To my utter annoyance, Everette wrapped his arm around my waist the moment we stepped out of the car in front of the mansion.

I rolled my eyes mentally remembering we need to act like real couples here.

We moved towards the mansion and Carmel and Gareth followed behind us.

As we climbed the steps, the door was opened by Mrs Wilbrose or I should say mother and there were a few more people whom I didn't recognise.

"Oh, Aeryn!", mother exclaimed on seeing me. "I knew you would come."

As if you gave me another option.

It's not that I hate her but sometimes she sounds very scary.

I smiled and she engulfed me in a tight hug and pulling back she kissed my cheek.

Next she hugged Carmel and kissed her cheek too.

Mr Wilbrose, who actually doesn't speak much, came forward and greeted us.

Though I am not very familiar with all them but they all feel like family.

Next, I was introduced to Everette's uncle and aunt and their children, Elora and Zack.

Elora was beautiful. Red hair, green eyes, an innocent looking face. She looked perfect.

She gave me a friendly smile and side hugged me, saying thank you for coming here.

And then there was Zack, who looked like a younger version of Everette except the beard he had a clean shaved face (unfortunately, not as handsome as Everette) but completely like Gareth in his attitude.

He took my hand and kissed my knuckles and winked at me.

Everette pulled me even more closer and his grip tightened around my waist.

Since I decided to ignore him all day, I didn't say anything.

"Eve", Zack said while staring at me. "Your wife is really beautiful. She looks more beautiful in person than in pictures."

I felt a blush creeping up my neck, not because of his words but because of the intensity with which he stared at me.

"Okay, everyone!", Everette's aunt spoke. "Everyone get freshened up quickly then we all can have dinner together. Zack, show them their rooms."

"Let's go", Zack said.

We all followed him upstairs to a long corridor with rooms on each side of it.

These guys are freaking rich!

Zack opened one of the rooms and gestured to us. "This is your room."

I wanted to argue, I don't want to share a room with this jerk but I gave Zack a fake, tight smile instead.

And he opened another room adjacent to it and turned to Carmel. "And this is for the little lady."

Carmel smiled. "Thanks, uncle."

"Oh, you are welcome, darling."

"By the way", he added. "Her room is connected to your room. There is a connecting door inside."

I nodded at him and he left telling us that dinner will be in twenty minutes.

I moved past Everette and went inside the room. The room was beautiful, there was a king sized bed in the middle with a small chandelier hanging at its top. The walls were painted in cream colour and there was a walk in closet and a bathroom.

Our luggages were already placed inside the closet. That was fast.

I picked out a pale pink colour, knee length dress with a boat neck, covered with sparkles and quickly changed into it. And opened my hair and applied a nude lipstick, and of course not forgetting to hide the fucking hickey that that jerk gave me.

Everette was still in the bathroom and leaving him behind I went to Carmel's room seeing whether she was ready or not.

Since she was ready, I took her hand in mine and we both walked downstairs.

Everyone was already seated on the dining table and were chatting among themselves, they paused on seeing us and I passed them a smile before taking a seat opposite to Zack and Carmel sat between me and Gareth.

The dinner was about to be served when Everette came dressed in a casual light blue t shirt and a pair of jeans.

Unfortunately the only seat available was the one beside me and he sat there.

There was silence as everyone ate quietly, the housekeepers served the dishes and they all were delicious.

"So, Aeryn", Zack said and I lifted my head to look at him. "Yes?"

"Wanna take a walk in the garden after the dinner?"

"I would love--"

"No, she won't", Everette cut me off and my grip on the spoon tightened.

I wanted to reply to him but I realised I was ignoring him. So I gave a sheepish smile to Zack and muttered, "Sorry."

He smiled. "No problem, Aeryn. We can go for a walk later." And winked.

"I swear, Aeryn if I met you before Eve did, I would have definitely married you", Zack flirted in front of everyone and my cheeks burnt.

"You are really--" He groaned all of a sudden and bending down rubbed his leg.

What happened?

From the corner of my eyes I saw Everette giving him a deathly glare. And they both glared at each other, refusing to back down but eventually, Zack lowered his gaze and continued eating.

Shaking my head lightly, I resumed eating.

.

.

.

I was the first one to finish eating and I politely left saying I was tired.

I went back to our room trying to ignore Everette as much as possible.

I was sitting at the edge of the bed when the door opened and he came in.

I instantly got up and moved towards the bathroom but as I was going to open the door, I was grabbed by my bicep and turned around and backed up against the door my so called husband who didn't look pleased.

He pressed himself to me so that my breasts were pressed up against his chest.

He slipped his one hand around my waist and the other was pressed on the door beside my head. "For how long will you ignore me?"

I decided not to answer him and removed my gaze from him and lowering my head focused on the floor.

The hand which was pressed against the door, lifted my chin up. "Look at me."

Even though he lifted up my chin, I refused to look at him.

"Aeryn", he said in a deep, intense voice causing the butterflies to erupt in my stomach.

How can someone's voice be so sexy?

The tone with which he called my name made me lift my eyes and make a contact with his.

I gulped realising our close proximity.

"Stop ignoring me", he spoke in a low, desperate voice.

Yet I refused to speak.

When I didn't speak he said, "See, that's what I am talking about. You are not replying to me. You are not talking to me. What happened to the Aeryn I married who had to give a reply to my every sentence?"

It irritated me completely. "If I speak, it's a problem. If I don't speak, then it's a problem. What do you want me to do?"

He smiled. He literally smiled. A mischievous one. "It worked. You spoke."

I tried shoving him away but instead he pressed himself even more to me making me gasp.

He pushed my hair away to one shoulder and brushed his finger under my ear where he earlier gave me a hickey. "Why did you hide it?"

"I didn't want everyone to see it."

His gaze locked with me again. "You should have left it like that."

"Why?", I whispered.

"So they know you are mine", he said huskily.

"I am not yours."

"You are, Aeryn. You are my wife. I don't like it when someone tries to flirt with you. I should be the only one to compliment about your beauty."

Did he just call me beautiful? My heart fluttered.

"You never complimented me", I complained.

He nuzzled his nose in the crook of my neck and whispered hoarsely against my neck. "You are looking fucking beautiful right now, Aeryn. You always do."

I bit my lips to stop myself from smiling like a fool, and I blushed.

"Thanks."

I felt him smile against my neck before he started sucking there. It sent an electric jolt through my body and my fingers automatically found their way to his hair.

He kissed, sucked and nipped the base of my neck making me moan.

I was too lost in that feeling to realise it's wrong.

"Everette", I wanted to say it as a protest but it came out like a moan and I mentally cringed.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and tired pushing him away. "P-please..."

He stopped and lifted his head. "Please what? You want more?"

I breathed. "No."

"That's sad but no problem, wifey."

He then brushed his finger over the hickey he just gave me and he smirked. "Dare you hide it. I want everyone to see it."

"And", he added. "Stay away from Zack."

"He is your cousin."

He sighed. "I know but he is flirting with you a lot. I don't like it. Just don't talk to him much."

"What's the use of all this, Everette?"

"Huh?"

I gulped before saying. "In the end, you will divorce me. Why does it bother you whether someone is flirting with me or not? Whether everyone knows I am yours or not? In the end, I will be nothing to you."

His mouth slightly parted in surprise and his eyes narrowed. An unreadable emotion flashed across his face and for a moment, he looked zoned out.

His jaw clenched and palm folded into a fist. He pushed himself away from me and without giving me another glance, he left the room slamming the door shut.