Adriana’s POV

“Please, sit down.” His voice was patronizingly patient, as though he was interacting with a child and not a full-grown adult woman.

It sucked down anyway, throwing him a pointed look which he clearly caught but dismissed.

“Adriana, I hope this isn't something that we'll have to revisit after this discussion, so I'll be direct with you,”

He said as though he had never been direct or overly conscious of my feelings.

“You signed an NDA that day concerning our ‘union’. ""You should be well aware that if this ever came out the press would rip us apart like vultures.” He closed the book and let out a sigh.

“Trust me, the last thing I want is anyone else to find out about this. But why does that mean I can't go shopping?”

“You can,” he muttered like the words physically hurt to say.

“But it won't be long before someone shouldn't pick up on your comings and goings and their imagination starts going wild. All they need is a couple of pictures of you to twist the story in any way they please, and it's not like we can give them a good reason why we would be living together.”

He leaned back against his chair, his breathing becoming ragged his buttons fought hard not to pop under the sudden strain he was putting them and the outline of his firm pecs made me blush a little.

No, no! Adriana. I inwardly scolded myself. He's rude, arrogant and now clearly paranoid too.

“Fine,” I said, pushing myself up from the chair that I was sitting in. This man was something else.

But it was more than just ‘shopping’. I was sick of rotting away in the mansion. The servants kept a polite distance, making it clear that they were here to work and nothing else.

As for Mr Williams. Argh, he was the worst! I knew the mansion was large, but it looked like he was going out of his way to avoid me. He never came down for breakfast, lunch or supper in the dining room, so I asked the maids if this was a normality.

They told me that he was sometimes too tired to do so, but he frequently made it down to the dining room in the past. He didn't stop there and would inconvenience himself in so many other ways rather than being faced with the grueling task of seeing me and maybe offering a half-hearted exchange.

Now, I want to go out for some fresh air and is that also too much?

Nope, I'd endured enough. Like I said before, I wasn't on house arrest. I was free to go where I pleased. I just had to do it inconspicuously.

I wore a long black coat with sunglasses paired with a black purse and chunky heels. I thought it would help me blend in when I came out, but I ended up standing out more thanks to my all-black ensemble.

After an hour of scrolling through a boutique, I had three new dresses on hand and a white flat that caught my eye.

While I was contemplating it, I should buy anything else my Mom called.

“My dear, sorry. "" I haven't been able to call all this time. "" I've been terribly busy. ""Anyway, do you have good news for me?” She sounded so chirpy that it kind of ticked me off.

Part of me wanted to complain and whine, but a more mature part cushioned those feelings of displeasure, although not completely.

“Afternoon, Mom. Sorry, but no ‘good’ news yet.”

She audibly sighed over the line.

“Well, it's only been less than a month, hang in there, my dear.”

I shook my head, she was a lost cause, but she was also my Mom.

We chatted a bit more as I skillfully avoided any topics that would trickle down to my marriage.

Mom finally threw her hands up in submission over the phone.

“I see you don't have much to say about my son-in-law,” she said, initially sounding resigned. “...but you should know that alone in itself says a lot,” I felt like I had choked on a spoon. Ugh, I'd unintentionally outed myself, no one would resist talking about their marriage this much unless something was amiss.

“My ‘husband’ likes his privacy, it's no big deal, Mom.”

My Mom lowered her voice, and it thickened with concern.

“My dear, I hope he isn't trying–”

Knowing how wild Mom's imagination was, I stopped her right there in her tracks.

“He’s fine, I'm fine. Nothing's wrong, just trust me. "" You're the one that recommended him, remember?”

“True, but still…” Mom realized she might have to confess to making some sort of mistake tucked away whatever she had to say next.

“Okay, I'll trust you. But call me if things get awry.”

We talked a little longer after that until she ended the call on her end and I made a beeline over to the counter where I would pay for the stuff I bought.

I had hardly stretched out my hand when another longer, more muscular one went ahead.

“Take my card, I'll be paying for her,”

A quick cold shiver ran down my spine after the man's black card was taken while mine remained half outstretched.

“Mr Will–”

“Don't.” He cut me off from saying his name.

“Can you see them?” he said, his raspy voice low as he placed his hands on my shoulders and guided my eyes to a man in the shoe sections, carefully going through one pair after another.

“Notice anything funny?” he said, sounding stern.

“Not really, he looks like he might be buying that for his girlfriend or–”

“That man had been following you not long after you left my mansion,”

I felt cold all over again.

“Tell me you're pulling my leg.”

He tilted his head down to pierce me with his eyes.

“Does it look like I'm messing with you right now, Adriana?”