chapter two

 The hot steam of the water swirled around her like a fiery aura. Minutes ticked by, and she lay motionless in the tub, breathing steadily and calmly. Time stood still, and the world outside faded away.

 About thirty minutes later, Alexander pressed the doorbell for the fourth time, his eyes fixed on his watch: 8:25 pm. He wondered where his wife could be, as she was usually home by now. "Where is she?" he thought, his mind racing with possibilities. He had tried calling her, but there was no connection. He pulled out his phone to call her again, ringing the doorbell repeatedly.

 Timika's eyes snapped open like a firework, and she quickly grabbed the towel on the bathroom hanger. She wrapped her body in the towel and dashed out of the bathroom to the room, her phone ringing loudly alongside the doorbell. She couldn't believe she had dozed off in the tub, not that it was the first time. She looked at the phone and the door, unsure which one to attend to first. "Okay, I'll check who's at the door first, and then I can take the call later," she thought.

 Timika opened the door with an apologetic smile, "I was—" but Alexander cut her off, 

 "Are you alright? Did something happen?" He paused mid-sentence as he took in her appearance. "Were you bathing?" he asked, his voice sounding emotionless and flat.

 That question was like a firecracker to Timika, who was wrapped only in a small towel, water still dripping from her head to toe. Her dewy brown eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Since they got married, she had never appeared naked before him. Though they were married, they had been living like strangers, never intimate in any way. Her appearing half-nude before him was foreign to her, and she felt like a deer caught in headlights.

 Alexander's expression remained neutral, his eyes fixed on her with a hint of curiosity, but no emotion. Timika felt a surge of embarrassment and quickly moved to cover herself, her cheeks burning with shame.

"I...I fell asleep in the tub," she stammered, her voice barely audible.

Alexander nodded once, his gaze never wavering. "I'll wait for you in the living room," he said, his voice still flat and emotionless, before turning and walking away.

Timika watched him go, feeling a mix of relief and confusion. She had expected some reaction from him, some hint of surprise or embarrassment, but his expression had remained as calm as a still pond. She shook her head, chiding herself for expecting anything different from Alexander, and quickly closed the door to get dressed.

As she changed into a comfortable robe, Timika couldn't help but feel a sense of discomfort. She and Alexander had been married for years, but they had never been intimate, never shared a moment of vulnerability. And now, here she was, standing in front of him half-naked, feeling like a stranger in her own home.

She took a deep breath and made her way to the living room, where Alexander was sitting on the couch, his eyes fixed on the TV. Timika sat down beside him, trying to ignore the awkwardness that hung in the air like a thick fog.

"Sorry about that," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Alexander nodded once, his eyes never leaving the TV. "It's okay," he said, his voice still flat and emotionless. "I was just concerned."

 "Have you taken dinner."? Alexander asked as he stood up loosening his tie and unbuttoning his cufflinks.

 Timika shook her head."i was planning to make pasta.''

 "Don't make it,we would eat out tonight." Alexander said as he loosened the tie."wear something that makes you comfortable."

 Timika nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She didn't feel like cooking anyway, and going out sounded like a nice change of pace. She watched as Alexander walked upstairs, his footsteps echoing through the silent house.

She got up from the couch and followed him, her mind racing with thoughts of what to wear. She didn't want to dress up too much, but she also didn't want to look like she was lounging around the house. She settled on a pair of dark jeans and a comfortable blouse, and made her way downstairs to meet Alexander.

He was waiting for her by the door, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. "You look nice," he said, his voice still flat and emotionless, but with a hint of approval.

Timika smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. "Thanks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alexander nodded and opened the door, gesturing for her to go ahead. Timika walked out into the hallway, followed by Alexander, and they made their way to the elevator. The silence between them was comfortable, but Timika couldn't help but feel a sense of awkwardness. She wasn't used to being around Alexander in such a casual setting, and she didn't know how to act.

 Alexander carefully drove the car out of the driveway."how was work today."?

 Timika hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to answer. She didn't want to lie to Alexander, but she also didn't want to burden him with her financial problems and company failure. So, she settled for a neutral response.

"It was fine, just the usual," she said, trying to sound convincing.

Alexander nodded, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "I'm glad to hear that," he said, his voice still flat and emotionless.

Timika felt a pang of guilt for not being honest with him, but she didn't know how to bring up the subject. She hoped that someday she would be able to confide in him, but for now, she just enjoyed the comfortable silence between them.

As they drove to the restaurant, Timika"yours"?

 "It was stressful,they was a new project being launched ,and we needed to review everything."Alexander said, one thing about this marriage was that he knew everything about Timika but she barely knew him.