The Unwanted Attraction (#1) (Preview)

Chapter 10

It had been quite a while since Ornelia had slept so peacefully. She felt as if she was floating, but with a bad headache. The kind of floating that one would feel after drinking a bottle of wine.

So peaceful, so warm, but hurts so much .

She let out a soft sigh and snuggled closer to the warmth for a little more comfort only to find it slowly turning into lava. A small frown made its way on her face. She didn't like the idea of being woken up from this slumber, especially from such a blissful one.

She was startled awake when she felt she was being pushed away. When, slowly, she opened her eyes, she found a pair of stormy, furious eyes glaring at her.

Her husband was glaring at her as if she had committed the biggest sin in the world. She was about to ask him what his problem was, but he'd already started pulling her out of the bed. His grip on her hand was tight as he dragged her out of the bed and abruptly stopped at the door of the bedroom. He opened the door and motioned her to get out.

Ornelia was shocked and confused. What had she done? Why was he so angry with her? Until realization hit her like a massive tsunami wave and she remembered what had happened. She started to blush deep shade of red.

You knew he would regret it. Stupid girl! her mind taunted her.

"I hope you understand what I mean. I have zero intention of repeating myself and embarrassing you."

Ornelia knew exactly what he meant. She was well aware what the morning was going to bring. She knew what had happened was a moment of weakness and a mistake, yet she felt her heart break a little. She should have known better that sleeping with him was not going to change anything.

Hopes and expectations were vices she could not afford.

"If you have any shame left in your body and mind, you would probably walk out of here right now! Even a whore has more dignity than you," Maximus growled out of frustration. He could not bear looking at her. He was disgusted, to say the least.

"Excuse me? A whore?"

"You took advantage of my drunken state last night and dug your dirty claws in me. God knows that your innocent façade is of no use in front of me. In the beginning, I thought that maybe I was wrong . . . that maybe you were a genuine person, but I knew better. I knew what sort of person you are. If you can marry me for my money, you can do anything." He pulled his wallet out of the pocket of his pants that he seemed to have grabbed somewhere in between his fit of rage.

"This is what you've always wanted, right?" He threw the money on the floor and turned away from her. His disgust was insulting.

Ornelia decided to be the calm one in this situation. She heard Maximus snort at her. What she did next came as a surprise to both of them.

Ornelia was not one to ever initiate fights, but neither was she one to back down when insulted.

She was a firm believer that actions speak louder than words, so she did exactly that. She picked up the stash of money he had thrown at her feet and walked toward him, money in one hand and the other hand securing the sheets she'd pulled to cover her body when he manhandled her.

"You can have your money, you greedy bastard! I married you purely out of respect for my parents and your grandfather. I had no intention of marrying you . . . let alone be with you! I am just twenty-one. Do you really think any of this was ever my plan? You are some conceited fool if you think I have or ever wanted anything from you!" With that little rant, Ornelia picked herself up and made her way to her room.

Once inside, she made a beeline for the bathroom. She needed to get rid of him and his essence from her body. She'd let it happen once, but not twice, never .

She made a decision and was ready to go to whatever extent that was necessary to avoid the same thing from happening again.

* * *

By afternoon, Ornelia was packed and ready to leave. Her fight or flight instincts were on high alert. She wanted out. She knew the whole arrangement was a mistake. She wanted to leave that mansion right away.

She did not know how it was all going to pan out; all she knew was right at that moment, removing herself there was the right choice. Her first instinct was to go to her parents's house. She'd called for a cab and was waiting for it to arrive, but there was one last thing that needed to be done.

She went to Maximus's room. She took a look around.

Last night was the first time I stepped in his room, and . . . that would be the last.

She removed her wedding band and placed it on the bedside table. Tears slid down her cheeks as she remembered his hurtful words. She was not a wh*re, and neither did she want his money. She wiped her eyes and made her way out.

That was it. She never wanted to see him again.

As far as the divorce went, she would give him that once one year was up. He could have all the money he wanted.

It was for the good, considering she had not made any progress in four months, which made her feel worthless. She knew she was worth so much and didn't deserve to be treated like shit.

"To hell with you, Maximus King. May you keep neighing all your life."

Heh! Lame but nice.