Unholy Matrimony

Chapter One: Asshole

I glanced at my watch. Again.

If he didn't come out of the airport in two minutes, we were going to be extremely late. Not that I minded being late. I would gladly miss the whole event if I could; I hated big parties where the food was terrible and the people were even worse.

A few minutes later, the door opened – finally – and a tall, attractive man stepped into the limo. I squinted at the dark-haired man seated across from me. Is that what he looked like? I honestly couldn't remember. It's not like I had really seen him much since our wedding God knows how long ago.

"Hello," I smiled at him, wanting to be polite more than anything else.

I didn't know what I was expecting, but I knew I wasn't expecting him to ignore me completely. He didn't even look at me. Not a single glance.

Okay, then...

Well, two could play this game. I rested my head against the back of the seat and was asleep within minutes.

*

"Miss Talia? Miss, wake up. We have arrived."

I opened my eyes to find the driver crouched next to me, shaking me slightly. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, ruining the makeup Ella, the housekeeper, had helped me apply earlier this morning.

I stepped out of the limo, stretching and looking around for my 'husband'.

"He already went inside, Miss."

Great.

Thanking the driver, I grabbed my too-small-to-actually-fit-anything clutch and walked slowly into the grand hall. The moment I entered, I was attacked by a bear hug.

"Talia! Finally!" Jasmine, my best friend, exclaimed. "Always so punctual."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault this time. Someone decided to arrive 45 minutes late."

"Oh my God! Your husband is home! How is that sexy devil?"

"Still a devil," I grumbled. "He couldn't even be bothered to say hi."

"You guys will warm up to each other eventually. He still doesn't really know you."

"Whatever," I said and we headed to our assigned table. "I don't want him to get to know me."

I sat down by my name card, next to my 'husband'. I glanced over at the name inscribed on his.

Tobias Anderson.

So was I Mrs. Anderson now? That was something I had never really considered. I felt a twinge of sadness at the thought.

I watched the couples that were dancing in the ballroom, looking so happy and in love. I'll never be able to have that, I thought.

"Will you dance with me, milady?" a female voice asked, and I looked up to find Cassie, one of my closest friends and Tobias's employee, bowing slightly with her arm extended to me.

I laughed and placed my hand in hers – something I would later regret, as I had two left feet – which she then took and tried to make me twirl around.

I pulled my hand away immediately, laughing. "You know I can't dance, right?"

I would never understand how someone as cold and serious as Tobias could tolerate a goofball like Cassie all the time at work.

Over the past few months, I had spent exceeding amounts of time with Cassie because I was so damn lonely. Cassie was one of the few people who knew that my and Tobias's marriage was arranged for the purpose of merging two companies, and that made her a lot more empathetic.