After having breakfast, James said that we had to be somewhere. What I didn't know was that he was talking about taking me to a jewellery store. I am staring at the neck pieces in front of me in complete awe while he stands behind me, talking to someone on the phone.

When he hangs up, I turn around, "Why are we here?" I ask and he smiles.

He really smiles. God! It literally knocks the breath out of me as I blink at him but he looks amused and I haven't ever seen him smile like that. He's so undeniably handsome, and he should probably smile more.

"Pick one." He says and I stare at his mouth.

"What?" I ask, forcing my eyes up to his.

"Pick anything you like, it's a gift from me. I just sealed a really great business deal, so I am happy about it." He explains and that also tells me the reason behind his smile.

So, business is the way to that. Alright. I turn around and look at the small tags by every jewellery's side. It's a price tag and I shake my head, looking at those gorgeous pieces. I move further and I can feel James behind me.

When we come to a halt, I am staring at pendant sets. Because they look hell less cheaper than those necklaces, but still hella expensive. My eyes focus down on a specific one, it's a rose shaped pedant, with diamonds studded in the centre with the utmost delicacy.

"We'll have that one, please." I hear James say behind me and when I look up, I realise that while I was staring at the pendant, he was watching at me.

"You don't have to buy me anything, you know." I say, my voice low but he just chooses to avoid me.

When the pendant is put in front of me and I pick it up in my hands, it's even more beautiful close up. I am honestly in awe of it. I love roses, but the fact that I am allergic to them doesn't let me near one. But this way, I can have one right with me.

"Here, let me put it on." James takes the piece from my hand, brushing his fingers against mine.

I don't say anything, just put my hair on one side of the shoulder. James clasps the necklace and I don't even feel his touch during the process.

"Thank you, so much." I say and he gives me a tight lipped smile.

After James makes the payment by his card, we exit the store but he immediately catches his hand in mine, making me stop in my tracks. I look around and notice a man with a camera and immediately understand his action, not saying a word as he opens the car door for me.

"Do you have anything in mind that you would like to do?" He asks once we are on the road and I rack my brain to come up with anything.

"Just walk on the streets of Paris, but I can't imagine you doing that. Maybe tomorrow, I can get some time out alone." I say and he looks at me briefly.

"I'll go with you. I don't want people getting the wrong idea." He tells me and I face him.

But it's something I always imagined doing by myself. Well, that's a lie. I imagined holding my lover's hand but he's not my lover. He's my husband. Big difference.

"Or we could just stay in the hotel room." I sigh and he narrows his eyes.

"People on their honeymoon don't go to another country to stay in a hotel room." He says.

"Actually, that's precisely why they go to another country. Because they want the peace from the outside world and spend some time with their partner alone in a hotel room." I comment and his jaw twitches.

He's mad. I bite my tongue for being a smartass in front of him. He hates it when I argue or try to demean him, in anyway. I've known it since as long as we've met.

He halts the car in front of our hotel and passes the key to the valet to park. Just as I am about to march in, he takes ahold of my hand and drags me to the streets.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"We're walking, Mrs. Clark." He says, intertwining his fingers with mine.

Tears well up in my eyes at the thought of his gesture being out of love. But it isn't. He's putting up a show for his father, just to satisfy him and take on the business. I bring up my loose hand up to my cheek and wipe away the tears beneath my eyes before they can spill down further.

James stops walking and immediately backs me up in a tiny street against the wall. His sudden action makes me gasp as I stare at him, confusion clouding my mind. He's standing awfully close to me, closer than the two of us ever have been.

"Are you crying?" He asks and I frown, shaking my head. "We're out, Mrs. Clark. If my father catches even a drop of tear on your face, I'll be ripped apart from my future. I would appreciate if you could sober it up." He says, and his words make me want to cry even more but I suck in a breath and nod.

"Can you please step aside? I don't like when someone invades my private space." I whisper.

He looks taken aback by my words and steps away. He doesn't come close to me after that and we walk back to the hotel silently and I keep my hands to myself. I don't want him touching me. I hate that I feel something from his touch when it's for all the wrong reasons.

When we get back to hotel, I order dinner for myself while James opens a bottle of red wine for himself. He doesn't offer me any and I don't ask him for it either, because I don't like drinking often.

__

The rest of our honeymoon, I spend the time on my couch while James attends meetings. We don't talk for the next five days and I prefer it that way. We coexist, without mingling for a single second.

We went to Eiffel Tower, and the view was breathtaking but I felt so empty in my heart to even appreciate it properly. James had access to VIP entry so we didn't have to wait for long in the cues.

The drive to the airport was spent in another agonising silence but we made it through security check. I cannot begin to imagine how we'll ever get through a nine hour flight till Atlanta by each other's side.

"God, James!" I whisper when he bumps one of the hand bags in the back of my leg.

He looks taken aback that I spoke to him but doesn't say a word. He gives me an apologetic look before settling in. I realise in that moment that it's the first time I have called him from his first name.

"Do you want to work for the company?" He asks after five hours.

We both took our naps and now we are just staring at things around us. I sigh, turning to him. This is the thing we never talked about, and I would like it if we had this conversation when we weren't trapped in a flight.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now." I almost whispered and he blinked at me.

"Why not?"

"Because it's not the appropriate place or time, Mr. Clark."

The way he was staring at me, I'd say that he thinks I've lost my mind. But I haven't, I am just afraid he'll shout at me in the flight, and I cannot stand that public humiliation because there's a saturation point for me as well, and I'll probably just end up shouting right back at him.

"C'mon, we have enough privacy. Tell me!" He pushes and I sigh, taking a deep breath.

"I'd like to finish college. Maybe not continue further with higher studies, but at least get my grad degree." I say, holding my breath to see his response.

If looks could kill, the plane would have been crashing by now. He doesn't responds to me, not even a single word as he retracts his gaze from me. I should have known better than to bring it up right now, but he insisted on it. I don't know what the real problem here is, he's an established business man, wouldn't he wants his wife to at leats hold a degree? I don't care if he says no because I'm going to find a way around it and get what I deserve. Education is something I like, and whether he likes it or not, I'm going to get that degree.

High school is never enough where studies are concerned. I don't want to rock the world with my academics, but I'd like to get my degree in business. That's exactly what I was studying before I decided to leave college hanging somewhere in between a month before the wedding.

When the flight lands, James and I exit the plane and he asks me to wait till he gets our bags from the belt. I nod, deciding to switch on my phone. There's immediately a message from Jeremy.

'Welcome back, sis.' It says and I smile, replying to him.

Before I can even click to type the message, my phone start ringing and I pick it up, putting the handbag on the other side. Jeremy's excited voice booms through the speaker and I laugh.

"How was Paris, Lil? Was it as beautiful as you've always dreamed of?" He asks and I shake my head, well aware that he cannot see me.

"It was, Jer. I miss you, terribly." I say and I feel someone's presence behind me. When I turn around, James is staring at me, more like glaring. "Hey, I gotta run." I tell Jeremy before hanging up.

"Who was it?" He asks and I scowl.

"Jeremy." I say and his tense shoulder relax a little.

Who did he think it was? And why did it even make him tense? I let out a breath through my mouth and James takes ahold of my hand, leading me through the gates. I know the reason he's holding my hand is because we're expecting someone to pick us up. Even if it's just his driver, he wants to keep up the show so I don't protest.

It's the first time since last five days that he has touched me. The way he holds my hand, it isn't loose or anything, instead he makes sure that our hands are interlaced properly, making me feel every inch of the skin on his hand.

Just like I thought, Mark is standing by the departure, waiting for us. As soon as he sees us, he comes forward to carry our bags and puts them in the trunk.

"Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Clark. I hope you had a nice flight." He gives us a professional smile.

"Thanks, Mark. We did." I reply, well aware that James wouldn't. But he opens the door for me and I slide in.

He comes on the other side and slides in the back seat. We maintain our distance then on, till the ride back to the house. This is the second time I'll be going there, the one time I visited the Clark's Mansion was with my parents to have a celebratory cocktail party there after James and I got engaged.

It's around forty minute ride, a peaceful one with me lost in my thoughts. I need this time for myself, because I don't know what lies for me there in that house. James told me that his step sister, Chloe stays in the house, and so does Carrack. It's a mansion, and it makes sense for them to share it. I cannot imagine anyone living there alone.

Chloe's mother, Amber and Carrack got married when James was fifteen, but she ended up cheating on him seven years later. Obviously, Carrack divorced her but Amber abandoned Chloe, who is just about my age. Carrack loved her like her own daughter, so he took her in. James cares for her incredibly, just like he would for a real sister.

I didn't hear a word of it from James. My mother told me about all this when she told me about his family, because Carrack has told all this to my father. My father and I shared a deep bond, one that went beyond the words we shared, which were little.

"We're here." James says and I look outside the window.

It looks even bigger than I remember, white marble covering the outside and I step out of the car. James is by my side in an instant, his arm circling around my waist.

"Dad's home." He whispers and I nod, plastering a fake smile on my face.

When we enter in, the foyer area is decorated with the flowers in vases, which I think have been surviving since the wedding day. As soon as we step in the large living room, Carrack shoots up from the couch, keeping his files on the table.

"Oh, you're here!" He exclaims.

He doesn't turn towards his son, but immediately pulls me out of his arm, wrapping me in his own embrace.

"You look as beautiful as ever, even though you have been on a long flight." He says and I grin, a genuine smile since last few days.

"You're too kind, Carrack. Thank you! How have you been?" I ask and he smiles, taking me along with him to sit on the couch.

I don't call him Mr. Clark because that would be weird, since that's how I call James. And Carrack said that name makes him feel old anyway, so we should stick to first name basis. He's a sweetheart, really.

"Tell me all about Paris, was he nice to you?" He asks, the last few words whispered.

I look back at James, who's just staring at the two of us like he has seen a ghost. "He was." I nod and Carrack smiles.

Before either of us can say anything, I feel someone's presence on the stairs. Chloe comes down, walking gracefully as her eyes are fixed on James. As soon as she's on the bottom step, she runs to him.

"Hi Jim, I missed you!" She says, her arms around him.

He smiles! Fuck, it still leaves me perplexed each time I see him smile like that. He wraps his arms around her and kisses her forehead, "I missed you too, little sister." He tells her.

Something flutters in my stomach at the sight of him being a loveable brother. He's never been affectionate with anyone.

"They share a great bond." Carrack says from beside me and I nod, reluctantly taking my eyes off them.

"Hi Lillian." I hear Chloe's cheery voice from behind me.

I turn around and see that she's grinning at me, which immediately makes me frown. That wasn't how happy she was when I left for my honeymoon. I know for a fact that she doesn't like me. Then I notice that James is watching her. She's putting on a nice show in front of him, just like he has been in front of the media and the rest of his family.

"Hey Chloe. You doin' good?" I ask and she nods.

"Great. I can't wait to hear all the stories about Paris. It must have been so beautiful, and I am so glad that James decided not to move out. It would give me a chance to bond with you, just like a sister I never had."

She had me for a moment. But just for a single moment until her eyes narrow down on the pendant lying on my neck. I can see her digging her nails in the back of the couch as she stares at it.

"Maybe some other time, Chloe. We just got off from a nine hour flight. I am sure she wants to rest." James says, his eyes meeting mine and I nod.

"Yeah, I am exhausted." I tell Carrack and he nods, telling me to head upstairs.

"Chloe can give you a tour of the house tomorrow morning." He tells me.

"Sure." I say before James' hand connects with mine and he leads me up the stairs to the stairs, but I am surprised when he doesn't stop and we carry on further to the second floor.

I frown at him, but then I notice how quiet it is up here. Everything is calm, and walls are painted the whitest shade of cream. He let go of my hand as soon as we were away from everyone's sight.

"Come." James gestures as he turns the doorknob to one of the rooms.

I enter and it's even bigger than what the bedroom was in the hotel back in Paris. The walls are the same color as hallways, and the furniture is dark cherry. There's a lamp on each side table and a big painting above the bedhead. A desk lies in right corner of the room with a study lamp and a rolling chair. The closet is on left side.

"This was supposed to be your bedroom too." I hear him say from behind me.

When I meet his gaze, I realise that he's been watching me and that makes the blood rush to my cheeks. But there's still a frown on my forehead, waiting for him to explain further.

"I listened to you when you said that you are not comfortable sharing a bed, and you didn't even share a room, so I respect that." He explains and moves to the left side, a door which I assume leads to the bathroom.

He opens it and motions for me to move. When I enter, it surprises me to see the luxury. My parents are rich, trust me, I know how expensive things work, but this is over the top! There's a jacuzzi, a separate shower and the toilet seat is on the left of it. There are two sinks and a large mirror in the front.

The bathroom has another door and James unlocks it, moving forward and I follow. It's another bedroom, exact replica of his bedroom, just smaller in size. The furniture is a little different too, and the wallpaper on the back of the bed has floral touch to it.

"It's just an extra bedroom, it's always been there. You can stay here." He says and I gape at him.

Is he really offering me this? A reluctant smile takes over my features but it goes as soon as it comes.

"What?" He frowns. "If you don't like anything, we can get it altered." He tells me and I shake my head, going to take a seat on the bed.

"That's not it. I love it, it's all I could have asked for. And I didn't even ask for it, still you thought about it. So, thank you! It means a lot." I tell him, meaning each word.

"What is the problem?" He asks and I sigh.

"What are we going to tell Carrack? Isn't he going to say anything about us living in different rooms? And Chloe... what about her?" I ask and he lets out a breath of relief, like it isn't a big deal.

"I have a few rules in this house, Mrs. Clark. No one, I mean, no one comes to this floor. Not Carrack, not Chloe. They know better than that. The housekeeper, Mrs. George wouldn't say anything, I can assure you that. She has been working here a long time, she understand things without even saying anything." He says and I blink, nodding.

"I wouldn't mind cleaning this room on my own. If that makes things easier." I offer but his glare tells me otherwise.

"That wouldn't be necessary." He says.

"Thank you, Mr. Clark." I whisper and he nods.

"Whenever you need to use the bathroom, since it's a common one, just knock twice to make sure that if I am in there, I'll know that you need it." He instructs before disappearing behind the door.

I lie down on the bed, jetlag getting the best of me. It's four in the afternoon, but it's killing me to keep my eyes open. I hear shuffling behind me and notice that James has brought in my bags. He looks at me lying and tries to keep his gaze fixed on my face.

"Uh.. there are some clothes I asked my assistant and Chloe to pick out for you. They are in my closet, but I brought you some sweats to change into for now. You can shift the clothes tomorrow." He tells me and I nod, getting out of bed.

"Thanks." I say, "I don't think I'll be coming down for dinner, if that's okay. I am exhausted." I inform him.

"No problem." He shrugs.

"And I need to take a quick shower." I blurt and he looks in my eyes, and without saying a word retreats to his room.

I take the clothes that James got for me, and notice that there's a pair of undergarments in there, immediately making me facepalm. I need to shift my clothes first thing tomorrow. When I get in the bathroom, I make sure that the door is locked from both the side before stripping down.

After cleaning up, I go under covers and snuggle with the pillow before drifting off to sleep.

I jolt awake, a dream of me falling down the stairs. There's a bead of sweat on my forehead and I wipe it away. My stomach grumbles and I look at the clock on the side table, switching on the lamp.

It's two in the morning. My eyes roam around the unfamiliar bedroom until they stop at the study desk, a plate along side casselore. I get out of bed and look at it.

"Just in case you get hungry in the middle of the night. -J."

The warm feelings sets in my heart as I take the food to bed. I turn on the flat screen on the wall opposite to bed and look through the infomercials as I devour the brown rice and chicken. It isn't as cold as I expected it to be, it's edible.

He might care, after all. Maybe not for me, but from one person to another.