The Billionaire I Married Is Not My Husband.

“Who is this husband of yours, Rhea? Tell me, I promise I won't breathe a word of it to anyone.“ Alexis asked as they walked towards the entrance of the business hotel. “Is he some insignificant dude?“ She continued. “Or maybe a cripple? Oh! Maybe he's a gangster—” “Alexis!“ Rhea sighed. Honestly, she had no time for this. If only her coworkers could respect her privacy. “Tsk, what's the need for the secrecy?“ Alexis scoffed. “Maybe you're not even married at all. You're just so desperate to own a man that you bought a ring, aren't you?“ Alexis glanced at her, sucked her teeth and walked past her. Ever since she was caught secretly stuffing her wedding ring into her bag, Alexis had hounded her forever about her secret husband. Rhea didn't deny nor affirm her marital status, and while she could never affirm it, she didn't deny it for fear of escalating rumours at her place of work. She took in a deep breath, yanked her low neckline up for the umpteenth time, straightened her gown, and walked into the lobby. The grand lobby which had crystal chandeliers hanging from above, and warm yellow ambience brightened the entire space, was teeming with business men in well ironed three-piece suits and ladies in stylish evening gowns. Rhea clutched her handbag, scanning the in-flow of guests, then she took out her phone. “Mr Thomas.“ “Come to the lounge on second floor, directly opposite the refreshment station.“ Just as she reached the second floor, her eyes landed on a broad-shouldered man in a shiny suit clinking glasses with a couple in one corner. His hand was snaked around another woman's waist as they laughed and chatted. A tight, burning sensation gripped her chest, and a sour taste rose in the back of her mouth. And just then, the man—as if feeling her gaze on him— turned and their eyes met. She sucked in a breath. Rhea stormed towards the corridor, heading for the restroom, her breaths coming faster. “Why is this happening to me?“ She blinked her eyes. “Does it matter? Every woman except his own wife is pretty in his eyes—” The door was suddenly thrown open. She flinched. The man stepped in, and stopped, staring at the small woman standing in front of the mirror. “Why are you here? You can return to your partner.“ She said, unwilling to look at him. “You keep forgetting the conditions of our marriage. Shall I remind you?“ He asked, his voice icy. Rhea's hand stopped mid air. Then she slowly dropped it to her side and nodded her head, turning to him. “The facts remain that we are married, Weston. You told me today that you were feeling too unwell to celebrate our anniversary this morning. But there you were, wrapping another woman in your arms.“ She saidin an accusatory tone, folding her arms around her chest. “What?" He stepped into her space, slipping one hand into his pocket while the other went flat against the wall — cornering her. “Did you expect me to hold you in my arms instead?“ He asked, his gaze intense. The warmth of his breath tickled her neck, and she fought the urge to shiver. Her heart was fluttering non stop. Rhea gasped, “I just wanted us to—” “When will you snap out of your delusions and accept that we only exist on paper? There's no 'us', Rhea, so wake up.“ he cut her off, stepping away from her. Rhea stood frozen. A cold wave washed over her. We only exist on paper. There's no 'us'. That was what they were after two years of a cold, marriage full of tension. Her eyes stung hot, and this time she let the tears fall. She just wanted to to tell him how she felt. “I must've sounded pathetic.“ She said, staring at her reflection. Was marrying him a mistake? That had seemed the best decision to make 2 years ago. But she has been haunted by it ever since. Her phone vibrated, 'Mr Thomas' appearing on the screen, but she didn't bother picking. She splashed water on her face instead, trying to calm her racing heart. Weston may dislike her, but she had to secure that client otherwise her family would berate her incompetence—most especially her mother. She left the restroom, and headed for the lounge opposite the refreshment station. A man in large dark glasses sat with ope to legs on one of the large sofas, sipping at a glass of red wine. “Miss Ellison.“ “Mr Thomas.“ She forced a smile. “I apologize for my tardiness.“ “Are you now?“ The man took off his glasses and smiled, revealing a gold tooth. She cleared her throat, “You know I am.“ She slipped a contract onto the table. “Ellison Glow will be delighted to do business with you.“ “Not so fast, dear.“ He said, glancing at his phone. “I have one condition.“ What condition? Didn't we discuss this over the phone? Oh God, this is why I hate dealing with people. “As one of the biggest cultivators of chamomile in New York, you can understand I'm highly sought after.“ He leaned forward. “Why should I choose your company?“ She sighed within, “Mr Thomas, you agreed on this. Are you backing out all of a sudden?“ “Why, no. One favour from you will seal our deal.“ He downed his red wine. She wasn't stupid, she could see his eyes roaming her body. “You're taking it too far, Mr Thomas.“ her eyes turned cold. “Am I? You'd do anything for your family business. So here's your chance to get out of their grip. Accept my offer and see what stress-free life you have out there.“ he picked up his phone. Wrinkling her nose, she stood up. “I can protect you from what's coming, Rhea.“ He suddenly said. She paused, “What's coming?“ “It'll be too late to find out then. You might've crossed someone powerful in your dealings with the aristocrats.“ He stood up from the sofa. “Just say the word and I'll protect you.“ Rhea exhaled. “Is it the same person who asked you not to sign the contract?“ Mr Thomas' eyes narrowed, “Why would you say that?“ “You've glanced at your phone 3 times since I came here. I assume you were communicating with this person?“ He gave her a wide smile, “Since you're smart, I believe you know the right choice to make.“ “Well, if you won't tell me what this is about, I'm taking my leave.“ Also, don't worry, my husband will protect me.“ she added. The moment she was out of sight, she called Weston but it went to voicemail. Heart thumping wildly, she hurriedly typed, 'Weston, I've been threatened. Send someone to pick me up please.' She waited by the staircase, and from the top floor, she intently watched every person who passed by her, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. An hour passed and as the sky darkened, and she began doubting if Mr Thomas was using that as a tactic to pressure her only to realise she wasn't falling for it? What if he was bluffing? She stretched her legs to ease her aching muscles. What if she followed the crowd of people who were streaming outside, would she get home safe? Outside, everyone seemed to mind their own business. “Phew.“ She sighed. I might've fallen for yet another underhanded tactic. She stepped onto the curb to flag a taxi home. ★ ★ ★ ★ Far to her left, a black car had been waiting. The moment Rhea stepped onto the curb, it started moving. Then she flagged it down.