the morning," Annabelle replied absentmindedly, continuing to prepare her food.
"But—" Daisy began, cutting into the conversation between Dominique and Annabelle, her voice sounding sharper than usual.
Annabelle looked at her, noticing the hint of disapproval in Daisy's eyes.
"Yes? Is there something you need to say?" she asked, her tone polite but direct.
Daisy folded her arms, her voice tinged with annoyance. "Mr. Morano won’t eat all of this," she said firmly, as if she were scolding her. "You’re just wasting your time."
Annabelle felt a sharp feeling, as though she’d just been slapped. A part of her wanted to argue, but she held back, wondering if she’d gone overboard with her breakfast plans. Maybe pancakes were too simple for someone like Derek. She forced a small smile, hiding her frustration. "Well, if that’s the case, I guess you can both enjoy it instead," she replied, then turned and walked away, heading back to her room.
As she walked, her mind wandered to her school, remembering how her wealthy classmates always preferred fancy, complicated meals. "I guess the rich always have their own preferences," she thought to herself with a slight sigh.
Dominique couldn't keep her composure in the kitchen. Daisy had been shockingly harsh to the Boss’s wife, yet the woman only told them to eat the food she’d prepared, nothing more. Dominique's thoughts were spinning. "Wow, I guess she really is as clueless as they say."
Unable to contain herself, Dominique finally asked, “Why were you so harsh to her?”
Daisy’s face twisted with disdain as she shot back, “She should know her place, don’t you think?” She let her voice drop a little, glancing around before adding, “We've been the cooks here for years. Just because she’s the Boss’s wife, she can’t come in here and start messing with our work. Do you really want to lose your job?”
Dominique paused, considering the tension in Daisy's voice and the bitter look in her eyes. “Well… I get it,” she replied, though her voice was hesitant as she continued preparing breakfast beside her.
Meanwhile, up in the bedroom, Derek was still fast asleep, oblivious to the drama brewing downstairs. Annabelle stood by the door, watching him with an amused expression. She couldn’t help but smirk as she whispered under her breath, “I swear, you city people are all the same—picky, fussy, always expecting the world to cater to you. Who wakes up expecting a full English breakfast this early? And every single day?” She rolled her eyes and sighed, her frustration evident. “I’ve never made one of those in my life. How in the world do you think I’m supposed to do it now?”
She shot Derek one last irritated look, almost as if hoping her annoyance would somehow wake him up, but instead, her gaze lingered on his lips, bringing back memories from last night.
Last night, Derek had kissed her, but that was all he did. He didn’t take things any further, and it left her feeling a little frustrated. She thought about what her foster mother had always told her: "You should be able to satisfy your husband in bed, to ensure a great marriage."
“But how am I supposed to do that if he won’t go beyond just kissing me?” she wondered, feeling a mix of confusion and frustration.
She had accepted it last night, convincing herself that maybe his blindness held him back. But today, with her patience wearing thin from last night’s tension, the chaos in the kitchen, and Derek still fast asleep, she was only growing more frustrated. Sighing heavily, she turned to get ready for school, but just as she stepped toward the bathroom, her phone buzzed.
Seeing her foster father's name flash on the screen, Annabelle’s heart sank. She glanced nervously at Derek, then hurried to answer, whispering, "Hello?" as she tiptoed toward the bathroom to keep Derek from hearing.
“Annabelle!” Her foster father, Leonardo, didn’t waste a second. “Did it happen last night? Did you two finally do it?”
She barely had a chance to open her mouth before he cut her off with another question.
"No—”
“What?” he snapped, his voice sharp and impatient. “Are you kidding me? You know what you promised. You’re supposed to give birth to a child within the first year of marriage. Are you telling me you can’t even seduce him?”
Annabelle felt her chest tighten. She took a shaky breath, letting him rant without interruption, knowing anything she said might make it worse. Finally, she managed to squeeze in, “I’ll do my best to give him children.”
As she spoke, the bedroom door suddenly swung open.
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