My Wife, My Man?

Chapter Two

"There is no remedy for love but to love more." Henry David Thoreau

Cape Town. The mother city. Even from afar, the view of the beautiful Table Mountain was prominent throughout the city. That view added colour to her ever-so-dull life, giving her something to smile about each morning.

Perli had always dreamt of travelling to Cape Town and owning a house with a view. The ocean, a mirror of the freedom she lacked, was a sight she had fallen in love with. With eyes glittering, she would watch and listen to the movement of the water, which sang harmonious songs. Facing the horizon, her window had the full view of the sunrise and the late sunset that stole her every breath.

Everything about this place was a dream come true. Everything but the marriage.

Perli sighed and, turning off the tap, stepped out of the shower. Droplets of water rained down the edge of her hair to her back. She enjoyed the cooling sensation it brought to her ever-heating skin and, above all, the ecstasy and freedom that came along with it.

She blew a breath as she ran a towel against her wet skin. With a stroll, she walked out of the bathroom to where a range of beautiful clothing awaited her to try on. Her eyes spotted the full-length mirror on her way. Staring at it, she couldn't recognize who she saw. The gold ring on her left hand was what she noticed of course. It had cost a fortune and became the one thing that bound her to him: Jack Onel.

Bitterly, she lifted her hand to her face and carefully pulled the ring off and examined it, just as she used to do with her parents' rings. For a split second, she felt tempted to throw the ring away. All this was her uncle's fault; his selfish desire for money and power had gotten her into this mess. How could he be so evil? How could he be such a heartless beast, to sell her off like that? 'For your own good', he had said to her, 'the young man is rich and will take care of you', but in truth, it was all for his good. The circumstances around the marriage proposal had been unclear, but what she knew was what her uncle told her: he had apparently gotten himself into a huge debt, squandering the last bit of savings her father had left for her, and his best solution was her getting married to the young multi-millionaire, Jack.

She let out a harsh gust and slipped the ring back to her finger. She was married now and there was nothing she could ever do to change that. Those were the exact words Jack told her.

As she dressed in denim shorts and a baby blue T-shirt, something caught her attention. Her eyes were suddenly glued onto the TV show that had a lot to say about their marriage again. She couldn't stop herself from feeling foreign to all the attention she had been receiving since she got married. She hated it.

"It has only been a few days into their marriage and already hot rumours are roaming about the newest couple, Jack and Perli Onel. So, Anele, tell me what you think about these rumours?" the host asked her guest. That had become a routine topic and discussion in most gossip TV shows for the past few days.

"I think they are relevant; I mean did you see the bride on the wedding day, she hesitated to say yes! Even her tears, I doubt they were of joy. She doesn't love him, and it was all an arrangement to—"

"So, you are saying these rumours hold water?" The host was quick to cut Anele off to ask another question.

"Of course. Jack Onel is a young man! He is filthy rich too and blessed with incredible looks, so it is not a surprise that any woman would want to be a Mrs Onel."

"Not me," Perli snorted out loud as she laid herself down on the armchair, her legs hanging at the side.

"So, you are saying Perli Duo is in it all for the money and glamour?"