Evy "Miss Dixon?" A female voice said as soon as I answered the call. "Yes, who is this?" "My name is Chloe. I'm Mr. D’Angelo's secretary, and I'm calling to let you know that I'll be sending a package to your address in a few hours." I furrow my brow. "What package?" I inquire. "Tonight, a driver will pick you up. Be ready!" Damn it, why do they need to make everything so mysterious?! I exhale deeply through my mouth, and just as I think of pressing on with my questions, the call ends. Idiots! I grumble inwardly and head back to my shower. An hour and a half later, the doorbell starts ringing, and upon opening the door, I'm met by a man in a delivery uniform. He simply hands me a large white box and extends a paper for me to sign. Once inside, driven by curiosity, I lift the lid of the box and push aside the tissue papers to find an exquisite long black dress and a pair of high heels. I scoff sarcastically. Who does he think he is? I curiously notice a small envelope at the botto
Evy After signing the contract with Mr. D'Angelo, everything in my life began to happen as if by magic. A call from the bank informed me that the mortgage on the house where I was born and raised had been paid off, the creditors who had simply vanished from my doorstep, and my mother who had been transferred to a specialized private oncology clinic. Finally, I could breathe a sigh of relief! The next steps would be timed. D'Angelo and I would have a photo session narrating our "love story," and his assistant would handle the rumors surrounding the coveted "Lion of Business" wedding. In the end, he looked into my eyes and said, "Get ready for the best part!" I wondered if there was anything better than laying my head on the pillow and sleeping without tears, without regrets, and without thinking about the next day. Surely, there wouldn't be. "Ready, your mother is settled in now. Can we talk?" Dr. Monique Toledo approached, pulling me from my reverie. I glanced at the door she had jus
Evy A few days later... Every girl's dream wedding. I think, looking at the long white lace dress, with its delicate high collar and sleeves trailing down my arms. A beautiful and delicate tiara, adorned with tiny sparkling stones, secures a full bun resembling beautiful dark brown petals. Anxiously, I let out a soft, almost imperceptible sigh. "Do this with your mouth," the makeup artist asks after applying the lipstick, a soft shade of red that perfectly complements the daytime makeup. "Perfect!" he chirps, clapping frantically, prompting a half-smile from me. It doesn't take long before I'm holding a bouquet of beautiful white lilies with tiny pink jasmines, walking into a church adorned entirely with the same flowers, tulle, and silk ribbons in the same color. Yet, there are only a few people in the countless pews. An organ announces my entrance, and soon all eyes are on me. I clutch the bouquet to contain my nerves, force a smile of a happy and passionate bride, and focus on th
Evy "Wake up, we've arrived!" I open my eyes, still blurry, and stare at the facade of a house entirely made of dark wood, with huge translucent glass windows. I shift in the back seat of the car to get a better view of the surroundings. Small lampposts illuminate a charming little garden. As the door opens, the driver helps me out, and the scent of wildflowers envelops me, followed by the cold breeze of dawn. "Where are we?" I inquire, taking in the graceful porch with a dark wooden railing like the rest of the house, and... "One of my vacation homes," he says, taking the keys out of his pants pocket. I glance back to make sure. Tall and closely clustered trees and from the noise back there, no beaches in sight, and no pools anywhere. "This doesn't look like a vacation home," I snap, turning my gaze back to him, but Gael isn't by my side anymore. "Oh, you idiot, are you leaving me out here?" I growl in irritation, seeing him inside the porch, opening the front door. "I believe no
Evy In the morning, I wake up somewhat excited and earlier than expected. I take a quick shower, put on a pleated miniskirt, choose a blouse tied at my belly button, and finally slip into a pair of sneakers. I tie my hair into a ponytail and put on sunglasses. Soon, I'm leaving the room and heading down the hallway. In the living room, I find my "husband" handling a shotgun with great care, meticulously cleaning it. My eyes quickly scan his khaki pants, black boots, and up to a leaf-green shirt with the top three buttons undone, revealing a nearly hairless chest. I take a deep breath and enter the room, catching his attention. As expected, Mr. D'Angelo glances over my attire eagerly, a sparkle in his eyes, pressing his lips together. I maintain a serious demeanor, though inside, I'm tempted to laugh at such a provocation. Men! However, to my surprise, he composes himself too quickly, returning to handling the object as if nothing had happened. I sigh in frustration. "Good morning, Mr
Evy After a long, warm bath, I slip into comfortable and equally warm clothing, then step out of the guest room. Right at the entrance to the living room, I can hear the sound of crackling fire in the fireplace, and to my surprise, Gael took the care to lay down a thick, soft blanket on the floor, right next to the warmth of the fire. As I approach, I notice two empty glasses and a tray with salad, vegetables, and the meat we hunted earlier. Surprisingly sophisticated. I think, "Sit here." He gestures lightly at the space beside him, and I silently settle in, relishing the welcomed warmth. "You said you've never had deer meat before. Try it, I'm sure you'll like it." It's hard not to gaze at him in admiration. Gael is an extremely handsome and attractive man. And damn, his skin looks even more beautiful in the golden glow of the fire. He picks up a portion of the meat with a fork and brings it towards my mouth. "Mmm!" I release an appreciative moan as I savor the taste and tender
Evy "Hiking trails, waterfall baths, climbing, hunting, dinners, and toasts by the fireplace. Thinking about it, our honeymoon wasn't so bad after all. I might even say I got to know a side of Mr. D'Angelo that he's keen on hiding. Away from business, he's just a surprising young man with good conversation and an easy smile. And what a smile! "We'll be leaving in a few minutes!" Gael announces, giving two knocks on my bedroom door. "Okay!" I shout so he can hear me and focus on packing my bags. Initially, this place scared me a lot, and I was furious at the thought of being stuck here without a cell phone, TV, or anything to distract me. However, I confess I'll miss this place, and all this nature. Its sounds, and even your company, because when we return to the city, he'll revert to being Mr. D'Angelo again. I know it. "Good Lord, woman, what are you doing in there?!" He growls irritably, and I scoff at his impatience. I close the suitcase and finally open the door. Gael immediat
Evy A week later... I let my body fall freely onto the soft mattress, audibly exhaling. Yes, I'm entirely and completely bored, and it's been less than a week! I knew every floor of this house, every room, every detail of its decoration like the back of my hand, and I no longer know what to do to keep my mind occupied. Since we returned from our honeymoon, Gael is practically never at home. Except for bedtime, and that happens when I'm already asleep, and the next day he leaves before I wake up. It sure is the perfect arrangement. No demands, no nagging. I'm simply living the good life, and in the end, I even get a good chunk of money for my work. "What a drag!" My phone signals a message, and I quickly jump out of bed. A huge smile spreads across my lips when I see it's from Doctor Monique, and eagerly I open it to read. Then I start excitedly bouncing around the room. Judy Dixon has finally woken up, and I can finally go visit her! I rush to the bathroom and take a quick shower.