Lilly was getting ready to sleep while worrying about Caden. She wondered what she would do if he wanted to sleep with her. So before he came into the room, she pretended to be asleep.
Caden came out of the bathroom and saw Lilly sleeping. He walked closer, making her nervous. Instead of waking her, he gently covered her with a blanket. Lilly relaxed a little.
Then he took another blanket from the wardrobe and quietly lay down on the couch.
Lilly slightly lowered her blanket and looked at him. She was surprised to see him sleeping peacefully on the couch.
I know I am the cause of this problem, she thought. You are a good man. I will try to be a good wife, but I don't know how long I can keep pushing you away.
The morning sun shone through the window onto Sara's face.
She woke up and found herself sleeping in the corner of the bed. Her back hurt from sitting like that all night.
She looked around for Mark but couldn't find him.
As she stepped out of the room, Mark came out of another room at the same time.
They looked at each other.
She felt a little hurt but ignored it.
"You were sleeping there?" she asked.
Mark noticed that she was still wearing her wedding dress.
"Yeah. I came home pretty late last night. I thought you would already be asleep, so I didn't want to disturb you."
Sara nodded.
"Okay."
Mark walked to the kitchen and lifted a lid to start cooking.
She came closer.
"What are you cooking?"
He looked up at her.
"I think you should change first."
"Oh, right. You're cooking for me as well?"
"Yeah. If there's anything specific you want to eat, you can tell me."
"No, it's fine."
She went back to her room to change.
Why is it so difficult to talk to him? she thought.
Meanwhile, Mark continued preparing breakfast.
I can't keep avoiding her forever, Mark thought. One day she'll ask why I'm so distant. What am I supposed to tell her then?
He opened the refrigerator and noticed that Sara hadn't touched the food he had left for her the previous night.
A little later, Sara came out of her room.
Mark had already placed breakfast on the table.
She sat down and hurriedly started eating before realizing she should thank him.
She put down her spoon.
"Thank you."
"It's okay. You can live here comfortably."
"Okay."
"If you don't like the food, you can cook something for yourself."
Sara looked up.
"I don't know how to cook."
Mark was surprised.
"Lilly cooked so well," he thought bitterly. "Maybe she learned that too, just so she could return the favor to her sister."
Meanwhile, Lilly woke up and saw Caden entering the room carrying breakfast.
He placed it on the table beside the bed.
"Thank you," Lilly said.
Caden sat down and took out a gift.
"This is for you."
Lilly accepted it.
"What is it?"
"I wanted to give it to you last night, but you were already asleep."
She opened the box.
Inside was a necklace.
Lilly wasn't particularly fond of jewellery, but she smiled anyway.
"It looks really beautiful."
"I have another surprise for you."
"What is it?"
"You'll find out later. First, eat your breakfast."
Lilly went into the bathroom while Caden arranged breakfast on the balcony.
When she came out, she saw him folding the blanket and fixing the bedsheets.
"Let me help you."
"It's already done. Let's eat breakfast."
They ate quietly together.
After a while, Lilly asked,
"Do you want me to cook dinner today?"
Caden looked surprised.
"No. I usually call someone to cook."
Back at Mark's house, Sara's phone buzzed.
It was a message from Caden.
Caden:Hi, dear sister.
Sara smiled.
Sara:Hi, brother.
Caden:Do you want to meet your sister today?
Sara:Yes!
Caden:I'm having a small dinner at my house tonight. Come with Mark.
Sara:Okay.
She put down her phone.
Mark was collecting the plates from breakfast.
She noticed he was doing everything by himself.
"Let me help you."
She picked up the leftovers and carried them to the sink.
"Mark, are you free today?"
Mark hesitated.
"Let me see."
Sara looked at him curiously.
"You didn't even take time off for your wedding."
Feeling uncomfortable, Mark began cleaning the kitchen.
"It's not like that."
"You told me to call the staff if I needed anything, so why are you cleaning everything yourself?"
"My sister lives upstairs and uses the staff. But I don't like strangers coming into my space."
"Okay. Then I'll help you."
Mark wasn't interested in talking to her.
Although he treated her politely, deep inside he blamed her for his situation.
That made it difficult for him to look at her for very long.
"No need."
Sara found his behavior strange.
"Did you marry me because someone pressured you?"
Mark stopped scrubbing the sink.
"We're already married. Does it matter now?"
Sara looked hurt.
"Yes, it matters."
"Why? If I said yes, what would you do?"
Sara thought for a moment.
"I would leave you."
Mark looked at her silently.
I wish I could tell you the truth, he thought. That I married you because of your sister.
But he had promised Lilly he would never hurt Sara.
"Our marriage wasn't forced, so you don't need to worry about that."
After finishing the dishes, Mark headed toward his room.
Sara watched him leave.
"Then come with me to see Lilly tonight."
Mark stopped when he heard Lilly's name.
"I can't come."
Sara wanted them to appear like a normal married couple.
"You said our marriage wasn't forced. Then come with me."
"Okay. I'll drop you there, but I can't stay."
Before Sara could say anything else, he closed his bedroom door.
She stood there alone.
I didn't force him to marry me. He chose this himself. Then why does he act so distant? Or am I just overthinking?
Later, Sara sat in her room wondering what to wear.
Someone knocked on the door.
She opened it.
"Mark?"
"This is for you."
He handed her a gift box.
"Thank you."
He nodded and returned to his room.
Mark didn't even know what was inside. His sister had given it to him yesterday and told him to give it to Sara.
Sara felt happy receiving a gift from him.
She quickly opened it.
"A pair of earrings."
At least they were pretty.
Wanting to show him how much she liked them, she knocked on his door.
Mark opened it.
"Do you need something?"
"No. I just wanted to tell you that I like your gift."
"Thanks."
Sara wanted to ask why they were living in separate rooms, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Instead, she just stared at him.
Mark was about to close the door.
Without thinking, Sara blurted out,
"What are you making for lunch?"
The moment she said it, she regretted it.
Mark looked concerned.
"Are you hungry already?"
"No. I just wanted to help you cook. If I know what you're making, I can prepare things in advance."
"You don't have to do that. I can handle it myself."
"Okay."
She turned away disappointed and started walking back to her room.
Seeing her expression made Mark feel a little guilty.
"If you're hungry, you can have these cookies."
Sara accepted them and smiled.
"Thanks."
She returned to her room with tears in her eyes.
Maybe it would have been better if I had just asked him directly why we're living like roommates.
Meanwhile, Mark sat at his desk and dropped his head onto the table.
What am I supposed to do with her? he thought. I can't even bring myself to be rude to her.
After a while, feeling guilty, he got up and walked back to her room.
"I'm about to start cooking. Do you want to help?"
Sara's face immediately brightened.
"Yes!"