owing the painful lump in my throat, just l

You answer me when I speak to you!" he bello

about the way he looked at me-icy, commanding, like I was a fly that disgusted him. I

trembled as I tried to

" he snapped, s

I almost exclaimed, bracing

d. "Do not think that because I married you, y

knife, and his glare pierce

ear me?"

he'd raise his hand-he looked like the kind of man w

w. I could swear his eyes darkened, and for a second, my breath hitched. I di

he patterns on the wallpaper in

he snapped again, his voice like a th

ming. I let them fall. There was no point holding them in anymor

how. I tried to focus, to escape the reality I was living

ere," came a voice

quickly a

She looked like a supermodel, effortlessly elegant and confident. And right

oked at me still made my chest squeeze. Hi

toms, hair in a messy bun. I looked like something out of

ing his gaze, though every nerve

ife, April," he sai

rmal. The way he said "wife" made it sound lik

meet you,

me might infect her. Her eyes flicked over m

ripping with amusement. It was like she'

e a meeting here," Richard said, c

umiliation as I walked away. I could endure the insults and indiffe

ting" was he having w

I hated how powerless I felt. Eventually, I decided to showe

aiting for him. I stirred when I

, trying to explain, not k

red after that little stunt you

ion. "What-what are

ry disappointed with you. You have

ng about the way I looked i

her into our home, why he allowed her to sneer at me i

ars again. I hated crying in front of him

knowing what I e

ce rose sharply aga

nly reached out, tucking a

and it made my whole body freeze. He leaned toward my neck

isper sent chill

. And I hate that

ehind a silence that scre

t married because our families had an arrangement. And I w

as venom, and I felt it

ge to go on-this time with the useless daughter. What do you have? Hmm? Nothing! Absol

e a slap, more br

rtune. But what did I get? A stupid, useless

me. Because I wasn't Cara. Because I

don't know why you agreed to this marriage or what you hop

now, uncontrollable. I was

rst-you will not sleep in the same bed as me. I find y

ug deeper t

y. You will avoid me as much as possible. I don't ever want

just listened. Wha

you will act like the perfect wife. But don't overdo it.

t me. "I believe you

open, stunned by all I h

I finally

les. They were easy. I didn't w

people whose only work is to eat, cry, watch TV

hard, stay

d stormed ou

d him. I wished, more than anything,

ell

nt this mar