The sun cast warm golden lines through the curtains, slowly waking Callum.
The ceiling above him was unfamiliar. The room smelled of sweat, torn fabric, and the faint metallic scent of blood. His body ached everywhere, and he felt a dull pressure against his shoulder.
It was her.
HER WIFE.
She was nestled close to him. Her arm draped comfortably across his waist, matched with her breathing. A few loose strands of hair playfully brushed his cheek.
Callum looked at her, then turned to the window as if seeking solace in the world outside to calm the tempest brewing within.
However, the bright, almost peaceful view irritated him instead.
As he recalled the chains, he could taste the bitterness of the union. He remembered the arguments that had escalated into something neither of them could take back. He had felt the urge to push her away, to escape the room, to silence the unbearable conflict within himself.
But he also remembered the moment he surrendered.
He closed his eyes. He would not dare admit that the night wasn't a nightmare. Nor would he allow himself to forget the shadows that had woven their fates together.
His gaze settled on his phone on the lampside beside their bed.
DAHLIA.
The name jarred him back to the present, a stark reminder of the day ahead. Her mother's hospital appointment was today, and preparations for the bone marrow donation were slated to begin early in the morning.
With slow movements, Callum lifted Sera's arm from his waist. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His muscles ached as he sat up, but he felt determined. He made his way to their bathing space, finding solace in the hope that soap and water could cleanse his sin against his heart.
He gazed into the mirror in their changing room. His fingers hesitated, tracing the marks left by his restraints. After a thoughtful pause, he confidently buttoned his shirt.
The mattress shifted behind him.
"Leaving already?" Sera's voice was rough with sleep, yet her tone held a trained composure.
He turned to her. She had propped herself against the headboard, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, covering her precious territories. Her gaze traveled from his face to his wrists before returning to meet his eyes.
There was no embarrassment in her expression nor an apology.
"We have to leave for the hospital," he replied evenly.
"Eventually."
"But it seems you are not planning to do so."
One corner of her mouth lifted in a teasing smirk.
"How fortunate for you! I am determined to fulfill the condition I set."
Callum looked away, suppressing the flicker of emotion that threatened to betray him. He reached for his watch, nestled among scattered buttons, fastening it around his wrist.
"The driver should be ready within the hour." She added.
"The driver?"
"Unless you've decided that being my husband means the driver is no longer needed."
"I will drive; the fewer people meeting Dahlia, the safer she is."
Sera studied him, a strange, infuriating composure reigning in her expression. He spoke as if nothing had happened. It was not what she wanted to see.
She had expected anger, perhaps an accusation, or the cutting words of a man determined to make her regret the previous night. Instead, here he was, arranging their departure.
"You are unexpectedly calm," she interrupted. "You could have hit me," she continued.
"I'm not interested in giving you a performance."
His words hung in the air like a thick fog, creating a palpable silence that enveloped them. She hesitated, processing the gravity of what had been said; a shadow crossed her face, and the curves of her features deepened.
Callum pivoted to face her, his expression hardening. "Whatever happened last night does not change why I married you."
Sera's expression became still. It was neither startled nor wounded in a way she would allow him to recognize.
Callum pressed on before she could interrupt. "However, I will continue to live my life fulfilling my duty to you, and last night was merely a completion."
"You make it sound so noble."
"It wasn't noble. It was a man's basic decency."
He maintained her gaze and added, "And never mistake my obedience for affection."
Silence enveloped them.
Outside the windows, the sky shifted from yellow to a clear blue. Sera stood from the bed and walked towards him, his skin bared confidently.
"And what about last night?" she asked with a steady voice.
Callum's jaw tightened. "What about it?"
"It wasn't just obedience. It was you devouring me."
"No."
"Then what are you going to call it?"
He didn't answer immediately. He could have labeled it a mistake. He could have blamed the drug, the chains, her insistence, or the terrible confusion between lust and pain.
But he refused to use the word 'mistake'.
"I'll call it what it was," he said at last. "A night that marked us both with no escape." He paused. "And can you cover up?" He added, throwing a pillow to her.
Sera caught it, her face inscrutable.
"We saw everything last night. There's no need to hide."
She paused and threw the pillow back to him. "And if I tell you I don't regret it?"
"That is your decision."
"And if I tell you I want more?"
The air thickened as she kept approaching, and her words danced tantalizingly and terrifying all at once.
Now, she stood barely an inch away from him, her toes just brushing against his heel. She met his gaze with an intensity that made his heart race. "I know you can no longer do it," she said, her voice tinged with challenge. Without waiting for a response, she turned and made her way towards the bathing area, her movements fluid and purposeful.
Callum felt the weight of her words settle heavily on him. He almost opened the door to escape, but then Sera's voice rang out, clear and commanding, "Darling, prepare my clothes."
A mixture of irritation and disbelief coursed through him as he replied, "Why should I?"
Her response was laced with a hint of playful authority, "Didn't you say you would be obedient and would fulfill your duty?"
Frustrated, Callum rubbed his temples, trying to stave off the growing headache. He walked toward their dressing room; a soft rustle of fabric echoed in the stillness as he searched for her dresses. Just as he had already picked a plain blue dress, Sera called out again, her tone demanding yet sweet, "Darling, I prefer to wear your clothes today. I don't want my dresses."
Callum immediately answered, "STOP IT." A sudden understanding ignited his eyes. He could tell that her passionate requests were more than just a whimsical challenge.
But later, he still did as told.