Rules and regulations

CHAPTER SIX 

Time seemed to slow down as Gina's hazel eyes locked on Chris's swirling honey brown orbs. Then, all of a sudden, the time began to move very fast, too fast actually for Gina to process her present situation. 

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that her heart was pounding in quick successions, accompanied by a loud voice in her head screaming for her to wake up from the unpleasant nightmare. 

She felt a piercing pain from how hard she bit her lower lip in an attempt to rouse herself from the arms of slumber.

“I am indeed alive and awake”, she mumbled.

“You’re welcome, my dear.” Chris greeted her warmly, his right hand patting Gina's shoulder lightly. 

“Thank you Mr…Carter.” Gina replied, with a smile that did not reach her eyes. She quickly remembered that Adams' surname on the marriage certificate was Carter and so she figured that the man who seemed to be Adams’ father would also be a Carter. 

“Looks like you’ve both met before now..” Adams' shot Gina a curious look, his brow raised, forming an arc. 

“Come on, son. You sometimes forget who your father is.” Chris flashed a small smile concealing the guilt tugging at the strings of his heart. 

It was true that he had the means to get any information about whosoever he wanted to but then, he did not think that the lone girl he met at the club the other night had a thing to do with his son. 

“How did I actually make such a silly mistake?” He thought to himself. 

“Well, this isn't a big deal, your surname's Carter and he addressed you as ‘son’ just few minutes ago. So yeah, I just put two and two together.” 

“You’ve got a smart one as wife then. Nice pick.” Chris said with a laugh and turned back on his heels, leading the newly married couple in.  

Gina's eyes lingered on him the whole time they made their way into the mansion.

Chris’ cheerful expression was different from the intimidating man she had met at the club a few days ago. 

“He’s a lot better than his son, though.” she reasoned.

****

“You okay?” Adams cold voice broke her out of her conflicting thoughts, he leaned in closer, studying her expression. His eyes, in complete contrast with his question as it showed no iota of concern.

Gina straightened her back, and raised her chin to meet his cold eyes. “Yes, I'm fine.” 

Without further questions or even a remark, Adams settled himself effortlessly into the armchair and opened his briefcase, bringing out a file from it. He pulled out a paper work from the file. 

“To be on the safe side, there are rules to abide by in this marriage of ours.” He stretched out his arms towards Gina for her to take the paperwork in his hand. 

Gina received the files in his hand and began to scan through it, studying it carefully. Her heart dropped as it slowly dawned on her that her hopes of salvaging her marriage even if it was an arranged one was being washed down the drain by the same man who was supposed to be her partner. They were both supposed to work alongside each other to make their marriage work. 

“This is outrageous!” She yelled and looked up at him. "What stupid rules and regulations are these?  

Adams had no response to her reaction, he was expecting more than a yell anyway. 

“What is this? How do you expect me to stay out of your business? I am your wife!” If he heard her, he did not show it. Inwardly, he wanted her to rant, that way, she'll let out all she had in mind. What he did not expect were the next words that left her lips. 

“How about sex then? You surely do not expect me to help myself with that, do you?” Gina questioned with a frown, much to his surprise. 

His expression darkened greatly with a chilling silence filling the room as he stared at her. He felt that the woman before him was right but for some reason, he seemed to get upset. 

“We’ll see to that. I have a whole lot to do at the moment, Mrs Carter.” With that, he got up from his seat and walked out of the room leaving Gina all by herself to battle with the screaming voices in her head.

“What the hell just happened?” Gina felt at a loss, what was happening to her at the moment was a far cry from what she had imagined would be a perfect wedding night.

"Why can't I just have a happy moment?" Her eyes glistened with tears as she thought about her life.

“Take a deep breath Gina.” She cautioned herself, inhaling and holding her breath a little over a second and then, “out”. She exhaled.