Chapter 05

Hayden's POV

“So, the first phase of your plan is now finally complete, congratulations man...”

 My best friend said sipping his glass of whiskey, the hotel bar was becoming stuffier by the second I knew we should have reserved this place but my best friend had insisted that we didn't because he wanted to find some cheap girl to pick up for the night.

 “It's hardly time to even begin celebrating, I'm still very far from what I actually want, Ray.”

 “Well the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step my dear friend...” he said as he signaled the attacks will refill his glass again.

“But why did you lie to her that you were going on a business trip?"

 I knew that he was eventually going to ask this question.

 ” There's no need for me to be around her if she isn't going to be of use to me yet.“I replied the same glass of whiskey that I had been holding while my friend was on his third.

 ”True, true...“He nodded.

 ” But that doesn't really answer my question: why did you have to tell her you were going somewhere else when you were just going to be in town?“

  ”Does that even matter?"

 I groaned.

 “I didn't know that you just called me here for a long interview if I did I would have just remained in bed,”

  After I said that, a sudden silence penetrated the both of us in the midst of our conversation.

 “Hayden I'm worried about you, how can you even keep going on with this when you can't stand to be in the same room as that woman? Can't you just let it go? You don't need to...”

 “This is the last time we're going to be having this conversation, you should know that I can never let go of this...”

 My fingers gripped the glass in their grasp with all but enough force to shatter it into pieces.

 “Even if I wanted to forget about it every single night every SINGLE night, for the past 19 years I've dreamt about it... I was relieved the day that my entire life went into flames."

 My hands were now shaking with fury as flashes of that terrible day came to my mind when I was nothing more than a child. They didn't say anything about the dark world that surrounded him.

 ”Hayden...“

My friend's grip on my shoulder brought me back to the present.

 I shook off his hand.

 ” You can keep drinking by yourself but I'm going to bed now,“

He suddenly grabbed me by my arm.

” Now where do you think you're running off to without a cute chick to warm up your bed?"

 “I can't...”

“Why? are you married now?"

 He said in a joking tone.

 ”Yes,“I said simply.

 His eyes widened up as if they were going to pop right out of their sockets.

 ” That was one of the few conditions that she stated in the contract- We would not cheat on each other...“

 I said to him getting off the bar stool.

 ”I'll see you later then.“

 Sarah Lane.

 Well now *officially* Sarah Smith, but she will only remain as my wife on paper and nothing else.

 After all, she was nothing more than a master pawn for my plan and that was exactly what she would remain. All that was left was for her to recover fully so the next phase of my plan would go into motion.

 As I was about to rest my head on my pillow the ringing of my phone brought me back to full consciousness again, I groaned who was disturbing my sleep so late at nig-

 ”Sorry, have you slept?“

 Oh, it was my *wife* 

 ” I was about to when I got a sudden unexpected call...“I could not help the tone of irritation that slipped into my voice as I spoke to her. She either didn't notice it or maybe she just chose to ignore it, either way I was relieved that she didn't ask.

 ” I just wanted to ask how your flight was...“

 I glanced at the clock. It was already thirty minutes after one. Had she actually stayed up this late just to ask me how my *flight* was?

 ”It was as comfortable as any first class flight would be, anything else?"

 “Have you eaten?"

 As if on cue my stomach growled as she asked that question.

 ”I guess not, you should get something to eat.“

 My fingers gripped the phone tight, just hearing her voice alone was enough to make my blood boil and force my stomach to twist up.

 ” It's already late, there's no point in doing that now...“

 Why was I given to explaining myself to her in the first place at all? I felt like punching myself.

 ” Look, Sarah, I think there are some things we need to make clear and some boundaries that need to be established...“

 ”Go on...“she probed me

 ”This is not a real marriage..."I stated clearly.

"In case that was not clear to you before, note that I did not ask you to sign that contract because I was interested in you, honestly you are not even my type of lady...“

 I was expecting her to become provoked but she was still listening to me calmly and that made my blood boil even more.

 ” So what are you trying to say with all this?"She asked me and I said without missing a beat.

 “We are only husband and wife on paper and nothing else, so there is no need to call me in the early hours of the morning to ask whether I had a good flight or if I've eaten... Such sentimental courtesy doesn't need to exist between us.”

 After I said this she just sighed.

 “Even so, we are not enemies are we? asking how you are shouldn't be overstepp-"

 I cut the call at that moment.

 This woman.

I needed to teach her her place.