ChapterTwo
1024 Words
MY NEW HOME.
sat at the backseat of the car, my weeding band still unfamiliar to my finger.
This was my husband’s house
A man i barely knew anything about and
A man whose last name i now carried.
The car stopped before towering double doors carved from dark mahogany. They looked less like an entrance and more like the gate of the kingdom that had never known warmth.
Beyond the gate stretched a long driveway paved with smooth gray stone. It wound through the estate like a river of silver, disappearing into the distance before finally revealing the mansion itself.
The deeper one ventured into the property,the quieter the world became.
No laughter
No voices
Everything felt cold
No family portraits lined up on the walls
No trace of life lived
Only silence
Only the soft whispers of the wind through the trees.
The mansion came fully into view.
It was enormous, not the kind that flaunted its wealth with gold and extravagance. This was old money. Generational wealth. The kind that had nothing left to prove.
I stood there confused for words, not knowing if I should ask if we were sharing a room or not.
“Your room is on the second floor”, he said
Cold
Distant
My room ? not our room I said to myself
I felt a sharp pain in my chest, but I completely ignored it.
Of course.
Why would I expect anything else?
I was not the bride he wanted, or the woman he loved.
I was only the woman standing in another woman’s place.
A servant immediately stepped forward, I will show you the way madam
I followed her while she helped with me my luggage’s
The hall way was beautiful
The floors were polished marble.
The light hanging above us looked expensive
The large bed
The elegant furniture
The huge windows overlooking the garden.
But no smell of home, I sat on the bed thinking how I got here.
I quickly opened my bag to bring out my medical report, there it was AGAIN death staring at me in the face and I wonder if marrying riven was the best thing to do
what’s worst was keeping my medical condition a secret from both him and my family.
my phone rang bringing me back to the present .
it was Zara
Bella.
She spoke softly her voice as calm as I have always known, yet worried “ are you okay ?”
You know you can always talk to me about anything. I am always here for you.
I didn’t know how to react, a part of me wanted to tell her the whole truth about my health condition and also about riven and the whole cold treatment but I didn’t and I don’t know why
The word “I’m fine “ slipped out of my mouth without me knowing.
You always say you are fine every time…..
Just then a knock interrupted
Madam dinner is ready
Zara I will talk to you in the morning I said hanging up the call
Dinner ??
Okay… coming
I quickly changed Into a dusty rose that fell softly from my shoulders its fabrics layered like flower petals. The sleeves are sheer
The color brought warmth to my pale face and soften my nervous expression
My dark hair was loosely pinned up with a few strands escaping around my cheeks.
My footsteps echoed.
You are late.
he said. His voice calm but yet sharp.
He was dressed more causal than i expected.
A plain white shirt hugged his broad shoulders,the sleeve rolled carefully to his forearm the top buttons were left undone
Dark Jean rested comfortably on his long legs
his brown hair was slightly messy
They was nothing expensive about his outfit which made him looked more handsome.
having issues settling in your room
No I said immediately, then took a seat
Looking at the table the food looked well prepared
Expensive
Everything was properly arranged.
This is only temporary Bella
This marriage
This union
Don’t expect what a husband will do for his wife from me.
He said without rising his head to look at me
I was the substitute bride
The one that was never chosen.
Will this be my fate ?
Life still wasn’t kind to me during my last days on earth.
Looking back life was never kind to me, I was ignored immediately Valerie was born.
Valeria gave my parents so much joy the moment she was born like my parents had waited their whole life for her
I used to be my parents lucky charm, even if I was adopted I was loved and adored by my both parents which I was very grateful for
mom got pregnant after many years.
Valeria was born and immediately, all the love I had ever known and experienced disappeared.
Marrying riven felt like a debt I had to pay my parents.
Marry riven, my mother said to me with hopelessness in her eyes, save our family from the cruel judgment of society.
Those words hit me like a slap
For a moment i stared at my adopted mother, certain i had misheard her
Marry him ?? I whispered.
my voice trembling .
A man I have never met ?
My mother’s expression was cold and firm
Your sister has runway and the wedding is tomorrow, marry him and save our family.
“Once you are done eating, go back to your room”.
Riven words brought me back to the present
His expression remained unreadable
And don’t come out tomorrow
What ???
I have a guest visiting tomorrow
That was all he said
No room for explanation or questions
Just a simple order
Long after i reached my room, his words continued to bother me
A guest ?
Who could possibly be important enough to make him hide his own wife ?
I stared at the ceiling for a long time, wondering what kind of marriage I had entered into.
A marriage where I already knew I was never his first choice.
A marriage where I was only a replacement.
- Writer
