(Sapphire's POV)
"Madam…wake up, please," a voice said softly. It felt like it was coming from a distant place.
Pauline.
"Ma'am…"
My eyes fluttered open. "Thank you, Pauline, I am awake now." I said and sat up. "Is there something you need?"
She took a step back, "oh, no, madame, I just wanted to let you know that your food was ready."
Food, right.
My belly chose that moment to grumble in protest as heat rushed to my cheeks.
"I…yes, of course. Thank you, Pauline." I said and stood up shyly.
The housekeeper laughed in delight and nodded.
She led me to a huge hall where a polished table with about twenty chairs was set, and at the end was a single plate of food.
Mine.
The loneliness that hit me was so intense that I almost doubled over.
"Are you alright, Mrs Blackwood?" Pauline's voice carried worry.
"I am fine, thank you." I replied with a small smile.
She nodded and retreated into the shadows.
The food smelled heavenly…. Roasted chicken, buttered vegetables and warm bread with something creamy that I couldn't name.
Picking up my fork, I took a bite and nearly moaned.
"Oh, wow!" It was a whisper.
"I am glad you like it, Ma'am." Pauline was back with a glass of water.
"It's incredible… you are incredibly good," I complimented her.
For the first time that day, something warm touched my chest.
Comfort.
I was almost done eating when measured footsteps echoed into the room.
Damian.
"Leave us." He told the housekeeper, but his eyes were fixated on me.
Pauline turned around and vanished from the room.
"Yes, Damian?" I asked. His stare made me nervous and I didn't like it.
"There is a charity dinner tomorrow and you will prepare for it." He more or less commanded.
"Okay." I answered. I mean, what else was I supposed to say?
"Good. I will take you shopping by noon. Have a great night." He said and walked away the same way he had come.
I released the breath I didn't know I was holding.
Charity dinner?
Good lord! Hours of mingling and smiling fake smiles with all those plastic people.
Ughhhhhhhh
I stared into space for a minute, then resumed eating.
But the food now tasted like dust.
Damian Blackwood had killed my appetite.
Sluggishly, I walked upstairs to my room.
I needed to sleep and unwind before I ran mad.
"Can this day end already?" I muttered as I pushed open the door.
A pleased gasp left my throat before I could stop it.
The room had changed drastically.
Not a single belonging of my husband was there anymore.
He had moved from the room.
This bedroom was now mine and mine alone.
This was the best thing to happen to me today.
I quickly undressed and took a shower, then brushed my teeth.
Just as I was about to fall asleep again, my phone rang.
Luke.
Of course.
With a wide grin, I picked at once.
"Hey, Mrs CEO." His voice rang out clearly. "How are ya?"
I laughed.
"I am fine, thank you so much for saving my ass this morning." I replied sarcastically.
"You're definitely welcome, darling." He drawled like he was drunk.
I hissed at him for not taking my sarcasm seriously enough.
"What do you want, Luke?" I asked with feigned annoyance.
"Nothing much. Just wanna know if Mr tall, dark, and brooding gave you any spanks when you both got home?" He asked with a grin.
This boy.
"Luke!"
His laughter was so contagious that I started laughing too.
"What? He practically carried you out of the café. Now, do you know how hot that was?"
"Luke, he did not carry me."
"Oh, please, same thing. Besides, your husband is obsessed with you, sweetheart." I could hear the grin in his voice.
"He is not obsessed with me."
He scoffed. "Denial is a river in Egypt."
"What?" I couldn't help the chuckle that left my mouth.
"That was hot, Saphie. What he did in the café. Oof, I need to fan myself. I might just be in love with your husband." He said dramatically, and I could hear him actually fanning himself.
I rolled my eyes at his words.
"Go find your own man, Luke." I warned him playfully.
"Working on it, bestie."
We talked a little longer…nothing serious, just the comfortable nonsense we had always shared.
"Get some sleep, Mrs Blackwood. A new life awaits you tomorrow." He finally said.
"Okay. Goodnight, Lu."
"Goodnight, Saphie."
The line went dead.
I yawned and stretched my upper and lower limbs.
As soon as my head touched the pillow, I passed out cold.
_____________________
I didn't leave my room until late afternoon the next day.
The day of the charity event.
Who fixes a charity dinner on a Monday?
Sighing, I opened the door and stepped out.
The shadow standing by my door almost gave me a heart attack.
I yelped and took a step back.
"Let's go."
It was Damian, of course.
He had obviously been waiting for me to come out of my room so we could leave for the mall.
Why didn't he just knock if he was ready?
But I wasn't going to ask him that.
He drove us himself while his bodyguards used another car.
The boutique he took me to was nothing short of obscene.
The owner was a tall, overly polished woman, who practically glided towards us.
But as soon as she recognized my husband, her voice turned sultry.
"Mr Blackwood, what an honor to ha…" her voice was as flirtatious as they came.
But Damian had turned away without even looking at her properly.
One cold glance was all he gave her, and she immediately began to stutter, "W-we have the finest…"
Damian turned to me, "pick out what you want, I'll be back." He said, then left to answer a call.
I walked around until I saw what I wanted.
Damian came back, paid and we left.
We then stopped at a luxury hair salon.
The stylists hovered nervously as Damian gave precise instructions about how he wanted my hair to turn out.
And by the time they finished, I looked so different from my usual self.
My hair was pulled into a flawless high ponytail that made my face look sharper and my eyes colder.
He really didn't want a soft wife.
Hours later, after I had showered and dressed, I stood in front of the mirror.
The woman staring back at me didn't look like the quiet timid heiress from two days ago.
I was still her, but I looked so confident and controlled here.
I had gone with a long backless black dress that had a slit right up to my thigh. It was gorgeous and made my skin pop out so beautifully.
Even I knew I looked good.
A knock at the door brought me back from my musing.
"Come in."
Damian entered with a box, then he stopped and gave me a long, hard stare, from my feet up to my face, but there was not a single emotion in his eyes.
"You look beautiful." It wasn't a sort of compliment, it was approval. "Like a Blackwood's wife." He added.
"Thanks." I quietly answered.
"Turn around." He commanded.
Without another word, I obeyed.
His warm fingers brushed against my neck as he fastened something.
A diamond necklace. I gasped softly.
Blue stones, clear diamonds. They were so beautiful and matched my eyes perfectly.
"Now, you look complete. I'll be waiting downstairs."
He turned and left the room.
I had tears in my eyes, and my heart felt heavy.
Why, I had no idea.
But by the time I went downstairs, my composure was back.
I would try my very best to enjoy this event as much as possible.
We did not say a word to each other until we reached the hotel where the charity dinner was taking place.
And then it was utter chaos.
Cameras flashed like lightning the moment we stepped out of the car.
Questions were thrown at us like missiles.
"Mr Blackwood, your wife is simply unreal. She is so beautiful!"
"You both look so good together."
"Did you marry her for daddy's money?"
"Mr Blackwood, now that you are married to a woman this stunning, will you stop going out with other beautiful women?"
Seriously?
These people were out for blood.
"Keep walking, Sapphire." Damian said firmly with his left hand resting on my lower back.
And together we walked inside. The perfect representation of a loving couple.
The perfect lie.
As soon as we got inside, I excused myself and rushed to the restroom.
I needed to get a hold of myself because I was shaking badly.
Two minutes later, I was calm and collected, and ready to face the elites again.
Then the restroom door opened and in walked a beautiful woman in a dress so short one would think we were in a night club.
Still, she looked so stunning that I was tempted to compliment her.
But she beat me to it.
"You are one very beautiful woman." She said.
"Why, thank you. You are too." I smiled.
But she didn't smile back.
"So you are what he finally settled for?" She mused as she walked closer.
I frowned. "Who are you?"
"The woman who he should have married instead!" She snarled.
I took a step back.
She didn't look so beautiful anymore.