Wedcuffed

Chapter 16

Sarah P.O.V

The next few days passed in a blur. I spent most of my time managing the company, leaving the mansion early in the morning to avoid Adrian and retreating to my room in the evening. Despite the tension between us, I continued to cook for Adrian, and he ate the meals I prepared without complaint.

On Friday night, I was absorbed in reviewing some papers in my room when I heard a knock at the door. I got up from the bed and walked over to open it, finding Adrian standing there with his usual annoyed expression. I wondered what new grievance he had come up with this time.

"Do you need something?" I asked, bracing myself for more of his ire.

"Your father came to my office today," he said. "He invited both of us to dinner tomorrow. He insisted on your presence, especially. Make sure you clear your schedule."

Hearing about my father's invitation didn't surprise me. He was always eager to curry favour with the wealthy and influential. I wished his invitations were genuine rather than motivated by greed. Since I had moved out, he had barely shown any interest in me, failing to even make an effort to call. Now that I was Adrian Parker's wife, his interest had suddenly rekindled.

"I'll be ready by 7 tomorrow," I replied, starting to close the door.

"Sarah," he said, keeping his gaze on me. "About the other day, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have treated you like that."

I blinked, still processing the unexpected apology. "Ah, it's okay, Adrian," I managed, giving him a small smile. He nodded and walked away toward his room. I closed the door, pinching myself to ensure I wasn't dreaming.

The next morning, I left for the office early due to an important meeting. The entire day was filled with back-to-back meetings and managing various tasks. By 5 PM, I packed up and headed home. It took me around 30 minutes to reach the mansion. I entered my room, placed my bag on the floor, and let my hair down from its ponytail. My brown wavy hair cascaded to my waist.

I selected the outfit I planned to wear that evening and made my way to the bathroom. I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower. The hot water eased my muscles and calmed my mind. After 15 minutes, I emerged from the shower, wrapped myself in a bathrobe, and moved to the vanity.

I applied lotion and followed a basic skincare routine. Although I wasn't one for spa treatments, I made an effort to take care of my skin at home. Even though I was quite lazy, I still liked to pamper myself a little.

Once my skincare was complete, I blow-dried my hair and opted for minimal makeup. I applied moisturizer, cheek tints, and mascara. Since my makeup was light, I chose red lipstick to complete the look. When I was satisfied with my appearance, I removed the robe and donned my dress—a plain white number with long sleeves and a deep V-neck. It featured pearl embellishments in the centre and ended a few inches above my knees.

I finished my look with some accessories and, glancing at the time, saw it was nearly 6:55. I slipped on my white pumps and made my way downstairs to the living room.

I waited in the hall for about 10 minutes before Adrian finally appeared.

"How long have you been waiting?" he asked.

"Almost 10 to 15 minutes," I replied, forcing a tight smile.

"Well, I thought you were still getting ready," he chuckled. "Girls always need extra time."

"I dislike being late and I'm not one to take hours getting ready," I responded with a straight face. His eyes roamed over my body, and I wondered if he was checking me out.