Chapter 3 Know Your Place

Liora's POV.

I cried throughout the night and the next morning, my eyes were swollen and red, my entire body sore but the maid insisted I come down for breakfast.

After last night, I assumed I would be eating alone but he was seated at the head of the long table when I walked into the dining room. He was scrolling through his phone, a cup of coffee in front of him.

He looked perfectly put together, not one strand out of place, like the man from last night had been a nightmare.

He didn't look up or utter a word as I took my seat.

I barely touched my food, unable to swallow anything. The silence that settled over us was so thick, thick enough for someone to choke on.

"There are some papers you need to sign," he suddenly spoke up, his eyes still glued to his phone, "I'll have someone bring it up to your room."

"Okay." I whispered softly,

And that was it, he stood up and walked out without a single glance in my direction.

Later that day, the maid brought a document to my room and after going through what was our marriage agreement, I signed.

The days flew by, he was never home and I was mostly alone in the giant house. No one came around to visit and it didn't matter how many times I tried to call my father, none of his lines, not even Helena's, was connecting.

I decided to pay them a visit but Sebastian's guards wouldn't let me past the door. According to them, he had instructed them not to let me out of the house without his permission.

That was absurd. I was married to him, not his prisoner but there was no one to complain to because he wasn't even home.

After two weeks, he returned and I made up my mind that I was going to confront him about it.

Gathering enough courage, I walked down to his room and just as I lifted my clenched fist to knock on the door, it suddenly opened and a familiar face came into view.

Standing right there in front of me, with nothing but a thin see through night dress that left almost nothing to the imagination and her hair messy like she'd just gotten out of bed was the woman from the car.

I froze, my eyes holding hers. She looked surprised at first but her expression shifted into something else as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Well... hello. You must be the wife." She looked me over with some sort of look on her face as she scoffed out loud, "I'm Vivivenne, Sebastian's fiancée."

Fiancée?

She held up her hand immediately, flashing the huge diamond ring on her finger.

"I didn't think I would see you so soon though, given how you've been hiding in your room like the good little wife that you are." She laughed, a spiteful sound that didn't light up her eyes. "Don't get too comfortable, this is a temporary situation. Sebastian loves me. He's just stuck with you... for now."

I was too stunned to speak.

Just then, Sebastian stepped out from behind her in a crisp black suit, ready for work and without a word, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately on the lips right in front of me.

My heart twisted painfully at the sight.

I shouldn't care about him and his mistress. He was free to do whatever he liked as long as he left me alone, I was only here to tell him I wasn't his prisoner and demand to freely exit the house whenever I choose.

But standing there, watching his lips lock on hers like I meant nothing to the both of them hurt more than I ever imagined.

She pulled away from him with a smug look on her face and his eyes drifted to me, cold and void. He didn't explain, didn't apologize, he just looked right through me like I wasn't even there.

"We're having dinner with my parents tonight," he said, his voice flat, "I'll send a car by 6pm."

He turned and walked down the hall, leaving me standing there with his mistress who was still grinning from ear to ear.

For the rest of the day, I remained in my room until the maids walked in to get me ready. At exactly 6pm, a car pulled up in front of the house.

The driver stopped by at his office to pick him up and the ride was silent, he was staring out the window and so was I. His parents house was just as grand as his, they greeted us at the door and led us straight to the table that was overflowing with food.

"So tell me Liora, how are you settling in?" Reginald asked, his attention totally on me.

"Fine, thank you." I lied, pushing my food around my plate.

"That's good. Well, I want you to know that I've kept my own end of the deal. Your father has been admitted to the best hospital in the country and now that we're family, I intend to clear all his company's bills." He added and my eyes shot up instantly.

That was what I'd been waiting to hear.

This was the real reason I had agreed to this wedding. Saving my father and the company Helena and her daughter had run into bankruptcy was what mattered to me.

Even if it meant being married to someone like Sebastian.

Dad had spent years building that company with Mom, but after Helena took over due to his health, she ruined everything. The company's finances crumbled and I had to work countless part time jobs to finish college.

We couldn't even afford Dad's medical bills so when Reginald, an old friend of Dad offered to sort everything out if one of us married his son, Sebastian, Helena and Camille had jumped on the offer.

But he suddenly changed his mind, everything had been arranged for Camille to wed Sebastian but Reginald suddenly insisted that he wanted me not Camille.

At first, I thought Camille would oppose, she had always wanted to marry a billionaire so there was no way she was going to step aside but to my surprise, she did.

She let me marry Sebastian and I had no choice because it was the only way to save my father from dying and protecting the company he had worked so hard for.

"Thank you." I breathed, my eyes glistening with tears.

"It's nothing," he waved a hand, dismissively, "to make it all easier, I think it's best if Sebastian here takes over the reins of the company completely. You, your stepmother and sister shouldn't have to bother with such heavy business matters."

Those words struck a nerve and I shot him a look.

"No." I called out sharply, the word coming out stronger than I had expected, "I appreciate your support and concern but I'll take charge of the company myself."

I was done letting others ruin it. I was going to handle it this time.

Sebastian suddenly let out a short, harsh laugh, startling me.

"Do you have any idea what it takes to run a company? It's not a walk in the park."

"It's my father's company," I responded, my voice surprisingly steady, "It's my responsibility."

Sebastian opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself before the words slipped past his lips. He stared at me, his eyes studying me with some sort of amused look on his face.

"Let her try Sebastian," Reginald added with sarcasm, as if he was certain I was going to fail at it even before I started.

Back at the house, I went straight to my room but hours later, my stomach began to growl aggressively. I had barely touched my food at the dinner table so I needed to get something to eat.

I slipped out of my room quietly and headed downstairs. I was sure everyone was fast asleep but when I walked past the living room, I heard a weird sound, almost like a moan coming from inside.

Light spilled from the slightly open door of the living room and I thought maybe a maid was still awake so I pushed open the door and a gasp slipped from me at the sight of Vivienne bouncing on Sebastian's thighs.

His shirt was off, her head was thrown back, soft moans slipping past her lips as she clung onto his shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh.

"Yessss. You do it so gooodddd." She cried out and my throat tightened.

I stumbled backwards, gasping for air as the back of my eyes stung with hot tears rushing to the surface.

Vivienne's eyes shot up and our eyes locked almost immediately. Her lips stretched into a smile as her moans grew louder, mocking me as the tears rolled down my cheeks.

Why was I bothered? Why was I crying?

I fled up the stairs, the image etched into my memory, my heart hammering against my ribs as I slammed the door shut behind me.

I yanked my suitcase from the closet and began throwing my clothes into it, my hands shaking.

I couldn't do this. I couldn't live in this house.

"...think about your father."

Those words drifted into my mind and I stopped. If I left now, the company would go under, Dad would never get the transplant he desperately needed and all this would be for nothing.

I swallowed hard, a new idea crawling into my mind and twisting into something else.

I didn't need to run, I just needed a plan.

First, I let them clear the debts and the hospital bills, then, I would gradually take control of Dad's company and make it strong again. And when it was safe enough for me to stand on my own, I would walk away and build a good life for myself and Dad.

I... I would divorce Sebastian Carvers.