THE PRINCESS AND HER MARRIAGE

chapter two

### THE PRINCESS AND HER MARRIAGE

### Chapter Two: Promises Before Breakfast

Jake Tarinabo did not sleep in his marital bedroom that night.

For nearly an hour, he had remained downstairs, staring at the dinner his wife had prepared and replaying their argument in his mind. Eventually, he had retreated to his study, telling himself that Urielle needed time to calm down.

But the truth was that he needed time to think, too.

He loved his wife. Of that, he had never doubted.

Urielle was beautiful, intelligent, loyal, and supportive. She had stood beside him when his business was little more than a dream, and he knew that without her encouragement during those difficult early years, his journey would have been much harder.

He remembered the woman she had been when they first married: affectionate, playful, full of laughter, always finding ways to make their home feel warm even when they had very little.

Lately, that laughter had become less frequent.

She no longer called him several times during the day just to ask whether he had eaten. She had stopped waiting up for him on some nights. And whenever he mentioned Eva, her expression changed.

He had blamed it on jealousy.

Perhaps he had been wrong.

Jake turned in his chair and looked at the photograph on his desk. It was from their second wedding anniversary. Urielle had her arms wrapped around his neck, her head resting against his chest, while he smiled down at her as though she were the only woman in the world.

He picked up the photograph.

"I'm sorry, baby," he murmured.

He would make it right in the morning.

He would apologize properly, take her somewhere special, and promise to be more attentive. He would explain that Eva was nothing more than an employee and assure Urielle that no one could ever take her place.

Satisfied with his plan, he finally went to sleep.

What he failed to understand was that his wife did not need another beautiful promise.

She needed him to keep the ones he had already made.

Morning arrived with golden sunlight streaming through the bedroom curtains.

Urielle was still asleep when Jake quietly entered the room.

He had showered, shaved, and changed into a pair of dark lounge trousers and a white T-shirt. His usual confident expression had softened, and he approached the bed with the cautious tenderness of a man hoping to be forgiven.

He sat beside her and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

"Baby."

Urielle stirred but did not open her eyes.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Wake up, sweetheart."

She turned slightly, pulling the duvet closer to her body.

Jake smiled.

"Are you still angry with me?"

She opened her eyes at last.

For a few seconds, she simply looked at him.

Then she turned her face toward the other side of the bed.

"Good morning, Jake."

It was a polite greeting.

Too polite for a woman who had once greeted him with a kiss before her feet even touched the floor.

He moved closer.

"Good morning, my love."

He kissed her cheek, then her lips. When she did not immediately respond, he brushed his thumb across her cheek.

"Please, don't shut me out."

Urielle looked at him again.

"I'm not shutting you out. I'm tired."

"I know. And I'm sorry."

He sounded sincere.

That was the problem with Jake. He was not an entirely unkind man. He could be thoughtful, affectionate, and generous. He could make Urielle feel like the most cherished woman in the world.

He simply had become far too comfortable assuming that her love would always be there, waiting patiently whenever he finally found time for it.

He kissed her again, more tenderly this time.

"Can we start over this morning?" he whispered.

Urielle hesitated.

She wanted to remain angry. She wanted to remind him that a few kisses could not erase the hurt of the previous evening.

But this was Jake.

The man she had chosen.

The man whose arms had once been her favorite place in the world.

When he drew her closer, she allowed herself to rest against him.

Their embrace gradually softened the tension between them. They kissed with the familiar tenderness of two people who still loved one another, and for a while, the arguments, the missed dinners, and Eva's constant presence seemed distant.

They made love that morning, clinging to the comfort of their familiar closeness.

Afterward, Jake held Urielle against his chest, stroking her hair.

"I've missed you," he whispered.

Urielle closed her eyes.

"I'm right here."

"I know. But I've been so caught up in work that I haven't been giving you what you deserve."

She said nothing.

He lifted her chin gently until she was looking at him.

"Listen to me, sweetheart. I'm going to do better. I'll spend more time at home. I'll make sure we have our evenings together, and we'll talk about starting our family. I meant what I told you before. I want children with you."

Her heart gave a painful little squeeze.

"Really?"

"Really."

"When?"

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Let's sit down properly tonight and discuss everything. No phones, no work, just you and me."

She searched his face.

"Promise?"

He raised her hand to his lips.

"I promise."

For the first time since the previous evening, Urielle allowed herself a small smile.

Perhaps this was the conversation they needed.

Perhaps he had finally understood.

She snuggled closer to him, letting herself believe that they could find their way back to the marriage they once enjoyed.

Then Jake's phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

He glanced toward the bedside table.

Urielle noticed the change in his expression before he even picked up the phone.

It was Eva.

"Don't answer it," she said quietly.

Jake looked at her.

"Baby, it might be important."

She slowly moved away from him.

"Of course."

He hesitated, then answered.

"Hello, Eva?"

Urielle watched his face as he listened.

"What do you mean the documents haven't arrived?"

A pause.

"Who was supposed to deliver them?"

Another pause.

Jake sat up.

"All right. I'm coming in. Tell the team not to make any decisions until I get there."

He ended the call and began reaching for his clothes.

Urielle remained on the bed, the duvet gathered around her.

"Jake?"

He turned.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. There's a problem at the office. I need to sort it out."

She stared at him.

"We haven't even had breakfast."

"I know. We'll do that tonight, I promise."

"Jake, you just promised me that today would be different."

He stopped buttoning his shirt.

For a moment, he looked genuinely troubled.

"I know, baby. And it will be. I just need to handle this one thing."

"Is Eva there?"

He frowned.

"Yes. She's at the office."

"Of course she is."

"Urielle, please don't start again. This is a business emergency."

She turned away.

He came back to the bed and kissed her forehead.

"I love you. Don't forget that."

Then he hurried out.

Urielle listened to his footsteps fade down the corridor.

A few minutes later, she heard the front door close.

She lay still, staring at the ceiling.

His apology had sounded sincere.

His promises had sounded sincere.

Even the affection he had shown her that morning had been genuine.

And yet, when it mattered, he had left her again.

Urielle slowly sat up.

A bitter smile touched her lips.

"What exactly am I supposed to do with all these promises, Jake?"

No one answered.

By eight thirty, Urielle had showered and dressed for work.

She chose a tailored cream suit, pearl earrings, and nude heels. Her hair was arranged neatly, and her makeup was understated. She looked every inch the poised businesswoman she had been raised to become.

Only her eyes betrayed the exhaustion she felt.

She was preparing to leave when her phone rang.

"Mummy?"

"Good morning, my beautiful daughter-in-law!" her mother-in-law, Mrs. Tarinabo, greeted cheerfully.

Urielle smiled for the first time that morning.

"Good morning, Mummy. How are you?"

"I'm very well, sweetheart. And how is my son treating you?"

The question caught Urielle off guard.

She glanced toward the door.

"He's fine, Mummy."

"Hmm."

Urielle knew that sound.

It was the sound of a woman who had heard an answer but wasn't convinced by it.

"Anyway, I was thinking of stealing you away for lunch today. Just the two of us. I haven't spent enough time with you lately."

"I'd love that."

"Wonderful! I'll send the driver to pick you up at noon. Unless you'd prefer to drive yourself?"

"I'll drive myself, Mummy."

"All right, darling. I look forward to seeing you."

After the call ended, Urielle stood for a moment, feeling unexpectedly grateful.

Her mother-in-law had always treated her like a daughter. From the beginning of her marriage, the older woman had made it clear that Urielle was not merely the wife her son had chosen but a beloved member of their family.

Urielle hoped lunch would give her a chance to relax.

She picked up a small breakfast tray she had prepared for Jake before she discovered he had already left. There was no reason to let the food go to waste. She could take it to the office and leave it for him.

Perhaps, she thought, he would appreciate the gesture.

Perhaps they could still salvage the day.

With that thought, she carried the tray to her car.

Jake's office was already busy when Urielle arrived.

Employees greeted her respectfully as she crossed the reception area. Everyone knew she was the woman who had stood beside Jake before Tarinabo Global Holdings became the successful company it was today.

"Good morning, Mrs. Tarinabo."

"Good morning."

She smiled and continued toward her husband's office.

The door was slightly open.

She raised her hand to knock, but a familiar voice stopped her.

"Jake, you really should eat something before the next meeting."

Eva.

Urielle pushed the door open.

Jake was seated behind his desk, eating from a takeaway container. Eva stood beside him with another container in her hand.

A cup of coffee sat near his laptop.

The sight stopped Urielle in her tracks.

Jake looked up first.

His eyes widened.

"Urielle?"

Eva turned sharply.

For the first time since Urielle had known her, the secretary appeared genuinely startled.

"Mrs. Tarinabo!"

Urielle looked at the food in Jake's hand.

Then she looked at the breakfast tray she was carrying.

"Interesting."

Jake put down his fork.

"Baby, what are you doing here?"

She lifted the tray slightly.

"I brought you breakfast."

His gaze moved to the tray, then to the food on his desk.

"That's thoughtful, sweetheart, but Eva brought something for the team. We had a hectic morning, and I hadn't eaten."

Eva quickly intervened.

"I hope you don't misunderstand, Mrs. Tarinabo. I only brought breakfast because Mr. Tarinabo left home without eating. I thought he might need something before his meetings."

Urielle looked at her.

"You thought of that?"

Eva nodded.

"Of course."

"How considerate."

Jake stood up.

"Urielle, please. There's no need for this."

She turned toward him.

"No need for what, Jake?"

He exhaled.

"You're making this awkward."

Urielle stared at him.

She had woken up that morning believing that perhaps they could repair their marriage.

She had believed his apology.

She had believed his promise that he would make her a priority.

Yet here she was, standing in his office with breakfast in her hands while another woman fed her husband.

And somehow, she was the one making things awkward.

Something inside her finally gave way.

She walked toward the waste bin beside his desk.

"Urielle?" Jake called.

Without another word, she emptied the breakfast tray into the bin.

The sound of the food hitting the plastic liner seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet office.

Jake stared at her.

Eva's mouth fell open.

Urielle placed the empty tray on the desk.

"There. Now nobody has to worry about what I brought."

"Have you lost your mind?" Jake demanded.

She looked at him calmly.

"No, Jake. I think I'm finally finding it."

She turned toward the door.

"Urielle, wait!"

She did not stop.

He hurried after her, leaving Eva standing beside his desk.

"Baby, please. Let me explain."

Urielle continued walking.

"Urielle!"

She reached the elevator and pressed the button.

Jake caught up just as the doors opened.

"Can you at least listen to me?"

She turned toward him.

"What exactly do you want to explain? That Eva is your secretary? That she brought you breakfast because you forgot to eat? That you left me in bed after promising to spend the morning with me?"

He opened his mouth.

She raised a hand.

"No. Don't bother. I've heard all the explanations before."

"You're being unfair."

The elevator doors opened fully.

Urielle stepped inside.

Jake reached for her hand, but she gently pulled away.

"Please don't make a scene here," he said in a lowered voice.

She looked at him, disbelief settling across her face.

"A scene?"

"Urielle, people are watching."

She gave him a small, wounded smile.

"Then perhaps you should have thought about that before making your wife feel like an unwanted visitor in her own marriage."

The elevator doors began to close.

Jake stepped back at the last moment.

Urielle stood alone as the doors slid shut.

For several seconds, she stared at her reflection in the polished metal.

Then she straightened her jacket.

She would not cry in the elevator.

She would not cry in the lobby.

And she certainly would not cry in the office of the company she had helped build.

But when she reached her car, she sat behind the wheel with her hands resting on the steering wheel and allowed herself one long, trembling breath.

She had not expected marriage to be perfect.

She had expected her husband to remember that he was married.

Apparently, that was becoming too much to ask.

Inside the office, Jake returned to his desk in a state of confusion.

Eva was still standing where he had left her.

"Jake, I'm so sorry," she said softly.

He barely looked at her.

"Not now, Eva."

She lowered her eyes.

"I only wanted to help."

"I know."

He sank into his chair and rubbed his face.

He had no idea how the morning had gone so badly.

He had woken up determined to make things right with Urielle. They had reconciled, at least for a moment, and he had promised that they would talk that evening.

Then a problem at the office had interrupted them.

He had intended to explain everything when he got home.

But now Urielle had walked into his office and found him eating breakfast with Eva.

He could understand why she was upset.

What he could not understand was why every interaction between them had become so difficult.

Eva approached his desk.

"Maybe I should request a transfer to another department."

Jake looked up.

"What?"

"I don't want my presence to damage your marriage."

He studied her face.

She looked sincere.

Too sincere.

"No. That isn't necessary."

"But your wife clearly dislikes me."

"This isn't about you."

Eva nodded sadly.

"Of course."

She returned to her desk, leaving Jake alone with his thoughts.

For once, he did not immediately return to work.

Instead, he picked up his phone and opened Urielle's contact.

He wanted to call her.

He wanted to apologize.

He wanted to tell her that he had not meant to hurt her.

But he could already imagine the conversation.

She would bring up the dinner. She would mention the morning's broken promise. Then they would argue about Eva again.

Jake put the phone down.

He would speak to her at home.

That was what he told himself.

He would speak to her that evening.

Again.

At noon, Urielle arrived at the private restaurant where her mother-in-law had arranged their lunch.

Mrs. Tarinabo was waiting at a table near the window.

The older woman rose immediately when she saw her.

"My beautiful daughter!"

She embraced Urielle warmly and kissed both her cheeks.

"Look at you! Always looking like you stepped out of a magazine."

Urielle laughed softly.

"Thank you, Mummy."

They sat down and ordered lunch.

At first, their conversation was light. They discussed family matters, the upcoming anniversary of the Tarinabo family's foundation, and a charity project Mrs. Tarinabo was organizing.

But the older woman was observant.

She noticed that Urielle barely touched her food. She noticed the way her smile faded whenever her phone vibrated. She noticed that her daughter-in-law seemed distracted, as though part of her attention was somewhere else entirely.

Finally, she reached across the table and touched Urielle's hand.

"Sweetheart, is everything all right?"

Urielle looked up.

"Of course, Mummy."

Mrs. Tarinabo held her gaze.

"Are you sure?"

Urielle forced a smile.

"Yes. I'm just a little tired."

The older woman did not look convinced, but she did not press the matter.

Instead, she squeezed Urielle's hand.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, don't you?"

Urielle's throat tightened.

"Yes, Mummy. I know."

"Good. Because you are my daughter, too. Not just Jake's wife."

Urielle lowered her eyes.

For a moment, she feared she might cry.

She had spent months trying to protect her marriage from outside scrutiny. She did not want to turn her in-laws against their son. She did not want anyone to think she was complaining because she had been born into a wealthy family.

And she certainly did not want to become the woman who had to explain why her husband no longer seemed to have time for her.

So she smiled, changed the subject, and asked about the older woman's latest charity project.

Mrs. Tarinabo allowed her to do so, but the concern in her eyes did not disappear.

Halfway through the meal, Mr. Tarinabo joined them.

He greeted his wife with a kiss before embracing Urielle.

"There is my daughter!"

Urielle stood and hugged him.

"Good afternoon, Daddy."

He smiled.

"Good afternoon, my dear. How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you."

He pulled out his chair and sat down.

After a few minutes of conversation, he glanced around the table.

"Where is my son? I thought the two of you would come together."

Urielle picked up her glass of water.

"Jake is busy with work, Daddy."

Mr. Tarinabo paused.

"Busy with work?"

"Yes."

He exchanged a glance with his wife.

It was brief, but Urielle noticed it.

Mr. Tarinabo leaned back in his chair.

"I see."

He said nothing more, but his expression grew thoughtful.

Jake had always been ambitious. His father respected that about him. The young man had worked hard to build his company, and Mr. Tarinabo had admired his determination from the beginning.

But ambition was not an excuse to neglect one's family.

He looked at Urielle.

She was smiling politely, answering questions, and making every effort to appear comfortable.

Yet something was missing.

The brightness he had known in her since she first entered their family seemed dimmer.

He had seen that expression before.

He had seen it in his own wife during the early years of their marriage, when business had consumed nearly all his time.

And he remembered how close he had come to losing the warmth of his home before he learned to strike a balance.

He made a mental note to speak to Jake.

This could not continue.

After lunch, Mrs. Tarinabo reached into her handbag and brought out a small velvet box.

"I have something for you, sweetheart."

Urielle looked surprised.

"For me?"

"Of course. Open it."

Inside lay a beautiful pearl necklace, the creamy pearls arranged in a delicate strand with a small gold clasp.

Urielle's eyes widened.

"Mummy, this is gorgeous!"

"It belonged to my mother. She gave it to me when I married your father-in-law."

Urielle looked up immediately.

"Then I can't accept it. It's a family heirloom."

Mrs. Tarinabo smiled and closed Urielle's fingers around the box.

"And you are family."

"But Mummy..