Chapter 2 Chapter two

~IN MY FEELINGS~

AMELIA’S POV

I rushed into the restroom and slammed the door behind me, my breathing uneven.

The moment I stood in front of the sink, the tears I had been holding back spilled over.

I turned on the faucet and shoved my hands under the running water, scrubbing away the mess from the crushed sandwich.

"What was the point of marrying me..." I whispered, my voice breaking. I scrubbed harder, my hands turning red beneath the cold water. “If he is going to continue treating me like this?"

A sob escaped my lips as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were swollen, my cheeks stained with tears; I barely recognized the woman looking back at me.

After taking a few deep breaths, I splashed water on my face and wiped it dry. I couldn't stay in there forever, so I straightened my shoulders and stepped outside. Lily was waiting.

The moment she saw me, her expression softened. “Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

“No, I’m not. Maybe I was wrong to agree to keep our marriage a secret; I shouldn't have done it from the beginning.”

I looked at her, desperation creeping into my voice. “Lily... is there something wrong with me?"

She frowned. “What?"

"You're my best friend. Tell me the truth." My voice trembled. "Am I... not beautiful?"

Her eyes widened. “Amelia—"

"Am I not beautiful enough for someone to be proud of me?" I asked, my tears threatening to fall again. "Not beautiful enough to be shown to the world?"

Without waiting for an answer, I started walking out of the building.

Lily hurried after me. “Please wait."

She reached for my hand, stopping me for a moment. “Look at me."

I stopped, giving her all my attention.

"You're beautiful," she said firmly. "Any man with eyes can see that. This has nothing to do with your looks."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“Then why does he hide me?" I whispered. “I know I kept my identity a secret because I didn’t want the attention, but you know how loud my love for Draven is and that I wanted to be known.”

Lily sighed before continuing beside me.

"I told you from the beginning that a man asking for a secret marriage didn't make sense."

Her words were gentle, not accusing.

She continued. “But you were so in love with him that you didn't want to hear it."

She had warned me, over and over again. I was simply too blinded by love to listen. Now, I was living the consequences of the choice I had fought everyone to make

……..

Later that night, I changed into my silk night robe and stood in front of the vanity, applying my deodorant before glancing at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time.

Draven was supposed to be done with hockey practice. After everything that had happened today, I didn't want another argument. I just wanted us to sit down over dinner and talk like a married couple. Calmly, without raised voices or tears. An hour passed, followed by another thirty minutes.

There was still no sign of him. With a sigh, I stepped out of our bedroom into the private wing of the house, where the silence felt suffocating.

I wandered over to the mini bar, poured myself a glass of wine, and settled onto the couch in the sitting area. One glass became two, then four. I kept checking the time, hoping to hear the front door, until heavy footsteps finally echoed up the staircase. I looked up.

Draven paused for a second when he saw me waiting. “I hung out with the guys after practice," he said casually, as though he hadn't kept me waiting for hours.

Then he walked straight past me and into our bedroom. I watched the door close behind him. Part of me wanted to follow him immediately, but another part knew he'd only accuse me of nagging again, so I stayed where I was.

Half an hour later, figuring he had finished showering, I finally walked into our bedroom.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his attention fixed on his phone. He laughed softly at something on the screen. The sound stung more than I cared to admit, especially since he hadn't smiled at me once all day.

Fresh from his shower, his damp hair fell over his forehead, and the sleeves of his black T-shirt hugged the muscles in his arms. He looked... unfairly handsome.

"I was waiting for you," I said quietly. "I thought we could have dinner together."

Without looking away from his phone, he replied, “I'm not hungry, Amelia."

I closed my eyes for a brief second, my patience slipping. What hurt the most wasn't his rejection anymore. It was how effortless it seemed for him, as though dismissing me had become so normal. Or maybe he simply didn't realize how deeply he hurt me every single time.

At last, he looked up. The familiar look of annoyance crossed his face.

"Fine," he said with a sigh. "Go ahead. I'll join you shortly." Then he added, “And... I need to tell you something later."

Something about his tone formed a knot in my gut.

I forced a small smile. “Okay. I'll be waiting."

Picking up my phone from the vanity, I left the room and headed downstairs. The dining table had already been set and the food was still warm. Now, all I had to do was wait for him.