Chapter 13

Tears began streaming down my face uncontrollably. I didn't even understand why I felt so weak and emotional past midnight. Everything in my life felt like it was spinning out of control, leaving me helpless and vulnerable. Why couldn't I just find peace? Why was I always tangled up in emotions I couldn't explain?

I tried to take a deep breath, to calm myself, but it didn't help. Each thought seemed to dig deeper into my chest, each feeling unraveling in a way that made it harder to breathe. I could feel the heaviness of the past weeks weighing on me. Steven's sudden disappearance still left a hole in my heart, one I was struggling to heal. My mind kept wandering back to the good times we had shared, those fleeting moments that now felt so distant.

"Calm down, Teal. You're strong, and Steven will regret leaving you," I whispered to myself, wiping my tears away. But deep inside, I wasn't so sure anymore. I wasn't so sure about anything. My life felt like it was slipping through my fingers, and I had no way of stopping it.

When will this heartache end? When will I finally feel true happiness?

The thought was almost too much to bear, but I forced myself to keep it together. I let out a long sigh, hoping it would help clear the fog in my mind, but it didn't. It was 2 a.m., and there was still no sign of Alexander. No surprise there—why would he care about this marriage?

I wasn't expecting him to be here. After all, we had barely known each other before this whole arrangement. A marriage born out of convenience, not love. And as much as I had tried to convince myself that I could live with that, the loneliness crept in at night. It was becoming harder to ignore the reality of our situation.

Suddenly, I heard the door open. My heart raced as my tear-filled eyes met his gaze. It was Alexander. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or if I was just too tired to care. For some reason, I had the overwhelming urge to hug him and pour out all the pain I was feeling. But I was too afraid of how he might react.

Before I could process what was happening, his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his embrace. "Shh, I'm sorry I'm late," he whispered, his voice soft but commanding.

I didn't know how to respond. My hands trembled as I tried to pull myself together. Somehow, I found the strength to wrap them around his neck, holding on like he might disappear if I didn't.

"I'm not okay. Please, stay with me," I said softly. Wait—what was I saying? Maybe it was the exhaustion and stress talking. But the moment felt so raw, so real, and part of me just wanted to forget the world and rest in his arms.

"I never planned to leave you," he said, wiping away my tears, his voice steady. I felt him lift me gently and carry me to the bed. Oh no—what had I gotten myself into? My mind raced with questions I didn't want to answer. Was I really letting him do this? Was I really falling into this strange situation?

"I won't force you into anything you're not ready for, Teal. Just relax," he murmured, his gaze tracing the rise and fall of my breath, his fingers lightly brushing the side of my face. The soft touch made my heart skip, but I couldn't let myself think too much about it.

I swallowed hard, trying to summon the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing me for days. "Why did you marry me, Mr. Alexander?"

The question came out before I could stop it. His lips quirked into that teasing smirk of his as he leaned in closer, his eyes sparkling in the dim light. "Call me Alex—or better yet, my dear husband or sweetheart. That would sound much better," he said, his voice dripping with amusement.

I found myself staring at his mesmerizing features, caught between the desire to understand and the fear of the unknown. Of course, he didn't mean any of it. It was just part of the act. He wasn't emotionally invested in this marriage, just as I wasn't.

"Alex... tell me," I insisted, pushing the words out with more force than I had intended.

But before he could respond, he stood up from the bed, his movements graceful as he unbuttoned his collar and placed it neatly in the closet. "It's late. Go to sleep. Don't you have university in the morning? We'll talk later," he said, his voice firm as he headed toward the bathroom.

I blinked a few times, realizing he was right. If I didn't sleep now, I wouldn't wake up on time in the morning. And with all the stress I had been under, I knew my body wouldn't let me survive the day without some rest. I glanced at the bed, the empty space beside me, and let out a shaky breath.

He's not going anywhere, Teal. Now that you're his wife, you'll have the chance to talk to him. But for now, I needed sleep. Pulling the blanket over me, I curled up in the warmth of the bed, trying to ease the tension in my body.

'I'll focus on improving myself from now on. I won't cry over Steven anymore, nor will I let my broken heart hold me back,' I promised myself, my thoughts slowly drifting into the haze of exhaustion.

As I closed my eyes, I felt the weight of the day lift from my shoulders, and I drifted into a deep sleep.

---

I didn't even realize when I had drifted into a deep sleep. Only the sound of his footsteps near the stairs stirred me. At first, I thought it was just a dream, but the voice that followed was so distinct, it sent a shiver down my spine.

"Is this the man you were crying over, Teal? I won't allow you to shed tears for anyone," I thought I heard him speaking to himself, then to someone else.