Stephanie's POV
I turned to look at Cliff. His brows frowned, but he stayed quiet. "That's… not. I mean beating when I was disobedient." I stuttered, trying to clear it up. Why was I trying so hard to defend them? No, it was more that I was embarrassed about what I had become.
I was ashamed of my existence. I was ashamed that I didn't have the normal family everyone seemed to have. I hated them. I wanted the stuff they did to me out in public, but I also didn't want to. Pathetic, I know.
I took a deep breath and shut my mouth. "Did you say your farewell?"
Cliff sighed as if he wanted me to say something instead of diverting the topic. "I did. Let's go home."
I nodded. Since I agreed to cohabitation, I guess I was moving in immediately. It wasn't like I had stuff in my old house. I turned to leave and when i heard his words, just loud enough, "I will not pry, but I can listen to your stories."
I felt my heart skip a beat at his words, butterflies going in my stomach. I didn't turn back, just smiled. Maybe I compared him with that jerk too much. He had the moves to whip out such romantic lines. I straightened my face before I laughed at him and walked away to where his car was parked.
Cliff quietly followed me, only stepping forward to open my car door. He remained silent while I sat down in the passenger seat, tightening my seat belt. He was rather quiet. He didn't drag the conversation just because there was silence between us. I could be quiet, staring at the empty road under the night sky. It was nice not being suffocated.
"I asked my housekeeper to prepare the necessities. If you want something from your house, we can pick it up now," Cliff spoke up.
I glanced at him; he had his eyes fixed on the road. I smiled. Did I have anything in that apartment? After the incident, I was immediately kicked out of the estate, with my clothes packed in a trash bag and thrown out the gate.
Other than those clothes, I had nothing that I could call mine. Mainly because I had already started planning my escape by then. Other than simple furniture, utensils, and my basic needs, I had nothing there. Even those were from the flea market for free.
"No, there is nothing," I replied, rolling the car window down to let the cold air hit my face.
"Alright. Also, can you grab the shopping bag from the back?"
I looked at the shopping bags he had piled up in the back seat from earlier. I had no idea what he brought.
"Which one?"
"The small red one."
I grabbed the bag he described.
"Can you open it?"
I nodded, opening the bag. There were two boxes made of premium-quality wood. They were shaped like jewelry boxes. I picked one of them and opened it. I stared at the ring, then at him.
"This…" I tried to speak up.
"I don't know your family, but in ours we follow tradition. I would have put it on myself, but as you can see, I am driving. Wear it before we reach the house so the staff don't get suspicious," he explained in a calm voice, as if he understood my shock.
I looked at the ring. It was a pearl-shaped diamond with green impurities that looked like moss. The band was made of rose gold, intertwined like twigs. It was the same ring I glanced at a few times when he took us to a jewelry shop to buy some gold and jade for my family as a gift. I only looked at the ring when he was away, so then how—
"I asked the assistant for a suitable ring for Graham's family's daughter-in-law," Cliff clarified.
I smiled. Either it was coincidence or him trying to use his playboy skills, but for the first time, I had gotten something I liked. I took it, wearing it on my ring finger. "Thank you. I love it." It was just a sham marriage, but being noticed felt nice.
Cliff didn't respond; he cleared his throat. "Open the other one too."
I did as he asked. It held two wedding bands in rose gold matching my ring. They were simple, with an infinity symbol engraved on them. "So I get two rings? Do I have to return them when we end our marriage?"
I was not a materialistic person, but when you get something that made you fall in love at first sight but was too out of your league, you don't feel like being separated from it. It wasn't like he was recycling this same ring for his real wife. He wasn't that poor that this ring would put a dent in his account, nor was it sentimental to him. Why not give it to a poor person like me?
Cliff squinted his eyes with his dimpled smile. "Do you love the ring that much?"
I nodded, clutching the ring in my hand. He could keep the wedding band, but this pretty, shiny diamond; how could I grow apart from it? It was too good to let go of. Look at the color, the shape, the ethereal fantasy vibe. It was perfect.
"How about staying married forever? You can keep it."
I stared at him. If he didn't have that mischievous smile with his dimple flashing, for a second I might have agreed to his words. The lure of this ring was too strong.
"I am just kidding. It's yours now. You can do anything you want with it," Cliff said, as if he saw me contemplating the choice between the ring and his words.
"Really? I can keep it? No take-backs?" I might have been too excited. But this was the first time I got something I loved without asking or buying it myself. How could I let it go? I wanted to keep it forever. Maybe that's why I forgot the wall I told myself to keep.
"Hmm. How about you pay me back?"
Just as I was happy about it, he had to ruin it by continuing his words. Of course he wanted the money. Rich people are stingy. I looked at my beloved ring with a heavy heart and finally asked, "How much?"
"You can keep your money. I need payment in another way."
I should have known. He was a playboy, after all. He would ask for something like in those cliché romance novels. I already wanted to throw the ring at his face, but there was nothing wrong with asking. If he said something weird, I could say no and be done with it. It was good while it lasted.
"What?"