No Show
I turned to face him fully, making sure we were eye to eye. I wanted him to see me, really see me, not just as someone he could dismiss or talk down to. I folded my arms tightly across my chest, grounding myself.
“First off,” I said, voice steady but clipped, “I didn’t accuse Bella of anything.”
He scoffed, low and bitter as if my words were ridiculous.
“And secondly,” I continued, “all I did was ask you a question. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? It was just a question.”
I took a breath, forcing myself to stay calm.
“I asked if you spend every day at Bella’s house and you didn’t really answer me. So since you brought it up now, maybe you should answer me. Do you spend every morning with Bella? Or maybe it’s every evening?”
I didn’t flinch. I held his gaze, unblinking.
I could see the anger rising in him slow, controlled, but unmistakable. And I realized then that I didn’t know Cullen. Not really. I didn’t know what he did when he got angry. I didn’t know what lines I was dancing around or about to cross.
Some warning inside me flickered, quietly telling me: You're touching something you might not be ready for.
But I didn’t stop. Because this, this was something. A moment. A crack. And I wanted to get through it, to him. I needed to know him. I needed something from him, even if it was messy. Even if it hurt.
He was the one who started this, and I wasn’t going to back down now.
But whatever reaction I was bracing for... a yell, an insult, some emotional outburst, I didn’t get it.
Instead, he just looked at me. And then he shook his head.
Not in disappointment. Not in conflict. He shook his head like I wasn’t even worth it. Like I was a gum on the bottom of his shoe, an irritation, a waste of energy. Then, without a word, he turned, opened the door, and walked out.
Gone.
And I shouldn’t have done it. I know it was childish. I know it was foolish. But I screamed. I screamed bloody hell toward that door like the fury inside me had to burst or it would burn me alive.
I didn’t care if he heard it or not.
I just needed that release.
The next morning came and went just like any other. No one spoke about what had happened the night before. No one acknowledged what didn’t happen either. It was like we were all pretending nothing had unravelled.
Except for one thing. Bella didn’t come to the house.
She always showed up around ten, without fail. But today, the clock ticked past ten, then ten-thirty, and still nothing.
My mother-in-law noticed too. Around lunchtime, she turned to me as she grabbed her purse and said, “I’m going to see Bella. Why don’t you come with me? You’ve never been to her place. You could meet our little guy, Caesar.”
I smiled politely, but everything inside me clenched. I knew why Bella hadn’t come today. It was because of last night. And the very last place I wanted to be was inside her house, her space, where she could wear that sweet, sisterly smile and pretend like nothing had ever been said, or done.
“No, it’s fine,” I said, shaking my head lightly. “You just go. I’m actually thinking of going out today. I’ve been inside the house too much.”
“Yes, you have,” she agreed, almost too quickly. “You should really find a hobby or something to do. You’re young. You still have a lot going for you, so much more you could achieve.”
I nodded. “I know. I’ll think about it.”
She smiled, patted my hand absently, and then left to go see Bella and her grandson.
I stayed behind, standing by the window, staring out at nothing. Her words echoed inside my head louder than I expected.
You still have a lot going for you. You should find something to occupy yourself.
What was I doing here? Is this what my life had become, just being Cullen Cincinnati’s wife, living in this house, pacing its halls, drowning in silence and tension and things left unsaid?
Even if a career or a job felt impossible, crazy, even, I needed something. A hobby. A passion. A purpose. Something that reminded me I was still a person outside of this marriage. Outside of this name.
I guessed Bella had Caesar. Her son filled her time, her heart, her days. My mother-in-law had her charities, and her endless meetings with the other captain’s wives. She had a schedule, a role, a presence.
And me? I had nothing.
No wonder I felt like I was losing my mind in this house. I didn’t even know where I wanted to go, I just knew I had to get out of this house.
After my mother-in-law left for Bella’s house, I stood by the window for a while, watching the driveway. Then I went back to my room, changed into a soft beige dress, something simple, and pulled my hair into a loose bun. I wasn’t going to meet anyone, and frankly, I didn’t care how I looked. I just wanted fresh air.
When I reached the foyer, one of the staff politely asked, “Ma’am, should I inform the driver?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
A few minutes later, I was seated in the backseat of the black car. The driver, quiet and discreet, adjusted the mirror to glance at me.
“Any destination in mind, Ma’am?”
“No,” I said, my voice quieter than I expected. “Just drive out of the estate. Somewhere away from here. I’ll let you know.”
He didn’t question it. Just nodded and pulled out through the tall, security-lined gates. I watched from the window as the polished roads of the Cincinnati estate slowly gave way to the uneven rhythm of real life.
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