Chapter 3 Honeymoon in the west wing

"Your room and the side of the house are in the west wing of the house. The house is big enough, we won't have to cross paths," said my newly wedded husband immediately we got out of the Rolls-Royce that conveyed us to his mansion, where I'll now live.

Yeah right. I wasn't exactly expecting a welcome party in the first place.

The mansion was a beautiful place built with marble floors, magnificent staircases with beautiful art on every wall.

It was so homely, but it didn't feel like my home. At least not yet.

"To start with, we need to talk," Aaron's voice took me out of my thoughts. We were in the sitting room already.

He looked at me, "This," he motioned to both of us, "isn't real. We can make appearances for cameras, but we don't have to fake it in here. We don't have to speak or see each except necessary. If you need anything, there are staffs at your beck and call. Secondly, I'll expect you to mind your business without paying attention to mine. I don't care about anything you do. So don't care about me too"

This was beginning to feel real. It now completely dawned on me how my life had taken a complete turn overnight from a happy bubbly 24-year-old girl, traveling the world, branching every single designer store there was, and getting anything I wanted to being a wife... a collateral wife.

My life was taking a quick hard turn and I didn't know how I was going to navigate this.

He was staring at me, waiting for me to reply.

"That is no news to me. Do you have anything new to add? Something I perhaps don't already know?" I asked.

He shouldn't lecture me about the dos and don'ts of this marriage. I already knew that we didn't have to be friends or romantic with each other. This was a business deal. It's not as if I wanted to constantly see him or speak to him in the first place. Who did he think he was? I almost hissed loudly from my thoughts.

He looked at me as if he was irritated by my presence

"Feels wonderful to know you're not as dumb as you look," he said, and with that, he climbed the stairs and disappeared to the west wing of the house.

I was shocked. Did he just insult me? Or was I overthinking? I know we didn't have to be cool, but throwing insults? That's a new low. And if he wanted to go low, I was ready to scrape the gutters. I wasn't going to let that slide. The same way he didn't want the marriage was the same way I didn't want the marriage too, I sure as hell didn't want to be Mrs Vanderbilt!!

A middle-aged woman walked up to me, beaming with smiles.

"Welcome home, Mrs Vanderbilt. My name is Heather. Can I show you to your room now?"

I smiled back at her, "Please call me Elizabeth."

Mrs Vanderbilt sounded too heavy to me.

"And yes, you can show me to my room," I added.

She nodded and took me upstairs to my room.

My room was large and modest. I don't know if there had been a previous occupant, but the decoration of the room was just there. Not much effort had been put into it. But it was comfortable and cozy enough to live in. Well ventilated, clean, and air-conditioned.

The bed had been arranged as well.

Heather pointed towards the intercom by the side of the bed, "If you need anything, just make use of the intercom."

I nodded and beckoned to her to help me zip down my dress. She did and left.

I helped myself out of the dress and went into the bathroom to soak myself in the tub, trying to ease myself off the stress.

***

Luckily, I had found a robe hanging in the closet because my things had not been sent over yet. I quickly wrapped myself in it.

I needed a cup of coffee. I could have easily called using the intercom, but I needed to move my legs around and also get acquainted with my environment, even more so, seeing as it was going to be my home for a while. I don't know how long this was going to last, but it just might be for a couple of years.

Hopefully I could get out soon.

When I headed downstairs, I heard a loud female laughter.

I wondered if Heather was allowed to be this loud because back in our mansion, our house staff could never. My mother had made sure of that. They were trained to be as silent as possible and only spoke when needed.

Then I heard a male voice that was definitely Aaron's. I hastened my steps. What was going on?

Nothing prepared me for what I saw when I got to the sitting room.

My newlywed husband was seated side by side with a strange lady. And they were... kissing.

My eyes widened. It felt like they could fall off their sockets.

They were so deep into the kiss that they hadn't noticed my presence.

I cleared my throat.

They broke away and turned to me.

The blonde lady dressed in black a short black dress cocked her eye brows at me "is this the wife?" She asked Aaron without taking her eyes off me.

She had said 'wife' like it was a condescending insult. She looked at me from head to toe as if judging my looks.

I looked back at her. I might have even dressed in just a robe while she was in a tight party dress that looked like it would tear soon, but she wasn't prettier than me, so why was she staring?

She was really pretty, though. I had to give her that.

"Let's go upstairs, sweetie," he said to her, standing up.

She stood up with a sweet fake smile, "Won't you introduce your fake wife to your real girlfriend?" She asked.

Audacity had to be on sale. Wow.

"Vivienne, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, Vivienne," Aaron said nonchalantly.

She maintained her stupid wide smile as she approached me. I folded my arms and watched her, wondering what she wanted to do, or say.

"Finally I get to meet you, Elizabeth. I do have to make some things clear, though. You are just the wife on paper. But you're a mere occupant of this house. I call the shots here, and the helpers are only loyal to me. I'm willing to stand you as long as you know your place and stay out of my way. Also, I hope next time, this sorta interruption won't happen again. When next you see us doing our thing, just walk past. It will help you better to be invisible in this house, so I don't make your life a living hell."

She still had that stupid smile on her face. I almost slapped her. But I held back.

"Vivienne... right?" I asked.

She cocked her head.

As softly as possible, I said, "I hope you never speak to me again. I don't care if you call the shots in this house, honestly, that's your cup of tea. I'm not here to drag control with you. But whenever you see me? Mind your business and keep shut."

That smile disappeared from her face. I felt satisfied. Good.

"How dare this low life...." she was saying when Aaron's hand snaked into her waist, shutting her up.

Deep down, I was glad she didn't complete her statement because there was no telling what I would have done to her.

"Don't mind her, babe. She's not important," were Aaron's words. He was breathing into her neck.

It felt like a slap.

"Let's go up, there are more important things to do up there" he said suggestively.

Together they climbed up the stairs but not without the blonde thwart giving me one last sneer.

I watched as they both climbed up stairs together.

Just before they disappeared into the east wig, Aaron gave me one last look.

He looked... angry?

Wait he was mad at me? Innocent me?

I heaved a tired sigh and found my way to the kitchen, found Heather and made her fix me a cup of coffee.

As I climbed up the stairs heading back to my room, the loud moans coming from the east wing could not be mistaken.

My husband had another woman in his bed on our wedding night.

I laughed bitterly at the joke that was my life right now.