TALIA

"No one's watching us anymore, Mrs Cross, so you can stop with the cringe and baseless act."

Well, ouch.

His words stung me like a knife to the chest, and I pulled my hand away softly, embarrassed actually, and stepped away from him, swallowed all my humiliation and rising annoyance, resolving quietly within myself to simply mind my fucking business from whence there on.

After all, we were not in public anymore, and that was the major part of our deal. Now, here in his castle-like chamber, we were back to what we truly were - Strangers.

The man acted anything, but fazed by the daggers he threw at me. I mean, it was like this on a daily basis, so it wasn't new to me at all.

He stood there, a stoic serious and unbothered expression marrying his light face, a slight intimidating arc in his brows, and his, jaw, firm as though it could cut brass, as he adjusted perfectly, proudly and confidently, the cufflin around the wrists of his million dollar worth tuxedo.

Jayden Cross was handsome. Any my God, he knew it. It was like he was carved and moulded after some Greek god, a beauty so unreal that you may have had to look away for your own dear life. He was rich, to top it all off. What more could a girl want? My sister would ask. Nevertheless, that attitude he had did nothing, and I mean, absolutely nothing to enhance him.

And like the desperate fool I had made myself to become for the past three months now, I had to tolerate this arrogant bastard billionaire who was my contracted husband.

After all, what did I get in return? A life of lavish and flamboyant.

It was a fair deal to me.

"Why are you still here?" Jayden was staring at his god-like reflection in the mirror as he spoke to me.

I snapped out of it, jerked so slightly on the sound of his deep, authoritative voice, and stared at his back, short of words for say in response.

"The party is almost over, and in the next fifteen minutes, we should be back down stairs," He started by dishing out that bit of information.

"Okay." I whispered, listening.

"And for the meantime," He didn't even look at me as he spoke, he was so full of himself. "You should leave, Mrs Cross."

I swallowed again, this time, more annoyance and a load of words I wanted to spit back at the rude man.

I knew why he wanted me to leave. It was too obvious. I was certain that he had already been with so many women, an uncountable number of them since this party started, and that black piece of feathered fur I was trying to get off his white tuxedo shoulders before he accused me of my 'cringey and baseless act' were clear enough proof of that.

"You shouldn't be here unless it be for one reason and one reason alone," He reminded me of one of the terms of our contract once more.

I ignored the part of me that was so temperamental and ready to bite the head of Jayden Cross off at the slightest trigger.

"Yes, sir," I answered, however, begrudgingly, standing up to do as he wanted - Leave.

I had to contain myself. I had to try to keep tolerating this man, no matter how much he tested every bit of my patience.

After all, for one, it was because of him that I was in this kind of luxurious, over spaced, charming bedroom for a start. It was because of him that I could proudly flaunt such a great life in this large, dwelling, luxurious mansion, that was over 40 acres of land and 2 billion in dollars worth - a house that was a sight to see.

It was because of Jayden Cross that I was finally able to put food on the table, as well as proper care and medication for my ill, suffering mother.

However, my tolerance for the man's constant disrespect seemed to be overflowing its cup day by day, minute by minute, even second by second. I had no feelings or love for Jayden either, but having him treat me like a human being shouldn't have been too much to ask. It had me wondering how much more I would be able to withstand from the man before I finally gave him a goddamn piece of my mind.

However, not only was this entire contract eye-catching for me, I was doing this majorly for my mum. And, for her, maybe, I could withstand even more.

I stepped out of the Masters Bedroom, holding back myself from slamming those two way doors in a fit of rage, and walking with eagerness and annoyance, down the large, red carpet themed hallway which was fortunately void of workers.

I mean, how dare they? No one of them had the guts or audacity to even breathe the same air as Jayden Cross, so they couldn't be found dead or alive, near his glorious chamber. Sometimes, I was even forbidden too.

It would only take a matter of minutes. It would take a matter of minutes before I descended to the next floor, where a truck load of maids and servants would be rushing to be at my beck and call, with every step I would take.

And as a matter of fact, I needed a glass of wine.

"Fast." I ordered the maids who ran around me like little cockroaches, and in a heartbeat, there was a glass of tequila, presented to me in my hands, prompt and without waste of time.

I waved off the dozens of maids clustering around me as I drank up from the glass cup, wincing with it's sting and letting it go down my throat with a burn, a harsh burn that could easily distract me from the hatred I had brewing for that arrogant man I got married to.

I could hear the party from downstairs. I could hear the loud music, and feel the vibration of the music beneath me, and in all honesty, all I wanted right now was to stay up here, and take a fucking break. Once I got back down there, I was objected to putting back on my fake smile, a friendly wave, and a show of public display of affection with Jayden Cross, when in reality, every rich person in that room disgusted me, and if I had a gun and a little bit of audacity, I would probably wipe them all out at one go.

"And that fucking media? To hell with them too!" I muttered angrily to myself as I threw more tequila into my system.

If only things hadn't been this bad, I wouldn't have stayed this long, would I? But then, what would happen to Mum? If she turned out fine, then, I would be fine too. I would be happy, in turn. I would be the happiest woman in the world.

"Who said money can't buy happiness anyway?" I hissed, drank up even more endlessly, in a desperate attempt to drown myself with assurance that this was worth it in the end. "Whoever they were must have been a dumb fuck anyway."

"Jean- Jacques Rousseau."

I paused at the unfamiliar voice of a man, whom I supposed was behind me.

"Jean- Jacques Rousseau," He had repeated once more, when I didn't move an inch or a muscle to indicate that I had heard anyone speak.

The audacity.

It was simply the audacity for me.

Who on earth was this man who had the audacity to speak in private to the wife of Jayden Cross - something everyone knew was forbidden - under the man's own roof?

I was compelled, beyond words. Compelled to see who this man on a suicide mission must be. Therefore, I turned around to have a look.

And, wow, colour me amazed.

The man who stood before me was gorgeous, too gorgeous to be true. Unlike Jayden who had the handsomeness of the devil, a harsh blinding type that attacked you and left you breathless, this man was handsome in a softer, more charming kind of way. Sort of like a prince. He had a face that was pleasant to admire, dirty blonde hair and crystal blue eyes, and a posture that was upright - Tall, an attractive build, and a solid, confident demeanour that was screaming to everyone who saw him that he was a wealthy motherfucker.

I mean, it was plausible, having that he was invited for the Jayden Cross's party of the century. He had to be of some importance.

"Best to my knowledge and understanding, I would say Rousseau was actually quite an impeccable philosopher," He dashed me a charming smile as he stepped up confidently towards me, and out stretched a hand for me to have in a handshake, "Not close enough to a dumb fuck if you ask me, Mrs Cross."

I acted as natural and unfazed by his obvious charisma and charm, and looking over his hand with one uninterested once over that he didn't seem to care about, I feigned an attitude that was unimpressed by him.

"Well, I didn't ask you." I deadpanned.

He didn't waver. He didn't budge. The confidence was out of this world. It moved me, however, I chose to act like it didn't.

"You look stunning by the way," The man blessed me with a candid compliment, that charming smile never left his face for a second, as he marked me down with heavy eye contact that would have trapped me on the spot if I didn't look away.

"I know." I briefly looked over the gorgeous man like he was nothing to me, and stepped around him to walk away.

Feeling his eyes all the way behind me, I acted unbothered and started to sashay down the stairway where more and more maids and servants clouded me like royalty.

Later that night, I would join my billionaire husband on the grand table with half a number of the most influential humans in the world gathering at his success, and I would smile and act proud of him as he gave his final speech in the presence of them all, and the media. I would let him kiss me afterwards and act like I liked it, confess my 'love' to him as he did to me, and after it all, I would bask in all the fame, in all the money, in all the rewards that this contract was going to bring to me.

As far as I, Mrs Talia Cross was concerned, this was where I was meant to be.