That evening, she had been waiting for this moment on purpose. She was wearing thin lingerie and had covered it with a silk robe.
She applied heavy makeup and red lipstick, copying how Natalia did her makeup, and sprayed the sweet perfume Kael had bought from France during his business trip.
Natalia liked that perfume too. She remembered how Natalia always said she loved the scent, so Kael often bought it for both of them. She did not know that Kael actually wanted her to smell like Natalia. She took a deep breath, hoping what felt stuck heavy inside her would go away.
She stepped out of their room when she heard his car honking. She had told the staff to keep the lights dim that night.
As she walked down the stairs, she poured drinks for both her and Kael. She carried them to the main entrance to greet him. The scent of the perfume followed her, mixing with the faint cool air from the open doors.
"Hey, it's almost midnight. Why are you still awake?" he asked, frowning as he stepped out of the car. He had never seen her like this. She was usually very conservative.
She forced a smile and handed him the tequila. "Aren't you supposed to greet me?" she said, tiptoeing to him and brushing her lips against his, copying Natalia's confident kiss. "I sent you an email earlier."
His eyebrows shot up. She had never been this bold before, almost revealing her whole body with the robe.
His eyes swept from her face down to her chest. She allowed herself a private, sharp smile at the hunger in his gaze.
She was not wearing a bra, so the curve of her breasts was obvious.
Seeing that desire might mean he had at least a feeling for her. Desire if not love.
At first, she had thought his shyness was natural, that he simply was not fond of physical intimacy.
He hugged her and kissed her, but in their bedroom, she could count the real moments of intimacy on one hand.
She should have known sooner that while he slept beside her every night, his mind and body were elsewhere whenever she wasn't around.
How long had she been played? One year? Two years?
She scoffed silently.
How dare they treat her like this?
She had walked into their trap unaware, but even without knowing the rules, she had understood the game just before they could claim victory.
She touched his chin lightly with her index finger, and their eyes locked.
"I told you, you should greet me," she said, raising her eyebrows. Her fingers traced across his chest and crawled up to his throat, where she could see his Adam's apple move.
"Because?" His arm wrapped around her waist, his lips almost touching hers. She could feel the heat and tension pressing against her stomach.
"Because…" she said, running her fingers along his arms. "I filed a sixty-day leave." She noticed his breath tighten.
His eyes flickered in a way she could not read, a hesitation that stung. She gritted her jaw but forced herself to appear indifferent.
"Well?" she pressed, raising her eyebrows. "You don't like that?"
She pulled her hands away and turned toward the stairs. "Fine. I guess you don't want me around," she said, pretending anger as she walked away.
He moved fast. In seconds, he pulled her back, pressing her close, his face buried in her neck.
"I'm surprised," he said in a husky voice. "I didn't expect you to actually do this."
She smiled briefly, turning toward him, hugging him, and kissing him with controlled passion. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to forget he had kissed Natalia before coming home.
The kiss lost its warmth quickly. She pulled back, letting the tension linger.
Her arm stayed around his neck. "It's time for us to have a child. Don't you think?"
Hesitation flashed across his eyes, and it hit her like a knife.
"O-of course," he said, pausing. "What about the merger?"
As expected, he brought it up.
Why hadn't she recognized the red flags sooner?
Every conversation had been about business and the merger. There had been no romance between them, even before the marriage.
"I am putting the merger on hold," she said in a sweet tone. She locked her gaze on his and saw his eyes shift from desire to silent anger he could not express. His grip on her waist loosened, but she could still feel the heat pressing against her body.
She broke into a smile, unable to hide how much she enjoyed his reaction.
You'll feel what it is like to be played, Kael.
She removed her hands from his neck and walked back to the stairs. The fabric of her robe brushed against her skin with each step, carrying the faint scent of perfume into the air.
"I have a lot to do tomorrow," her voice echoed as she descended, leaving him in silent anger and longing. She paused halfway down, letting her robe slip slightly from her shoulder. Her eyes held his with controlled intent, daring him to respond. "Come to our room."