No Emotional Entanglement
857 Words
The golden rays of dawn filtered through the half-drawn curtains, gently stirring Diane from her deep slumber. Her head ached pleasantly, a lingering reminder of the last night drink. She shifted slightly and sat up with a yawn.
“Good morning,” he said, already getting ready for work. He reached for a bottle of water on the nightstand and handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she murmured, sitting up slowly and accepting it.
He waited until she drank a bit before speaking again.
“I said we were going to talk.”
Diane exhaled softly and nodded, setting the bottle aside. “Alright. go ahead away.”
Charles settled on the other side of the bed making it sink in slightly . “Why me?” He asked while fixing his cufflinks
The question wasn’t unexpected, but it still took her a second to answer.
“Honestly?” she began, gaze fixed on the sheets between them. “That night, I wanted Nathaniel to feel what it was like to be humiliated. Betrayed. I wanted him to taste his own medicine. But that’s not the only reason.”
Charles raised an eyebrow and sat on the other side of the bed, waiting to hear what she was going to say .
Her voice dropped, softer now, almost hesitant. “I’d had a crush on you for a while. You were this mystery—never attending those loud elite parties, never mingling with people like the rest of them. You carried yourself like you didn’t need anyone. That intrigued me.”
She finally looked up, meeting his gaze. “When I found out you were flying back for our wedding, I didn’t hesitate. I did a bit of digging about you… and after I saw Nathaniel and Anabel together, I couldn’t think of anyone else.”
Charles was quiet, his gaze unreadable. He leaned back against the headboard. “So, it wasn’t just revenge. You had your eye on me long before then.”
Diane shrugged, a small smirk tugging at her lips. “I didn’t say I was in love. I said I was curious. Maybe a little infatuated.”
He chuckled under his breath, shaking his head.
“Your turn,” she said. “Why didn’t you reject me that night? You could have shut the door in my face.”
Charles waved a hand dismissively. “Does it matter now?”
“It does. I want to know,” she pressed curiously.
He was silent for a moment, his fingers idly tracing a crease on the blanket. “You looked at me with those big, tearful eyes. You were in that wedding dress, trembling but still defiant. It was a sight that would be hard for any man to resist, he wasn't a saint… especially when it shows up at your doorstep,” he thought.
Diane's lips parted in annoyance as the man remain silent. “So you pitied me?”
“No,” he said immediately. “I admired your courage. And maybe I was curious, too. About what you would do next.”
They both sat in silence for a beat, processing the truth laid bare.
Diane eventually leaned back on her palms and looked at the ceiling. “So what now?”
“We keep our arrangement simple,” Charles replied. “No emotional entanglements. Just mutual benefits. You handle your business, I handle mine. We stay out of each other’s way unless we need to show up .
She nodded slowly. “And what about personal matters? Dating? Friends?”
He shrugged. “Do what you want but no dating. We're married, fake or real you're my wife now and it's my responsibility to satisfy your every needs. I don't want any scandals involving you with another man.” I'll do the same.
Diane folded her legs beneath her and tilted her head at him. “What if we start enjoying each other’s company a little too much?”
Charles arched an eyebrow. “Then we remind ourselves what this is—a contract. Nothing more.”
A small, amused laugh escaped her lips. “This is going to be interesting.”
He smirked. “That’s one way to put it.”
She studied him in silence for a few seconds before asking, “Do you regret it?”
“No,” he said without hesitation.
Diane smiled faintly. “Me neither.”
He stood up and stretched, then continue getting dressed for the day. Diane watched him thoughtfully, the man was truly handsome,she wasn't losing out after all.
“Charles,” she called out.
He turned to her. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for not slamming the door in my face that night.”
He gave a small nod and grabbed his watch from the dresser. “Get up and fix some breakfast for urself, Aunt Wendy's out taking care of some personal matters.
Diane watched him walk out of the room, and got up to get ready for the day not minding the breakfast whatever.
No attachments. No feelings. Just mutual benefits, she muttered to herself.
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- Writer
