Page 54 of Marry Lies
THE CLAIMING
Stella
The next week passes the same way. I wake up early and spend my mornings in the kitchen, sketching and building out my business plan for VeRue. With wide, disbelieving eyes, I remembered to check my bank account balance last night. Sure enough, I’m now almost six figures richer, so I spend the first two mornings of the week sending out emails to website designers and wholesalers to get fabric samples. Later on in the week, I work on more sketches so I have everything prepared for when the website goes live.
Every morning, at six on the dot, Miles saunters into the kitchen. We’re cordial, though I jokingly use the termfrenemy,since we’re sort of friends, sort of enemies, due to the constant bickering. Whether it be bickering over the jars that magically appear on the counters every morning—and disappear every night—or bickering over whether tea or coffee is better. By Wednesday, I’ve figured out that he’s less grumpyaftercoffee, so I let him stew until he’s done with his first cup. He refuses to join me for my morning walks despite my asking him every morning, but he does allow me to play around with nicknames. So far, he’s hated all of them, but I persist.
Usually after more bickering about our plan to work on our physical chemistry, he leaves for work. I spend my mornings working as well, and when I need a break, I wander around the castle alone. On Thursday afternoon, I decide to try the cellar door again—to no avail.
I join Miles for dinner every evening, and so far, it’s more cordial pleasantries mixed with, you guessed it, more bickering. The food is delicious, so I focus on that instead of the way his eyes sometimes linger on mine for a second too long. Or the way his long fingers grip his cutlery with a delicacy that has me wondering just how formal his upbringing was. I don’t push him to be physical or topractice, because I don’t want to be on the receiving end of his coldness. It’s better if we stay neutral, and though I joke about his demeanor, I can sense him relaxing around me by Thursday evening—just barely. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to bring the Miles I first met back to the surface.
I’m not sure where he spends his free time, as it’s sure as fuck not in our shared living quarters. I suspect he spends most of his time at his office, or possibly down in his mystery cellar. It’s like he’s pushing me away on purpose to keep his distance.
But why?
By Friday, I am absolutely going stir crazy. I nearly cry with relief when Juliet texts me, inviting Miles and I out for drinks with her and Chase in Crestwood that evening. It’s a welcome surprise, and though I suppose it’s technically a double date, at least I’ll have someone there to buffer the tension with Miles.
So, with something exciting on the horizon, I spend my afternoon getting ready to go out to a bar instead of having dinner with my crotchety husband. Instead of texting me directly, he sends Luna to inform me that he will be late tonight, and he’ll meet us all at the pub when he finishes working. I grumble to myself at that after Luna leaves me to continue getting ready.
Deciding to screw with his head, I decide on a dark brown leather mini skirt with a snakeskin pattern. Normally, I’d pair it with a colorful top, but instead, I decide on a cream-colored sweater with a low neckline and bell sleeves. It’s early November, and it’s significantly cooler out now, so I also pull on sheer tights. I straighten my hair for the first time in years, and then I step into a pair of strappy, gold stiletto heels.
Assessing myself, I smile as I clasp the goldRnecklace around my neck before grabbing my clutch and making my way downstairs for Niro. Chase and Juliet offered to pick me up, but I declined. There’s no point in coming all the way to the castle only to drive back into Crestwood, where they live.
My husband could have offered.Shouldhave offered. But I digress.
I grind my jaw when I think of how Miles couldn’t bother to text me. I was restricted to information he filtered down to the people he employed. Like I didn’t matter enough to get a direct text. I distract myself on the drive to the bar by FaceTiming with my father. It’s past midnight in London, but he’s usually up late. I update him on everything, leaving out the bickering and general sense of discontent with Miles. If I tell him how lonely the last week has been, he might worry—given my past—so I don’t bring it up. I end the video call just as we pull up to the low-key pub in downtown Crestwood.
Thanking Niro, I walk into the establishment, noting the quaint British touches. My gaze lingers over the horrid and outdated curtains, the old rugs that have seen better days, a pool table, and lots of sticky tables. I smile as I walk inside, suddenly reminiscing about home. It evensmellslike a British pub—stale beer and fried food.
“Stella!” Juliet comes barreling toward me, enveloping me in a tight hug. When she pulls away, she gives me a sly smile. “You look incredible.”
I laugh. “Thank you.” She takes my hand and leads me to the table she’s secured with Chase. She’s wearing a short, dark red dress with black boots. Her hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail. “You look beautiful as well.” My eyes skirt to Chase, who stands to hug me.
“Stella,” he murmurs, pulling away. “So glad you could make it.”
“Thanks for inviting me. To be honest, I am starting to feel a bit like Beauty in that castle.”
“I’ll get you a drink,” Chase offers. “What’s your poison?”
I look up at him, startled to see a familiar smirk on his face. But instead of being accompanied by cold indifference, Chase is all warm energy. Large smiles. Ease of movements versus the jerky, stilted movements of his older brother. He’s wearing jeans and a flannel button-down. I would bet a hundred pounds that Miles doesn’t own jeans.
The realization of that has me reeling.
Who the hell did I marry? He’ssodifferent from me. From them.
“Uh, anything. I like lagers,” I offer, giving him a small smile.
After he walks away, Juliet leans forward on the table. “How has it been?” she asks, sipping a beer. “Living in that massive castle with Miles…I’m sure you havesooomany stories.”
I open and close my mouth.
“It’s been…” Swallowing once, I shake my head. Why bother lying? I’ve never been a closed off person, and Juliet seems nice. “It’s been a bit lonely. I don’t see him much.”
Her eyebrows furrow. “Really? Oh. I guess I just thought…” she trails off. “I mean, I know the circumstances. Chase told me. But you guys seemed happy at the wedding.”
I shrug. “Something changed the night of the reception.”
Her face pinches with pity, but before she can respond, Chase returns with three beers, setting one down in front of each of us. Juliet looks at her boyfriend with pure adoration. She wrinkles her nose at him and he smiles, kissing the tip of it before turning back to me.
