This new life Owen had given to me barely three weeks after our public proposal felt less like a dream and more like a gilded cage, and we hadn't even gotten married yet.
"The silk you're holding is Italian Tessa. You have to remove it immediately after dinner and have it cleaned overnight. And girl please, try not to stain it."
Sana, my fairy godmother turned personal assistant instructed as she applied makeup to her face over the video call.
I stared at the cloth in my hand, and then slowly to the rack of designer dresses, shoes and coats that cost way more than my annual salary, filling my spare closet.
"This isn't me girl. I'm a marketing manager, I have no idea on how to be a socialite."
"You will be Mrs Carter soon, you've got to learn how to fit in," Sana corrected me sharply.
" Your image is critical to the merger, you have to embrace it."
Tonight I would be meeting Evelyn Carter, Owen's mother who is apparently old money, stern, and very observing.
"I heard she analyses every detail, from your appearance, to your posture, to the placement of your silverware." Sana said as if she read my mind.
A knot tightened in my stomach.
"Am I expected to perform for his mother?"
"You are expected to be the perfect, unsuspecting bride who tamed the untameable CEO.
Be charming, resilient, and girl please..for the love of the Carter legacy do not mention your career pitch unless she asked first."
"Fine."
"That's my girl. Goodluck."
I hung up the call feeling a surge of resentment.
What had I gotten myself into?
I had agreed to this stupid contract because I cornered myself trying to wipe the smug look off Clarissa's face at the cafe when she rubbed her wedding plans with Austin in my face, not to become a puppet for Owen's controlling family.
~~~~~~
Exactly at six, a gleaming black Rolls-Royce pulled up outside my modest apartment building.
Owen himself stepped out, a rare sight that instantly drew the attention of the neighbours around.
He looked impossibly tall and dominant in his dark blue suit, radiating a Carter's aura of untouchable wealth.
"Are you ready for your first test Tessa?"
He asked, his hazel eyes calmly accessing my appearance as I walked down from my porch towards him.
"As ready as I'll ever be to audition for the role of your compliant wife," I retorted meeting his gaze.
He didn't smile, but a slight tension eased around his jaw.
"Defiance suits you. Keep that fire, but I suggest you direct it away from my mother. It's for the cameras and the contract, remember?"
He placed a hand lightly on the small of my back to guide me to the side of the car.
The touch was brief, yet an undeniable spark travelled up my spine. It was the same electric current I remembered from when we first kissed at the club.
"Just stick close to me," he murmured, leaning a little too close to me.
"It's easier for both of us if they think I'm possessive."
As the car pulled away from the front of my apartment, I glanced through the side window.
Owen's hand now firmly placed on my right hand. But every now and then, his thumb moved just slightly, tracing a lazy circle on my skin.
I realized his touch was doing more than just putting on a show, it was a calculated, private claim that had nothing to do with cameras, and it made my heart race.
What was he playing at? I wondered. He was the one who insisted on boundaries.
Soon, we pulled up to the enormous, classical Carter estate.
It was intimidating, freezing, and felt like I had time travelled. As we stepped out, Owen paused, looking down at me with an expression I couldn't decipher.
"Breathe Tessa." He said, his voice filled with amusement.
It was then I realized I had been holding my breath since we got here.
Rolling my eyes, I finally released the air in my lungs. I was anxious, and the night hadn't even started.
"Remember your role," he commanded, raising my chin slightly, his eyes locking mine.
"Don't let them break you."
And with that, he squeezed my hand, pulled me forward, and led me into the lioness's den where the elegant figure of Evelyn Carter was waiting in the foyer.
Noticing our presence, she turned slowly to face us, and for a moment her gaze was chillingly fixed on me.
