Ayshe
My room was decidedly more modest than theirs, though it was sufficient for one night.
We were scheduled to collect our parents tomorrow with Asin, and perhaps Oliver would join us. Although, I wasn't entirely certain about anything anymore.
I had detected that Oliver stopped being so overtly cold after we landed, but it was too little, too late, Mr. Calculated.
Sigh. I was feeling an overwhelming volume of emotions lately. Those two men descended like a hurricane and swept all of us up in their passing, and now we both seemed to be spinning endlessly in their wake.
I didn't have to bother with unpacking; the items we purchased before the flight were already magically placed in my room by the time I entered.
I changed into one of my new outfits and closed the door behind me. My sister and I had agreed to tour the estate properly; it was truly enormous.
As I left to find her, I constantly passed politely bowing maids, and if not for the clear, logical layout of the halls, I would have certainly been lost.
I arrived at the main living room, which could accommodate our entire family house, garden and all.
My sister was giggling conspiratorially with her sister-in-law, Zerile.
"Look at this one," Zerile was showing pictures on her phone.
They were all photos of Asin when he was a child. Occasionally, a boy who looked like a younger Oliver appeared among them.
"You have known them since he was a child?" Marie asked Zerile.
"Yary and I attended the same school growing up. I spent half my childhood running after Asin and Oliver. Yary proposed to me after he started working for the company."
She seemed genuinely content, reminiscing about the past.
"Hello, everyone."
I announced my presence and sat down next to Marie.
"Did you get lost?" she asked with a mocking smile.
"No, airhead. Although one could hardly blame me if I had. This place is a veritable maze," I said, looking around the expansive room.
Zerile sympathized with me. "Marie told me you plan to take a walk around. Then you will truly see how ridiculous this entire estate is." She nodded knowingly.
"Will you join us, sister Zerile?" Marie asked.
"Unfortunately, I have a packed schedule. You are the lucky one. As a new wife, all you are expected to do is take it easy and find novel ways to kill the boredom. I will see you girls at dinner."
A maid arrived with her summer jacket and bag, and Zerile soon departed.
"Where is everyone else?" I looked at Marie.
"...The men are either working at their headquarters, or like sister Zerile and mother Seline, they are heading up a hundred different charities and organizations."
Yes, our own mother was once similarly occupied, planning events and fundraisers. I would bet good money that she and Grandma would soon find a way to ingratiate themselves into the capital's high society, now that we were part of the Martell family.
We walked around the back, followed by two silent maids, and soon encountered the family yacht—a massive, floating yacht moored right at the back with a full-time crew and captain.
"Unbelievable," I muttered under my breath.
"Mother Seline said the family sometimes goes out to the open ocean for a few days, but it is mostly used by Asin," Marie explained.
"Used by him in what capacity?" I pressed.
"...I don't know," she said, visibly pouting.
This "can't ask questions" stipulation was clearly going to drive her insane soon.
We occasionally offered nods to the numerous security guards surrounding the perimeter. There were other boats and yachts out on the ocean; being summer and possessing that kind of money meant a seemingly never-ending party.
"Do you think Asin is like that?"
"Like what?" she stopped abruptly.
"You know... like those guys," I pointed out toward the water. "A rich party animal who seduces girls by the dozen?"
I saw my sister's eyes darken and immediately regretted the comparison.
Suddenly, she pulled out her phone and, after a little fumbling, dialed his number. She had likely asked Zerile for it.
"You're calling him? And why... why are you concealing your number?"
She didn't answer, just waited, her face intent.
".. Hello?... Hellooo?..."
He picked up.
The problem, of course, is that Marie is a magnificent chicken. She immediately hit the end call button and quickly put her phone away.
"What on earth was that?" I asked, laughing.
"I heard what I needed to. No sounds of music or girls," she smiled triumphantly.
She caught my eye and walked ahead, probably a little embarrassed by her own antics.
I stopped laughing, remembering that I not only lacked Oliver's number but that it was unlikely I would ever possess it.
After some light jokes about our collective fear of dying by helicopter blades—we promised never to sit in the damn thing—we arrived at a cluster of houses that looked completely empty.
"Why are these houses here?"
Marie shook her head, and we ended up asking the maids. Apparently, they were built for the help and their families. But shortly after they were finished, Erwing Martell decided they should reside inside the mansion, and the houses were simply left as they were.
"You know, not even the internet truly knows the extent of their wealth," I mentioned in passing.
"You are entertaining nonsense."
"Who has two dozen luxury townhouses sitting empty in their backyard?" I insisted.
"They do... obviously," she struggled to justify the absurdity, but it wasn't easy without sounding ridiculous.
We finally completed a full circle, and it only took us forty-eight minutes. Perhaps moving the help inside was an act of mercy, so they wouldn't die from over-exhaustion running back and forth to the mansion.
We saw a black SUV arrive with Asin. He waved and walked toward us as the driver sped away.
"W-what... why does he look like that!?" Marie asked me as if I should possess that knowledge.
He looked like he had been in a fight but didn't act injured. I, however, was capable of rudimentary logical thinking. He had obviously had an altercation with someone, or several someones.
"Girls... what troubles you?"
I could tell he wanted to tease my sister, having already observed her on edge. Since Marie was busy blowing up like a pufferfish, I took over.
"What happened to you?"
I noted that most of the visible wounds were already cleaned and dressed, but he couldn't entirely conceal his busted lip and scraped eyebrow.
"Oh, this? Just some minor misunderstanding with the local dog walker union. They are not fond of Oliver and me sniffing around their business."
"Really?" I asked, skeptical.
"No, not really, Ayshe," Marie answered for him, her voice tight.
It was then I remembered: she couldn't ask questions, but I could.
"Hmm. Does Oliver look similarly afflicted?"
I did my utmost to sound indifferent, but my new brother-in-law was clearly smarter than that.
"No, don't worry, he's pristine. Now, if you don't mind, I'd prefer to avoid the others..."
"Don't worry. No one is home yet," I answered. Marie was terrifyingly silent, so I was forced to speak on her behalf.
He sighed and started a deliberate staring contest with Marie.
Oh, boy.
"Any questions, dear?" He asked, his smile entirely too wide.
I couldn't help but repress a smile myself, thinking of that dog bed.
She huffed dramatically and turned around, walking away from us.
He smiled from ear to ear. He was fine, despite looking a little rough.
"Seriously, where were you? What truly happened to you?" I persisted.
"I visited my second family in the slums, got joyfully beaten by a bunch of illiterate marauders, and ate my favorite comfort foods while we discussed astronomy and ancient texts. And you girls?"
I rolled my eyes. Engaging in conversation with him would be an exquisite challenge. What a random, strange man.
---
Asin
I said a short goodbye to Ayshe and went inside my... now our room.
My wife was sitting in a rocking chair, staring intently at her phone, pointedly ignoring me.
I walked and sat down on the bed.
It made me smile to inhale her perfume. What the hell was that scent? I had never once cared how other girls smelled.
Well... Once.
"Did you get into a fight?" she asked without looking up.
My smile widened. "I did. But it was far more humorous than frightening."
"What do you mean?"
"...As in, I laughed a great deal," I explained.
"You laughed? While you were being beaten?"
I sat up straight. "Hold your horses, lady. Why would you automatically assume I was beaten?"
She made a motion halfway between shrugging and shaking her head.
I suppose one would jump to that conclusion.
"Well... I was not."
"Alright."
"Alright then!"
She jumped up out of the chair. "Why are you shouting!?"
"First of all, I was not shouting. Secondly... don't just assume things, okay? You know the saying."
"Oh, I know it, dear. Don't worry. I am looking at one now."
"Clever," I said, lying back down.
What was I doing, arguing with her?
"Where was Oliver during all this?" she continued, her voice demanding.
"He was giving money to children to protect his car. But the real reason is that he is simply a good guy."
I looked up as she stomped her foot slightly and then lay back down, seemingly satisfied.
Who would ever know I was telling the truth when the truth itself was so ridiculous that no sane person would ever believe it?
"I'm going to take a shower after dinner... how... I mean, how..."
"How what?" I asked, genuinely confused.
She kept glancing between me, the bed, and me again.
The bed!
I got up quickly. I had completely forgotten about that.
"Do not worry. You will not be compelled to sleep in the same bed as me." I grabbed a pillow and made my way to the couch. "The bed is entirely yours."
She seemed slightly unsure. "...Yes. Thank you."
She walked toward the bathroom, then slammed the door shut.
"What is her problem?"
I fidgeted with my shirt buttons, listening to the water running. She was tall, with slender hips. A true beauty. When we danced, I could feel her... she was soft and smelled intoxicating. Now... she was probably wearing a sexy little...
"You can go... A-are you okay!?"
I rolled off the couch, hitting my already injured head on the floor.
She knelt down and helped me sit up, wearing only a pristine white bathrobe. Her wet hair clung to my cheeks. She reached out to brush it away, letting her hand linger, lightly caressing my skin.
"I'm... I'm fine. Just... fell asleep, I think."
I quickly got up, helping her rise as well.
"You hit your head..."
She reached out towards my head again, but I swiftly evaded her touch.
"I'm fine. Seriously. I'm going to take a shower now. You... you might want to get dressed soon."
What am I saying?
Coming out of the shower like that was... very sneaky, but also very, very... so good.
She caught me staring and wore a victorious smile.
"That's the plan."
I took one last look, since I had been caught anyway. "You do that. Good plan." I turned away and headed for the bathroom.
Not even the blast of cold water helped me forget that seductive smile.
Six months of this, huh?
---
Marie
I think I can definitely do six months of this.
It turns out Mother was absolutely correct about males in general.
'Men pretend they care about deep and sophisticated things... until we start wearing revealing clothes. Then, they become much simpler creatures.'
Thank you, Mother.
I felt my heart pounding in my chest and wondered how his was faring. I had felt his body once, when we danced. Had he felt mine?
I opened my closet, full of the clothes I had acquired since our engagement. I was interrupted by my phone ringing.
"Yes, dear sister?"
"You sound like you're in a much better mood. Did you two manage to make up?" she asked.
"Don't be silly. There was nothing to make up for yet," I lied, examining a piece of clothing. "Why did you call instead of just coming up?"
"...I urgently need you to obtain Oliver's number from your husband's phone."
I put the dress down. "What!?"
"Please! He will relentlessly mock me if I ask. I would be subjected to endless ridicule."
"I wonder what my fate would be if I asked him. Are you insane? Just ask Oliver yourself..."
"Stop talking nonsense, sister. Just go and ask him, then call me back. Love you."
"Ayshe... Ayshe? Damn you."
I quickly pulled on a dress and some light accessories, having time to replay all the embarrassing one-liners he would undoubtedly say after I asked. Besides, I couldn't possibly explain why I needed his best friend's mobile number.
No. Sorry, sister, I won't step into that minefield. I thought, checking myself in the mirror.
That's when I saw his phone, left on the couch in the reflection. That's also when a dangerous thought started to form.
Curiosity is a bitch.
I quickly went to pick it up, hoping it wouldn't have a password or biometric lock... but of course, it did.
But one thing these phones still fail at is summarizing text messages in the notification bar.
Oli.
Coming over for dinner, we have another race soon and I need to ta...
I heard the water stop, which gave me just enough time to sit down on the bed, grab my own phone, and open a random application.
He walked out wearing simple jeans and a black shirt. With his dark hair and complexion, anything looked good on him.
After a quick glance at me, he looked around the room until he located his phone and... put it away without even looking at it.
"Ready, my wife?" he asked.
I had a hard time acting normal, or walking normally, but I just nodded and took his outstretched hand.
'...we have another race soon...'
Who exactly are you, Asin Martell?
"Yes. Lead the way, my husband."