CHAPTER 2: DINNER GONE WRONG
1624 Words
(Devina's POV)
Darius was standing by the door, his eyes sweeping over me.
I was dripping wet, my towel loosely wrapped around me showing I had just stepped out of the bathroom.
His gaze swept over me and he stared for a while before quickly looking away.
My heart pounded so hard I was sure he could hear it. His jaw tightened, and he cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence.
“The chauffeur didn’t bring you home last night,” he said, his voice steady, but there was something behind it. Something probing.
My stomach dropped in fear.
He knew. He knew I hadn’t come home last night.
My mind scrambled for an explanation, anything I could say to save myself at that moment but all I could think of was the stranger I woke up beside, the feeling of dread crawling over my skin.
I opened my mouth to respond, but he spoke again. “I just came to check on you... to make sure you got home safely.”
I blinked in surprise as I stared at him. "It's a good thing you found your way home. Next time don't lose the chauffeur." He added.
My body quickly sagged with relief.
He hadn't confronted me that means he didn’t know.
He wasn’t aware of what had happened, at least not yet. I had a chance to still play this off, to keep my secret buried within me.
I needed to act normal, keep everything under control.
“Oh,” I forced a smile, though my heart was still hammering in my chest, “Thank you. I got home fine but slept early. I was exhausted from the party."
Darius eyed me again, but this time, his gaze was less intense than before.
I glanced down at my towel, suddenly aware of how vulnerable I looked standing in front of him like this. I tightened it around myself, hoping the gesture seemed casual.
“My mother will be coming for dinner tonight,” he said. “Be ready by seven.”
His mother? Luna Jasmine!
I hadn’t seen her since our contract wedding. That day had been awkward enough, with all the formalities and pretenses.
But why now? Why suddenly invite her to dinner when we hadn’t seen her in months?
“Dinner with your mother?” I repeated, trying to keep my voice neutral, though my mind was whirling.
“Yes,” Darius confirmed, his tone curt. “She wants to... check on us. So, I’ll need you to play your role tonight. Make it convincing.”
His words stung more than I expected. Our marriage was nothing but a façade, a contract that benefitted both our families.
I had grown used to the charade we played in public, but the idea of putting on that same act in front of his mother—she was family and I couldn't stand lying to her face about us.
But there was nothing I could do.
“I understand,” I murmured, nodding.
Without another word, Darius turned on his heel and left the room, leaving me standing there, still dripping wet and utterly exhausted.
The moment the door clicked shut, I collapsed onto the bed, my entire body trembling.
What had happened to me last night? And where was Darius?
I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe, but my mind kept wandering back to that stranger in the bed.
I hadn’t even seen his face.
What if I had stayed just a little longer? Would I have recognized him? Or worse—would he have recognized me?
I shuddered at the thought and quickly wrapped my arms around myself.
There was no point in dwelling on it now. I needed to keep my head clear, especially with Darius’s mother coming tonight.
I slipped into a simple gown and decided to take a quick nap.
But the moment my head hit the pillow, exhaustion consumed me, and I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
I was startled awake by a soft knock on the door. Blinking groggily, I glanced at the clock on the nightstand.
I gasped in shock. I had slept the entire day.
My heart raced as I sat up, just in time to see Lola, my maidservant, peeking into the room.
“Ma'am the dinner with Luna Jasmine is in an hour,” Lola said, her tone polite but urgent. “The Alpha asked me to remind you.”
"Oh s**t! The dinner." How had I slept so long?"
I jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face to wake myself up.
My mind raced as I hurriedly dressed in a red gown that accentuated my curves, simple yet elegant.
I was still groggy, my thoughts a haze, but I had to keep it together. Tonight, more than ever, I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes or Darius would have my head.
Just as I finished dressing, Darius appeared at the door. He glanced at me, his expression unreadable, then gestured for me to follow him.
“Ready?” he asked, his voice flat as usual and devoid of any warmth.
I nodded, smoothing down my dress, and followed him down the hallway.
As we walked down the stairs, he leaned in slightly and murmured, “Remember, we have to keep up appearances. My mother doesn't know the truth about us and I intend to keep it that way."
I nodded again, offering a small, strained smile.
We entered the dining room together, where Luna Jasmine was already seated, her regal presence filling the room.
Her eyes lit up when she saw me, and to my surprise, she stood and stalked towards me and pulled me in for a warm embrace
“Devina, darling, it’s been so long. I haven't seen you since after the wedding,” she said, her voice smooth and elegant. “Come, sit next to me.”
I forced myself to smile and took the seat beside her, trying to appear relaxed. "Thank you Mother. I'm really glad you came."
"Such a sweet girl you are. Darius is extremely lucky to have you." She smiled warmly.
I tensed up but simply offered a stiff nod.
"Can we begin now. The food is getting cold." Darius quickly interrupted in his usual icy voice.
The servants quickly served the food and we began eating.
While dining, Luna Jasmine engaged us in little conversations about our life together.
Every time I opened my mouth to respond, I could feel Darius’s gaze on me, a silent reminder to keep up the act, but I still managed to keep my cool and act accordingly.
“So when will you two give me grandchildren?” Luna Jasmine asked suddenly, her tone light, but her gaze intense.
Darius and I both choked on our food and I felt a flush of panic rise in me.
Children? We hadn’t even touched each other since the wedding. This was a question I hadn’t prepared for.
Darius cleared his throat, regaining his composure quicker than I could. “Soon, mother,” he said, his voice smooth and controlled. “Soon."
Luna Jasmine smiled, satisfied with the answer, and continued eating, but I barely tasted the rest of the meal.
By the time dinner was over and Luna Jasmine had left, I was feeling lightheaded and flushed.
Something was wrong. I could barely focus on anything as Darius helped me to my feet.
"Are you ok." He asked, his voice sounded different, it was unusually sensual and deep.
I nodded as I leaned into him for support.
We didn’t speak as we made our way back upstairs, but the moment we stepped into the hallway something within me snapped.
I didn’t know what came over me, but the next thing I knew, we were in Darius’s room.
His hands were all over me and my fingers tangled in his hair, and my entire body was burning with a need I couldn’t explain.
His hot tongue probed into my mouth in a desperate search and my body reacted with the same hunger.
The world around us seemed to blur, and in the heat of the moment, nothing else mattered.
My body was acting on its own, driven by something I couldn’t control.
I didn’t even know how we got there, but the last thing I remembered was darkness... and Darius’ touch.
*********
The next morning, I woke up in Darius’s arms, my heart pounding in my chest.
I was naked, my body pressed against his, and the weight of what had happened crushed down on me.
How had this happened? We were never supposed to... I couldn’t even finish the thought.
My mind was spinning, trying to piece together the fragments of the previous night, but it was all a blur.
Darius stirred beside me, and as his eyes fluttered open, I saw the realization dawn in his expression.
His body tensed, and he immediately pulled away from me and looked down beneath the sheets, his eyes wide with anger and confusion.
He bolted upright, the sheets pooling around his waist. “What the hell happened?” he growled, his voice sharp and laced with anger and confusion.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “I... I don’t know.
He glared at me, his eyes cold. “Get out,” he snapped, his voice harsh. “Get out of my room.”
Tears stung my eyes, but I didn’t argue. I gathered my clothes, my hands shaking as I dressed.
The moment I left his room, I collapsed against the wall, my my head spinning with various questions.
What had we done? And worse, what would happen next?
- Writer
