Chapter 3 THE HOUSE

~ARIA~

Once outside the cathedral door and inside the car, safely free from the press, Adrian recoils his hands from under mine with disgust and shoots me with a stare that shoots a shudder down my spine. “Never do that again” he said, his voice cold. “Read through the contract and pay maximum attention to the DO’S and DON’T’S of this....... marriage."

Annoyed, I flip through the pages of the contract looking for the so called do’s and don’t’s. Aha, found ya.

Clause 1: No physical contact.

Clause 2: No romantic relationships.

Clause 3: You attend events with me as my wife.

Clause 4: No statements to the press.

“Huh”, I scoff. Let’s see who keeps to their own part of the deal.

The ride to his estate was rather boring. I left my phone in my bridal suite and so I was stuck in a sports car with my only means of entertainment being watching a man giving his phone the same look a man would give his ex. Adrian Cole is truly a mystery. I mean, wow, what a thrilling wedding night—just me, a rich guy, and his intense relationship with a glowing screen. I practically had to hold myself back from rolling my eyes right into the dashboard.

Finally, the car stopped in front of gates that were taller than my apartment building. Adrian got out first. He didn’t open the door for me to step out. Such a jerk.

“Keep up, Mrs. Cole” he said not even glancing back.

“Mrs. Cole” I muttered. Those words sounded so heavy in my mouth.

The front door opened before we could even reach them. And standing there, arms crossed, clad in pearls that probably cost more than my dad’s legal fee was Victoria Cole, Adrian’s mother.

Her eyes did a slow sweep. From my cheap shoes to my face. And when her eyes finally landed on mine, she smiled. The kind of smile that can cut through glass.

“So,” she said, “You’re the one.”

“Apparently.” I let my eyes drag over her too. “You must be Adrian’s mother. He talks about you all the time,” I said with the sweetest smile I could muster.

Lie.

I just enjoyed watching the way the muscles in her jaws tick when she is pissed off.

She ignored me completely and turned to the woman behind her. “Mrs. Iyani.”

A woman who I assumed was the chief maid judging from her black uniform which was different from other maid’s grey uniform and her hair that was pulled back in a bun so tight it had to hurt. She looked to be in her late 50s. Her eyes met mine for a second. Then she looked down.

“Ma.” She said quiet.

“Take her to the guest wing,” Victoria said her eyes still pinned on mine. “Near the laundry. She will be comfortable there.”

A laugh tore out of me before I could stop it. “Laundry. Sure. Nothing says ‘welcome to the family’ like the scent of bleach.”

For the first time since we came to the house, Adrian moved. He had been a statue by the stairs this whole time. “She’s not staying there,” he said sounding completely bored by the whole shenanigan going on.

Victoria turned to him, slow. “Excuse me?”

“I said she is not staying there. East suite.” He said and then walked off. Down the hall. Past his mother. Past me. Like he hadn’t just thrown a match into gasoline.

Victoria recovered fast. Too fast. “East suite it is then.” She said to Mrs. Iyani.

“Yes, Ma.”

But her eyes cut to me. She looked at the wet hem of my wedding dress. At the ways my hands were shaking although I tried to control it. And then something dangerous flickered in her eyes. “Dinner’s in an hour and also,...” she paused. “Vanessa is flying in tonight. She heard.”

Vanessa. That name sounded awfully familiar.

ONE HOUR LATER

The dining room could have comfortably housed 30 people but there was only 3 of us there. Oh four, if I count the unpaid bodyguard standing behind me. Seriously. There is definitely something off about this Mrs. Iyani.

I tasted my soup. It was cold. Of course it was.

“So,” Victoria started. “A Bennet.”

“Yeah, that’s me,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Victoria’s eye twitched. Behind me, Mrs. Iyani makes a sound that is a half snort, a half chuckle. Adrian was on his phone completely oblivious of what was happening.

“Mrs. Iyani,” Victoria said with a completely sweet voice. “Aria needs more bread.”

The maid came around. Close. Too close. Wait, I’ve seen this scene in dramas. Oh boy, I didn’t like where this is headed. Mrs. Iyani made as if to reach for the bread basket but ended up dropping the jar of water. ON ME and on purpose.

The water came down in a slow cruel arc. Ice cold. Right across my chest. It soaked me in 2 seconds.

“Oh,” Mrs. Iyani gasped. Both hands to her mouth and her eyes huge. Had to give it to the woman. She was an excellent actress. Could as well be selected as best actress of the year. Finally, I found somebody who could match my acting prowess. “Mrs. Bennet, I’m so sorry. I’m such a klutz!”

She was already dabbing at me with a napkin but her dabbing just pushed the water in deeper.

Victoria pretended to be surprised. “Don’t worry too much Mrs. Iyani. These things do happen.”

I looked down. My dress was see-through now. I looked up at Mrs. Iyani. Her lips were trembling. Perfectly if I may add.

“It’s okay,” I said as my gaze flickers towards Adrian. His expression was unreadable. I turn towards Victoria. “If you don’t mind I will like to go get a change of clothing,” I say an evil grin creeping onto my face.

“Sure,” Victoria said with the smile of someone who had won a battle.

As I stood up to go, I deliberately trip on my steps causing the soup before Victoria to dump itself on her silk gown which must have cost a fortune.

Victoria went hysterical. “You bitch, how dare you pull this dirty trick on me. Do you know how much this dress cost?”

I step forward until I was in her space barely apart from her by few inches. “Well,” I said, my voice low. “What can I say, ‘these things do happen’ right? And you might want to mind the language. You wouldn’t want people spreading rumors about how vulgar the mistress of the Cole family can be, would you?”

I didn’t even wait to see her reaction as I turned and skedaddled out of there. If there was one thing father had taught me before he went to jail, it was to create tension in a room and leave when it was still hot. As I was turning to leave, I caught sight of something that strangely made my heart warm.

The sight of Adrian smirking.