SWEET, SWEET, NIGHTMARE.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

     DANIELLE'S P.O.V.

  My first morning as Mrs Danielle Valentino was a sad and boring one. I might be the first in the history of newly wedded ladies to wake up on a couch, still in her wedding dress, with no idea where in the world her husband was.

  I rubbed my neck which had become stiff from sleeping on the uncomfortable couch and looked around the sitting room. The sitting area was a big space with white colored walls on which smart tv and speakers hung from. A few black cushioned couches were placed around a long glass center table. The A.C in one corner of the room hummed gently.

  I stretched and twisted my arms back and forth to relieve the tension in them. I stood up from the couch and trudged around the penthouse, trying to locate a room with my belongings. Once I found a room that contained my familiar pink suitcases, I sighed in relief.

  I managed to take off my wedding dress after much difficulty and I threw it on the queen sized bed. I opened up a suitcase in search of a fresh set of underwear and clothes. Once I found them, I headed for the adjoining bathroom to take a much needed shower.

  The water was cool and relaxing and I took my time to clean away the sweat from yesterday's dramatic night. I tried not to dwell on the crazy things I heard from Chase and the strange lady who Alisia said was Adrian's childhood friend, but some snippets from my conversation with those two surfaced in my mind.

  I shook my head to ward off questions that I knew I would not get answers to. After a few more minutes of soaking in the bathtub, I cleaned off the water on my body and got dressed.

  The extreme quietness of the house was depressing and my best antidepressant is food. I headed for the kitchen to ransack the refrigerator, but I was met with a completely empty compartment. I went through all the kitchen drawers, but I still came up with no food item.

Just great!

  What kind of man is Adrian Valentino exactly?

Who lives in a house without any item of food?

  Not even a jar of pickles or a bag of Cheetos?

  My stomach grumbled in protest to being empty. My day was going to be even more dreary without food.

  The sound of the doorbell dragged me out of my self piteous thoughts. I checked the intercom to see who was outside and I saw it was Alisia. Her hands were full, several shopping bags occupying them.

  I opened the door and watched her shuffle past me, staggering from the weight of the numerous bags in her arms.

"Good morning, sister in law" she greeted giddily.

"Good morning"

"How was your night?"

"Better than I expected"

   She placed the shopping bags on the kitchen counter.

  "Mother asked me to bring these to you. She wanted to be here but she has this meeting thing that she couldn't miss."

  "Oh. Help me thank her"

  "And these..." she said, placing another set of shopping bags on the living room couch.

  "...are from me. Congratulations on your wedding."

  She pulled me into a warm embrace and I was almost overwhelmed by emotions. I have longed for a hug like this ever since I woke up this morning.

   "I am so sorry about my stupid brother. He doesn't really understand priorities, you know. I can not believe he left you on your own immediately after the wedding."