Fake marriage, real feelings

Trystan and I getting married was, in truth, an accident.

Two years ago, right after Miles went abroad, I was wallowing in a state of profound misery. I wandered the streets, cursing him a thousand times over in my head.

I was so deep in my internal tirade that I accidentally stepped on a dog. Its yelps snapped me back to reality. I looked up to find myself meeting the gaze of a handsome man across from me who was busy chewing on a piece of bread.

Back then, Trystan was nonchalantly holding a leash in one hand and his bread in the other, chewing slowly. Even though I’d just trampled his dog, he remained perfectly composed, merely giving the leash a light tug so the dog could move to his side.

"I’m sorry, I wasn't paying attention," I blurted out instinctively.

He shook his head. Just then, a loud shout erupted from behind us.

Trystan took off running with his dog, and by reflex, I ran right after him. We ran until I was drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.

When we finally ducked into a bubble tea shop for cover, Trystan looked outside. He didn't seem tired at all. "Why did you follow me?" he asked.

"Huh? Oh." I was a bit dazed. My first reaction was to curse him silently. Had I followed him all that way only to be asked that? Then I realized he was right. Why had I followed him?

I stayed silent. Trystan didn't say anything else either.

I wiped away my sweat and prepared to head home, but he called out to me. "Are you single?"

I blinked, confused. "Single. Why?"

"Marry me."

"..." The proposal was so blunt that it was bizarre. I started to decline. "No..."

"Twenty million."

I sat right back down and smoothed my hair. "You’ve got a deal, handsome."

I might be able to live without love in this life, but how much money could I really earn on my own?

And so, we became husband and wife in name only. Trystan said he wouldn't tie me down and that we could divorce whenever the time was right. It was a deal I couldn't possibly lose.

As the car pulled into the Evergreen Hall estate, I froze slightly. "This isn't where I stay."

"I know."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

"You're sleeping here tonight."

"..."

I glanced at him, the words catching in my throat. The car stopped in front of the villa, but I sat perfectly still.

Trystan grew impatient. He leaned over, looking at me through the window. "Do you want me to carry you out?"

I shivered instantly. "No, no. Trystan, how can you break your word like this? We had an agreement. Have you forgotten already? I never took you for that kind of man."

"..." He replied calmly, "You just said a whole lot of things that make zero sense. Is it a lack of IQ on my part, or is there something wrong with your head?"

I stared at him, speechless.

After a few seconds of eye contact, he realized what I was implying. He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Theresa, do I look that starved to you?"

"..."

I silently climbed out of the car.

Inside the villa, the lights were brilliant, illuminating every corner. Everything seemed to scream "wealth."

Just as I stepped through the door, someone was coming down the stairs. It was a woman in a nightgown, clearly fresh from a shower. Her skin was porcelain, and she was stunning.

I immediately spun around, bumping straight into Trystan as he walked in. I gave a forced laugh. "Did I come at a bad time? Am I interrupting something?"

"..."

Trystan looked over my shoulder. "Is it just you?"

The woman's voice was airy. "He’s still showering on the second floor."

I frowned, feeling a bit dazed by the exchange.

The sound of the door closing echoed behind me. Trystan looked at me and calmly made the arrangements. "You’re on the third floor. There’s a bathroom there."

I nodded and followed him. As we passed the second floor, I heard the sound of running water and couldn't help but ask, "You don't live here alone?"

"The person you just met is my sister, Charlie Abbott. She just got back from the airport tonight and is staying over for a bit."

I nodded as realization dawned on me. "Your sister is gorgeous," I remarked.

Trystan glanced back at me. Feeling a bit awkward, I grinned and corrected myself. "Our sister is gorgeous."

"They probably won't leave until noon tomorrow." Trystan led me into the room, stepped into the bathroom to check if the showerhead was working, and continued, "You’ll need to be sharp. Charlie is somewhat intelligent."

I got a bit sidetracked. "Why only 'somewhat'?"

"Because I'm smarter."

"..."

After my shower, I sat at the vanity, carefully removing my makeup.

A message popped up on Facebook. It was from Tyler. He and Miles were very close, and they had stayed in touch even while Miles was abroad.

Back then, Miles had sent me that voice note and deleted it before I could even reply, likely fearing Lilah might see it. I had responded by blocking him and closing off all avenues for him to add me as a friend.

Tyler’s message was brief, a mere notification telling me to turn my friend requests back on because someone wanted to add me.

I replied, "Not happening."

He shot back quickly, "Really? What if I told you it was Miles?"

Back in school, he loved using Miles’s name to pressure me. He was still doing it now, even knowing full well what Miles did two years ago.

I typed back nonchalantly, "Your father could try to add me, and the answer would still be no."

Tyler: "..."

He didn't message me again, and I settled into bed for a good night's sleep.

I’m usually a deep sleeper, but it took me until about one in the morning to drift off. The next morning, I didn't even bother looking in the mirror after washing up. I headed downstairs with my hair still a mess.

The moment I saw Charlie, dressed impeccably and pouring milk on the first floor, I jolted wide awake.

Damn it. I’d forgotten I wasn't at my own place.

Charlie happened to look up at me. There are many ways to die, so why did I have to die of embarrassment?

But Charlie clearly didn't mind. A faint smile played on her lips. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with sharp, radiant features like a movie star. And she was bare-faced. Completely bare-faced.

Her eyes and brows bore a resemblance to Trystan’s. Their family truly had incredible genes.

"Come have breakfast, Theresa," she said.

I awkwardly smoothed down my hair and pointed upstairs. "You guys go ahead. Charlie, let me go back up and brush my hair..."

"No need." She stopped me. "There’s a set on the first floor. It's more convenient. I'll go get it for you."

"Oh... thank you." I was a bit surprised by the favor.

There was another man at the dining table. He was leaning over a newspaper, not participating in the conversation. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked refined and scholarly.

When Charlie was pouring the milk earlier, he had leaned in slightly, his hand resting on her waist to make sure she didn't slip. Clearly, this was Trystan’s brother-in-law.

Once I was seated, I asked, "Where’s Trystan?"

The moment the words left my mouth, both Charlie and her husband looked at me. Charlie answered first. "He showers every morning. Didn't you know?"

"..."

Oh, lord. Why was there a detail like that?

I gave a strained laugh. "I didn't sleep well last night. I forgot."

"Didn't sleep well?" Charlie lowered her head to stir her milk with a spoon, a knowing smile on her face. "And yet, he still has so much energy."