Chapter 7 Who Scolds Their Wife?!

LAYLA

I took a deep breath as Sebastian walked deeper into the living room. I could feel my lips trembling.

What was he doing here?

"Good day, Mr Hale. I feel honoured to have you in my home," my father said. I rolled my eyes at his shameless flattery.

"I hope my family haven't offended you in any way," he added carefully.

"Come over here, Layla," Sebastian said, stretching his hand toward me. His voice was cold, domineering and filled with authority.

I obeyed without hesitation. I placed my trembling hand in his and he drew me closer to his body. My breath shuddered as I inhaled his cologne.

Sebastian was a man of few words. He eyed everyone in the living room and said, "Stay away from her if she don't want your heads on the floor ."

Then he turned to me.

"Let's go."

I nodded and looked at my family one last time. Their faces were filled with shock and they looked too scared to speak.

I picked up my bag from the table and followed behind him.

"Wait, isn't that Sebastian Hale?" I heard Tasha whisper as I headed toward the entrance.

"I really hope we have not offended Mr Hale, or else we will really be doomed," my father's voice echoed behind me.

"I pray so too," Yelena added.

They had never seen anyone stand up for me the way Sebastian just did. Never once in my life had anyone walked into that house and told them to leave me alone.

"Thank you," I said to Sebastian the moment we were out of earshot.

I got no response. He opened the car door and got in. I followed suit.

I smiled in quiet satisfaction as the car drove off. It was goodbye to the hell I had called home for a very long time.

Since my mother died and my father brought Yelena and Tasha into our lives, I had known no peace or happiness. Growing up, they both despised me and my father always favoured Tasha over his own daughter.

But that was over now. No matter what happened in the next two years with this contract marriage, I'm never returning to the Mercer house. Never.

The ringing of a phone disrupted the serenity of the car and pulled me out of my thoughts. It couldn't be mine. There was no one to call me.

Sebastian slid his slender fingers across his phone screen and answered the call.

I found this simple act oddly mesmerizing. I looked at him more closely now than I ever had before, more than I had seen him in news feeds or magazines and more than the brief moments we had shared since becoming married.

He was indeed a very young and handsome man. Memories of him on my body flooded my mind and I couldn't help the warmth that spread through me without my permission.

Despite being drunk and drugged, I had enjoyed every bit of that night. And somewhere in part of me I was trying very hard to ignore, I wanted to feel like that again.

I coughed slightly as I felt Sebastian's eyes flicker briefly toward me.

What was wrong with me? How could I be thinking like this? Especially about a man who wanted nothing to do with me except to protect his image.

"Good evening, Dad," Sebastian spoke calmly into his phone.

It was his father. The great Julius Hale. Everyone with a pulse and access to social media knew Julius Hale. He had started Hale Enterprises when he was nineteen and grew it into a multi billion dollar business. His son had since increased that portfolio into a multi trillion dollar empire.

"What is this I'm hearing about you, son?" I heard Julius ask.

"Nothing, Father."

"See me tonight," Julius said. There was no room to decline. That was an instruction.

"Okay, Father," Sebastian replied and ended the call.

His voice remained cold throughout. I wondered what kind of relationship he had with his father.

The car stopped in front of a magnificent building. We stepped out and I took in the sight before me. The house was beautiful. The surrounding grounds, the well crafted walkway, the manicured garden, all of it was extraordinary.

"Will you come in or will you stand there staring?" I heard Sebastian's irritated voice.

"I'm sorry," I quickly apologized and followed behind him.

He opened the doors and I stepped inside. The interior was even more impressive than the exterior. My jaw almost dropped but I caught myself just in time.

I looked around and there was no household staff in sight. That was strange.

"They only come during the day," he explained without me asking. There he went again, reading my thoughts.

Sebastian walked up the stairs and I followed closely behind him, careful not to make a mistake or draw his irritation.

Who scolds their wife? I thought to myself. But then again, I supposed things were different in a contract marriage.

Everything in the house was immaculate. Sebastian stopped and pointed at a door.

"This will be your room from now on," he said. "Everything you need will be sent over tomorrow but basic toiletries are in there for now."

"Thank you," I replied.

"Dinner is set downstairs. You can heat it in the microwave if you want."

"Thank you. That's very kind of you," I said again. I was genuinely grateful.

Sebastian scoffed and walked away.

"Mr Hale," I called, stopping him. He turned and glanced at me.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't plan any of this. You have to believe me. I was drugged and sent to your room that night," I looked up at him. His face was completely indifferent.

"It was supposed to be my ex-fiancé's room but there was a mistake. It wasn't premeditated," I tried to explain.

"Lies!" He thundered. "I won't believe any more of your despicable lies."

He pointed a finger at me.

"Stay away from me and don't be found wanting. We have a signed contract," he hissed and walked toward the room at the far end of the corridor.

He turned at the door, gave me one last death stare, walked in and slammed it shut.

The sound echoed through the entire house.

I stood alone in the corridor and looked at the closed door for a long moment.

Then I turned, walked into my own room and closed the door quietly behind me.