Phillips POV
The ride home was silent and cold.
But I hadn't expected anything different. I didn't want this marriage and considering that this girl didn't even take one look at me, I doubted that she was a willing party. Not that it mattered. She was a means to an end.
Mother had hounded me for months to get married - and for what?
A business deal.
Sure it was a multi billion dollar deal but it was still a business deal. The investors had a reputation for being family orientated and a 27 year old eligible bachelor - an only son to make it worse - was not considered family oriented.
This girl would be an easy fit, with her family well indebted to my parents, she would be very easy to control, she would toe the line and with the right motivation, present herself as the perfect wife.
I sighed, poring another whiskey into my glass and taking off the heavy and itchy sherwani suit I was wearing.
What was the point of all this I wondered. The pomp, the glamour, the over the top extravagance?
Oh yes, I remembered - my mother.
My mother was like a dog with a bone with this deal, and she was desperately trying to make a good impression with the filthy rich Balaji's.
She had called and complained, whinged and whined and even resorted to emotional blackmail until I finally agreed to get married. As strained as our relationship was, she was still my mother and I wanted to keep her happy, and in doing so, I played directly into her hands.
No doubt she would be on the phone right now to all her contacts in India, talking about her son and his fabulous wedding to a hoteliers daughter.
She knew how to play up a situation very well.
I looked up at the portrait on the wall, a beautiful woman with deep blue eyes, waves of golden hair and smiling face looked blankly back at me, this was the woman I loved, the one I would always love, the woman who had made this mansion our home, and who was taken from me too soon. She was my first love, my only love and I was sure she would be waiting for me, someday when our paths would meet again.
I looked at the plain manila folder on my desk, it was her background check, it was really something I should have gone through weeks ago - but I suspected that i wouldn't find anything interesting in this girls background.
I tossed back the last of the whiskey and skimmed the file.
I was right.
There was nothing interesting, although tonight she looked nothing like her photos.
Not wanting to go to bed yet, I called Richard, my best friend.
' So mate, how does it feel to be a married man?'
' Shut up you arse." The music in the background was loud and I could barely hear him. ' She didn't even take one look at me.'
' Don't worry, I'm sure that once you put on all your charms, she will be putty in your hands...err...bed.."
' Man don't even go there, you know I don't mix work and pleasure.'
' Well why not? The papers been signed, you might as well take advantage of your convenient situation. I mean your married, its not rape if your married. Have a bit of fun! Hey come join me, I'm at the strip club downtown, the girls are super hot tonight. It will help you take your mind off things'.
I was tempted, very tempted, it had been a long stressful day and I would have liked to blow off some stream, but Richard could be a jerk sometimes and his comment about rape didn't go down well with me. He had never had a partner for more than a few weeks and besides, I had a new reputation to uphold.
A doting newly married man could not be seen in a strip club on his wedding night.
And I was curios, what was this 'wife' of mine doing anyway?
Probably thinking of a way to kill me in my sleep I thought, so I said goodbye to Richard , downed another whiskey, relishing the burning sensation as it passed down my throat and walked back to my room, unsure what to expect when I opened the bedroom doors.
***********
Victorias POV
It was almost 11.30pm by the time we got to the mansion that I was supposed call home for the next three years. The drive from the main gate to the house was at least 10 minutes long but it was a drive well worth it. The mansion was lit up in all its glory and I sat in awe of its beauty as the car approached t.
It was huge, bigger than I could have ever imagined. How could one guy live alone in such a big house?
The car stopped a set of marble stairs and a well groomed middle aged man opened the door and helped me out.
' Welcome to the Malhotra Mansion ma'am.' He said and I was ushered into the house and up a massive flight of stairs, and into the biggest bedroom I had ever seen in my life. The old guy moved quickly and I found myself just about running, holding up my long skirt as much as I could to keep up.
" Master Phillip will be here to join you shortly ma'am. Please make yourself comfortable. Your belongings are in walk in wardrobe," indicating to two large doors on the far right on the room and the ensuite . "I will be here at exactly 9am to take you on the tour of the mansion. Breakfast will be served at 8am" he bowed politely and closed the doors softly.
The bedroom was extremely stylish, the decor modern and the colour scheme well balanced, whoever designed this room had very good taste. To the left of the doors was a three piece sofa set with a coffee table and to the right was a huge super king size four poster bed with elegant drapery and sheets. A young lady brought my suitcase in and I tucked it to the side.
What was I supposed to do?
This was certainly bot what I had expectee? Wasn't there supposed to be a welcoming ceremony?
Perhaps I had watched too many Bollywood movies with papa... but I certainly never expected this.
This trearment was cold and uncaring.
Was I supposed to go and sit on the bed, head covered by my veil , waiting for my husband like in the Indian movies?
Was I really expected to give it up to a stranger on the very first day I had met him? Was this really how I would lose my virginity?
I didn't even know what he looked like, how old he was, a sudden panic gripped me, what if he was an old obese pervert? I could still run, couldn't I? No I would never make it, not in these clothes! And then what would happen to my parents? If I tried to run again it would kill my father.
I sat on the swan seat was rested my head on the arm, and closed my eyes for a moment, trying to clear my thoughts and calm myself, it had been a long and exhausting day .
My head ached, my legs were sore and by body was tired beyond belief.
Tears started to fall from my eyes as the hopelessness of my situation set in, and despite the ethereal beauty of the room, I felt a alone and abandoned, my heat ached as I realised that already, I desperately missed my family.
I'll just rest a moment, I thought to myself, closing my eyes again and resting my head of the sofa arm, just a moment, and I feel into a deep sleep.
******
Phillips POV
I didn't know what to expect when I opened the bedroom doors, I certainly had hoped that this young girl would have been more receptive towards me, at least talk to me.
Maybe this was a bad idea.
Maybe I should have listened to Standford, the butler, and kept her in a separate room.
But I couldn't, gossip spreads fast and if word got out that this marriage was a sham, even though it was, it could jeopardize my mothers business deal. For perceptions sake, I needed to make sure we played the happy married couple act.
I guess I expected her to be sitting on the bed, perhaps crying into a pillow, or sitting demurely awaiting my entrance.
I laughed to myself, the whiskey must really be doing my head in, more likely she would have been waiting behind the door, waiting to make her first break for freedom, or would have tried to climb down the balcony.
Not that she would have gotten very far.
I didn't expect to see her asleep on the sofa, still in all her wedding finery, her breaths deep and even. She was obviously exhausted.
The bags under her eyes indicating that she hadn't slept well for a long time. For the first time that night, I took a proper look at my new wife. She was slim, with thick shiny black hair. She had a nice shaped face with beautiful features. With all the makeup on she looked like a living doll, and I wondered what she looked like without the layers of muck on her face.
I hoped she was just as beautiful. I didn't expect to feel anything when I looked at her tear streaked face but suddenly I felt bad for her. Her parents had gotten into so much debt and she was the one paying the price.
Shit, I thought to myself, as I looked at the way she was sleeping. She couldn't stay like that the whole night.
I went to the bed and pulled back the covers, and stopped, this felt so wrong, the only woman who had been in this bed with me was my Angela, this was her place, but Angela was long gone and this girl needed to sleep in a proper bed, so I went back and scooped up the sound asleep girl.
Shit she weighted a tonne! I thought as I struggled with the masses of fabric of her outfit, the beads and crystals dug into my skin, and I managed to waddle back to the bed, placing her gently in it and covered her with the comforter, surprised that she hadn't woken up, glad that she hadn't.
I took a quick shower, took another drink and lay on the other side of the bed, keeping a respectable distance between us, and allowed my own fatigue and the alcohol seduce me to sleep.