Julia did not imagine that at the age of twenty-two that she would be married to one of the most powerful men. Alexander.

Just at the age of thirty-four, he was already very successful and she had no choice other than to marry him so that her family could be saved her.

Alexander's father had owed her father his life and to repay him, which he would take him out of bankruptcy, he had proposed that they become one family, and now seated alone in the bedroom that they would be living in together.

She was still in her wedding dress, and there was no honeymoon, Alexander had flat-out refused. Julia had not opposed it as he was very intimidating.

After changing out of her wedding gown, she climbed into the bed,

"FUCKING BULLSHIT!"

Julia shot awake and there was Alexander, still in his tux, with no bow, and buttons open at the top. He banged the door shut. "I am stuck with you, FUCK!"

She knew he was drunk as he had a bottle of whiskey in his hands, and just sat there not knowing what to say or how to respond to his words.

"To make it worse, we have to sleep in the same bed, it makes me fucking sick."

Julia knew that they had to share the same room and bed as there were maids, if word got out that they weren't it could jeopardize everything.

"Do you know Ava?" he slurred out.

"No," she replied lightly.

"She was meant to be mine, she is the one who is supposed to be in this bed!"

Those words hurt her, she wanted to try her best to make it work and would not give up that easily,

"Do you want some water?"

"NO! But do you know what I want right now?"

"Yes?" she replied hopefully.

"For you to get the fuck out of here." He sat down by the couch that faced their bed.

Julia woke up the next morning and looked at the bedside table, it was ten in the morning. She sat up and saw that Alexander was still asleep on the couch. Julia got out of bed and showered.

There was a knock on the door and panicked. Julia shook Alexander and he woke up groggily. He was about to speak when she pointed at the door, and there was another knock, it registered to him, he got up stripped off his blazer and shirt, and climbed into bed next to her.

He wrapped his arm around her tightly, "Come in." his voice was deep and very dominant. Julia was trying to still her heartbeat but could not as being in his arms was doing all sorts of things to her, he was muscular and she was small in his arms.

His scent lured her in, and his hand on her waist made her tingle, the door opened and breakfast was rolled in, when the maid left and the door was shut, Alexander pushed her out of his arms. "This is the shit I'm going to have to do."

"Sorry."

"Your sorry does not fix anything, I don't know how long I can keep this up." He climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom and banged the door shut.

After sighing, how was she going to keep up with all of this if he was already treating her this way?

How long would they have to pretend?

Would he divorce her the minute that it was not beneficial to him? Or when their company was financially stable.

Julia now sat outside by the garden table, and there was a lot of food on the table, it was a sunny afternoon and the breeze was amazing.

She was busy reading, trying to make sure that she too would be able to help with everything and that would keep her in the loop.

"Surprised to see you doing something."

She looked up and it was Alexander, he sat down and put his laptop on the table as he began to type,

"Alexander," she replied, happy that he had come to keep her company,

"Don't be too happy, this is all for show."

She turned and saw that the maids and other staff were all on standby as they watched their interactions.

"Do you want some tea?"

"Why not."

Julia stood up and poured him some tea, he smiled at her and knew it was fake as there were many eyes on them.

"Can I ask you something, Alexander?"

"If I said no, would that stop you?"

"No, not really."

"Carry on then." He let out and she knew that he would rather be anywhere else other than being stuck with her.

"You're not going to ask? I don't have all day."

Julia snapped out of her thoughts, "Apologies, I wanted to ask why you agreed to marry me?"

"It's for the business so that we can merge with your company, as we have the resources to save your business. Then for the marriage, as you know that my father owes my so-called father-in-law." He let out bitterly.

"Oh, so did you tell him that you did not want to get married?"

"As if that would change anything when my father is dead set on something he gets it, no matter how huge a sacrifice I have to pay.

Julia could hear the resentment in his voice as he spat out the words, "Sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, this marriage means nothing, as long as we play our parts of being together and the investors know that we're getting along, then there should not be a problem."

"Makes sense."

"So why could you not have done it, Julia?"

"Done what?"

"Called off the wedding."

"The same reasoning that you have."

"What did I expect? Of course, you would say that."

"Huh, not you scoffing at me when you're the same too."

Alexander turned to her slowly, "What the fuck did you say to me?"

His tone made her shrink back, "I was just trying to be reasonable."

"Reasonable as in what Julia?"

"This is what you call being fucken reasonable."

"As if you're too."

"I'm the one that is losing a lot for you."

Julia knew that he was simmering underneath, and did not want to escalate the situation, "I get it, you're right."

He turned back to what he was doing, then he got up and left without saying a word to her, not even sparing her a glance.

She sighed, even though he called her name so harshly, she enjoyed hearing it but now wondered what would be next.

Supper time came and went to the dining room, dinner was served, there was so much food, and she was alone, without anyone.

After eating and feeling full, Julia went into the bedroom, changed, and climbed into the bed, her body welcomed the comfort that she felt.

There was so much in her mind and did not know how to process so many things that were happening.

Would she be always alone like this? Eating alone, with no one to truly talk to, she could not even tell her parents or siblings what was going on.

She did not want them to be worried about her and stress them out, her dad counted on her to not mess this up.

Julia had not wanted to disappoint him, so giving up her comfort for the sake of their family and faking through it all was more than fine.

Yet she wondered how long would she have to fake for. Years? Would she even be allowed to get divorced?

She sighed heavily, there was too much for her to take in, what had she expected? She had thought it would be fine but it never occurred to her that the man that she married hated her so much that he couldn't stand the sight of her.

He would want to be anywhere else other than to be with her and did not know if it was better if he was there to keep her fake company or if he was gone. There was lonely peace that felt hollow.

She couldn't befriend any of the workers as everything had to be kept private, so now she lay here restless.

There was no win situation for her at all, maybe she would make some friends somewhere else.

Her head hurt and closed her eyes, sleep would be the best medicine for her right now in the state of mind that she was in.

Julia closed her eyes and waited for sleep to catch up with her, yet it was hard for her to fall asleep as she was tossing and turning.

Julia woke up the following morning, she turned but found that Alexander was not at home and saw that the side of his bed was still intact.

She knew that he had not come home and had not called to tell her that he would be working late or won't be able to come in the morning.

She showered and got dressed, now she sat by the garden at noon, and still no sign of Alexander. Julia occupied herself with reading and taking in the breeze.

Night-time came and there was no sign of Alexander anywhere? She began to wonder if he was alright?

She wanted to ask the workers but couldn't, and the other people she could think of. Julia could not ask as that would jeopardize the deal and reveal that they were not getting along and all of this was fake.

Days passed along and Alexander had been gone for a week and no word from him, she acted as if she knew where he was.

Yet Julia knew that they were all sceptical and some of them looked at her with pity in their eyes, and she could not blame them.

Julia sat in the dining room and supper was served, she turned her head when she heard voices.

They emerged and Julia's heart dropped, it was Alexander, and next to him was a beautiful woman, with luscious blonde hair, and green eyes.

They both looked at her, and he pulled back the chair for her as she sat down, Alexander sat opposite her, and she was at the head of the table.

They were both close to her and her heart was beating fast,

"Ava this is Julia, Julia this is Ava."

Ava turned to her, "Nice to meet you, Julia."

The smile that she had plastered was also welcoming,

"Nice to meet you too."

"I know this wasn't planned for," Ava replied.

"What isn't?"

"Me coming over."

"Oh......."

"I would personally not have, but Alexander dragged me here."

"You don't have to explain yourself to her." Alexander cut in.

Julia had known immediately this was the girl that he had wanted to marry that is why he was so upset with her.

She seemed sweet but could hear the venom in her words and the gloating in her tone, and knew that she was making a statement.

A statement that she knew so well, that she was the most important woman in his life, and probably true in the way Alexander spoke to her.

Julia turned to Alexander, "Busy week at work?"

"Why do you care?"

"Don't be like that, she is just curious as to where you were." Ava cut in and Julia knew that she was enjoying it.

"I'm your wife, I deserve to know your whereabouts." Julia had hit back and could see through her peripheral view that she had struck a nerve with Ava, she had stiffened and rage was oozing from her.

"I was at work, happy now?" Alexander responded to her sarcastically.

Julia nodded, and the conversation flowed between him and Ava, it was as if she was invincible and no one paid mind to her.

She had enough, so Julia got up without saying a word and headed for the kitchen, she knew that the workers would have taken the plates but she preferred to do it herself.

She went to their room and changed into her nightgown, and prepared to go to bed, she sat on the bed and started to replay the dinner.

To top it off, she had left them alone, and who knows what they would be talking about now? They had not even noticed that she has gotten up.

She switched off the lights, and switched on her side lamp, her mind churned, Alexander had bought Ava here for some reason.

He wanted her to know that this was the woman that he loved and she was just an outsider, and Ava also knew that.

That was why she was bold and did not care that she was his wife and that she had to act accordingly.

What was going to happen now that he had bought Ava here? She did not know what his next step would be.

Did he not care about the workers seeing them or they probably thought it was work-related or maybe a family member?

What did all that matter? If rumors got out, there was nothing she could do in her power that could make them disappear.

Julia knew that she had played her part well and all would be on Alexander. The door to the room opened and she was surprised that it was Alexander.....