𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐 - 𝐒𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐄

The second we arrived, he dropped my bags and darted to his room without giving me an introduction to anything. No manners or class. Thank god his bodyguard served as a butler and housekeeper.

"Mrs. Russo, let me show you to your room." He said with a smile that seemed so distant from the cold, dark light that embodied this house.

"It's Sophie, please, and my last name is Wang." I corrected with a forced smile.

"Alright then, Mrs. Sophie," he noted as I followed him up to the room. The house was cold and simple, nothing more than a presentation, and I was happy with that. I prefer to live by myself, and this was close to it. I didn't need to see the disappointed and heartbroken look on Ares's face more than I had to.

We arrived outside my new room, the oak door slightly ajar, "Will I be sharing a room with Ares?" I asked even though I knew the answer. This certainly wasn't his room.

"Mr Russo requested you sleep somewhere else." He said before walking away, his head down. He was withholding something; I knew it, and quite honestly, I was fine with it. After today, I need a shower to drown myself in my thoughts... literally. No, not now. I needed to get ready for dinner and explore the damn place first. A shower can wait. I walked down the stairs in hopes of finding my husband. Oh god, that was so weird to say.

"Ares!" I called out but got no answer. I looked through the rooms, most of them empty and cold like Ares. I figured he would be somewhat nice. I don't know anymore, but what did I expect? At first, I figured he was an older man wanting a wife, but he wasn't. He was quite the opposite with his dark brown hair and deep eyes, slim body toned with muscles. None of it mattered, though; he was married to me, and there was no getting out of it, not for me or him.

Of course, my father arranged for us to get married to him. He had a net worth of a billion dollars at the age of 31, but not even his money could save my father's dying business.

As I walked into the kitchen, a sense of unease settled over me. I had been looking for Ares, my husband, and now I had found him. His tall figure was hunched over, his broad shoulders weighed down by a burden I couldn't see. His hands were buried in his face as if trying to hide from the world. My heart sank as I took in the sight. A mix of emotions surged within me. I wanted to give him space, to respect the boundaries that existed between us. I opened my mouth as If to say something to Ares but seeing him as such, I couldn't. I won't.

He had noticed my presence but didn't leave. His body tensed as his gaze fell onto my body. I quickly walked over to the kitchen to get something to eat. It felt odd his cold gaze followed me, taking food from a random house, but I suppose it wasn't a random house anymore; it was my home.

As I opened the fridge to check if there was something I could cook, I was faced with an empty fridge filled with water and fruits. Fun. I'm not surprised.