Chapter 3 New Surroundings

I let out a tired sigh as I sank into the leather seat of the car that was finally taking us home. Well, not my home, Nathaniel's.

The wedding reception had dragged on far longer than necessary. People kept coming up to congratulate us, most of them strangers, offering warm wishes and a happy marriage. If only they knew it was temporary, one year and it would all be over.

Before we left the reception venue I'd spoken to my mum briefly. She told me she was proud of me and that she was glad I hadn't caused a scene. Not that it even crossed my mind to do that, I felt hopeless during the ceremony. And my thoughts were all over the place. I didn't know how I was supposed to be a wife to someone I barely knew. Marriage came with responsibilities I wasn't ready for. And pretending to be okay with that already felt exhausting.

I leaned back further into my seat and closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. The nerves hadn't left me since morning and I didn't think they'd be going away anytime soon.

"Your name is Ellen, right?"

My eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice beside me. I turned to meet curious green eyes watching me. He hadn't said a word to me all day and now he was asking for my name and getting it wrong.

"Elena." I corrected, giving him a pointed look.

He studied me for a moment, brows furrowed. "You look nothing like your sister."

That caught me off guard. "You know my sister?"

"Of course I do." he said, raising an eyebrow. "I was supposed to marry her, remember? We met once before she disappeared. Guess she wasn't a fan of the whole wedding idea either."

Right. That made two of us. Except she got out of this bizarre plan and I didn't.

The silence that followed was welcomed. My thoughts drifted to Eleanor, where she might be, what she was doing. A part of me was upset. Her escape had turned me into a replacement and had taken a year of my life. Now I was married to someone who wasn't even sure of my name until five seconds ago.

I hated everything about this. The urge to curl up and cry grew stronger with every passing minute.

Eventually, we pulled up to Nathaniel's house, a luxurious estate that made my modest apartment look like a shoe box. As we drove through the iron gates, the setting sun cast a warm glow over the manicured lawn. Everything looked polished and expensive. I could almost picture myself lounging on the grass with a book while I soaked up the sun. Or pretending I was in Greece with Kaylor, just relaxing and sipping cocktails with her.

A petite lady in a black-and-white uniform hurried down the steps as the driver parked the car in front of the house and killed the engine. As she got closer I realised she was an older woman, maybe in her early forties, with rosy cheeks and red hair that was barely contained by a loose scarf she had wrapped around it.

"Good evening, sir. It's good to have you back." she said her tone rushed as her brown eyes flickered to me with mild curiosity.

"It's good to be back, Velma." Nathaniel replied. "This is Ellen. She'll be staying here now, so please take her bags and show her to her room."

"Elena." I corrected again, offering her a small smile which only earned me a curt nod as she moved to retrieve my bags. I followed them into the house, trying not to gape at the glossy banisters, towering pillars and the grand chandelier that lit the foyer. There was also a sweeping staircase curved upward, leading to the floors upstairs.

I kept quiet as I absorbed my new surroundings. I wasn't great at adjusting to unfamiliar places, especially with unfamiliar people.

Velma led me upstairs to the last room at the end of a long hallway. I blinked in surprise at how pretty it was; creamy wallpaper, a king-sized bed, pendant lights in each corner and large windows framed by elegant curtains. I noticed a dresser beside a wide vanity mirror that stood against one wall. Upon closer inspection I realised it was empty. For me that was a relief, because it meant this wasn't Nathaniel's room and I could have it all to myself.

"The bathroom is over there, ma'am." Velma said, gesturing to a door near the vanity. "You can take a shower and come down for dinner when you're ready. Or I can bring it up to you."

I studied her carefully. She wasn't unfriendly, but her tone felt rushed, like she had somewhere else to be. Or maybe she was just nervous and I certainly didn't want to be a bother on my first day here.

"I think I'll skip dinner tonight, I'm pretty full already," I said honestly. Despite the nerves, I'd made sure to eat well at the wedding reception. It was my wedding day, after all.

"Are you sure, ma'am? I can prepare anything you like."

I smiled and shook my head, reaching down to remove my heels. "I'm sure. I'll just shower and call it a night. It's been a really long day."

Velma hesitated, then gave me a tight smile and without a single word left the room.

I let out a heavy sigh as I eyed the large, inviting bed in the middle of the room. Guess it was time to curl into a ball and have a good cry session. But first, I needed to get out of this wedding dress.

I stepped into the bathroom and flicked on the light. The tiles were cool beneath my feet as I stood in front of the mirror and looked at my reflection. Tired eyes, smudged makeup and a wedding gown that looked droopy from the long day.

I reached behind me to undo the buttons, fingers fumbling with the lacy fabric. As the dress slipped off my shoulders and pooled around my feet, I felt the first tear slide down my cheek.

I didn't bother wiping it away.