The Billionaire's Rebellious Bride

32. "Say I love you instead."

"Let's go to Miami this weekend. I'll make sure that we'll both enjoy our honeymoon this time," he said with a promise. We were in the living room, cuddling each other after dinner, while drinking wine and listening to soft music.

"I'll surely have fun because we're together."

His lips rained kisses on my neck, his hand caressing my thigh. "We'll go island hopping, scuba diving, try local food and wine... and make love a lot. So make sure you'll have plenty of energy this weekend," he teased.

"I'm always ready. You should tell yourself that," I giggled when he tickled my side.

The opportunity to tell him the truth about Christian kept on postponing. We had our second honeymoon, and we were back at work on Monday.

Monday night, Adonis informed me he needed to go to Paris the following day for a business deal.

"I want to take you with me, but my schedule is very hectic. We won't have much time to roam around the city."

"It's okay. I'm also very busy now that the opening of the men's collection is due soon," I assured him. "We can do it, probably in summer?"

"Right, we have plenty of time to travel around the world."

Our relationship was getting smoother. We had many meaningful conversations about anything, except for some truths. On my side, topics about myself, Christian and my mother. And in him, his past relationships, especially about Trisha.

But I wished someday we would be more open with each other. I wanted to tell him the truth about everything at a right time. I wanted to know also about everything that happened in his life. No secrets, especially about Trisha.

That evening, we were on his bed, making love again.

Yeah, his bed. His bedroom. His privacy.

The same routine happened since we started sleeping together. I would go to his room every night to sleep with him. Then in the morning, we parted ways after a quick tumble on the bed or make love in the shower.

"You're so beautiful, Elena. I want you so much..." same words he would say to me, every day. I wished he would say 'I love you' instead.

____

The following day, I went to the nail salon across our building. I needed to have my nails done for the event that evening.

"Elena? Is that you?" A curvy brunette said the moment she entered the salon.

Oh, no... I said to myself when I recognized her face.

"Do you remember me? I'm Rita Cook. Cheerleader, Prom Queen... the 'It' girl in high school," she put her hands on her hips.

I only remembered her as the meanest girl in high school.

"Of course," I forced a smile, "who would ever forget you?"

"Right! No one. I'm the most popular girl!" She laughed and sat on a vacant chair beside me, and the manicurist attended to her nails.

Darn it. I'm trapped talking with her for the next fifteen minutes. The manicurist just started my nails on my second hand.

"Everyone's envy on you. You married a billionaire. Tell me your secret. How did you catch an extremely wealthy man like Adonis Stavrakos?"

"There's no secret. Our families just introduced us."

"Oh... yeah, you're a Pallis after all," one of her eyebrows rose, "I wonder, why your grandfather did not acknowledge you before?" when I did not answer, she gave her own answer, "of course, you want to keep a low profile. Extremely rich people do that, because they're afraid of being kidnapped. Let's hang out. I miss having you around. We used to be so closed in high school."

My forehead furrowed. I was not aware that we were close.

"I can't. I'm busy with my business... and I just got married a few months ago."

"Oh... you're still in your honeymoon stage," she giggled, then her eyes went to my tummy, "are you pregnant?"

"Huh?" I looked at my tummy.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were," her eyes turned wicked, her lips twisted nastily, "I have an excellent exercise to flatten a tummy. Call me and I'll teach you."

"No thanks. It's not effective. It didn't work on you."

Her eyes widened briefly, then gave me a sympathetic look.

"Haven't you ever thought that Adonis Stavrakos married you only for money? I'm sorry to break this to you, but dear, you should know... your husband is deeply in love with Trisha Cunning for years. And nothing can break that love... even marriage with you. They're solid."

"Excuse me?" My eyes squinted with sudden anger.

She chuckled nastily, "don't get upset, I'm just concern about you. I know, because I followed their love story."

"You have no right to talk about this. You know nothing," I snapped at her.

"Hmm... maybe you're the one who doesn't know about your husband's activities," she smiled wickedly, "keep your eyes open my dear."