chapter 3

They were leaving this evening; Anais had arranged her bag very early this morning and was at the pool side as usual. When the driver arrived he went to inform her that it was time to leave she just nodded in acknowledgement and went to get her bag. She still would not make eye contact with him. 

They got to the duplex and it was beautiful his father had definitely out done himself. She just stood by the corner like a stranger waiting to be told what to do. He went in looked around and realised this parent had assumed they would be sharing the same room. The masters’ bedroom was designed in a way to accommodate both of them. It was really wide. That wouldn’t be happening obviously.  They had two other bedrooms one upstairs and the other was downstairs.  She would be using the one upstairs just in case they had visitors. They wouldn’t notice that they were staying in different rooms immediately. 

“Your room is on the floor above the guest room”, Alex told her. She just nodded in acknowledgment and didn’t argue.  Her things were in masters’ bedroom, she would have to move them to her room. He decided to stay out of her way the entire process. He was going to meet up with his guys, he had a lot of explaining to do and he needed to talk to someone. 

They were not informed of his wedding and he could only imagine their reactions when he told them. She watched him drive off and got settled with the task of moving her belongings to the other room. 

Ana let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding in. She had been avoiding her husband after the bathroom incident, she was so angry at the fact that he thought it was scheme she came up with to seduce him, how low does he think she can stoop?

“The nerves of that insensitive jerk to think that I would try to seduce him on our honey moon no less”. She let out an annoyed sigh.

Well now they were back from their supposed honeymoon, her life as Alexander Bennett’s wife had officially began. In no soon time, she was done arranging her things in her room. She was certainly very grateful that she didn’t have to share a room with him. The hotel incident was mortifying enough. Her cheeks were burning as she remembered the way she caught him looking at her before she screamed. She was going to try as much as possible to be invisible and stay out of his way. There would be fewer issues if they both didn’t have to interact with each other more than necessary.  He was out and she didn’t know when he would return nor did she care. She was going to sort things out as fast as she could, make herself dinner and retire to bed before he returned. She had had enough of him for one day.

         

Alex walked into the bar, searching for his friends with his eyes when he found them sitting in at their usual corner table.

“Yo, Alex you really ditched us and didn’t tell us about your wedding?”, Hunter Thane said.

“How did you find out about that?” Alex asked.

“I have my ways”, Hunter responded

“I don’t believe his married, probably just a rumour. Alex wouldn’t just get married like that, would you?” Shane Cooper said.

He continued, “Alex the great cannot and will not give his heart to any woman, she has to be an angel to agree anyway”.

They all laughed 

“But really Alex, you need to clear the air. What’s really going on?” Hunter asked

Alex nodded in response 

“Yes, I got married but it’s nothing serious. Sorry I couldn’t inform you guys it happened so fast and I was caught up with work” 

“What do you mean it’s nothing serious Alex? You got married dude”, Hunter asked

“You remember the company we were trying to acquire yeah? The one owned by the Sterling’s, my dad the bright idea to merge the companies instead. He also though, it would make more sense to seal the merger with a marriage to Mr Bennett’s daughter. So we got married and that’s it”, Alex explained.

“and no angel came from heaven to steal my heart”, he said looking directly at Shane.

 “I still do not trust women”, He said.

They were all quiet. The news was the last thing they had expected to hear on a night out least of all from Alex. They had seen how broken he was when Lainley cheated on him; they knew he had used work as a coping mechanism. But getting married for the sake of the company was the last thing they expected from him.

Hunter broke the silence, “You’re really are married? I thought married people look and sound different you still look the same to me. If anything you sound miserable?”

They all laughed.

“So when do we get to meet the luck lady.  What’s she like?” Shane asked.

“If I had anything to do with it, Never”, Alex said.

“Come on man, she cannot be that bad. She agreed to marry you didn’t she”, Hunter said laughing.

“I barely even know her, and I am not letting myself get attached to anyone every again”, Alex said with a hint of anger.

“She’s not Lainely man. She barely knows you either. You must have considered how this must be for her. She’s most probably innocent in all this; she married a total stranger too”, Shane added.

“I don’t know how she feels and honestly I don’t care, we all know how caring ended for me the last time”, Alex said in a bitter tone.

“Speaking of Lainely, I heard she’s engaged”, Hunter said nonchalantly

“You need to learn how to read the room dude, not the time”, Shane scolded

“What!!! He said he was over her, it shouldn’t matter to him if she’s engaged or not”, Hunter said with his hands up in mock surrender.

“You’re right, I don’t care”, Alex said. Deep within, the news of her engagement struck a chord, they were supposed to be married; he had planned to propose to her that night. 

“So tell us Hunter, since you know so much, who is she engaged to?”, Shane said with hints of sarcasm.

“That, I can’t tell you. Not because I don’t want to, I just don’t know it yet. But I will find out”, Hunter said rubbing his palms together.

“It probably Aaron unless she had been cheating on me with other guys besides him”, Alex said in anger.

“Don’t do this to yourself man, she’s not worth it”, Shane said, “and Hunter needs to learn when to give news”, he continued shaking his head at Hunter.

“Sorry”, Hunter whispered.

“Its fine guys. I have to go”, Alex said.

“Already, Emil’s on his way. He’ll be here any minute”, Shane said

“Tell him we’ll catch up some other time. Besides Hunter will fill him in on what’s been going on, won’t you?” he said with a pointed look at Hunter.

Hunter raised his glass at Alex, “Gladly”

“Fine, but you’re paying next time. Think of it as the punishment for not inviting us to your wedding”, Shane added.

“Whatever” Alex said.

As he turned to leave, he heard Shane say “Take it easy man”.

Alex made a bee line to the parking lot, not sparing a glance at anyone or anything. The news of Lainely engagement hit him like a ton of bricks. It had upset him more than he would ever admit. 

“Ahhhhhhhhh”, he screamed as his fists made contact with his steering wheel.

“Why wasn’t I enough for her. What does he have that I don’t”, he added angrily.

He thought back to how good their relationship had been, he spared no expense to make sure she was happy. She had the best of everything; he made sure she never lacked anything money could buy. If she wanted a vacation, she would be on the next available plane. If she wanted new clothes, she would leave his credit card with a note saying she could get as much as she wanted. He sent her flowers every day to show how much he loved her. 

“Why wasn’t I enough for her?” he said again with his eyes glazed over.

As he pulled out of the parking lot, he decided to just go home. He would let any woman have that access to him again least of all his supposed new wife.