Chapter 2
I dropped my phone and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water.
Outside, a few drones still lingered in the night sky, blinking as they spelled out Pearl's name.
I took a sip. The water was cold.
Tomorrow, the countdown to this marriage and Pearl's borrowed reign would begin.
*****
Joseph didn't come home all night.
At seven the next morning, I sat alone at the dining table, having breakfast by myself.
The TV was still replaying last night's drone confession scene.
The article read: [Piano Goddess Pearl Sutton returns home. A thousand drones light up a Confession to a Mystery Man. The whole internet suspects it's Joseph Salazar, CEO of Salazar Group.]
And it rushed to the top three trending topics.
I swallowed the milk. My tongue was numb. I couldn't taste a thing.
The front door clicked open.
Joseph walked in, bringing in the chill from outside, and there was a hint of perfume on him, one that definitely wasn't mine.
He glanced at me, didn't say a word, and went straight upstairs.
"Have you eaten?" I asked.
"Yeah," he replied.
His footsteps faded away upstairs.
I kept my head down and kept eating my breakfast.
I remembered a night last winter.
Pearl hadn't come back yet, and Joseph got home at one in the morning after working late. I'd left him a bowl of soup.
He glanced at it, lifting the lid. "I'm not hungry." Then he went upstairs.
The soup went cold, so I poured it out.
The next day, I made it again.
Again, he didn't touch it.
On the third day, I stopped making it.
He never asked why.
That was what three years of marriage looked like for us.
I did so many things he never saw, and when I stopped, he never noticed.
My phone rang again. It was June.
"Willow, you know about Pearl's concert the day after tomorrow, right?" she said.
"Yeah," I said.
"I got a seat in the family section. No need for you to go. Those events aren't really your thing. Give the ticket to Joseph."
"Okay."
"And Pearl wants to come over for a visit. Make sure the living room is tidy. We don't want her thinking the Salazar family is sloppy."
"Okay."
After hanging up, I loaded the dishes into the dishwasher.
During those three years, I wasn't the mistress of this house. I was the maid.
Joseph needed a wife for appearances. June needed an obedient daughter-in-law.
As for love, that was always meant for Pearl.
At two in the afternoon, Pearl showed up.
She was wearing a cream-colored cashmere coat, her long hair draped over her shoulders, and carrying two boxes of pastries. "Hi, Willow. It's my first time here. I brought some Valdorna pastries. Hope you like them."
She sounded warm and friendly. But from the moment she stepped inside, her eyes were scanning the place for Joseph.
Joseph came downstairs, dressed in casual clothes.
He had a relaxed expression I'd never seen before. There was a faint, unconscious smile on his lips. "Pearl, have a seat."
He walked right past me without glancing my way.
Pearl settled onto the couch, her gaze sweeping the living room. Her eyes paused on the wedding photo hanging on the wall for a couple of seconds. "Joseph, you look so much thinner."
Joseph gave a small smile. "Work has been hectic."
"You need to take care of yourself." Pearl tilted her head, her voice so gentle that it could melt anyone's heart.
I poured some coffee and placed it in front of Pearl.
She took the cup, her fingers brushing the rim, and her brows furrowed slightly. "Willow, this coffee is a bit hot."
"Sorry." I poured her another cup of coffee.
Pearl accepted it and smiled. "You're so nice, Willow."
Then she turned to Joseph. "Are you coming to the concert the day after tomorrow? I saved you a seat right in the front row."
Joseph nodded.
"It's your favorite song." Pearl looked down as her cheeks flushed. "I've been playing it for ten years."
Joseph's Adam's apple moved. "I know."
They spent the whole afternoon talking. From the churches in Valdorna to the summer they turned eighteen.
Pearl reminisced about that old piano competition. "You handed me a bottle of water from the audience. I was so nervous that my hands were shaking, but after I drank some, I stopped shaking."
Joseph replied, "I remember."
No one asked if I wanted to join in, nor did they notice when I slipped out of the living room.
I headed upstairs, went into the study, and closed the door behind me.
I turned on my computer and logged into an encrypted account.
A welcome message popped up on the screen: [Welcome back, VEGA.]
I opened the copyright management dashboard.
Twelve authorized songs, all lined up neatly under Pearl's name. [Authorization type: Exclusive performance license.
[Authorization period: December 31, 2024.]
I hovered the cursor over "Batch Operations," but I didn't click.
Not yet. I had to wait until those divorce papers were in my hands.
I shut down my computer and headed downstairs.
Pearl was slipping on her shoes, and Joseph stood by the door, seeing her out.
"Take care getting home, Pearl," he said.
"I will, Joseph." Pearl turned back with a soft smile. "Thanks for the coffee, Willow."
"You're welcome," I replied.
The door closed behind her.
Joseph lingered by the entryway, looking at his phone.
I walked past him. "Go to Pearl's concert."
He glanced up at me.
"The ticket is on the coffee table," I added.
Then I headed upstairs.
Halfway up, I heard him call out behind me. "Willow, don't overthink it."
I didn't turn around.
'Overthink it?' I thought. 'I don't have the need to think about it anymore.'