Chapter 6
Two weeks later, Sterling Enterprises was hosting its annual gala. It was going to be a big deal, with all the big shots from the business world and a bunch of celebrities showing up.
This company was huge, with fingers in all kinds of pies: jewelry, cosmetics, fashion, and even the entertainment industry.
And this annual gala was a lavish affair, inviting elites from every field and serving as the perfect stage to promote their brand-new jewelry line.
Edmund had told me he was planning to go public with our relationship at the gala.
That was sure to cause a huge stir, and both of us would be thrown right back into the center of public attention.
"Are you scared?" he asked me.
I couldn't pretend I wasn't. After being torn apart by online hate once, I knew I couldn't take that kind of blow again.
He held my hand, his voice gentle and reassuring. "Don't worry. I won't let you get hurt ever again."
I looked up at him in surprise, only to meet his tender and resolute gaze. For a split second, it felt like my heart skipped a beat.
"So, is there anything I need to do?" I asked nervously, biting my lip, my palms already slick with sweat.
"From now on, you need to stay with me at all times. No resisting me. I want everyone to see at a glance that we're a loving couple, not..." As he spoke, his fingers gently brushed against my lips.
I panicked and pulled away, my face flushing as I lowered my head.
He let out a soft chuckle. "Not like this, always instinctively flinching away whenever I touch you."
"I-I'll do my best to accept you," I stammered.
The next second, I felt a soft, unfamiliar touch on my lips.
His face suddenly loomed close, filling my entire view.
It was like Edmund could read my mind. He caught my wrist in a firm grip and pressed me down onto the bed.
He kissed me until I was nearly out of breath, only letting go when I was gasping for air. "Physical closeness between a married couple is the quickest way to build intimacy," he said.
I blinked rapidly, flustered, turning my head away in embarrassment. "How far do I have to go?"
He answered seriously, "Until you can kiss me back."
"That's it?" I looked at him in surprise.
"What, were you hoping for something else?" he teased, grinning.
I shook my head quickly. "No, just kissing is enough. Nothing more."
Then, I closed my eyes, heart pounding as I braced myself for his kiss.
But Edmund didn't go any further.
Instead, he softly brushed his hand over my cheek, pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, then turned onto his side and pulled me into his arms. "Sleep," he said lazily.
His warm breath brushed against the back of my ear, carrying a hint of something unspoken, like he was quietly letting out the emotions he'd been holding back.
His scent—so uniquely his—wrapped around me, and before I knew it, my whole body tensed up.
Time seemed to freeze, his breath the only thing echoing in my ears, growing louder and louder.
It was like an invisible caress, sending ripples through my heart and throwing my thoughts into chaos.
"Edmund, could you let me go? It's hard to sleep like this," I said softly, shifting my arm a little.
But instead, he just pulled me closer. "Don't be afraid. I just want to hold you for a little while," he murmured.
"Okay," I replied, curling up and not daring to move an inch.
Listening to his steady breathing, I finally felt at ease and closed my eyes.
The next morning, the spot beside me was empty. Edmund was already gone.
But when I checked my phone, I noticed a new message.
Ever since I married Edmund, I'd completely shut myself off from the rest of the world.
The phone he bought for me only had one number in it—his.
His message read: [Maya, you really toss and turn a lot in your sleep.]
That random comment got my imagination running wild.
Did I... do something last night?
All sorts of embarrassing images popped into my head. I quickly shook my head, trying to shake them off, then shot back a question mark in reply.
As soon as I sent the message, I saw the notification of him typing back.
A moment later, he sent over a photo.
I tapped it open—there was a red mark on his neck.
Seeing that mark, I blushed instantly, and my mind conjured up all sorts of R-rated scenes.
Then, another message popped up.
Edmund: [Last night, you were fighting Lucas in your dream and ended up scratching my neck all over.]
That was a real cold shower, and my face finally cooled down.
Just knowing he heard my sleep talking made me want to scream into my pillow.
Once I calmed down, feeling super embarrassed, I awkwardly sent him a quick apology.
He replied almost right away: [I hope next time, when you scratch me, you'll be screaming my name.]
My heart skipped a beat, then started racing all over again.
Suppressing the flutter in my chest, I sent him a meme and joked: [Here, have a bottle of dish soap. Maybe it'll help you clean up your act.]
He replied with a speechless emoji.
Just picturing him at a loss for words made me grin, so I kept teasing him.
Before I knew it, more than an hour had slipped by.
After we wrapped up the conversation, I kept scrolling through our chat history. Most of it was just us roasting each other back and forth.
But when reading those messages, I felt this unexpected happiness bubbling up inside me.
Realizing my face was flushed and my heart was racing, I quickly turned off my phone and splashed some cold water on my face.
Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I felt a weird, unexplainable feeling bubbling up inside me.
It made me feel both panicked and hopelessly drawn in.
Wait... Was I actually starting to like Edmund?
No way. I shook my head hard, trying to chase that absurd thought out of my mind.
Edmund had arranged for someone to make me a custom dress, so after I got ready, I headed to the mall with his assistant, Chris Brooks.
After they took my measurements, Chris got a call. He told me Edmund had already had some custom jewelry made for me and that I should swing by to check it out. If I wasn't happy with it, they could always have it remade.
I walked into the jewelry store, full of anticipation, only to run smack into the two people I never wanted to see for the rest of my life.
At the counter, a sales associate was explaining to a woman in a hat and mask, "I'm very sorry, miss, but this jewelry set is a custom order. It's already been reserved by another customer."
The woman clung to the man beside her, whining, "But I really want this one, Lucas."
The man standing next to her seemed distracted, only snapping back to attention when she tugged on his hand.
He shot the salesperson an impatient look. "Please contact the buyer. I'm willing to pay double."
When I saw Lucas and Charlotte, I couldn't help clenching my fists.
Even after getting away from them, that deep-rooted fear still haunted me, refusing to let go.
"I'm done. Let's just go home," I said, my mind in a mess as I turned to leave.
Chris quickly said, "Mrs. Sterling, that jewelry set is the one Mr. Sterling had custom-made for you."
Hearing that, I froze in my tracks.
Even though I wanted nothing to do with them, I couldn't bring myself to let Edmund down.
Taking a deep breath, I turned back around and said to Chris, "Since he had it custom-made for me, I can't just let someone else have it."