Chapter 9
I woke up with a gasp.
I checked the calendar on my phone immediately. Wednesday.
That means Thursday, Friday, Saturday... Sunday.
Sunday is The Day.
My stomach did a nervous little somersault. I have four days left to prepare my mind, my soul, and—most importantly—my body for the Grand Consummation.
I jumped out of the massive King-sized bed. Gabriel was already gone (he disappears before I wake up, like a ninja or a vampire who hates sunlight). Primrose was snoring on the rug.
"Okay, Aleesha," I whispered to myself, marching to the bathroom. "Today is about maintenance. You need to be glowing. You need to be soft. You need to be an Asset."
I turned on the shower. I made the water hot—but not too hot, because hot water dries out the skin!
I stepped in and grabbed my loofah. I scrubbed everything. Thoroughly. I used my strawberry body wash until the whole bathroom smelled like a candy factory. Then I used my vanilla hair mask.
Then... The Secret Weapon.
I reached for the small pink tub on the shelf.
I saw it on TikTok! The girl in the video said it changed her life! She said her butt was so glowing it reflected light!
I giggled nervously, scooping a generous amount. "If Gabriel is going to see... everything... then everything must be perfect."
I applied it diligently. Rub, rub, rub.
"Take that, melanin!" I whispered.
After the shower, I did my skincare routine like a surgeon performing an operation. Aloe vera toner? Pat, pat. Vitamin C serum? Drip, drip. Sunscreen? Slather.
I put on my university uniform—my white blouse and checkered skirt—and topped it off with my favorite pink hairclip. I looked in the mirror.
"You look like a student," I told my reflection. "But secretly... you are a wife who uses butt cream."
I grabbed my bag (and my crochet kit!) and walked out to the living room.
I looked at the heavy oak door of Gabriel's office. I wanted to knock. I wanted to say, "Good morning, Husband! Have a nice day conquering the world!"
But I remembered his rule: Do not disturb me unless the building is on fire.
And since the kitchen was currently flame-free (thank goodness), I decided to be a good, obedient wife.
"Bye, house," I whispered.
I went down the 100 floors in the elevator. The driver (Suit #1) was waiting for me.
"To the university, please!" I chirped.
★
School was chaos today.
I am the Student Council Secretary, and we have the "Tech Week" event coming up. That means I am in charge of logistics, decorations, and making sure the Computer Science boys don't just order pizza for every meal.
"Aleesha!" The president called me. "Where are the tarpaulins?"
"On the way!" I shouted back, typing furiously on my phone.
"Aleesha! The sound system is broken!"
"Have you tried turning it off and on again?" I yelled. (It worked. It always works).
I was running around all morning, my ring (which I wore on a necklace chain today so I wouldn't lose it or scratch a laptop) thumping against my chest.
Finally, lunch break.
I sat on a bench under a tree with Stephie, Ian, and Ash.
While they ate their sandwiches, I pulled out my yarn.
"What are you making now?" Ian asked, chewing with his mouth open (gross). "Another pink coaster?"
"No," I said, hooking the dark red yarn. "It is a bunny."
"A red bunny?" Stephie raised an eyebrow. "That looks demonic. Is it a Voodoo doll?"
"No!" I pouted. "It's a keychain! For... a very special person."
"Oooooh," Ash teased. "For the mystery boyfriend? The one you won't tell us about?"
"He is not a boyfriend," I corrected, focusing on the stitches. "He is... special."
I crocheted furiously. I wanted it to match Gabriel. He always wears that dark red shirt or dark ties. So, a dark red bunny is perfect! It represents him! Cute, but brooding.
I finished it just as the bell rang. I attached a little black ribbon to its neck.
"It's perfect," I whispered, squeezing the tiny yarn creature. "It looks angry. Just like him."
★
On the way home, I saw it.
"Stop the car!" I shouted.
The driver slammed on the brakes. "Is there an emergency, Madam?"
"Yes! Ice cream!"
I hopped out and ran into the shop.
"Two scoops of Strawberry, please!" I ordered. "In cups!"
I thought about getting Gabriel chocolate or vanilla. But then I used my logic.
Logic: Pink is the best color. Strawberry is the best flavor. Therefore, if I give him the best flavor, he will realize that pink is superior!
I ran back to the SUV with two cups of pink, melting goodness.
"Drive! Drive!" I told the driver. "We must reach the penthouse before the soup stage!"
★
The elevator ride felt like an eternity. I tapped my foot.
Ding.
I marched into the penthouse.
"Honey, I'm hooooome!" I sang out.
The living room was dim. The sun was setting, casting long orange shadows across the floor.
And there he was.
Gabriel was standing by the fireplace. He wasn't wearing his suit jacket. His sleeves were rolled up.
And he was smoking.
Again.
I wrinkled my nose slightly but fixed my face into a smile. Be supportive, Aleesha. He is stressed from being rich.
"Hello, Husband!" I greeted, hopping toward him.
He turned. He took a drag of the cigarette, his cheeks hollowing, and then exhaled a plume of gray smoke away from me.
He looked at the cigarette. Then, without a word, he tossed it into the fire.
Hisss.
"Hello," he said. His voice was deep and tired.
"I brought you something!" I beamed, holding out one of the ice cream cups. "It's Strawberry! Because you need sweetness in your life!"
Gabriel looked at the pink cup. He looked at the slightly melted pink sludge inside.
He looked at me.
"I do not eat ice cream," he said calm. "And I certainly do not eat... strawberry."
"But it's good!" I insisted, shaking the cup a little. "It has real fruit chunks! And calcium!"
"Aleesha," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. "I appreciate the... gesture. But I do not consume colored sugar. It is unnecessary calories."
"Oh."
My shoulders slumped. My smile faltered a little bit.
"Okay," I whispered. "More for me then."
I put the rejected ice cream on the coffee table.
I felt a little sting in my chest. Rejection hurts! Even if it's just over dairy products.
But I am resilient! I have a backup plan!
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the little yarn ball.
"Well," I said, biting my lip. "I also made this. Today. During my break."
I held it up.
The angry dark red bunny with the black ribbon (it looks like a potato with ears).
"It's a keychain," I explained quickly, my heart thumping. "For your car keys. Or your penthouse keys. Or... whatever. It's red. Like your shirt. And it's a bunny because... well, because I like bunnies."
I waited for him to reject this too. I waited for him to say, "I do not use yarn."
Gabriel looked at the tiny, lopsided bunny in my palm. He stared at it for a long time.
Then, slowly, he reached out.
His large, warm hand brushed against my fingers as he picked it up.
He held it up to the light. He inspected the stitching. He poked the little ears.
"You made this?" he asked.
"Yes," I nodded. "It took me forty minutes."
He didn't smile. He didn't laugh.
He simply put it in his pocket.
"Thank you," he said.
My heart soared! He took it! He kept it! He put it in his pocket! That means it is close to his hip! Which is attached to his leg!
"You're welcome!" I grinned. "So," I clapped my hands, trying to keep the momentum going. "Since you hate ice cream and I ruined the kitchen... maybe we should order pizza?"
Gabriel looked at me. He looked at the fireplace. He sighed, but it wasn't an annoyed sigh. It was a resigned sigh.
"Very well," he nodded. "Order what you wish."
He walked over to the armchair near the fire and sat down. He leaned back, crossing his long legs. He stared into the flames, looking like a king contemplating a war.
I ordered a large Pepperoni Pizza (safe choice!).
While waiting, I sat on the couch opposite him. I grabbed my spoon and started eating my ice cream (both cups, because waste is a sin).
The room was quiet. Just the crackle of the fire and the sound of me eating.
I looked at him.
The firelight danced on his face. It highlighted the sharp angle of his jaw. The straight line of his nose. The way his throat moved when he swallowed.
He was... magnificent.
And then, the thought hit me like a truck.
Four days.
I gulped. A big, cold lump of strawberry ice cream went down my throat painfully.
In four days, that man—that large, experienced, intimidating man—is going to...
He is going to see me naked.
WAAAAAAHHH!
I squeezed my eyes shut. Panic exploded in my chest.
I am a virgin! I have never done the deed! I have only read about it in books!
What if I'm bad at it? Is there a skill level? Do I need to practice? How do you practice?!
And what about my body?
I peeked at him again. He looks like a marble statue carved by angels.
And me? I am squishy! I have dimples where dimples shouldn't be! I have stretch marks!
What if he finds me... heavy? What if I smell weird? What if the butt cream didn't work and my butt is two different shades of pale?!
My face turned bright red. My heart was hammering against my ribs. Thump-thump-thump.
I can't imagine it! I literally can't!
My brain tried to picture Gabriel kissing me, and it just showed a syntax error. 404 Not Found.
He is so cold. Will he be cold during it? Will he just stare at me with those obsidian eyes and say, "Your performance is 78% efficient"?
I shivered.
Ding-Dong!
"Pizza!" I yelped, jumping up. "Pizza is here!"
I ran to the door. I paid the delivery guy (using the cash Gabriel left on the table earlier).
I carried the hot box to the living room and placed it on the coffee table between us.
"Dinner is served!" I announced, trying to sound cheerful and not like a girl who was mentally hyperventilating about her butt cream.
I opened the box. The smell of cheese and pepperoni filled the room.
I grabbed a slice. "It's hot!"
Gabriel reached forward. He took one slice. Just one. He held it elegantly, careful not to get grease on his fingers.
We ate in silence for a minute.
"So," he said.
I froze, mid-chew. He spoke first?!
"How was your day?" he asked. He didn't look at me, he looked at the pizza, but he asked!
I swallowed quickly.
"It was busy!" I answered truthfully. "I am in charge of Tech Week. The boys are chaotic. They wanted to build a robot that serves beer, and I had to tell them that is against school policy. So now we are building a robot that serves soda. Also, I crocheted your bunny."
I looked at him. "How was your day? Did you conquer a country? Did you fire someone?"
Gabriel took a bite of his pizza. He chewed slowly.
"I acquired a shipping route in the Pacific," he said simply. "And I had a meeting with the board of directors. They are... tedious."
"Tedious means boring, right?" I asked.
"Excruciatingly boring," he corrected.
"Well," I smiled, "at least you have pizza now. And a bunny."
Gabriel looked up. His eyes met mine.
For a second, the coldness thawed. Just a fraction.
The corner of his lip quirked up.
"Yes," he said softly. "At least I have a bunny."
My heart did a flutter.
Okay. Maybe... maybe four days won't be so bad.
Maybe.