Chapter 2 Chapter Two

• The chauffeur brought the car to a halt in the garage and a uniformed man briskly walked up to the car to hold the door open for Colin.
• “Welcome back, sir." He greeted and Colin nodded in answer while handing to him the documents he'd come along with. His name was Tim, the butler.
• “How did your day go, sir?" He asked, walking fast to keep in pace with Colin's fast strides.
• “It went well, Tim. Any problems around the house today?"
• Tim shook his head. “None, sir."
• Colin nodded satisfactorily as he entered the living room and was greeted by the other workers who were present at that time. He answered perfunctorily and went upstairs to the bedroom.
• He flung the bedroom door open and walked in to see his wife, Elaine White, sitting on their gigantic bed and propped up with pillows. She seemed to be occupied with the object in front of her, her phone, and she simply glanced up at him once before returning her attention back to her phone.
• He stood in front of the bedroom mirror and took off his Rolex wristwatch, while looking at her reflection through the mirror.
• “Hello." He said simply and she returned an even colder hello without looking up.
• Anyone watching them would have thought they were behaving that way because they'd had a fight but ironically, this was the kind of cold marital relationship that existed between the billionaire CEO and his surrealistically beautiful wife, a couple who looked so perfect in public, yet were worse than strangers at a bus stop in the confines of their matrimonial home.
• Elaine White, was a twenty seven year old lady who had been in an arranged marriage with Colin for five years. She was a vision of ethereal beauty, with porcelain skin that glowed with a delicate ivory hue. Her eyes, a striking shade of emerald green, shimmered with an attractive allure. Cascading locks of glossy chestnut hair framed her face in soft waves, adding to her model-like aura of elegance and sophistication. Tall and slender, Elaine possessed a statuesque physique that seemed to glide effortlessly with every step she took. Despite her beauty, there was a coldness to her demeanor, a hint of aloofness that kept others at arm's length. Except of course, Colin Anderson, whom it had succeeded in drawing deep into her charm.
• Colin began to loosen his tie. “What's for dinner?”he casually asked over his shoulder and she shrugged. “I don't know."
• He spun around to look at her in surprise. “What do you mean you don't know? Didn't you give the chef instructions?"
• She finally looked up at him, looking bored and distracted.“Chef called in sick this morning."
• He frowned slightly. “Does that mean no one has had a decent meal in this house today?"
• She shrugged again. “I ordered for breakfast and lunch. We could order something for dinner too. No biggie.”
• Colin was thoughtful for a moment. Elaine was a terrible cook. He remembered the terrible meal she had once prepared in a pathetic attempt to do something personally on their daughter's second birthday. He was also pathetic at cooking so they were both hopeless at it and certainly not good options.
• “I'll ask the housekeeper if she can help make dinner. I'll pay her extra for it." He said aloud, taking off his shirt and she nodded without saying anything.
• He eyed her for a few seconds before walking out the door to give the housekeeper instructions and she was more than happy to oblige, grateful for an opportunity to earn extra with little efforts.
• She immediately set to work and Colin went to his private swimming pool to swim, relieving the day's stress and feeling refreshed thereafter.
• Thirty minutes later when he walked back into the house, there was a delicious smell wafting through the living room from the dining room and Mary, the housekeeper, informed him that dinner was ready.
• He thanked her and walked upstairs to dry himself up and change into something comfortable.
• “Where's Alice?" He asked Elaine after changing out of his wet clothes. Alice was their four year old daughter.
• “In her room, taking a nap." Elaine answered indifferently and he nodded. “Good. Dinner's ready." And made to walk out.
• “I don't feel like dining at the table. Tell Mary to bring it up here for me." She said lazily and he nodded briefly, before walking out.
• As he dined alone at the big and magnificent dining table full of delicacies he couldn't even eat half of and Elaine sat upstairs, with what she treated like a better companion; her phone, and the dinner Mary had taken upstairs to her, Colin let his mind wander a little. And he wondered, if the miserable and unhappy marriage he was in today, was worth the feeling of pride and victory he'd felt years ago when he had married one of the most beautiful ladies in New York, Elaine White.
• Five years ago, he had seen Elaine at a friend's birthday party and had fallen in love with her instantly. Her graciousness, her dazzling beauty, her class, it all attracted her to him and suddenly, he didn't want to be the handsome son of a billionaire who had countless girlfriends whom he used and dumped at will. He wanted to be a husband to this gorgeous damsel he had encountered at the party. To stay loyal and true to her, forever.
• Excitedly, he had told his father about her and luckily for him, she turned out to be the daughter of one of his father's close friends. That had done the magic. Mister Luke Anderson's friend had relayed the proposal to his daughter and she had made it clear that she didn't love Colin, which shocked everyone because they, including Colin, thought that he was a perfect spec for literally every lady on Earth.
• Elaine's disapproval surprisingly drew him to her even more and he had told her father, Mister Bruce White, that he didn't mind her not liking him, he was still interested in a marriage with her. He had been confident that her cold feet would disappear after their marriage, and she would succumb to his charm and fall in love with him.
• Mister White had then proceeded with the wedding, not wanting to let down his good friend; Colin's father, assuring Elaine that she would grow to love him later.
• Of course, he was wrong. Elaine's contempt for Colin had grown over the years, her bitterness stemming from the separation with her then boyfriend, whom she loved greatly, and the disagreement she'd had with her father, all because of Colin Anderson.
• Colin, on the other hand, realized his mistake a little too late, in the second year of their marriage, when he realized that literally nothing could make Elaine love him. Not his looks. Or his money. Or the fame and luxury that came with being his wife. Or the adorable child between them. Nothing. Instead, she had grown to resent him, and he had grown used to it.
• Painful as it was, sometimes, he prided himself in the fact that she was still his wife. That he had won where many other men had failed. That she was his, forever. Even with the coldness, and lovelessness that beclouded their marriage. But Colin was wrong. Just like her father had been. Elaine White would not be his wife forever. A cruel fate would make sure of that.