The drive to Edensville was exciting and scary. Getting married to a stranger was one thing; living with him was another. Clay had sent his assistant, Mark, to drive Lorraine to his house in Edensville. The gated neighborhood had remained secluded because of its policies. No public vehicle could have access, and neither could anyone who didn't have the permission of a resident living in the neighborhood.
Mark parked the car in front of Lorraine's apartment in The Bay and immediately detested the neighborhood. Although belonging to the middle class, he had grown to fancy the life of the top one percent in the city and often wished to belong to the exclusive society.Shortly, Lorraine arrived, and they drove to the ultra-rich neighborhood, a mere twenty minutes drive from The Bay. Lorraine was dropped off, and when she descended the vehicle, she stared at the massive estate which would be her new home.She had anticipated her new husband was rich, but as she stared at the massive contemporary designed estate, her curiosity grew more on what he did as a profession.Grabbing her luggage, she made her way up the stairs leading to the front entrance, unlocked the door and stared at the vast space that sprawled out before her eyes. Her first impression was that the estate would have a minimalist modern style, but as she walked around the area, scanning the room for furniture, decor and all, she wondered if anyone had ever lived there.For such a beautiful house, the place was barely furnished and appeared empty. She set her suitcase beside the only couch in the living room, and continued her tour of the house. Lorraine walked towards her room which had only a single bed, a table and a chair, but the sunlight that shone through the balcony illuminated the room, making her glad that she could at least go about her painting in her privacy. Also she felt relieved that it was far from the master's bedroom, as such she would not feel pressured to have any relations with Clay.Quickly, Lorraine pulled out her phone and went online. She had been saving for unsettling eventualities like her parents refusing to pay her rent, but now that she had a space to live, she didn't mind directing some of those savings to bring life to her new home.She started with plants, put up some artwork, kitchen accessories, and everything she could afford under a budget to turn the house into a home.When she was exhausted from all the decorations, Lorraine went into the kitchen; that was when she realized she had not made food plans. With only a single carton of milk and cereals in the freezer, she wondered how Clay ever got by living here.Store-bought food was her last resort, Lorraine strongly believed that home-cooked meals were more nutritional, but after the day she had, cooking was the last thing she could do. Besides, the kitchenware she ordered online was delayed to be delivered the next day. She only had one option. Scrolling through her contact lists, she found Clay's contact.Lorraine felt reluctant to disturb him; the last time she saw him, he seemed uninterested in her, and she knew he would hate to be disturbed, particularly if he were still in his meeting. She second-guessed calling him, but against her better judgement, pressed dial.The phone rang for a minute before Clay finally picked up,"Who's this?" He asked,"It's Lorraine", her feeble voice answered"Lorraine, who?" Clay replied, already growing impatient. He hated being disturbed during meetings, and after Edith's call, he did not wish to entertain any further interruptions.Lorraine felt agitated by his response. Did he have to be so arrogant? How could he not remember the woman he just married moments ago? No wonder he couldn't find any girl wishing to settle down with him without having to bribe her with a sum. It was her fault that she wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She inhaled deeply and exhaled her frustrations. With a passionate tone, she replied"It's your wife, Lorraine" "Please, could you buy some food from the store on your way back?", She said fervently, and Clay flared up; he couldn't believe this was what she called to ask. Was this going to be his life from now on? He thought. He had heard stories from his work colleagues about their wives who dallied on about basic needs throughout the hour. This was one of the reasons he wished not to be married."Why don't you cook something?", He responded, massaging the space between his eyes from exhaustion. Lorraine's patient was quickly fleeting,"Did you know that it is incredibly difficult to cook something without any supplies or kitchenware?" She replied sarcastically, and Clay immediately recalled that he had not bothered to furnish the place or stock up on food as the building was a last minute buy. Feeling defeated in their little ripostes, he gave in,"Fine, I'll be back in an hour", he said and quickly hung up the phone, returning to the meeting.An hour later, Clay returned. As he walked into the house, he instantly noticed the transformation. It wasn't the cold, lifeless place he had once inhabited, and immediately he called for Lorraine. Getting no response, he decided to check for her in her bedroom. Barging through her bedroom door, his eyes settled on her in a skimpy nightgown which exposed her thighs and cleavage. Clay immediately averted his eyes like an awkward sixteen-year-old."Why are you dressed like that?" He asked, getting more uncomfortable by the minute,"What?" "I'm not naked!" Lorraine quickly defended herself, hiding her embarrassment."Put on some actual clothes!" Clay ordered and rushed towards the door but stopped as her image flashed before him again; she was beautiful and slender with curves in all the right places. He fought the urge to glance at her and ultimately chose to respect her privacy. Before he left the room, he noticed a ring on her nightstand placed in a little box and was conflicted about how she had gotten it. He couldn't remember giving her a ring after they signed their marriage license, and the mystery behind it got more intricate.Shortly after, Lorraine approached the living room wearing sweatpants and a tee shirt. Before he could say anything, she quickly apologised for letting herself get too comfortable. She understood this was still his place, and she was merely crashing. Knowing how disturbing it might have been for him to see her that revealed, she did not argue to prove how regular her outfit was."Lorraine..." Clay called more relaxed,"There was a ring on your nightstand," he said. Lorraine took the hint of what he was asking and replied"It belongs to my ex; I'm sorry if it bothered you. I'll throw it away","It does not bother me", he replied, and Lorraine's face sunk low"Why do you still keep it?" "I realise I never gave you one, but why do you keep it?" "What happened between you two? Why didn't you marry him instead?" Clay asked, reclining himself into a more comfortable position.Lorraine heaved a sigh and took a seat beside him on the couch, keeping a considerable distance"Shawn and I dated for five years, he was my first love, and we were to get married" "but on the eve of our wedding, I caught him in bed with another woman", she broke the silence, finding it hard to look him in the face, and focused on the only piece of art on the wall. Clay realised then that he had been too hard on her and reached across and placed his arm on her shoulder; it was the least comfort he could show"I'm sorry" "But that doesn't explain why you still keep his ring" "I mean, if he did all the things you said he did, why do you still hold on to his ring?", He asked and Lorraine searched for an answer. She knew no reason she could give would make him understand why she still felt something for Shawn. Five years was too much memories and time to let go of,"Do you still love him?" He asked, and Lorraine was surprised by the question. It seemed like he had been reading her mind,"I don't", she lied, and Clay smiled. He was an expert at concealing truths and could spot a lie from a mile away. It was one he told himself too often, an excuse he believed in, not to face the harsh reality that it wasn't so easy to let go. He stood up and walked into his room and shortly reappeared; reaching out his hand, Lorraine looked up at him"It takes exactly six months to fall in love," he said, holding her hand gently and gazed into her blue eyes as he placed the ring on her finger. Lorraine smiled and blushed,"I don't think that is accurate, Mr Winston", she replied casually"I'll prove it to you" "Six months, Raine, I dare you" "Six months and you'll fall in love with me".The next day, Clay made his way to his kitchen for his usual morning cereal before his early morning run. On approaching the kitchen, he perceived the enticing aroma of chickpea curry in the air and walked in on Lorraine making breakfast. He was surprised to see she was an early riser; he fathomed she'd sleep in till late in the morning, giving him enough time to go for his run and sneak out before she ever woke up. Lorraine turned with a spatula in her hand, flipping pancakes and caught his gaze; for a brief moment, she felt admiration from him. Thinking she had impressed him, she called him over for breakfast "No, thank you" "I have an early meeting and can't make time" Lorraine felt awkward, realizing he was trying to avoid their brief moment last night "Is that why you're in your joggers?" she asked, catching him in his lie "They look cute, by the way", she teased and smiled, and Clay felt embarrassed, "Are you sure you don't want these delicate pastries?" "I promise they don'
Lorraine was lost in a train of thoughts, confused about her husband's actions. She had believed their relationship was supposed to be strictly contractual, but when he kissed her, she felt those damn butterflies, but it felt different this time. She had never felt desire like this before or been so wholly vulnerable and lost all self-control around someone. Those thoughts exhumed her, and she shook her head, hoping they would go away. But when she stared at his delicate chiselled face, she realized she might already be failing the dare from the billionaire.His kiss was swift and sensual, although it felt like an eternity of longing before his lips met hers. She remembered the passionate sparkle in his eyes. It was one that you only had for a deep love or a lost one; she could understand those looks. It was the same kind she once shared with Shawn, and as she studied Clay's features more closely, she wondered which category she fell into - was she a deep love or a lost one? She belie
Maia's surprise visits were as exciting as holidays were to Lorraine. Since their days in college, the duo had always fantasized about exploring the real world together, getting jobs, apartments, exchanging keys, matching tattoos and whatever it was that best friends did. Their small circle of friendship quickly expanded when Donna and Alex joined the duo in their second year, and their friendship quickly blossomed from then on.As Lorraine rushed down the stairs, her feet flopping excitedly at the arrival of her best friend, she was met with shock when she opened up the massive front door, and Maia had come bearing surprises. Holding a tiara and a box of chocolates to the left was Donna, and on her right was Alex, looking like she was fresh out of comic con. Maia squealed with delight when she saw Lorraine and Donna placed the tiara on her head. Lorraine looked puzzled and uncomfortable. She wasn't sure how Clay would feel about her best friends inviting themselves to his place with
"No?" Maia resounded, finding a hard time believing her best friend. She had feared that Lorraine still harbored feelings for Shawn, and that was why she did not want her to do a piece on him.Maia was an editor for The Times newspaper and often worked the field. She had once offered Lorraine to do an investigative piece on Shawn when there were still together, but Lorraine warned her not to, despite Maia having seen the signs of his infidelity, her best friend did not want to hear about it.She pulled Lorraine aside and spoke with concern, "Lo' I'm worried about you" "Shawn just cost you your job, and yet you don't want to do anything about it? I hope you're not still waiting for him to return to you" "You do know that's not going to happen, right?"Lorraine understood her best friend's concerns. She had a difficult time finding faults in Shawn or taking action about it, she was blinded by love when it came to his imperfections, and even when the truth was sometimes clear to her, she
Lorraine and her friends headed off to the party at Summerville Hotel. Located a few blocks off the Edensville, Summerville Hotel was another place Lorraine and her friends had never dreamt they'd get into. It was the finest Hotel in the city, and it had received a five-star certification on Forbes review but it was clear that it was worth more than. The dinner night was scheduled to start by 8p.m but Lorraine and her friends had arrived a little early with time to spare.Outside the event stood Alex's cousin Sloan, she was the one who gave Alex the invite. To Alex, her cousin was her model, having been lucky enough to marry into the Dubois family, Sloan had quickly adjusted to the upper-crust society and Alex wished for a life just like her cousin. When Sloan saw them, she waved over curling her lips into a smile"Alex..." "You came" she called excitedly and then spotted the rest of the girls"And you brought friends" she added with a withdrawn smile"Hope it won't be a problem, it
The cab stopped at the gates of Edensville. Lorraine got out and, after having her face verified by the security, the guards opened the gate. She hurriedly walked through, holding back her anger, tears, and frustrations until she reached the front entrance of her home.Her hands trembled as she fiddled with the locks, overwhelmed by the sudden realization that she just had which had made her unsettled. She couldn't understand why it affected her so much or why it caused her such anxiety. Struggling with the keys, they slipped from her grasp, and she slammed the door in frustration."Damn it!" she exclaimed, forcing a pained smile. She found the idea almost amusing, and then chuckled. All this time, she had been married to a billionaire, not just any billionaire, but the heir of the Winston Fortune. If only her mother could see her now, she thought.Bending down to carry the keys, Lorraine finally managed to unlock the door. She walked inside, locked it behind her, and headed straight
Clay walked towards the hotel's exit, feeling a sudden change in his mood. The air around him became still, filled with silence as he couldn't help but think about Lorraine. He wondered how she was doing and what she might be feeling. Whenever people discovered who he really was, it always took them by surprise. They would often be speechless for a few moments, while others would immediately start asking for favors and financial help. It was because of this that Clay had made the decision to keep his true identity a secret.Thinking back to his high school days, Clay remembered a family trip to a beautiful botanical garden in Korea. At the time, his best friend Joanne had wanted to come along, but it was strictly a family-only trip. Clay had explained to Joanne that there was nothing he could do to change the plans, but little did he know what would unfold next. When he returned to school the following week, he was shocked to discover a widespread rumor that the first son of the Wilso
The door swung open, and Clay rushed in. Making his way towards Lorraine, he grabbed her hand, and she flung it away,"Talk" "Why did you lie to me?""Because people don't know how to take the truth", Clay began"And what is the truth, Clay?" Lorraine interrupted, and Clay heaved a sigh"The truth is I am exactly who you think I am" "The first son of the Wilson Family and heir to their fortune", he responded "And because of who I am, people have treated me differently." "Oh, the glamorous life is too hard for you, Clay?" "Having your name open doors literally and opportunities is tough on you?" Lorraine replied mockingly"You don't know what it's like. It's not all glamorous" "I am being resented, blackmailed and used because of who I am","When your best friend tears down your image because you refused her a favor, you'll know exactly what I mean", he raged and was about to walk out when Lorraine interrupted, stopping him in his strides "I'm sorry", she quickly apologised, realisi