CH 19

HIS POV ~

The moment we stepped into the penthouse, I pulled off my tie, letting out a slow breath. The day had been exhausting—constant attention, smiling for pictures, endless congratulations from people who barely mattered.

It was done now. She was my wife.

I poured myself a glass of whiskey, feeling her presence near the entrance. She hadn't moved much since we got in.

I glanced at her, still in her wedding gown, standing awkwardly like she didn’t belong here.

"Are you just going to stand there?" I asked, taking a sip of my drink.

She blinked, snapping out of whatever thoughts she had. "Well, excuse me for not knowing what to do after an entire day of being paraded around like a showpiece."

I smirked, setting my glass down. "Welcome to my world."

She scoffed, finally stepping further inside. "Your world is suffocating."

She let out a sigh, glancing around. "So… what now?"

I shrugged. "Do whatever you want. Your room is down the hall."

She frowned. "You're not going to act like a gentleman and help me with this dress?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like a gentleman to you?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, you look like a man who just signed his life away and is trying very hard to pretend he doesn’t care."

I stared at her for a moment, then turned away, picking up my drink again. "Good night, Eleanor."

She muttered something under her breath before walking toward her room. I heard the door close behind her, followed by silence.

I downed the rest of my whiskey, staring at the empty glass.

Married.

The word tasted foreign in my mind.

With a sigh, I walked to my own room, shutting the door behind me.

HER POV ~

The second I stepped into my room, I shut the door and leaned against it, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Married.

The word felt heavier now that I was alone.

I glanced down at my dress—the one that had looked so beautiful in the mirror just hours ago. Now, it felt like a cage, suffocating and unbearably tight. I fumbled with the back, cursing under my breath when the fabric refused to cooperate.

"This stupid—ugh!" I groaned, twisting my arms awkwardly, but the buttons refused to budge.

I debated swallowing my pride and calling Lucian for help. But the thought of asking him for anything, especially after the cold way he dismissed me, made me shove that idea aside.

Instead, I grabbed my phone and texted Olivia:

Eleanor: Tell me why I agreed to this again?

It took less than a minute for my phone to buzz.

Olivia: Because you’re insane. And because your parents blackmailed you. And because you’re in love with the idea of making Mr. Emotionally Unavailable suffer.

I let out a tired laugh.

Eleanor: Right. That last part sounds about right.

Olivia: How's the wedding night going?

I stared at the screen before replying.

Eleanor: He told me my room is down the hall and then left. That’s it. No romantic first night, no sweet words, just "Good night, Eleanor."

Olivia: Wow. Dreamy.

Eleanor: Isn’t it?

I sighed, tossing my phone onto the bed before stepping toward the vanity mirror. My makeup was still perfect, my hair styled flawlessly, but I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me.

Would I ever?

With another frustrated sigh, I gave up on the dress, kicked off my heels, and sat on the edge of the bed.

This wasn’t how wedding nights were supposed to be.

Not that I expected romance, but the complete indifference? It stung.

Maybe I should have argued more. Maybe I should have pushed him, forced him to talk instead of letting him shut me out.

But I was too tired.

Too drained from pretending all day.

So instead, I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Tomorrow would be another day. Another battle.

For now, I closed my eyes and let the exhaustion take over.

_________________________________

The sunlight streaming through the curtains woke me up earlier than I expected. For a moment, I forgot where I was, but then reality hit—married. To Lucian Blackwood.

I let out a groan, rubbing my face before dragging myself out of bed.

After freshening up, I stepped out of my room, expecting silence, but instead, I found Lucian in the kitchen, already dressed in his usual crisp suit, casually sipping a protein shake like it was just another day.

I leaned against the doorway, crossing my arms. “You wake up early.”

He barely glanced at me. “You don’t.”

I rolled my eyes, stepping further inside. “Well, good morning to you too, husband.”

Lucian didn’t bother responding. Typical.

I pulled out a chair and sat down, watching him with narrowed eyes. “So, what’s the plan for today? When do you have a break?”

He gave me a blank look. “A break?”

“Yeah. You know, a pause between working yourself to death?” I smirked, but he wasn’t amused.

“I don’t take breaks.”

I sighed dramatically. “Of course, you don’t.” Then I tilted my head. “Are we going to the office together?”

Lucian set his shake down, adjusting his cuffs. “You don’t need to come to my office anymore.”

I blinked. “What?”

“That arrangement was only until we got married. To make us ‘closer,’ as our parents wanted.” His voice held a slight edge of sarcasm. “Now that we’re married, there’s no need for you to be there.”

I scoffed, leaning back. “So, that’s it? I just stop going to work because you decided so?”

“You don’t need that position anymore.”

My jaw clenched. “And what if I want to work?”

Lucian finally met my gaze, his expression unreadable. “You have everything you need now.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Wow. Just like that, huh? You really think you can dictate what I do?”

“I think you should start focusing on this marriage instead of running to my office every day,” he said coolly.

Something about his words made my blood boil.

I stood up, placing my hands on the table as I leaned forward. “Listen, Lucian, I don’t care what you think I should do. I agreed to this marriage, but that doesn’t mean I’ll sit around all day doing nothing. If I want to work, I will. You don’t get to make that decision for me.”

Lucian’s expression didn’t change, but I caught the flicker of something in his eyes. “Do whatever you want, Eleanor. Just don’t expect me to care.”

And with that, he grabbed his coat and walked out, leaving me standing there, fuming.

Unbelievable.

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