Chapter 6

• Lia's POV
• I woke up with a strong pain all over my body. When I opened my eyes wide, I realized that I had fallen asleep on the floor, still wearing my wedding dress. I decided to take a bath to relax a bit, as all of this had me very stressed out. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Maximo locked me in the room. I felt like I was being kidnapped. I got into the bathtub and let my body relax with the warm water as I soaped myself all over. Now that I was locked in here, how was I going to study? Most likely, during the time that Maximo and I were married, he would have me as a trophy wife while sleeping with that bitch Laura.
• After half an hour, I got out after the water had turned cold. I wrapped myself in a towel and left the bathroom, but I stopped in my tracks when I saw Maximo sitting on the bed.
• "Finally, you come out. I thought the bathroom had swallowed you," he said.
• "Haha, very funny. I just wanted to relax a bit," I replied. He stood up and dangerously approached me.
• "Are you stressed, my love?" he asked. When he was so close to me, I got very nervous.
• "Stay away from me," I said.
• "Why? You're my wife. I can get close to you whenever I want," he insisted. He grabbed my waist forcefully and pulled me toward him, making me scream.
• "Maybe you're my wife by a deal, but that doesn't mean I don't find you attractive," he said as he kissed my neck, and I felt my legs starting to tremble. "See how your body reacts... I usually have that effect on women," he added. But when he said that, it ruined everything. I quickly pushed him away, looking at him with hatred.
• "That doesn't work on me. Go to your personal whore," I retorted.
• "Why, when I have my wife?" he said, pulling me back to his chest. I felt the urge to kill him.
• "And if I don't leave, what then?" he challenged. At that moment, a light bulb went off in my head. I gave him a mischievous smile, which he reciprocated. But his smile faded when I lifted my knee and hit him directly in the groin.
• "Damn it!" he yelled, bending over and holding his crotch, while I looked at him triumphantly.
• "I told you to leave. There you go, you pig," I said before locking myself in the closet.
• But before I closed the door, I heard him say, "You'll pay for this."
• I entered the closet and looked for something to wear. I found a pretty floral print dress, put it on, and fixed myself up until some knocks interrupted my peace.
• "Lia, my parents are here, so come out and behave like a good wife," Maximo's voice called out.
• I took a deep breath and went out, finding a well-dressed but serious Maximo.
• "Shall we?" he asked, and I nodded.
• Before we went downstairs, he took my hand, making me feel somewhat strange.
• "Darling, it's so good to see you," Teresa hugged me, and I hugged her back.
• "I'm glad to see you, too, Enrique," I greeted my father-in-law, and he returned the hug.
• "Son, what's the honor of your call?" he asked.
• Wait, he called them?
• "Let's sit down," Maximo suggested, leading us to the living room, where we all took a seat.
• "Mom, Dad... Lia and I got married yesterday," Maximo announced.
• "What?" Teresa exclaimed. "But we agreed that the wedding would be in two months."
• "Mom, it was too long. Although that wedding is still happening, we just wanted to be married," Maximo explained, looking at his father and then at me.
• "Darling, could you join me outside for a moment? I want to talk to you," Enrique asked.
• I glanced at Maximo, who looked at his father, trying to decipher what he wanted.
• "Of course," I replied, standing up, and we both walked to the garden.
• "Have a seat," Enrique said, and an awkward silence ensued.
• "I know about the contract you and my son made," he started.
• "Yes, I know. It was you who pushed him to marry without love," I responded.
• "Maybe, but I'm not the bad guy, Lia. I want the best for my son, and I couldn't stand seeing him getting into scandal after scandal with many women. I hope you understand that," he explained.
• "I know you want the best for him, but I don't think this was the way. Now we're both stuck in a marriage where we're not happy," I confessed.
• "And who makes you think that my son is not happy with you? Don't you see how he looks at you, Lia? Let me tell you, it's the first time I've seen my son look at a woman in a different way than he looks at others, and I can see that you also feel something for him. " I felt my cheeks turn red when Mr. Enrique said that. The truth was, I wasn't sure what I felt for Maximo, but now I was starting to be afraid of that feeling.
• "Sir, I..."
• "Don't say anything, Lia. Just make an effort to make this marriage work." I just nodded, and we both returned to the living room, where a quite nervous Maximo was.
• "You took a long time."
• "Relax, son, I just wanted to talk to my daughter-in-law. "
• We spent some more time with Maximo's family, and in the evening, he asked me to get ready as he had an important event to attend.
• "Wow, blue is definitely your color." He was dressed in a black suit that made him look quite sexy.
• "You look beautiful."
• "Thank you. You look great, too."
• We got into the car, and he put on some music to lighten the mood.
• When we arrived, everything was perfectly decorated. As we walked in, all eyes fell on us, and some were filled with disdain, but I think it was directed at me.
• "Maximo, my friend, good to see you!" Steven appeared with a beautiful girl by his side.
• "Hey, Steven, how are you?"
• "I'm good, my friend. Hello, Lia, good to see you."
• "Likewise, Steven."
• "Let me introduce you to Carol."
• "My pleasure."
• We sat at the table, and both men started talking about business.
• "How long have you been with Maximo?" Carol asked.
• "A few months ago, we decided to get married." She looked surprised.
• "Wow, it's clear that you are in love." I smiled at her, but it only showed sadness.
• "I think so, but tell me about yourself."
• "Well, I'm twenty-two years old, and I studied fashion design. Now, I have a modeling agency. We work on some campaigns."
• "Wow, that's great. And where did you meet Steven?"
• "I spilled coffee on him while he was walking."
• We both laughed, imagining the face Steven must have made when Carol spilled coffee on his expensive suit.
• "And what happened?"
• "Well, I apologized and invited him for coffee. And that's how it all started."
• "That's great."
• "And what do you do, Lia?"
• "Well, I want to study architecture, but I don't have the money yet."
• "Why don't you ask Maximo? I mean, you're already married."
• "The truth is, I don't like depending too much on him, so I plan to find a job."
• "Hey, why don't you come work at my agency? You'd be a perfect campaign model."
• Me, a model? I'd never been a model.
• "I don't think I'd be any good. I have no experience."
• "Oh, come on, Lia! It doesn't matter. You'll learn."
• "Hmm, I don't know. Let me think about it." She took out a card and handed it to me.
• "Here's my number, call me if you decide to work with me, and if not, call me anyway to go out for a drink. I enjoyed meeting you."
• We were both smiling until we were interrupted by the guys.
• "Lia, shall we go?"
• "Yes, let's go."
• Maximo and I said goodbye to everyone, and as we were about to leave, a male voice stopped us.
• "So, the rumors are true. The heartbreaker Maximo Bulton got married."
• We both turned around, and I saw a very handsome man who was scanning my body in a way that I didn't like at all.
• "What do you want, Connor? " Maximo asked, somewhat irritated.
• "I wanted to meet the woman who stole your heart," he said sarcastically.
• "Get lost and don't bother us."
• "Oh, beautiful, at some point, he'll get tired of you because that's what he does with all of them. He uses them and then throws them away like an old rag, or wasn't that what you did to Julia? "
• I felt Maximo tense up when Connor mentioned a woman's name.
• "Let's go, Lia." He took my hand.
• But before we could leave, I heard Connor shout again.
• "You'll hear from me again, Bulton!"
• "What was that?"
• "Nothing that concerns you, Lia," he responded curtly and somewhat brusquely.
• "Hey, don't talk to me like that!" He slammed on the brakes, causing me to almost lurch forward.
• "Stop bothering me, Lia!" I saw that he was very irritated.
• "Go to hell!"
• When we arrived, I got out of the car, slamming the door, and before entering the room, I told him...
• "I'm going to work with Carol."
• "What? Are you crazy?!"
• "I'm not crazy, so don't interfere. The decision is made. I closed myself in the room while I heard him shouting like crazy, saying he didn't want me to work, but he couldn't screw himself. I would be working and studying architecture. I wouldn't rest until I achieve it.