Chapter : 2 [ New Home ]

[ Scarlett ]

I stare at the thin band on my finger and then at the man standing beside me with the same expression. Is he even a human or a machine? He hasn’t spoken to me accept the two or three sentences. Now I am dreading my new but temporary life. Yes, I’d divorce him as soon as I turn twenty-five. These six months will be a living hell for both of us.

“Blaze, take care of my precious daughter. She is now your responsibility. I wish you a happy married life.” My devil of a father says his departing words to his new son-in-law as he prepares to leave with Carla whose grin isn’t leaving her face. I just want to smash her face.

“Do you want us to give you two a ride back to your home?” Carla emphasizes or I say mocks me.

“No, Ma’am, we’re fine.” Blaze turns down her offer politely.

“Thanks, Carla but I have my own car which my new husband is going to drive.” I give her a smug look.

“Sorry, Scarlett but you can’t take the car which belongs to the Remirez property. Like I said before if you have paid attention, you will live the life of Blaze’s wife for next six months. Everything will be handed back to you along with the company on your birthday till then learn to adjust.’ He wears his shade and walks away with his arm candy who throws one last smirk at me.

“Where is your car?” I ask Blaze without sparing him a glance.

“I don’t have a car, Ma’am. We have to hail a cab.” He responds and walks ahead of me, probably going to stop a taxi.

I gasp in horror. Who doesn’t owe a car nowadays?

“I can’t travel in a cab. It may have harmful germs. I will catch infection.” I stomp my feet on the ground.

“Then walk on your feet. My house is on a thirty-five minutes’ drive from here.” He again replies nonchalantly.

Nobody has ever disrespected me. On the other hand, he is giving me his cheap attitude but I can’t do anything. My own father disown me. I have to bear his rudeness until we reach at his house.

He hires a cab and opens the door for me. What a gentleman!

“Why do you agree to this felony?” I question him showing him my ring.

He’s looking straight, not even for once he looks at me directly except when he made me wear the ring. It hurts my pride. Men die to earn a glance from me.

There’s always a first time for everything.

“Blaze, I’m asking you a bloody question. This isn’t a joke, at least not for me.” I use a higher pitch this time. It’s not been even an hour and life turned into a hell with him.

“We shouldn’t discuss matters like this in such environment, Ma’am and this marriage isn’t a joke for me as well.” He replies and I think he’s right. I must learn to pay attention around me.

Forty minutes later, the car enters in an area where I never stepped a foot in my life. Houses are small and the place is crowdy much to my horror. There’s no sense of privacy as People share walls with their neighbours. Children are playing on narrow streets.

“Don’t tell me you live here, Blaze.” My face turns pale. I won’t survive for a day here.

“Sorry to burst your hopes but I actually live here, there’s my house.” He points his finger on a white house.

The car stops in front of his house but I can’t gather my strength to climb out of the car and breathe in the polluted air of this locality. I would talk to my family attorney and find a solution.

He opens the door for me again and gestures me to step out. I close my mouth with my scarf in a fear to catch infection. Blaze rolls his eyes on my actions. He pays the fare and places his hand on the small of my back. An electrical sensation runs down my spine which pulls me towards him but my ego again reminds me of his disrespect.

“What the hell are you doing?” I grit my teeth.

“Everyone is watching us and by your appearance, they will mistake you as my hook up and I don’t want them to think low of my wife and me.” He answers and this time he’s staring down at me.

My stomach churns when he called me his wife. I can’t still process that I’m married to this handsome specie of man who is unfortunately poor. He is right. Everyone in his neighbourhood staring at me with curiosity. I hide my face in his chest as he leads us towards his house. He unlocks the front door and step aside to give me space to enter in this matchbox sized house.

My new home!

“It’s very hot here.” I take a deep breath and wipe the sweat off my face while my eyes scan the small living area but it was cozy though I won’t say it on his face.

“Only the main bedroom has an A.C. You may rest there. I’ll show you the house later.” He says showing me the stairs.

“Our servants have bigger quarters than this house and I am not interested in touring this haunted place because I won’t stay here for a long time.’ I say with confidence while he opens the second door upstairs.

“This is my room which has air conditioner. You can stay here. I’ll take the spare bedroom.” He switches on the lights inside the room which looks decent and smells of him.

“The other room and the rest of the house don’t have A.C?” I know the answer yet I asked him.

“No but I can adjust. Not everyone is as priviledged as you, Ma’am. I have seen worse days when I had to sleep empty stomach. This is a comfortable life for me but you won’t understand. After all you are born with a sliver spoon.” He answers with bitterness in his tone. He has a past which wasn’t pleasant but he has no right to criticize my financial status.

“I am going to fetch your clothes and other necessary stuffs from your house. I will be a little late as I have to finish my working hours. You can eat the fruits or cook anything you like. The kitchen is in the left side from the living room.” He informs me and turns to leave.

My eyes bulge out of my sockets. I can’t even boil water and he’s asking me to cook my own food.

“I don’t know how to cook, Blaze.” I cry in frustration,” Please hire a maid because I can’t live starving like this.’

“Then help yourself with fruits tonight. I am sure it’s not a big deal for you as rich girls barely eat real food and one more thing,”He tilts his head to give me one last glance,”The ring may be a cheap piece of metal for you but it’s priceless for me because it is the last memory of my dead mother.”Saying this, he walks away before I could fight with him.

I slam the door shut and fall on the bed. Tears welled up in my eyes. I really miss my mother now. It would never happen to me if she was here. Life was a bliss when she was alive.

The fate has always been cruel to me.

I laid there for hours. I have tons of missed calls and messages from my friends but I ignore them. How am I going to tell them of this new disaster? They’ll make fun of me. Perhaps, break all ties  with me. In my social circle, the numbers in one’s bank account decides the durability and loyalties of friends. I had only one true friend, my childhood best friend who disappeared with his family and we never met again. All I remember his name and his enchanting ocean green eyes same as Blaze.

When the clock stuck seven in the evening, my stomach grumbles indicating that I skipped my breakfast and lunch. I only had litters of alcohol in my system. I need some real food. In a hope to get something edible I made my way to the kitchen in the same dress. I reek of alcohol but I don’t care.

The kitchen is also small but well arranged just like rest of the house. When does he get time to do all the chores?  I open the fridge and much to my dismay I don’t find anything to eat. I also check the cabinets and there was nothing except raw materials. I glance at the fruits.

It makes me wonder. Blaze has keys then why is he pressing the door bell? Nevertheless, I walk to the living room and open the door but I find an old woman instead of Blaze. She smiles broadly at me.

“Hello, young lady, I am Windy, your next door neighbour. I have brought food for you.” She says to me with excitement while showing me a bowl. The food smells mouth watering but I am not sure how she cooked it.

“How do you know that I live here?” I ask her.

“Let me come inside first. I will tell you everything about our society.” She says peeking behind me.

I am not in a mood to entertain noisy guests but I can’t reject the food when I am famished. I give her space to walk inside and close the door with a groan.

She places the food on the kitchen counter and fetches plate for me. She is familiar to his house.

“Here you go, young lady. I still don’t catch your name.” She places the plate in front of me. It is home cooked fish and roasted vegetables with freshly baked bread.

“My name is Scarlett Remi-“ I pause as soon as I realise that I was about to tell her my full name. I can’t afford a gossip crowd in this house.’ I am Scarlett Hamilton, Blaze’s wife. We got married today.” I tell her. His surname feel bitter on my tongue.

‘That we already know, my dear.” She laughs.

“We?”

“This whole neighbourhood. Everybody knows that our handsome boy Blaze married an angel like girl.” She replies and I blush on her comment and take a bite from the fish and  I am forced to moan on the heavenly taste.

“This is so delicious, Windy.” I praise her cooking skills.

“Thanks, dear.” She blushes.

Suddenly a question popped up in my mind.

“How did you know that I am hungry and there’s no food in the house?”

“Blaze requested me to bring dinner for you as you’re tired and your kitchen needs to be stocked.” She replies.

I am left shocked. He cared for me. He knew I can’t cook so he asked Windy to feed me.

He is fulfilling his promises seriously.