Chapter 2

Sierra

I gulped and fought hard in order for tears not to spill out from my already shocked eyes. I had seen him angry a few times but this was a first as he has never shouted at me before. He always kept his distance and didn't want anything to do with me since our marriage but the reality had just settled more into me about how much a big mistake I made to be married to the man glaring at me.

If eyes could kill, I would have been dead right on my spot right now due to the fire of ignited hatred for me in his silver orbs. I recalled his mother's words and why I was chosen to be his wife. But now I knew that promise to which I made to his mother wasn't going to come true now. It was impossible to change the beast I had now known in front of me.

I didn't know a single thing about him in our one year of marriage as he barely came home and spent most of his time at the office or his second home. We were poles apart and never saw eye to eye which still made me wonder why he was putting up with me all this time.

“Get that through your fucking skull!” I flinched at his hard and loud deep tone and quickly gave him a nod. “Now throw the phone away! Am already upset as it is because of a fucking idiot who wants to screw over my deal! Fuck!” He heaved a deep sigh before slightly smoothening his hair a bit to avoid it being messy. He turned back to the window and I did the same which gave birth to utter silence at the backseat of the car.

It took us about an hour to reach his parents' villa. It was by the countryside in the outskirts of Spain. I had visited this residence once for my wedding reception venue. Apparently that was the last time I saw my parents face to face as they returned to the US. A lone tear slipped out from my eyes and I quickly wiped it off before the car parked into the driveway.

He came out immediately not waiting for me but found him standing by the car before I took deep breaths. It was only for the event. Everything was going to go as usual. We wouldn't be able to see each other for a long time and it will just be as it has always been for a year now. I wasn't allowed to work because Mason despised women having power in society which was bull crap in my opinion.

I stepped out slowly checking myself once more before Mason came over to my side and raised his elbows to my front. Knowing the cue, I wrapped my small hands around his upper elbow but heard him whisper to me. “You know your job Sierra. Act like the perfect wife with a bright smile on your face. You're pretty so it should cover your gloomy life.” I bit my lip feeling his harsh words piercing me deep inside. How I wished to run away from his life I placed myself in but knew I couldn't. I was bound. I was committed and there wasn't any going back now.

“Mr De Luan? It's you. I thought as much.” I heard a man's voice from behind us and we both turned to meet an advanced man probably in his late forties accompanied by a young gorgeous woman by his side. Judging by Mason's reaction, it was clear he knew him from somewhere.

He left me to share a hug with the man once they were in front of us. I got into my character of playing the perfect wife and smiled at the woman before giving her a side hug and a kiss on the cheeks as an elegant courtesy.

“Happy one year wedding anniversary Mr De Luan. And to you too Mrs.” I smiled and thanked the man for his nice greetings before resuming my hand around Mason's arms. “Wow! You two look good together. Congratulations.” I smiled at the woman next and soon I knew the couple to be Mr and Mrs Vietro. Mr Vietro's father happened to be business partners with Mason's father in the past. I got to know from their brief conversations.

Soon many people drove into the villa and atimes I hated a large crowd of people especially when I was the center of attention and tonight was that night. I got in to be welcomed with a beautiful decorative ambience. The entire hallway was beautifully decorated with bright little chandelier lights twinkling above the dimly lit hall. I let out a small surprised gasp as I walked along with Mason. Many guests passed us but didn't miss to congratulate us on our one milestone in our marriage. If only they knew how unhappy we both were.

We were directed to the back of the mansion where the venue was being held. On reaching there, we were both welcomed with the loudest of applauses from the massive guests that arrived to celebrate our anniversary. I smiled and slightly waved my hands out of courtesy before my eyes rested on Mason's parents. His mother Mrs Belle looked very elegant in her wine colored dress.

Mason left me to share a hug with his father while I shared a hug with Mrs Belle.

“Many and many congratulations sweetie. Am so thrilled that my son and you managed to work things out because my son has stayed in this marriage for this long. Thank you Sierra. I knew you were the right choice for my son.” I forced a tight smile at her words. She did comfort me with her words of encouragement but didn't have the heart to shatter them to pieces by telling her the bitter truth about our marriage.

The bitter truth that required me to live indoors all the hours of the day doing nothing and living the life like the trapped princess locked in a tower. That was my life for one year straight and still moving at the pace. Lord knows how long I had managed to survive and not gone insane from being trapped indoors all this time.

“I hope my son treats you well dear?” She asked me and I gulped pausing but before I could speak, I felt a cold hand wrapping around my waist tightly causing me to become stiff instantly. His cologne had made me to recognize him immediately.

“Of course I treat her well mom. Everything is fine, right darling?” Mason turned his face to me and I quickly nodded forcing out a smile. I saw Mrs Belle sighing in relief before her husband came to me and hugged me. The smile on his face showed his satisfaction of seeing Mason and I still together despite knowing Mason's indifferent nature. I guess they all thought I had managed to keep him under my control. I chuckled bitterly in my thoughts.

I got shifted out of my thoughts upon hearing the sound of a glass. I looked up to see Diana, Mason's step sister. She was hitting her glass with a teaspoon to gather everyone's attention.

“Attention everyone. As you know tonight is a special night for my family. My elder brother Mason has just completed his one year wedding anniversary with his wife today! So I would like to raise a toast to that ladies and gentlemen.” She spoke very fluently and elegantly before raising her glass. All the guests followed suit while a waiter walked up to us handing Mason and I our own glasses.

“Cheers!” Everyone raised their glasses before each taking a sip from their glass and soon all eyes were on us. Some with genuine smiles while others seemed to be faking their smiles and happiness for us. Those people who faked their happiness were Mrs Liliana and her son Joel. Mrs Liliana was Mason's father Mr Cyrus De Luan's first wife and Joel was Mason's elder brother.

I knew fake smiles when I saw one because I often saw myself in the mirror whenever I had to pretend to be happy for my husband's sake. Many of the guests came to congratulate us personally and time flew by. My legs were already sore from standing for so long. Mason had gone to discuss business related matters with Mr Cyrus while Mrs Belle checked up on me once in a while.

I took a seat and had some orange juice to reduce my porched throat. I watched the scene of everyone conversing to some people and I knew that everyone here belonged to the higher class society. I on the other hand knew no one here at my own wedding anniversary except for Mason's family.

As usual, I got bored of everything around me before I felt my phone beep in a message alert. It was from my mom and she had sent a message wishing me a happy wedding anniversary. I sighed and wondered why she didn't call me instead of sending a text message. Sometimes I felt whether they were keeping some distance away from me as I hardly got to talk with them since I got married. Probably having gotten rid of their burden, it seemed fair but I didn't want to sound ungrateful at the same time. They had done a lot for me and doing this small sacrifice to establish my father's company back to it's glory was something I could make.

“Where's your husband Sierra? He's nowhere to be seen?” I recognized that voice anywhere. Joel grabbed a seat nearby and came to sit next to me. He smiled at me slurring at me making me feel disgusted to look at him. I slightly frowned and wanted to move but seeing me sitted at a very open area, I tried to avoid any scene.

“Your husband has left you again, am I right Sierra?” He chuckled putting his face closer to mine making me to perceive the stench of alcohol coming from his mouth. “Are you drunk Joel?” I asked him with a bold frown and distaste in my expression. He chuckled more loudly at my words. “Am not drunk Sierra. I only had two or three shots of tequila and that's all. Am very tolerant of alcohol my dear sister-in-law.” His slurping voice was making me sick and wanted to get up from there immediately.

“Where are you going?! Am not done talking to you damn it!” He was furious at me and grabbed me by the arm. All I wanted was to get out of here right now. From the first time I met Joel, my soul was always on alert because his entire presence screamed nothing but bad news all around.

I didn't know much about Mason's family as we barely visited them only on special dinners and public events. I knew Joel was married but had no kids of his own. There were rumors of him being impotent and there was a strict rule that was against adoption in the De Luan family. Joel always had a dark look on his face everytime I saw him and tonight was no different.

“Let me go Joel,” I whispered but made sure I was audible to him but he simply smirked looking at me with a strange lustful look in his green eyes for me. My body tensed and was getting to panicked mode. I was still a bit calm because I knew he wouldn't do anything to me in public as we were among many people.

He shined his white teeth enjoying my tensed body which only got more hyper when he reached his hands to touch my arms. My eyes widened in horror and my mouth went dry. What a shameless pervert he was! “Let go of me Joel. Don't create a scene here. Y-your father won't like it...” I tried to reason with him but apparently the drink had gotten control over his senses.

I shrieked more feeling his large hands roaming my thighs next. It took everything in me not to scream at him right now and ruin it all. But then thought of the De Luan's reputation. Just then another large hand grabbed a hold of Joel's halting his movements on my thighs. I saw the tattoo of a red heart with the letter M pierced into the heart. I knew immediately whose callous hands those belonged to.

“Let go of my wife bastard!” Mason whispered in a deep yet threatening tone matching his glare towards Joel who didn't back down either. I immediately moved aside a bit away from Joel much to my relief.

Joel chuckled now and taunted Mason. “Quit the act Mason. I know you and Sierra don't see each other behind closed doors. Infact I can bet you two haven't had sex before since your wedding. How ironic for you to come to the rescue now. Pathetic Mason.” My heart dropped wondering if we were that obvious. If Joel figured it out, then the chances the entire family will know about it is higher.

I glanced a quick look at Mason and he didn't seem to care in the slightest that Joel knew about our pretence. On the contrary, he smirked at Joel and responded. “Even if you had the slightest bit of chance to sleep with my wife, you couldn't and we both know that.” Mason's reply seemed to strike Joel hard as his face hardened instantly.

Mason chuckled lowly at Joel. “If you could even put your fucking cock straight up in your wife's pussy, there would have been an heir by now in the family, right?” Joel was grinding his teeth in sheer anger right now and I got frightened at the sight. Guns, weapons, violence and blood weren't my special friends and the last thing I wanted was for a brawl to occur between these two.

“You piece of dead shit!” Joel growled lowly making Mason to smile triumphantly. He threw Joel's hand and held mine pushing me up to my feet before dragging me from the backyard of the mansion. His hold on my wrist was strong and tight making it slightly painful for me. I hissed while he didn't care to listen to my painful hisses. He simply dragged me towards the hall where we had some privacy.

I sighed out loud in relief the moment he let go of my wrist and for the first time wanted to say a thank you to him for getting me out of Joel's clutches but didn't even open my mouth when he glared at me. “What the fuck where you doing with that dickhead? Huh?! Speak up!” He literally screamed at me in anger while I only opened my mouth to let out a gasp. What wrong had I done?