The dinning room fell into silence after Garrett's parents had left. I sat frozen in my chair, my hands were tight in my laps. My chest felt heavy like I had been holding my breath all evening.
Garrett leaned back in his chair, he turned to my direction. "They don't make empty threats". He warned.
Those words really pissed me off, so I turned to him. "And you? Do you mean it when you say there's no us? That this is only business?" I asked.
His eyes were cold without mercy. "Yes and the sooner you accept it, the easier it will be for you". He admitted.
I've always known the truth. I wasn't a wife but a contract. A piece on their chessboard.
Garrett stood up first. He pulled his toes and loosened it, he then looked at me. "Come, I'll show you the rest of the house". He said.
I rose slowly, still shaken by the dinner.
It was a terrible experience. I had never believed a day like this would exist in my life.
My leg felt weak but I forced myself to follow him.
Garrett moved ahead of me without a word. He moved like he owned not just the house, but the whole world.
We passed a library filled with books that looked untouched. A private gym, silent and shining with new equipment. We passed through a lodge with white leather chairs and a grand piano standing by the window. Everything looked perfect but also empty.
Finally, we reached the top floor. Garrett opened the door and stepped aside, letting me look in.
"This will be your room" . He said simply.
The room was large, bigger than my entire apartment back home. A King side bed stood in the middle, covered in soft cream sheets. Floor to ceiling windows showed the skyline. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, sparkling faintly in the dim light.
It was beautiful but didn't feel warm. It didn't feel like home. I felt the emptiness of the room from where I stood.
I turned to Garrett. "Where's your room?". I asked quietly, already knowing the answer.
"Down the hall", he said. His voice was firm and final. "We won't be sharing, this is just a contract marriage and you shouldn't expect to me to stay in the same space with you". He continued.
The words sank into me like ice water. I nodded slowly, my throat was too tight to speak.
Garrett stepped inside, showing me the walk in closet with rows of empty space for clothes and a marble bathroom with a deep tub and gold faucets. Everything screamed wealth but I couldn't enjoy it.
"You'll have everything you need here". He said. " If you want something else, tell the staffs and they'll take care of it".
I stayed quiet, staring at the shiny tiles.
He looked at me for a moment, his dark eyes were unreadable. "Remember what was said tonight, don't give my parents any reason to doubt you. This will only work if you follow the rules".
Then without another word, he turned and walked away. His footsteps faded down the hall, leaving me alone in the giant room.
I sat on the edge of the bed, the silence pressed down on me.
This was suppose to be my wedding night. A night I had dreamed about since I was a little girl. I should have been with a man who loved me, someone who looked at me like I mattered. Someone who made me feel safe.
Instead I was sitting alone in a cold, strange room in a marriage built on lies.
I lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. The chandelier sparkled faintly above me but it's light felt faraway.
My thoughts spun in circles.
I thought about Garrett's parents, their sharp words and all the warnings. I thought about how they didn't see me as a person but a tool to protect their name.
I thought about my own parents. They told me this was going to give us a better life. But was this really better? Was this what I really wanted?
And then there was Garrett who was very cold and distant. He didn't want a wife, he just wanted an agreement and who he could control.
I rolled to my side, hugging the pillow close. My chest ached and my eyes burned but I refused to cry. I couldn't let myself break on the very first night.
But the loneliness was sharp.
Every sound in the huge penthouse felt louder. The faint ticking of the clock somewhere and the city noises drifting in from far below.
I closed my eyes, trying my best. But everytime I did, my mind dragged me back to the dinner table. Mrs Knight's cold smile, Mr Knight's warning tone? Garrett's calm words" She'll follow the rules".
"Rules". Really?
Was this going to be my life now? Living in his shadow and smiling for the cameras. Speaking only when told.
I turned on my back again and stared at the window. The city outside glittered endlessly, alive and full of people chasing dreams. Somewhere out there, people were laughing, falling in love and starting families.
And here I was, trapped in a contract, playing the part of a wife while feeling like a stranger in my own skin.
The night stretched on, I tossed and turned. I was unable to sleep. Everytime I closed my eyes, fear pressed me harder.
What if I failed, what if I couldn't live up to their impossible standards? What if one day I slipped and the whole world saw the truth?
Would Garrett protect me or would he let me fall?I already knew the answer.
Finally, near dawn exhaustion pulled me under. My dreams were restless and filled with sharp voices, glittering chandeliers and a cold pair of dark eyes watching me from across a long table.
The next morning, a knock on the door woke me. It was sharp and firm.
I sat up from bed, my eyes were heavy from little sleep. The sky outside the tall window was pale with morning light.
"Who's there?" I asked. My heart raced.
"It's Garrett, please open up". He said….