Chapter 1

Amira's POV:

The sun was already up when I opened my eyes. I rolled over and was in the middle of that perfect early morning stretch when I realized I wasn't in my room. Oh yes! I sat up almost immediately, remembering that I got married to a mysterious man yesterday.

I looked around and saw that I was the only one in the room, with no trace of my husband. As I was still contemplating, a man entered. He was well-built and had the stature of a bouncer.

"Hi, I'm Michael. Everything you need is in the wardrobe. The boss won't be coming home today and the day after, so you have to prepare yourself for his return," he informed me.

While he was speaking, I realized something—I fell asleep in the car. But who brought me inside?

"Boss did. Is there any problem?" Michael asked.

"No, there's none," I replied, not realizing that I had spoken aloud. I could feel my cheeks flush at the mere thought of Morris touching me.

I sighed and got up, ready to make the most out of my day. But then I remembered what happened the previous night. I recounted everything from the very first time my husband walked in to the beautifully perfect face he had when he closed his eyes.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I've already fallen for him," I thought to myself. It didn't take long for me to realize the effect he had on me, even without knowing anything about him. This is wrong—I need to be sure of who I'm dealing with before letting my guard down around him.

"I need to call Anna. I know she must have called me several times already," I said to myself. I found my phone lying on the table, and as expected, I had numerous missed calls from Anna and my mom.

I called my mom first, and as I expected, she picked up on the first ring, as if she had been expecting my call.

"Hello, Mom. Good morning," I greeted her.

"Amira, it's already 2 pm. It isn't morning anymore," she responded.

"Oh gosh, Mom, I'm sorry."

"Amira, don't tell me you've been sleeping."

I kept quiet. I was quite astonished myself—I couldn't believe I had slept for this long. I am not usually a heavy sleeper, "So, I didn't know why I slept up until this point. I must have been stressed. That's the only explanation I could give my mom.

 'You have to make a good first impression for your husband. You were supposed to be up about 5 hours ago,' Amira's mom scolded.

'Mom, he traveled, so I'm safe. I have to go now. Love you.' 

I ended the call with my mom because I knew she was about to lecture me on discipline. 

I called Anna, but she didn't pick up. She must be at the office. I can't call anymore. 

I put my phone away and went to have my bath. In the bathtub, I had time to reflect on some things. First of all, I am definitely going to change some things in this house to make my mark. I smiled to myself.

I am going to make Morris fall in love with me the same way I've fallen for him. I don't know how I'm going to do that, but I am definitely going to.

 I walked out of the tub and into the room and almost screamed when I saw a woman arranging my bed. I assumed she was one of the maidservants, and yes, she confirmed it.

'Good afternoon, ma. I am your personal maid. My name is Alvera,' she said. 

I was short of words. She was my personal maid? It seems my husband is on another level of wealth because you have to be so rich to assign a personal maid to your wife. Well, I am going to find out more about him. 

The woman finished off with my bed and left the room for me to dress up.

This was the first time I was being treated this way. First, it was Michael, and now it's Alvera. I have a lot of fitting in to do.

 I opened the wardrobe to pick out an outfit for myself, and I was shocked again by what I saw. The wardrobe was as big as my room at home, with different clothes. These clothes here were enough to start up a fashion line. 

How was Morris rich enough to afford all this luxury for me? Well, it's definitely one way to find out.

I picked out a sleeveless gown that looked simple and comfortable enough for me to walk around the house in, and went downstairs to have a tour of my new home. My heart fluttered at the thought of 'my new home'."

As I descended the stairs and entered the hallway, my jaw dropped in awe. This house surpassed the size of my own house and Anna's magnificent residence combined.

My husband must be a multi-billionaire because this wasn't the kind of house an ordinary man would live in. I stepped into the living room, which resembled a grand ballroom, and instinctively covered my mouth in shock. Morris was actually residing in this vast house all by himself.

 It was spacious enough to accommodate both her family and Anna's, with room to spare. The place didn't even appear lived in.

The dining room lacked a tablecloth, giving it an empty feel despite the presence of furniture. As I looked around, a thought struck me—I would transform this abandoned house into a home. Renovating houses is something I love doing, and I was determined to impress Morris. 

The idea brought a smile to my face.

After exploring the sitting room, I was about to step into the garden when my stomach grumbled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten anything since I woke up. 

I made my way to the kitchen, which was a world of its own. It was much larger than the room I had here, and each new room continued to surprise me. Alvera was already cooking when I arrived, assuring me that she would serve me soon. Although I wanted to cook with her, she insisted she would be fine on her own.

 I smiled and let her do her thing, as I needed more time to explore the house.

Returning to the dining table, I couldn't help but ponder how lonely Morris must have been in this immense house, living here all alone. It seemed like a significant punishment. I pushed the thought aside, reminding myself that I wasn't supposed to feel pity for him—at least not yet. After all, I barely knew him.

Something else caught my attention: there were no pictures or mementos of Morris or his family in the sitting room, only a solitary painting adorning the wall. Curiosity piqued, I approached the painting.

The artwork was captivating. It depicted a woman in anguish, so intricately detailed that I could almost feel her pain emanating from the canvas.

 I traced the painting with my fingers, struck by its beauty and melancholy. I had an overwhelming urge to reach out and comfort the woman, but I reminded myself that she was merely an image on a canvas.

I was so captivated that I didn't realize Alvera had finished cooking and dropped the food.

"Ma'am, your food is ready," she said.

Alvera was a young girl like me, fair and a little plump. I smiled because this was the first time today that I really took note of her.

I sat down to eat, the painting already forgotten. The only thing on my mind was to finish off the food, and oh my God, Alvera was an excellent cook.

As I was gobbling the food, I felt Alvera's gaze on me.

"Alvera, is there any problem?" I asked.

"No, ma'am, I just wanted to say you look very pretty," she replied.

"Thank you so much," I said, and for the second time that day, I felt my cheeks flush red. But it was short-lived.

Alvera said something else that spoiled my mood.

"You look prettier than the other ladies Sir has brought home, and you're the first person to stay up until this time," she remarked.

I almost choked on my food when she said that. I helped myself to some water before asking her a question.

"So Morris has other girlfriends?"

"Ma'am, it's not like they are his girlfriends. He just brings them for a one-night stand, and after that, they leave and never come back," Alvera explained.

I suddenly felt full. This wasn't something I was expecting to hear, especially a day after my marriage. I stood up to go back to the room when I heard Alvera say something else.

"He hasn't had sex with you, that's why you're still here. He just dropped you off and left. You must be really lucky. He..."

I cut her short because I didn't want to hear it. Why was she telling me all this? Was she trying to incite me? There was definitely more to Alvera than met the eye.

Alvera was definitely a killjoy because I didn't feel like doing anything anymore.

I was pissed. I wasn't the only one Morris had brought home. But I am his wife now, and I'm here to stay.

But then again, why did Alvera say that when she knew I was now Morris's wife? 

Does he have a habit of bringing unsuspecting girls to his home in the name of marriage, having sex with them, and dumping them the next day? There is indeed a lot to know about my husband. I didn't think he was going to be this complex.

Feeling the need to calm myself, Anna came to mind. She must be home by now. I called Anna again, and this time she picked up on the first ring.

"Hi Amy, what's up? How are you settling in? You didn't pick my calls; I hope you're okay," Anna asked in one breath.

"I'm good, Annie. I was sleeping when you called, but I returned the call and you didn't pick up."

I felt a warm sensation. This is how I always feel when I speak with Anna. There is something about her that makes me feel so comfortable, and I love her for that.

Anna asked again, "How is Morris?"

I was surprised. I hadn't told Anna about him, so how did she know?

"Annie, how did you know his name?"

"Common, girl. I have my sources." Anna had always been blunt, and this response only proved it further.

"You better speak up, or I'm not telling you anything more." I was just teasing her. Anna must have done what I should have done the first time I heard I was getting married to Morris, except I only found out his name on our wedding day.

 Anna must have done some research on my behalf. Oh, Anna was indeed a good friend.

Anna smiled.

Anna's P.O.V

I was finishing up at the office when I received a call. It must be Amira calling me, and I was right—it was her. I picked up and immediately voiced my question, showing my genuine concern for her.

She told me she was fine.

In an impulsive moment, I blurted out something I should have kept to myself—I asked her about her husband.

She hadn't told me about her husband yet. I mentally slapped myself for that slip.

Anna, you'd better speak up, or I won't tell you anything more. Amira said this, and I heard her chuckle. 

She was only messing with me, and I knew it.

 Amira is the same age as me, but she has made me an older sister because I was always there for her. That's why when I heard about her arranged marriage, I quickly did some research about Morris. 

I knew Amira was being used as a pawn to revive her dad's business, but I don't know how to tell her.

 I stayed calm to figure out Morris's next plan and if he intends to hurt my friend, just like Amira's bullies did in the past, I will deal with him, regardless of his status.

Well, Amy, your mom told me. I had to lie to protect my friend.

Amira's POV:

Anna said my mom told her about Morris.

 Why didn't she tell me, the one getting married?

 Something doesn't add up, but I trust my mom and best friend so much. 

"

Anna, I will call you again," I said and ended the call.

 It was already evening. I went to sit on the balcony.

 The view from my room was breathtaking. As I sat there, my eyes fixed on the scenery before me, I watched the sun disappear below the horizon. It was beautiful. 

Nature is indeed so beautiful.

I felt a different kind of pain, the pain of being abandoned by my husband a day after our wedding. 

I didn't know what he was doing at that moment. What could be more important to him than his wife? Is it his business? A family reunion? If it was indeed a family reunion, I should be there with him, right? 

So many questions were going through my mind.

It made me tear up. I hated being alone. 

I missed my mom, Anna, and I hate to say it, I miss my dad too

. Being alone here made me realize that it was completely different from how I used to live. I

I didn't have a very active social life, but it wasn't as lonely as this. 

Anna was always there for me. Oh, my dear Anna. I cried even more, thinking about her. She was like a sister to me, in fact, my older sister, because she didn't act like she was my age. 

She started managing her dad's business at a very young age, which made her mature. I had always wanted to be like Anna, having a business to manage with everything under my control. Her parents couldn't even decide who she was going to marry. 

Oh, how I wanted to live like Anna.

Tears flowed freely from my eyes as I thought about my dad. 

He used to be so easygoing and loving until his business started declining. 

He began taking out his frustrations on everyone, including my mom and me.

 He would shout at my mom for the slightest things, even breathing loudly.

 Everyone at home was constantly on edge, trying to avoid my dad's anger.

The more I dwelled on the traumatic experiences I had endured during my dad's business decline, the more tears streamed down my face.

 It felt as if I had lost someone dear to me. In a way, I had lost myself.