Chapter 3 Learning To Act

That was not how I imagined my wedding… Staring at the ceiling, I was starting my new life as someone I was not, as a fake wife. The next morning, my door knocked and some maids informed me that he was waiting for me downstairs, worsening my state. Freshening up, I attempted to dress well, forcing myself to accept this marriage and be sincere- what other option did I have? I came down only to find the dominant man, looking scary as always. Seeing his strong muscles visible through his white buttoned shirt distressed me. His black hair was behind messily, complimenting his face, plus the rolled sleeves that made the tattoo of the burning rose visible. I greeted quietly, “Good Morning,” “Hmm,” Taking a sip of his morning coffee, one leg resting over the other, he hummed, motioning me with his index finger to sit before him. Gripping my dress, I was anxious to eat in front of him and paused, waiting for him to speak and his piercing resonance came. “Liliana,” My heart skipped a beat when he called my name firmly. “Yes?” “I want you to learn how Emerald used to behave in order to act before people. No need to do it before me,” “Then, when?” “At parties, before my parents, just any time there will be an outsider with us, do you know how to act?” His brows knitted handsomely, increasing my heartbeats at his strong presence, intimidating me by doing nothing even. “Y-Yeah,” “Good. Take this file, it had everything you need to know written in it,” He spoke without looking up from his phone, keeping a stoic posture as he threw a file on the table. “Okay,” “And you have to bear all the taunts of the family.” “Taunts about what?” “About not having an heir. Yet.” I blinked in confusion but my heart thumped madly when he emphasized on ‘yet’. “Why are you putting me up as your late wife before the world in the first place?” I asked what had been bothering me since the second I signed the marriage papers. What he wanted to do or attain from this false bond was beyond my comprehension. “You don’t need to know. That's not your concern,” Putting his phone back, he rose, worrying me if I hadn’t spoken too much. My shoulder tense but he only walked past me like I didn’t matter. “I am not planning to attach myself to this bond in the first place, I placed my conditions already, you get the money including your sister’s treatment and I get ‘you’,” Speaking coldly, he almost climbed the stairs to leave me all alone to ponder what terrible choices led here. “Yes…” “Learn some acting so I can take you to my place and we put this sham to use for the next six months,” His voice came from afar and not lifting my crushing gaze, I nodded again, vanquished, left with no other choice anyways. “Okay,” He paused, I could feel it when his footsteps instead of becoming faint, they became louder. He was approaching me again, ‘Did I displease him? Did I do anything wrong?’ I thought fretfully. “You have to do everything I say?” And he stopped right near my ears, “You hear? Everything,” “I-I understand…” My body became stiff when I sensed him stopped behind me, so tall and muscular that the shadow itself alarmed me with a straightened back. “And try not to question me,” His voice went lower, temptingly with a gist of amusement like my obedience was too much to his content. “Yes, Sir…” Releasing a seductive but suppressed chuckle, he leaned forward to stare intensely into my soul. “My, my, aren’t you an obedient one?” Flinching at the closeness, I held the hem of my dress while curling my toes in order to control my vexation as he indulged in the sight. “Is- Is there something?” “Good. That is exactly what I want from you. Absolute obedience,” Whispering enticingly, he pulled away with a snicker before leaving me in trepidation. The slightest perception of ‘What he intended to do with me and for what reasoning’, it sent a deadly shiver down my spine. This wasn’t the marriage I imagined to have. Not the bond I dreamt of experiencing. Nothing was like my expectations. Yet bearing with the weight thrown over my shoulders for the sake of money and for the sake of my dignity, I decided to see where it would lead. Later, in the evening, I avoided him today as well, frightened to share a moment with him, going through the file again, endeavoring to act. “I am okay- not like this, Liliana, softer- I am okay, yeah, that’s better,” Keeping her tone in mind, I used it, hearing her voice recording to follow it but my phone ran and it was an unknown number. “Hello?” “Liliana,” But, it was him… again. “I have told you to not call me again,” He growled furiously, “Do you think my feelings are a joke, Liliana?” And I had seriously no explanation, I had shattered his heart by marrying another man- there was no twisting of words. I was someone else’s wife, how could I possibly think about a secret lover? Besides, who told him to be mysterious? If he had entered my life before… “For the past year, you talked to me, you flirted with me and now..” This was harsh to cope with me too, as if chains I created for myself strangled me. “You left me like I never existed. How could you? Doesn’t it hurt?” He hissed. My chest clenched, forcing myself to close all contacts. I was not that low or undignified to become a cheater like my mother. Although it made me his culprit without a doubt… “Because I am married and what do I know about you in the first place to be agonized huh?” So I decided to eradicate whatever used to exist between us by my heartlessness. ‘I am sorry, I am so sorry,’ “Do you even know my husband? You are nothing before him,” Faking a chuckle, I sought ways to separate us because if I won’t, his heart would sting eternally. “I don’t care. Just answer my one question, honestly, please,” I swallowed hard in apprehension, checking the door, “What?” “Did you even love me?” Yes, I did. An arrow pierced my chest, blowing the spark that once used to exist between us and I firmly believed it was for the better. “I don't think we should talk anymore,” “Answer me sincerely, Liliana,” His voice broke, pleading with me to provide him with at least fake hopes that I couldn’t. With a tear rolling down, I sniffled to subdue my agony and continued unintentionally in a crying resonance. “I don’t know you, you don’t know me. It’s better if this remains like this. I am married-” “Don’t you want to know my name?” Yes, yes, yes! My heart skipped a beat, bodily functioning ceasing for a heartbeat with the deepest desire of my heart. I had always wanted to call his name. “Huh?” “My name is… Gray Clifford,” “It doesn’t matter anymore.” With a miserable tear rolling down, I shut my eyes and before it could induce wrong intoxications in me, I cut the call with my shaky hands, throwing the phone away. ‘You are too late, Gray,’