MAYA'S POV
The wedding was small, just like Alexander promised. But it was the most beautiful wedding I had ever seen.
It happened in his parents' big garden. White flowers were everywhere. There were only a few chairs. On Alexander's side sat his mother and father, his assistant Marcus, and a few serious-looking business friends. On my side, only my mother and my sister Mia.
Alexander stood at the front, waiting for me. He wore a perfect black suit. His face showed no emotion.
I walked to him. My simple white dress brushed against the grass. I did not feel like a real bride. I felt like I was acting in a play.
The man who was marrying us spoke some words. Then he looked at Alexander.
"Alexander," he said. "Please say your vows."
Alexander took both my hands. His hands were warm and strong. He looked straight into my eyes.
"Maya," he began, his voice clear and sure. "I am here today because I choose to be. Not because I have to be."
His thumb moved softly over my hand. The small touch felt real. It felt gentle.
"I promise to be your safe place," he said. "I will protect you. I will care for you. I will stand beside you every day. I will honor you. I take you, Maya Mayfair, to be my wife. To love and to hold. To keep you safe. From this day forward, forever."
He said the words "to love." My heart jumped. He said them like he truly meant them.
Then it was my turn. I was nervous. My voice shook.
"Alexander," I said. "I take you to be my husband. I promise to be true to you. I promise to stand with you. I will try every day to be the partner you need. From this day forward, forever."
My vows were simple. Not as beautiful as his. For one second, I saw something in his eyes. Maybe disappointment. Then it was gone.
The man smiled. "Now, the rings, please."
Marcus stepped forward with a small box. Alexander took out a smooth, silver-colored ring. He slid it onto my finger. It felt cool and solid. It felt permanent.
"By the power given to me, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" the man said happily. "Alexander, you may kiss your bride."
Alexander's hands came up and held my face. He looked into my eyes. This time, I saw real feeling in his eyes. Deep, strong feeling. Then he kissed me.
This kiss was different from our first kiss. The first kiss was soft and searching. This kiss was deep and sure. It felt like he was claiming me as his. His lips were warm and firm. I kissed him back without thinking. I held onto his arms. For those few seconds, I forgot about our contract. I forgot about the people watching. There was only his mouth on mine and the strong feel of his body.
Then, he stopped. He rested his forehead against mine for one brief moment. I could feel his warm breath. Then he stepped back. His face was calm again. Like nothing had happened.
Everyone stood up and clapped. I turned and saw my mother crying. Mia was jumping up and down, clapping loudly.
"You did it!" Mia mouthed to me, her eyes bright.
My mother pulled me into a tight hug. "My brave, sweet girl," she whispered in my ear. Her voice was thick with tears. "The way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching… just be careful. Come home whenever you can. And… thank you. For doing this for us."
"I love you, Mama," I whispered back, my own eyes filling with tears.
I threw my small bouquet of flowers into the air. Mia caught it easily. She laughed a loud, happy laugh that made me smile.
All too soon, it was over. Alexander guided me to a long, black car. We got in. The door closed, and the world outside became quiet.
We drove away from his parents' big house.
"You did well today," Alexander said. He was looking out the window, not at me.
"Thank you," I replied softly.
"And you look…" he began. He finally turned his head. His eyes moved slowly over my face, my hair, my dress. "…truly beautiful."
The word, spoken in his cool voice, felt like a warm touch. I looked down at my hands. "It's just the dress," I mumbled.
"No," he said, his voice firm. He turned back to the window. "It is not the dress. It is you."
---
The car stopped in front of a very tall, shiny building in the middle of London. We rode an elevator all the way to the top. The doors opened directly into the penthouse.
It was enormous. One whole wall was windows. You could see the entire city below. Everything was white, gray, and glass. It was stunning, but it felt empty. Like a museum. There were no photographs. No books. No signs of real life.
Alexander walked inside. His shoes made no sound on the pale wood floor.
"This," he said, pointing to a door painted a soft cream color, "is your room." Then he pointed to a large, polished dark brown door right next to it. "And this one is mine."
I stared at him, confused. "But… Alexander, it is our wedding night. I thought we would…"
"You thought wrong," he said, cutting me off. His voice was cold. "We are both tired. It has been a long day. Change out of your dress. Dinner will be ready in one hour."
He turned the handle of his own door. "If you need anything, you may knock."
Then he went inside and closed the door.
I was left alone in the huge, silent, beautiful space. His words felt like a slap. On our wedding night, he was sending me to sleep in a separate room.
I walked to my room and opened the door.
It took my breath away. It was bigger than my whole family home. The bed was huge, with a soft gray velvet headboard. A sparkling chandelier hung from the ceiling. There was a comfortable chair by the window. The walk-in closet was larger than my old bedroom. It was a room fit for a princess in a fairy tale. But it felt like a golden cage.
In the bathroom, a deep marble bathtub was already filled with hot water. Bubbles floated on top. The air smelled like jasmine flowers. Someone had prepared this for me. It was a small kindness in this cold, perfect place.
I took off my beautiful wedding dress. I let it fall to the floor. I stepped into the hot water with a sigh. The warmth soaked into my tired muscles. I closed my eyes. For the first time all day, I was truly alone. No one watching. No one expecting me to act a certain way.
I drifted into sleep. My mind was full of pictures—Alexander's intense eyes during the kiss, my mother's tearful face, the final sound of his bedroom door closing.
The water was getting cold when a sharp knock on the bathroom door woke me up.
"Maya." It was Alexander's voice. He did not sound cold now. He sounded tense. Almost worried.
I sat up, water splashing. "I am here! I am sorry, I fell asleep."
"You have been in there for eighty minutes," he said through the door. His voice was firm. "Are you feeling sick?"
"No, I am fine. Just very tired. I will be out in a minute."
There was a heavy silence. Then I heard my bedroom door open and close. He was inside my room.
"Open the door, Maya." His voice was a command. It was clear and left no room for argument.
My heart began to pound. I was naked in the bathtub. "Alexander, I am not… I do not have any clothes on."
"Open the door." His voice was closer now. He was right on the other side of the wood. He did not sound angry. He sounded sure, controlled, and completely serious. "Now."