9

ARTEMISIA

I was alone again when Julie left to take care of some stuff.

Although she didn't tell me what it was, I guessed it was about boys.

I had noticed she was staring at one of the guests in a somewhat sexy way and she had excused herself to go attend to him.

I gagged as I imagined what they could be doing right now.

Sighing whilst shaking my head to clear the thoughts of Julie and her maybe newfound sexual partner out of my mind, I sat on the chair quietly whilst observing my surroundings for the first time.

The decoration had been done in my favourite colour which was lavender.

Even though I was a girly girl, I wasn't quite interested in the colour pink.

Rather, I found it overly revolting. At first, it didn't disgust me, until people began to think I was an airhead due to the colour I chose to wear often. Also, the colour of my hair might have contributed to it.

I let in a deep breath as the cool wind caressed my face. I wonder if my parents had gone through my diary because having my wedding reception on a beach had been my dream.

I had imagined a fairy tale wedding and a charming prince.

I had gotten the wedding but a not so charming prince.

"Congratulations."

I smiled back at a brunette with ebony skin.

I nodded at another and glanced away.

I wonder when it would end.

I was already tired of getting congratulations on what I didn't sign up for.

I wish I could escape or maybe vanish into thin air.

I giggled at the thought. That might be possible if I was a witch and I had seen it only in movies. So, it meant I wouldn't be vanishing anytime soon.

Sooner or later, I knew I needed to face it. To accept that I was married, whether it was against my wish or not.

The place was packed as it was in the cathedral and I saw several of the guests still swaying to the slow music that had been playing.

My mind drifted to my new husband whom I had come to realise was the freaking Sinclair Steele I would be getting an interview with tomorrow.

The near kiss he and I had shared kept on playing in my head over again and I doubted if I would ever forget it.

My skin still tingled where he had touched me, and I couldn't erase the feelings of what would happen later tonight in the bedroom away from my mind.

"Sin!" A shapely beauty with dark hair yelled.

Another curvaceous woman. I sighed, shaking my head.

She sauntered to where he was, and she embraced him.

My heartbeat faltered as I watched him squeezed her, and pecked her both cheeks.

He had done it for the other woman back then and I shouldn't be bothered with it because our marriage wasn't real to me.

However, my hands tightened into a fist as I glanced at the bimbo, who was now gripping his hand.

Sin's eyes trailed to mine, he lifted his brow whilst staring at me.

His lips curved into an amusing smile, and I found myself blushing.

I suspected he was doing it on purpose. I believe he wanted to get me jealous because he had been interacting with other women aside from me.

A tipsy blond with coffee brown eyes who looked a bit younger than Sin slammed into him.

Sin's eyes darkened as he stared at the blond who had a nonsensical grin on his round face.

From where I sat, I heard his low growl and I flinched as he gripped the boy by his shirt whilst stalking away with him.

Even if he had pretended as if he didn't notice me, I was glad the bimbo's hands were not on him anymore.

Her blue eyes locked on mine, and it glinted. She sneered and bared her teeth at me.

Briefly, I could make out a gleaming sharp canine as I glanced at her.

Shrugging, I let my eyes wander away from hers and let out a sigh as I spotted Sin again.

He stalked towards me, tugging me out of the white plastic chair and into the sleek car that was waiting to take us to wherever he had in mind.

★★★★

"Where are we going?" I murmured, glancing at the empty street as the chauffeur sped by.

I hadn't seen a building since we entered the road, except for tall trees, shrubs as well as crows that flew around. Even fogs.

I shouldn't be seeing fog since it wasn't the time of the year for it. But, I couldn't help but feel something was off with the way it gathered around.

It was a wonder the chauffeur could still see the road despite being covered.

I knew if I was the one, it was possible I would have rammed into a tree or maybe someone, by chance.

"I thought seeing crows and fog at the same time means something bad is about to happen?" I blurted gazing at the first building I noticed in awe.

It wasn't like the one I was used to. It looked as if it had been here for a long time because it was covered with climbers.

Despite how cold the exterior was, it intrigued me.

Momentarily, I noticed his gaze from the corner of my eyes. But, he didn't say anything.

Rather, he accelerated the car.

My eyes widened, and I grasped the seat to stop myself from flying out of the windshield.

"I know you don't like me, but will you f*cking slow down!" I yelled.

My heart palpitated, and I imagined how today might be the end for me if a truck rammed into us at the speed at which he was going.

"Do you have a death wish?" I asked again as I received no response.

Impulsively, I smacked his hand from the steering and clasped it. The car drifted along the highway, and I let out a loud shriek as I attempted to control it in the position I was in.

"Do you have a death wish?" It was Sin's turn to yell, and he shoved my hands off from the steering.

"Perhaps, you do by the rate at which you were speeding," I retorted, scowling.

Hopefully, the car had come to a halt and Ace stepped out of it as he turned off the ignition.

"I was in control okay?" He said, shoving his hands into his hair.

He walked away from me, and for the first time, I glanced at where I was.

My mouth opened agape when I gaze at the structure. "Where are we?" I stuttered.

"Where does it look like?" He questioned back.

"You know, you don't answer a question with another question."

Sin shrugged and walked to the back of his car, gripped his duffel and slung it across his shoulder whilst walking towards the house.

"Where is my bag?"

"It's inside the car." He said, smirking. "Pick it for yourself, I'm not your maid."

I stared at him for a while and saw he wasn't joking.

"Are you coming in or would you prefer to freeze outside?" He asked as he stopped at the doorstep.

"Why do you care if I freeze or not?" I inquired as I lifted the handles of each luggage.

I didn't remember them being heavy like this and I wonder if someone had added something to It.

"My bad!" He exclaimed.

"I don't care about you. I only don't want people to think that I killed my new bride." He added, chuckling.

"Besides," He paused. A slight frown appeared on his face as he gazed around. "I should warn you too. There are a lot of rumours about strange beings looking for whom to devour that walk during the day."

"That isn't funny," I yelled, whilst glancing around with wide eyes.

Sin shrugged and entered the house. "I don't intend to make it funny."

I yelped, lurching as I heard a rustling sound in the overgrown lawn beside me. I dragged the luggage with all my might and scurried into the house.

Inside the house, it even looked more sophisticated than I had imagined, but what would I expect from a billionaire? I questioned myself.

Despite the sophisticated look, there was a cold vibe I got and it wasn't only from the building, but from Sin himself.

"Hey."

I lurched for the second time today at the sound of his voice. "Will you quit trying to scare me?"

His eyes glinted as he stared at me. His hand went to the scruff on his chin and he stroked whilst he continued to assess me.

I wrapped my arms around myself as I felt his eyes undressed me. Slowly, he moved towards me and for a moment, I thought he was going to come near where I was at the door.

But he halted. A growl escaped from his lips, and his eyes flashed that weird gold it had earlier at the cathedral.

"Mine." He sneered.

I yelled as he tugged me into his strong arm abruptly. He sniffed the air, then my skin.

"Your scent is so intoxicating." He murmured, then shifted the strap of my gown aside. "And your eyes, the finest I've ever seen."

He lifted my chin and trailed his finger along my jawline. His fingers moved closer to the tiny cleavage I had and he dipped his thumb into it.

"W-what are you doing?" I stuttered, attempting to shove him.

"Claim you." He stated, then he dipped his head to the side of my neck.

My sense evaded me at the feeling of his lips on the soft spot before my collarbone. I moaned as he licked and suckled on the flesh.

"No," I said hastily as his lips began seeking for the tiny buds of my breast.

"I don't want this," I murmured, shoving him again.

Still, he didn't yield. Instead, he clasped my hands together and lifted them above my head. "You are my wife!"

"I have the freedom to say what I want as well." I asserted, attempting to wriggle out of his clutch.

His eyes blazed as he glared at me. Slowly, he released his grip and stepped away from me.