Chapter 3 An interruption

MICHELLE's pov

I raised an eyebrow in suspicion but quickly smoothed my expression. "Did Nathaniel mention that our guests must bring a plus one? And here you are, violating that rule."

He chuckled, a bit sheepish. "Ah, my apologies. I would've brought my girlfriend, but we broke up a couple of weeks ago."

A faint frown flickered across my face before I quickly replaced it with a weak smile. I didn't want to let bad news dampen the mood of the day. "Oh... well, it happened," I said, offering a sympathetic smile, trying to lift the atmosphere. "In that case, you get a pass."

He studied me for a moment, and I couldn't help but notice his gaze drop to my lips before returning to my eyes. "Well, I'm honored. Now I see why he chose you."

I tilted my head, not sure of how to take that.

"Is that a compliment?" I asked, chuckling.

He smiled faintly, "would you prefer it wasn't?" he said, his tone almost teasing.

He sounded so smooth, that I shifted my expression to seem a bit more neutral, "I think I'll take it as a compliment, for simplicity's sake."

"Smart choice," he said, his voice low, "though I have to admit, I didn't think he'd settle down so fast."

The air thickened, this was getting deeper than I expected. "Why not?" I asked, my curiosity growing.

Tristan shrugged, "He's always been more... calculated. Never rush into anything unless he's certain it works to his advantage."

"Well, what are you trying to say?" I asked, my tone firmer now.

"I'm saying you're worth everything," he replied, his tone casual.

"And how do you know that?"

He winced, as if I poked him with a needle, looking down at me. His expression was unreadable. Then he straightened, his smirk softening as he glanced toward the crowd.

"Well, Mrs. Williams, it seems your husband's on his way back."

Before I could say anything, Nathaniel's hands slid around my waist from behind as he delivered a small kiss on my cheek grounding me instantly.

"I see you two are bonding," he said, pulling me closer.

"Yeah, we were," I said, brushing my hands lightly on his.

"Ready to go?" he murmured against my neck.

"I am," I said, my voice steady, even though I felt a flutter in my chest at the intimacy of the moment.

Nathaniel turned to Tristan, stretching out his hand for a handshake. "Alright, man. I'll see you later," he said, patting Tristan's back casually.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Williams," Tristan said, offering his hand for a handshake.

"The pleasure is mine," I replied, shaking his hand briefly, careful to keep my expression neutral even though my heart pounded at the touch of his warm hand on mine.

Thankfully, Nathaniel didn't have any emergency calls till we wrapped up the evening. Honestly, it felt like a small victory.

I said goodbye to my parents and guests, everyone seemed like they had a good time, and I was grateful. Seeing all their smiles gave me a tinge of contentment, even though the day hadn't been entirely what I imagined.

"Ma'am the car is this way," I heard a man say, snapping me out of my reverie. He gestured toward a sleek black Mercedes parked at the side of the road.

As Nathaniel and I made our way near to the car, I suddenly felt his hand slip from mine. "I'll meet you in the car," he said, his voice colder than usual. I nodded to try to process what had happened as he disappeared from my sight.

I woke up to an empty bed with the sunlight casting its soft glow on my skin. Unfortunately, Nathaniel hadn't met me at the car yesterday, nor did he return home. Instead, I was driven to this big empty penthouse where the next thing I did was fall asleep.

Of course, I knew Nate was always a busy man, but I didn't recall him being this busy, I thought I was going to spend my first night with my so-called husband being a little more intimate.

And yes, I know it might sound crazy, but a part of me was hoping for something special last night-maybe cuddling, a movie night, or at least a peaceful sleep. The way he was so sweet to me during the wedding, how thoughtful and genuine he seemed-it made me feel something. I wanted him. And now, he was nowhere to be found.

A part of me hated how easily I'd slipped into this role, how quickly I'd been sidelined, like a decorative accessory. But another part of me couldn't help but wonder, was this the life I'd signed up for?

I got out of bed, slipping on my robe as I made my way to the bathroom, careful not to miss my way into this enormous room.

The room was three times the size of my bedroom at home, everything screamed elegance, it had even been better than I thought it would be.

It was an amazing combination of luxury and modern elegance. The bed was king-sized, and it overpowered everything else in the room. There was a big sofa in the middle of the room with soft white clothes on it, it looked untouched. The headboard was covered with a smooth, dark, blue velvet which is a dramatic contrast to the cream walls decorated with abstract art pieces.

As I got downstairs to the living room, my eyes were immediately drawn to the table. It was stocked with various kinds of meals. It was like I'd walked into some sort of luxury brunch. Croissants, some bread, pancakes drizzled with maple syrup, scrambled eggs, steaming coffee, and an arrangement of many fruits like it was a food festival.

"Good morning Mrs. Williams," I heard a soft voice, breaking through my thoughts, I turned, and saw a middle-aged woman standing just nearby. Her hair was neatly tied back into a ponytail, she wore a crisp white shirt tucked into her black pants. In her hands, she held a tray carrying even more fruits.

For a split second, I blinked, confused, it seemed like I was in the wrong house or the wrong person bearing that name.

"Good morning," the words finally slipped out of my mouth, softer than I intended.

"Your breakfast is this way," she said, gesturing me to the dining table with a polite smile.

I smiled faintly, "I know, I just want to look around for a bit," I said, leaving the opposite direction where she gestured me to.

"Don't worry about more food," I added, with a small laugh. "I can barely finish what's on here,"

"I just wanted to make sure you have everything, Mr. Williams instructed me to," she replied, with a hint of fear in her voice.

My curiosity piqued, "when did he tell you to do that?"

"Before you got here Mrs. Williams,"

A twinge of frustration washed through me. The whole Mrs.Williams thing was already annoying me, I mean I hadn't even seen my husband in nearly twenty-four hours, and already the name felt like a weight on my neck that needed to be lifted, heavy and suffocating.

"What's your name?" I asked, trying to soften the edge in my voice.

"Maggie," she replied, a mix of confusion in her expression.

"Alright Maggie, call me Michelle, okay?" I said firmly.

Her eyes widened slightly. "But Mrs. Williams, I was given an order-"

"And now I'm giving you one," I cut through before she could complete what she was saying. "Call me Michelle."

I hadn't meant to say that, but the surge of anger overtook me, making me blurt it out. "For now," I added quickly, trying to smooth over the awkwardness.

She blinked, clearly unsure, "okay," she nodded.

I offered her a brief smile, "Thanks. I'll eat soon."

Maggie nodded again, slowly exiting the room.

As soon as she left, I exhaled and went further to explore the living room, and a small picture frame on the side table next to the sofa captured my gaze.

I picked it up and it was a photo of Nate, he seemed a bit drunk and disheveled. His hands slung around two other men, then I realized the person next to him was...Tristan.

My eyes moved from Nate to Tristan, I couldn't seem to ignore his appearance. Tristan's shirt was slightly unbuttoned, revealing the hard line of his chest, his hair was all wet, looking like he just stepped out of the rain or a Calvin Klein magazine.

"You're noticing the details already,"

I startled slightly, turning to see Tristan standing at the doorway with a faint smile on his face. My heart pounded for a second before I finally managed to get it together then I turned to face him.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked, my tone a bit sharper than I intended.

"Long enough," he said smoothly, stepping further into the room, briefly swinging a bunch of keys in his hands." You looked so absorbed, I didn't want to interrupt."

I placed the frame back on the table, "I wasn't absorbed,"

"Right," he replied firmly, even though he didn't seem convinced.

"What are you doing in my house?" I asked, my voice calmer than before.

He took a step closer, "Just checking on the bride. Thought I'd see how you're settling into your palace."