Chapter 4

• Claudia
• I spent a long time practicing until I decided to rest. My feet had started to hurt due to lack of habit, and to think that there is still a long evening ahead where I will have to ignore my discomfort. I am sitting on the edge of the bed with my back to the door and my gaze fixed on the window panes while I think about how much longer I have to wait. When the door is opened again, I assume it is Mrs. Clara who lately enters without permission.
• “Mrs. Clara, how much longer will the troglodyte who bought me be delayed?” I ask wearily without bothering to look.
• “The troglodyte has arrived and came for his wife to attend to his guests,” the tone is harsh, cruel, and hurtful.
• I turn abruptly upon hearing the deep, seductive male voice that responds to me, the perfume that I did not perceive before evidences his presence. A man much taller than me in a black suit with a chilling gaze scans me from head to toe, pausing at my lips. He is extremely handsome, but his cold and distant gaze warns me about my fate; a shiver runs down my spine.
• The furrowed brow gives him an air of mystery and sensuality that, as illogical as life is, causes a tingling in my intimacy. He smiles arrogantly upon realizing what he has provoked in me. Damn bastard, I’m going to leave at the first opportunity.
• “I hope my dear wife is ready to come down,” he vociferates calmly as he moves towards me, and I stand up to face him.
• His demeanor intimidates me, as well as the way he looks at me. I bite my lower lip unconsciously and hear him grunt in response. My lungs have collapsed; I am sure that I have completely forgotten how to breathe; not a single word comes out of my lips. I am stuck to the floor; I am his prey and he enjoys stalking me.
• “I brought a small gift for my wife to look even more beautiful tonight,” he opens a case that I did not notice and lets me see a beautiful necklace with black stones and an intricate design that harmoniously matches the earrings I am wearing. “It is a jewel with great emotional value and now it belongs to you,” he declares, encircling my neck with the piece.
• His fingers subtly brush the skin of my neck, causing a tingling sensation that travels down my spine and settles in my lower abdomen.
• “It seems to me that it looks exquisite on your neck,” his hot breath hits me as he leans in and whispers in my ear from behind.
• A gasp escapes my mouth, and I can feel his pleased smile. If I want to succeed in my plan, I must be careful with him. His presence is overwhelming, and I realize that I am not immune to his seduction.
• “I imagine it doesn’t resemble any of the necklaces you give to your bitches, dear husband,” I retort, taking back control of my body and emotions.
• “The bitches are just that, whereas my wife is a lady who must watch her language,” his tone of voice changes slightly.
• “Just as my husband should be a gentleman faithful to his wife,” I refuse to back down. We both know how to play this game, and I will show him.
• “Not when the wife is a mere acquisition,” he says cunningly, “an acquired asset that has no will, like the object of purchase and sale that it is,” he concludes.
• “Congratulations, Mr. Mobasseri, you are a very transparent and sincere wretch,” I applaud, showing that I will not let him bend me to his will.
• I won’t deny that his comment hurt me, but the plan is to stay strong until I find a way to escape his clutches.
• “Don’t forget your place,” he grabs my wrist with so much pressure that it hurts. “You are only my wife for my convenience and because I feel like it,” he says hostilely. “Now smile, the guests must see the love between us,” he says before letting go of me to compose his image.
• The damn bastard didn't take long to show me his true face, one that he knew was there beneath the mask he always wears. He’s mistaken if he thinks I’ll stay by his side and let him walk all over me whenever he pleases.
• “It’s more than obvious the deep feeling that resides in my heart towards you, husband,” I spit with disdain.
• “In front of people other than the employees, you can call me Richard or any ridiculous term that shows love,” he informs, standing at the door waiting for me.
• “Of course, darling, it will be as you command always,” I reply.
• I follow him out into the hallway and position myself by his side with my hand resting on the arm he offers me like the gentleman he truly isn’t. We walk in silence until we reach the top of the stairs where everyone focuses on us; a sudden silence falls.
• “Smile,” he whispers just for me to hear. “Show that you love me as much as I love you, you son of a bitch.”
• I smile as he indicates, showing everyone how happy I am to be the wife of the idiotic and handsome Mr. Mobasseri. Acting lessons would have been very useful at this moment. We start descending amidst the admiration of everyone, feeling like they are watching me in a strange way as if they know me from somewhere, but to me, they are all a bunch of bootlicking strangers.
• “Tonight, I have the honor of introducing you all to my lovely wife,” my husband declares when we reach the bottom of the stairs. "Today marks two years since we said ‘I do,’ committing to the union of two people, and I realize that I couldn’t have been more right in finding love in her,” he is a liar and a hypocrite of the highest quality, an Oscar for the best actor in the world for the bastard who has me against my will.
• I pretend to have teary eyes, thinking about the misfortune that has been my life. It’s the only way I manage to make two sad tears fall from my eyes.
• “It is I who thank life for putting you in my path,” I begin to say, darkening his gaze. “I have nothing more to ask of God or the universe, by your side I have all the happiness and love I need,” I finish. I turn to face him and in a bold move, our lips meet.
• Damn mistake I just made, the sensations that arise with that kiss are unknown to me, but they lead me to intensify the contact by putting my tongue in his mouth to start a battle for control. I wrap my arms around his neck as his hands grip my waist and pull me closer to his hard body.
• Suddenly, a heat that starts in my belly spreads throughout my body, robbing me of my senses. He seems to be a victim of the same sensations as his mouth moves hungrily over mine while his hands exert more pressure on my body. A clearing of the throat and a presence beside us bring us back to reality just as the air was starting to run out.
• “Ladies and gentlemen, the guests,” Mrs. Clara murmurs, dressed in her formal uniform.
• “It’s hard to resist the woman you love,” Mr. Mobasseri declares, causing laughter all around.
• He is as agitated as I am, the same desire reflected in his eyes as in mine. He is the enemy, but at this moment, I want to get lost in his touch.
• “Well played, wife,” he mumbles in my ear. “But now you have awakened the beast,” he declares as he plants a kiss on my neck that melts me.
• “You have your foxes for that,” I reply with what little courage I have left.
• “Richard, are you going to introduce me to your wife or not?” a woman beside us says, looking me up and down. “You don’t think I’ll settle just for the announcement you made out loud,” she says, showing a peculiar interest in my husband.
• “Of course I will, that’s why I organized this event,” he says with a fake smile. “But, I warn you, if you flirt with me again, you’ll be out on the street. She Is my wife, and whether you like it or not, you must respect her,” he says, not even knowing my name.
• I swear I want to tell him that I am just a purchase and he can have her, I have no interest in having a relationship with a scoundrel who stoops so low to have a woman without caring at all about her will. I want with all my being to ruin his act, but I refrain for the sake of my own plan.
• “Pleased to meet you, Claudia… Mobasseri,” for a moment I forgot my new last name. I ignore the hand she extends and instead drag my husband away from that woman.
• We approach an older lady, my husband unconsciously shivers in front of her, she smiles sweetly at both of us. She is elegant and wears her gray hair with pride, although her smile reveals some hidden sadness behind the frankness of her gaze.
• I take the hand the lady offers me, and immediately a strange connection between her and me is established, as if finally someone can understand all the suffering I am going through if I open up to her.
• “Pleased to meet you, Richard Mobasseri,” she declares firmly. “Thank you for the invitation, although if I am honest, my presence is more due to the curiosity caused by being invited when I have not had the pleasure of meeting you before,” she confesses, wanting to scrutinize the reason for her presence.
• I look at my husband, who remains calm in front of the old woman’s words. He smiles shyly for a second, but then composes himself and takes on that confident pose that has been unsettling me for the past half hour.
• “I would like to have a more private conversation with you, and I confess that this event is just an excuse to get closer to you,” Mr. Mobasseri explains.
• “There is no ring on your finger,” she points out. “I confess that your methods scare me, but I have never shied away from any situation. I will wait for you tomorrow at ten in the morning at my mansion. Now, I bid you a pleasant evening,” she decrees, not giving us time to respond before turning around and leaving us standing in the middle of the room.
• “She’s right,” my husband mutters. “You don’t have your wedding ring,” he says thoughtfully.
• “I don’t think that’s very important, after all, we are not a real marriage, I am just one of your acquisitions,” I retort.
• “True, but I also decided that you would be my wife, and therefore you need a ring,” he exclaims through gritted teeth.
• Subtly, he takes a velvet box from his pocket, opens it, and takes out a ring that he immediately puts on my finger, as well as one on his own. They are engagement and wedding rings, the engagement ring is gold with a woven rose and thorn design, and the wedding ring is an extremely delicate infinity symbol in its detail.
• “I had planned to do this when everyone left, but if she could figure it out, I suppose everyone else will too,” My husband is the most romantic man in the world.