Annabelle woke up the next morning, barely sleeping, the night before. She glanced around the room not recognizing it for a moment before it finally dawned on her that she was in her new husband's bedroom. And his house. Memories of the previous day's event flooded her and she squeezed her eyes shut.

She was no longer Miss Annabelle Thompson but Mrs Annabelle David Maxwell. She was now a real Maxwell, against her will.

They both had also refused to go somewhere special for their honeymoon because they didn't see the need for that since they couldn't even stay in the same room with each other.

She sighed, this was the beginning of her marital life.

She sat up and stretched her limbs then shot her eyes to the door as a soft knock came on it.

She wondered who it was because the David she knew wouldn't knock on her door like that. He could possibly barge in on her, naked and pretend she wasn't there.

"Come in." She permitted and the door opened softly to reveal a short plump woman in a cook's apron and Annabelle assumed she was the cook. She was probably in her mid or late forties, as Annabelle noticed.

"Good morning, madam." The woman greeted, still standing by the door.

"Good morning Mrs or Miss..."

"Mrs Abigail Samson, madam," The woman replied with a smile. "But please, call me Abigail."

"Okay, Abigail. How may I help you?"

Annabelle asked in a friendly tone.

"Breakfast is ready madam," Abigail replied warmly. "Should I bring it up here or will you come down?"

"Oh I'll be downstairs shortly." Annabelle replied. Even if her husband didn't want her, she would try to make the marriage work. After washing her face in the bathroom, she went downstairs.

But as she took a step in to the dinning room, she was a little bit surprised that her new husband was not present, in fact the table was bare of any human being.

The aroma of the sumptuous breakfast spread through her nose tempting her to just sit and eat without him but she knew she couldn't start without him if he was around.

At that moment, Abigail came into the dinning to drop some cutlery and Annabelle decided to ask her of her husband's whereabout.

"Oh madam..."

"Please," Annabelle interrupted. "Call me Annabelle."

"Oh no madam, I can't. Please don't make me to." Abigail replied. "I seriously cannot."

Annabelle shrugged. "If you say so. So what were you going to say of the whereabout of my husband."

"He left very early for work today."

Abigail replied and gave a surprised Annabelle the Aren't you supposed to know? Look.

Annabelle tried to conceal her surprise from the cook as she dismissed her.

She flopped on the seat closest to her.

Work? On a Sunday? On their honeymoon? Why was he being this heartless towards her? He didn't even want to give the marriage a chance.

Was she been too hopeful? Should she just let him be? After all, he had given her his terms the previous night.

This wasn't how she had always pictured her marriage to be. Which woman would even want such a married life?

She sighed, then sat down to devour her breakfast.

Later on in the evening, she decided to go to the mall for her toiletries and cosmetics. It was just an excuse to leave the house, because she had been indoors throughout the day.

She thought about asking for the key to one of her husband's smaller cars, but decided against it, since she didn't know if he would also be against her driving his car.

Arriving at the shopping mall, she started to browse through for her favorite women things. She was about to cross over to the other corner when she bumped into someone.

"Oh I'm so sorry, I wasn't..." She froze as she recognized just who she collided with.

"Dominic."

"Annabelle." He whispered in a pained voice.

She forced a tight smile. "H-How are you?"

He reciprocated her forced smile.

"Been as you left me."

Annabelle sighed, but she didn't want to go into details about that issue.

"Uhh, you came to shop?"

No, he came to pay for the tomatoes he bought the other day. Of course he came to shop you idiot! What kind of lame question was that?

Her inner voice taunted her.

"Yeah," he replied. Thankfully, he didn't support her inner mind. "I ran out of grocery and some toiletries, so I came to stock up."

She nodded.

"What about you?" He continued. "I didn't expect to see you here on your honeymoon. Especially without your husband."

"Uh, well... I actually came for my toiletries as well." Well that was the half-truth, the complete truth was because she was bored and alone.

But thankfully he didn't pursue the subject.

"Okay." He said. "So how are you? I haven't gotten a chance to talk to you one on one for the past two weeks."

"I'm fine and have been busy with the...wedding preparations but it's all over now." She replied drily.

"Anna," he whispered. "I still can't believe that this really happened. That you are really married to someone else."

She looked at the floor.

"We've talked about this before Dominic." She said quietly.

"I know, it's just..." He took a deep breath. "Never mind."

"I'm so sorry Dominic, I never wanted any of this to happen. I tried to stop it but..."

"It's okay, you don't have to explain anything." He interrupted. "It wasn't your fault. I just can't accept the fact that you are no longer mine."

"I'm really..."

"But tell me Ann, tell me you still love me." He said desperately. "I want to hear it."

She shook her head. "Dominic..."

"Just say it Annabelle."

She gave a small smile. "I still love you."

He gave a sad but triumphant smile and before she could stop him, his lips captured hers.

She froze for a moment, enjoying his lips before she pushed him away. Even though she missed him, she couldn't allow herself such intimacy with him again especially in the open. She was married now. And he just kissed her in public!

"Dominic! What has gotten into you? Can't you see we are in public?" She whispered coldly and he looked guilty.

"I'm so sorry Ann, I lost control. I shouldn't have done that." He said sincerely. "Please forgive me."

She looked at him, looking so vulnerable. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "It's okay."

His face suddenly brightened. "Thank you. So, why don't we shop together since we came for the same things?" He asked cheerfully.

"Uh, of course." She answered hesitantly.

***

"So she is with that ex fiance of hers?"

David asked the person at the other end of the call.

"Yes sir." The person replied. "They are together right now at the shopping mall as we speak. You will receive the photos in a few minutes."

"Thank you James, that will be all for now."

"Alright sir."

David hung up and relaxed back in his swivel chair.

That son of a bitch! When I get my hands on him...

He groaned, wondering whether he had the right to get angry over his wife and her lover after all he told her the previous night, after sleeping in a guest room on their wedding night and after leaving for work very early that morning when it was supposed to be their honeymoon.

He had the urge to call her but decided against it. What would he say? That he was checking on her? Or that she should get away from the bastard immediately and go back home?

His phoned beeped and he opened it as well as the email James had sent to him. He saw different pictures of Annabelle and Dominic in various positions. And with the emotions on their faces and the way they looked at each other, it was clear they still had something going.

But dammit, what did he expect? He thought. When they just got married yesterday and he was never the doting and loving fiance to her.

But the next picture he saw made him freeze and his body tensed in anger.

What the...? He couldn't believe it. This was so surprising. He actually thought his new wife was a decent and reserved woman, but here she was, kissing her former lover! In public! A married woman! Who just got married yesterday!

This wasn't even done in a private area, but in a fucking public center!

This was a humiliation to him. He felt like shattering his phone on the wall but thought better about it. She wasn't even worth it after all. He didn't even know why he was making a big deal out of this. She could do whatever she wanted. Their marriage was only on paper and strictly business. Yes, he should always remind himself of that.

***

"Welcome madam." Abigail greeted cheerfully as she opened the door for Annabelle.

"Hello Abigail," Annabelle replied with a smile. "Thank you."

"You got the things you went for, madam?" Abigail asked.

"Yes I did." Annabelle replied as she looked around for signs of David. "What about my husband, isn't he back?"

"Oh he came in few minutes ago, he's upstairs."

"Okay."

Then suddenly, the front door burst open and a wave of perfume engulfed the living room as a tall, busty and curvy beauty walked in like she owned the place. She was wearing a red extremely tight, sleeveless mini gown, almost a second skin. Her face was caked with makeup and the red lipstick she wore as well as her red gown highlighted her beautiful flawless skin. On her upper arms were fine tattoo designs and she wore many jewelry, while her obviously expensive black wig was styled elegantly.

Annabelle noticed Abigail gaping at the lady in both surprise and confusion and she wondered who the lady was. She looked classy, was sexy as well as slutty and...bitchy? And maybe David's type of woman. The woman was far different from her in appearance and style. She could never go out looking like that.

After a brief glance at Annabelle, the lady turned to the housekeeper.

"Abigail." She spoke.

She had this low toned, whispery voice. Another sexy attribute of her.

Abigail seemed to recover from her shock immediately as she visibly shook her head sharply.

"M-madam Chanel."

"Where's David?" She asked authoritatively.

"Uh..." Abigail started then looked at Annabelle for help in handling the woman.

"Who are you Miss? Is there a problem?" Annabelle asked politely and the lady turned to her.

"Who's asking?" She asked back.

"I'm his wife." Annabelle replied firmly.

The lady scoffed and cynically eyed her from head to foot, slightly wrinkling her nose as if Annabelle was wearing rags or stank.

The woman was definitely a bitch!

Annabelle lifted her chin automatically.

"Oh, so you are the arranged wife?"

Miss bitch asked in a mocking tone.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Miss bitch continued. "Or aren't you the woman who my David was forced to marry for business purposes?"

"Your David?" Annabelle asked, ignoring the other truths the woman had said.

"Oh, let me introduce myself." She said, transferring her black designer handbag to her other arm. Her long black nails glistening in the process as the lights from the chandelier hit them.

"My name is Chanel Wilson. And I am David's girlfriend, lover, sex partner, trophy girlfriend, event escort,"

She paused and smirk. "In short, I am his everything, that you can never be."