CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

—MAGGIE ELIZABETH SMITH—

"Come in," Liam replied emotionlessly when I knocked on his door, which was slightly ajar. I had brought him a hot cup of coffee. He had just come home from work and gone straight to his room.

"Hi." I greeted him with a wide smile. "I made you a coffee. Here, while it's still hot." I offered.

"Thanks, but I already had coffee earlier before I came home," he said without even looking at me.

"Are you busy?" An obvious question, but I still asked. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off the papers that maybe needed his signature. He's been working all day, but even here at home, he's still working.

"Well, obviously, yes." I thought so. "Do you need anything, Maggie?" For a moment, I was fixated on the coffee in my hand. What I really wanted was to have a conversation with him while he sipped his coffee. I was curious about his day – if it was good, or if something had gotten under his skin. The kind of topics couples usually discuss.

"I... Just want to—"

He handed me his credit card. "Here's my credit card. Use it and buy yourself something."

"But—" I wanted to decline his offer, but he insisted that I accept it. This wasn't my intention for coming to him now. I didn't need money; I needed his time. I felt slightly insulted that he thought I was approaching him because I needed financial help.

"If you don't need anything else, you can leave now. I'm busy, Maggie. Please." With that, I just did as he asked. I guess I caught him at a bad time.

I headed straight to the kitchen to throw away the coffee I brought. After washing the cup, I went to my room. I simply placed the credit card he handed me earlier on my side table. I had no intention of using it, so I'll just return it to him tomorrow.

Liam and I have separate rooms. After our wedding, he requested that we have separate rooms. He also asked me not to tell his grandfather about our arrangement. Even the maids are keeping quiet about it.

I threw myself onto my bed the moment I entered my room. I stared blankly at the ceiling until I felt tears falling. Three years. Three years have passed since we got married, but our setup remains the same. Despite living under the same roof, my love for him only deepens. I've tried to get his attention countless times. I've made countless attempts to get him to notice me. But just like earlier, I failed. How long will I keep doing this? Doesn't he have any feelings for me, even the slightest?

The next morning, I woke up early to prepare breakfast. When I entered the kitchen, I found Manang Melba already there, cracking eggs into a bowl.

"Good morning, Manang Melba," I said, smiling warmly at the kindly housekeeper, whose gentle face and plump figure had become a familiar comfort in our household over the years.

"Good morning to you too, hija," she replied. "Are you cooking for Sir Liam again?"

"Same as usual, Manang," I replied cheerfully. Manang Melba looked at me briefly, then let out a soft sigh.

"Why do you still insist on cooking for him when you know he won't touch it?" Manang Melba asked, her voice tinged with sympathy. I forced a smile, trying to brush off the sadness that threatened to surface.

"Tsk, Manang! I don't like that tone. Come on, you know what will happen if you keep that up - my cooking will lose its flavor!" She burst out laughing when she caught my drift. After all, she and I were the ones who ended up eating the meals I prepared when Liam didn't touch them.

"You silly," she said with a chuckle. "Alright, take over what I'm cooking and I'll leave you to it. See you later!" She waved goodbye and I nodded, diving into the cooking task at hand.

Just as I finished setting the table, Liam descended the stairs, looking adorably disheveled. His hair was a mess, and his eyes still held a sleepy glaze. Even in his just-rolled-out-of-bed state, he managed to look irresistibly handsome.

"Good morning, Liam!" I chimed, trying to sound cheerful. "Don't you have work today?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. Normally, he's already dressed and out the door by this hour. Seeing him like this, disheveled and sleepy, was a rare sight. He looked momentarily startled to find me in the kitchen, as if he hadn't expected me to be up and about so early.

"I decided not to work today. I already informed Cherry and she'll take care of everything while I'm out," he said. Cherry is his secretary, whom I've met once before when I visited his office.

"What do you mean? Are you leaving?" I asked, puzzled, as he scooped rice onto his plate. In three years, this was probably the first time I'd get to have breakfast with him. And I was really happy about that!

"We. We're leaving," he said with a smile. "Grandpa called last night and wants to see us." My face lit up with excitement. I was ecstatic about seeing Grandpa Enrico again after a year apart - I had really missed him. But the thought of taking a trip with Liam was what truly made my heart skip a beat.

For others, this might seem like a trivial reason to be happy, but for me, it's a milestone moment with my husband. We're usually independent, each with our own cars, and I can count on one hand the number of times we've ridden together. One of those times was when we visited Grandpa, and I'm grateful for the chance to relive that experience. We need to present a united front, or Grandpa will grow suspicious and start asking awkward questions - something Liam particularly dislikes. And now, it seems I'll get to spend some precious time with him again.

"Hey, Maggie! Are you listening?" I snapped back to reality, realizing that Liam had been trying to talk to me for a while.

"Ha? Ahh, yeah! What is it again?"

"Alright, never mind. Finish eating, then get ready so we can leave early. And don't forget to pack some clothes - we'll be staying there for a week," he reminded me.

"What's going on? Why do we need to stay for a whole week?" I asked, trying to sound casual despite the excitement brewing inside me. Who wouldn't be thrilled at the prospect of spending seven days with their husband? But our reality is far from ideal. With his busy schedule, we barely see each other at home, and when we do, it's fleeting. He's always holed up in his room, leaving me feeling like a solo occupant of our marital home. I'm married, technically, but the isolation makes me feel like I'm still flying solo.

"Nothing. Grandpa just wants us to stay there for a week," he said between bites. His face showed that he wasn't happy with his grandfather's request.

"And you said yes?" I asked.

"I couldn't say no to him, you know that. He'll just keep pestering me." I slightly smiled, knowing he saw it. "Maggie, just to remind you, we have our agreement, okay? We may be married, but you know why I agreed to marry you. We'll file for annulment once the company is transferred to my name." With what he said, my smile slowly faded away.

We had secretly agreed on those terms. At the time, it was easy for me to go along with what he wanted because my feelings for him weren't as intense. I had liked him, but now my emotions run much deeper. As time passed, I've grown to love him, though I'm not quite sure when or how it happened. All I know is that one day, I realized I'd fallen for him. Now, it pains me whenever he brings up the annulment.

°°°F.G°°°