Heira's eyes wandered through the huge house as they walked through the hallways.

The spacious living room was decorated in shades of gray and dark wood, with soft sofas and a fireplace that seemed more for style than for warmth. The whole space looks extremely beautiful, but it definitely needed the warmth of a feminine touch to make it a home.

Mrs. Collins noticed Heira casting glances around the house. "That's Mr. Moretti. He likes everything in order." Then, lowering her voice, she added, "But don't worry, dear. A home should feel lived in. Give it time."

Her kindness took some of the edge off Heira's chest.

When they arrived at the bedroom, Heira paused at the entrance, and was drawn to the large, immaculately made bed. She was clearly exhausted after a hard day.

Mrs. Collins set her suitcase down gently. "You must be tired after today. I'll have something light prepared for you in the kitchen. Would you like tea?"

"Yes, please," Heira replied softly.

Mrs. Collins nodded affirmingly and left her to settle in. Heira then realized that she hadn't responded to any of Bethy's messages. A few minutes before, she had contacted her to know how the registration went.

She picked up her phone and dialed her best friend's number.

"Hi bestie, how did it go?" Bethy's voice sounded from the other end of the line.

Heira informed her about everything that went on, including the registry's office, and that she had already moved into Dante's house.

"Wow, so just like that, you are married to Dante. Who would have thought! You, my friend, are indeed lucky."

Just then, Mrs. Collins came into the room holding a cup of tea and some muffins. She placed it on her bedside table and left the room quietly.

"I can't believe you snitched on me after we both promised to get married at the same time," she said lowly.

"Come on, my dear friend, we both know that wouldn't be possible with the kind of guys you keep dating." Heira chuckled.

"So now you're throwing shades at me."

"No dear, just stating the obvious truth," she said, defending herself.

Don't worry, I have decided to take relationships seriously now. I just met someone on Date n' Love, he is such a handsome guy with the hottest body. I look forward to our date together, and I know he is the man for me."

A round of laughter followed a short silence that was formed after Bethy spoke. The two girls laughed so hard as they struggled to catch their breath.

Bethy had always claimed that for every relationship she's been in, but they never seemed to last due to her lack of tolerance.

Her last relationship ended after the guy kept forgetting little details about her, such as her birthdays and their anniversaries.

Nonetheless, Bethy never seems bothered as she believes in living life to the fullest. Her standards are set high, and she wouldn't budge for anyone.

"Yes, I know I say that for every man I've dated, but you have to trust me on this one." Bethy managed to speak through broken laughter.

"Okay, my friend, I believe you," Heira gave a sarcastic response.

After the phone call ended, Heira munched on her meal to satisfy her growling stomach. Not long did, she became drowsy and lay on the bed to take a nap.

By the time she woke up from her sleep, Dante had gotten back from work. She overheard some staff talking about his arrival.

Her legs weakened for a while as she stepped outside her room. Then, she began to wander around the house so she could get familiar with it.

She took a trip along the hallways. Captivated by the paintings lined on the wall, she made a stop as her eyes lingered on the Brushstrokes, noticing how each line seemed alive, as though the painter had left behind pieces of their heartbeat on the canvas.

The mesmerizing art made her wonder if Dante had chosen it himself or if some interior designer had filled these walls without his say.

As she moved further, she noticed one of the rooms was left open. Heira curiously stepped in as she made her discovery.

Inside was a king-sized bed with neatly spread sheets that stood in the center. There were a few framed photographs that hinted that it was Dante's room.

But he was nowhere to be found. As she began to look through the room, her eyes spotted a novel sitted on a shelf. Intrigued by it, she started to flip through the pages.

"Why are you here?" a baritone voice came from behind her.

Dante had just stepped out of the shower, undressed. However, he had a towel loosely knotted around his waist, droplets from his damp hair slid down his sharply defined chin, all the way down to his chest, tracing the lines across his torso.

Dazed by the sight, her gaze slowly moved downward, following the motion of the droplets.

It was anticipated that he had a nice build, but she did not expect such an amazing physique.

His chest was broad, firm, the kind of chest that looked like it could shield her from all troubles in the world. The ridges of his stomach were so clearly defined, with each catching the light as water slid over them.

"And why are you staring?" his voice suddenly rang in her ears.

She gathered herself as she glanced at the man, who looked rather pissed, waiting for the answers to his questions.

"Huh... I stumbled here. I didn't know this was your room."

"You didn't know or didn't care?" he asked with a brow arched.

Heira was perplexed at his reaction, does he always throw questions at people?

"Well, I care enough to know we should be sharing a room since we are married," Heira replied, a little defensively.

Even though she didn't choose to be with him, she believed she had the right to be by his side always, now that she's his other half.

Dante took slow steps towards her, his eyes locked with hers, his perfectly built body still on display as he didn't bother to reach for a shirt. The walk felt appealing to her rather than intimidating.

Heira could feel her heart thudding with each step he took. He stopped right in front of her, close enough that she could smell the musk scent of his soap, and the warmth of his body brushed against her skin.

Feeling her heart race with nervousness. A light flutter stirred in her belly; there was no denying the effect he had on her.

His voice came low and steady. "You really want to share a room with me, Heira?" His eyes didn't leave hers.

She managed to blink while holding his gaze. "Isn't that what married couples do?"

For a while longer, they both looked into each other's eyes like they were searching for the answers to their questions.

He placed his hand on her face, his fingers slowly moving unto her lips as he moved closer to her so much that they could both smell each others breath.

Her heart began to flutter as every inch of her leaned closer without her realizing. "That is what loving couples do, not us." He said pulling away from her.

"Do not feel entitled to anything here. You are only here to pay the price your family owes me. Get that into your head and leave!" He said, pointing to the door.

Heira flared up at his arrogance. What sort of a cruel man is he? She couldn't stand the thought of being talked down to, let alone being owned by a man.

Slam! She slammed the door shut behind her with annoyance.

"What a spoilt brat!" Dante snapped.

Heira's mind pondered all through the night. Her father hadn't informed her about the price Dante mentioned.

"Will I become one of his staff?" She thought to herself

Despite his rudeness, Dante was still a decent gentleman. His charismatic appearance swayed her, and she knew there was more to him than the cold front he showed. She could feel it in the way his eyes lingered on her when he thought she wouldn't notice.

So she made up her mind to warm her way into his heart even if it wouldn't come easy.

Nevertheless, her mind did not seem capable of recovering from how he spoke to her.

***

As the morning revealed itself. Dante was about to leave for work when Heira quickly appeared from her room with her bag.

"Dante, can you give me a lift? I'm heading to work as well," she said as she tried to catch up with him.

"You can take another car in the driveway," He replied, paying very little attention to her.

"Please hubby, if it's too much trouble, you can just drop me off at the subway station instead." She hooked her arm with his, wanting every opportunity to get closer to him.

Dante refused her, but she wouldn't let go of his arm. However, he eventually nodded upon considering how adamant she is. Also, time was slipping away, and he didn't want to get to work late.

The ride seemed longer than usual because of the loud silence between them. Dante's face was fierce as he avoided any form of conversation. Heira attempted to break the silence, but every word she rehearsed in her head sounded clumsy. So she just sat there, stealing quick looks at him.

She continued to enjoy the peaceful ride until the car came to a halt at the subway station. Dante had told the driver to stop while she was lost in her thoughts.

"Off you go," he said, facing her.

She became speechless, not expecting him to take her word for it, the barest minimum he could've done was drop her off at the office.

"Thanks hubby," she said, forcing a smile on her face. She knew Dante didn't like to be called that, he had frowned at her moments back for calling him hubby, but she didn't plan to stop.

The second she stepped out, the car sped away before she could say something else.

While suppressing her disappointment, she was happy to have succeeded at getting a ride from him.

"It only gets better," she murmured.

Fifteen minutes later, she arrived at the company. Since returning from her studies abroad, she had been working as an executive director in the Arven company.

However, she had barely settled into her office when Sebastian, the senior human relations officer, came in with a folder in his hand, and an expression that instantly made her feel tense.

"I thought you should hear this from me before the official memo goes out," he placed the folder on her desk as he continued.

"The board has decided to reassign your position in the company to someone else."

Heira's throat clenched at what she just heard.

"Why?" she questioned unbelievably.

"I'm sorry, I don't know their reason for doing this."

"Did my father agree to this?"

"He gave the order," Sebastian said, giving a sympathetic nod.

Heira felt punched in the chest. The intense pain of her father taking what she worked so hard for began to suffocate her.

She had given her all, from client negotiations to hosting high-profile events and securing partnerships with other corporations. Due to her dedication, the company had experienced massive growth in the past year.

"What more does he want? I already did what he wanted. I don't deserve any of this," Heira cried out.

"I'm sorry you are going through this," Sebastian said softly, sympathizing with her.

Sebastian has been the nicest friend to Heira in the office. He has offered a helping hand to her at times when she felt dragged by the weight of being the boss's daughter.

"I won't accept this. I'm going to Dad."

Heira drove straight to Charles Arven's office.

"Dad, why is my position getting reassigned to someone else? You know how much effort I've put into this."

Charles, who was in the middle of work, seemed rather displeased at her for barging in. "You need to focus on your home, now that you're married. Just see it as a way of me taking huge responsibilities off you, so you wouldn't get overwhelmed".

"Overwhelmed?" she asked carefully.

"I've been handling my role just fine. You said so yourself only a month ago."

Charles Arven leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "It's not about competence. Marriage is a big change, it demands a lot of attention. I don't want work to consume you."

Charles stood up from his chair as he approached his fuming daughter.

Placing his two hands on her shoulders, he uttered. "My darling, you should know Daddy will always have your best interest at heart. There is no denying that this company will not thrive without your excellent skills. That's why you'll be assisting with client relations from now on."

The words pierced Heira's soul more than the relief her father thought it would give her. It seemed like her own father was robbing her of every good thing she had.

"It's worse that I'm being demoted and not fired," she whined.

"Stop being childish! You need to start thinking rationally. I'm only doing this for your good," he cuts sharply into her words.

With tears in her eyes, Heira shook her head in disbelief while taking steps away from him. "I don't know you anymore. All I see is a man blinded by greed, not a father who once cared for me."

She stomped out of the office, her heels striking with each step.

People who seemed to have heard about the situation murmured as she walked past.

Bethy rang when she was about to enter her office. "Babe, I just saw Dante with a woman at the restaurant," She said, almost screaming.

Heira wasn't sure why she needed that information. "Okay, so... why are you telling me this?"

For all she knows, he might have been there for a business meeting since he is a busy man.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Bethy asked, shocked by Heira's response.

"Bethy, it isn't the right time, I'm not in a good place right now," She snapped.

"Heira, whatever you are going through can't be worse than what I'm seeing right now. Trust me, you need to come check it out."

Bethy's date stood her up after waiting for over an hour. While waiting, she noticed Dante sitting across from another woman at a designated table.

The way they leaned into each other sent suspicion curling through her, so she decided to inform Heira.

Heira was leaving the office anyway, and the thought of staying there for a second more made her blood boil. The last thing she needed now was another heartbreaking news. She left the office and headed straight to the restaurant her friend mentioned.

Crystal restaurant was the go-to restaurant for famous people in Chicago. All kinds of luxurious cars were seen parked outside the restaurant.

Heira saw her friend waiting patiently at the entrance. They both went inside, and Bethy gestured at a couple seated at the corner table by the window.

She caught sight of the woman's elegant face glowing with laughter while the man sat with his back to her, his broad shoulders shielding his expressions. Together, they looked blissful. Too much like a couple.

The thought of walking into that scene, of possibly being wrong or right, was unbearable. So she waited alongside Bethy as they sat at the table that was reserved for Bethy's date.

His back looked familiar, but something in her had hoped he wouldn't be her husband.

Minutes dragged like hours. Then, at last, they stood up. Heira held her breath with anticipation as the man turned, and her chest hollowed out when Dante's face came into view.

She watched as they both held hands on their way out while covering her face with her purse to avoid being seen.

Bethy sat there expecting the move she would make, but Heira decided to let it be. She wasn't going to make any assumptions until she was sure.

The woman in question might be his sister, as she hasn't even met any of Dante's family.

Her mind raced. She began stressing on the probability that it might be exactly what she hoped it wasn't.

Could Dante be cheating on her?

Why did he marry her if he had someone else?

These thoughts just don't make sense to her. She already had a bad day at work so she decided to be positive about the situation as she couldn't handle any more stress.

"She had better be a family member," she concluded.

Bethy could see the frustration on her face, so she tried to calm her down as best as she could.

Five minutes later, a man stopped by their table.

His suit jacket looked two times bigger than his size, with his wrinkled shirt being supported by a short tie. "Hi sunshine," he said, facing Bethy.

"Sorry, do I know you?"

The bar became silent, and the only things Heira could hear were her own thoughts. She snapped out of it when she noticed a shadow looming over her. A man dressed in funny attire came into view as she raised her head.

"Sorry I'm late," he added, with an eager smile.

Bethy's eyes met Heira's. They both stared at each other with confusion on their faces. "I think you've got the wrong person, cause I'm not familiar with this face".

"No darling, I'm at the right place. It's me, your date, we matched online remember? ... and I told you I'd meet you here tonight."

He paused mid-conversation, expecting a sense of confirmation from her.

"Wait! You're Dan?" Bethy let out a shocking gasp.

"Certainly, Dan in different aspects though. Some know me as DanBytes cause tech is where the money is. DanBuzz, I be turning up and showing out. DanDoodle based on some part of my personality, I don't quite like being called that but I just play it off for the people you know."

His words tumbled out with misplaced confidence while he flailed his arms in random directions as though he was trying to paint his sentences into the air.

He pulled out a chair to sit as he continued his comic speech. "But for you, I'll be DanLove because the love I have for you completes me," he said as he made a failed attempt to wink at her.

"Haha... you're a funny guy, and apparently you look completely different from your profile," Bethy chuckled awkwardly as she couldn't contain the embarrassment she was feeling.

"Yeah, but that shouldn't be a problem. What we need from this relationship is the connection we already have."

Heira, on the other hand, was enjoying the scene before her. She leaned back, observing Bethy suffer from within as she managed to keep it cool. The amusement on her face was the kind only a best friend was allowed to have.

"Actually, I have waited for so long, I have some business to take care of, so I'll be leaving now," she beckoned to Heira, who looked like she was having much fun.

Dan tried to persuade her to stay, but she wouldn't budge. The girls walked out on him as they made their way outside the restaurant.

Heira could not stop laughing at what she just witnessed. Every one of her laughs was intentionally made to torture her friend.

Bethy, on the other hand, wasn't pleased with herself. It looked like she had just been played. This was the guy she thought was her perfect match.

Things kicked off smoothly between them, and she could have spent every penny vouching for it. She felt so disappointed, she deleted the dating app on the spot.

Heira noticed Bethy's change of mood, so she tried to make her see the fun side of it by mentioning the grammar he spoke and how apologetically funny he looks until she finally made her crack.

She told her friend she isn't ready to leave and would like to take a walk to clear her head as Bethy left to her house. She had no reason to leave early, Dante wouldn't even care about her presence in the house, let alone be happy to see her.

The night air felt cooler than usual. Thanks to Bethy's date, her heart felt lighter as she strolled down to her favorite cafe on the next block, hoping to grab some tea before heading home.

The bell above the door jingled as she stepped inside. Most of the tables were empty, with very few people found inside. She made her way to the counter and met a familiar person there.

"Sebastian?" she said, surprised.

He looked up, his face lighting with a smile. "Heira! So good to see you here."

"I could say the same. Long day at work?"

"More like an escaping one," he chuckled.

Just like old times, they both occasionally come to the cafe after work to grab tea while discussing office matters. A part of her had hoped she would meet him there so they could discuss some issues.

"Crazy how you got married on short notice without informing anyone. You could have at least told me, I wouldn't be mad about it."

Sebastian has had the longest crush on Heira. He had expressed his feelings to her, but was turned down because she was in a relationship with Ethan. He thought he would finally have a chance with her when Ethan ended things, but was sadly confronted with the news of her marriage.

"Trust me, it was unexpected for me also," Heira mentioned, trying to clear the allegation.

"No worries, you don't need to give an excuse. Anyone in your shoes would do the same. No one would consider me an office man over a man like Dante, who is a business mogul."

Heira knew Sebastian was clearly hurt, even though he tried not to show it. "It's really not about that. You are a kind man, Sebastian, and any lady would be lucky to have you."

"Any lady but you, right?"

Heira shot him a don't say that stare and was interrupted by him as she tried to speak.

"Speaking of work, what will you do about your situation?" he asked, changing the topic to avoid further discussion on it.

"I haven't been able to wrap my head around it. I'll be lying if I told you I know what to do," she muttered, sipping on the tea.

"That's a really mean move from your Dad. What did you do to make him this pissed at you?"

"I wish I knew," Heira mumbled.

A brief silence was formed between them while she pondered over the situation, or if she had really done something wrong.

She finally broke the silence when she got an intuition. "Do you know who will replace me at my post?"

"I have no idea, you know the memo hasn't been sent out officially," Sebastian answered.

The busser came in to pack the empty cups in front of them as he was seen resetting tables and cleaning up the cafe.

"But I can find out."

"Okay, please do that and get back to me." She said.

Sebastian had always been a good friend to her as he always provided her assistance both in her personal and work life. Although it's unclear whether he does that because of the feelings he has for her, but he has been supportive and his affections were known.

The hour had slipped past unnoticed, and they both stood up to leave as the cafe was about to close.

Sebastian offered to drop her off at her house when he noticed she didn't come with a driver. Before she got married, he knew she had a personal driver who consistently brought her to work and took her around the city.

The ride home was fun as usual. Sebastian had always been easy to be around; he had his way of turning the most ordinary topics into something hilarious.

They laughed over silly office stories and teased about their coworkers' quirks.

Every so often, his jokes made her laugh so hard she had to cover her face, and he only grinned wider, clearly enjoying her reactions.

By the time they pulled up to her street, Heira realized she hadn't thought once about her worries. With Sebastian, it was impossible to stay heavy for long.

"Tell me you were seriously not planning to take a cab home. Why didn't you call your driver to pick you up? I'm sure Mr Moretti must have gotten one for you.

"Taking Cabs every now and then might be risky; most of the cab drivers aren't trustworthy," he said with concern in his tone.

"Ha.. don't mind me, I just didn't want to bother him. It's late already, and I figured I should just take a cab to lift the weight off him, and besides, the journey home isn't far."

Heira struggled as she managed to get the words out. The truth is, Dante hasn't assigned a driver to her, so now she has to take cabs to support her transport.

Sebastian gave her a long, skeptical look, his expression flat like he didn't believe a word she just said.

"Alright, looks like we are in front of your majestic villa," he said as he moved his hands in the direction.

Heira smiled with heartfelt appreciation. "Thanks for the ride."

"It's always a pleasure," he said, waving her goodbye.

She made her way inside the quiet villa, its tall windows glowing softly while garden lights traced the paths, making it stand out at night.

Inside, everything was in order and put in place. There were no staff in sight as they were done for the night and they had all gone to their respective lounge.

Her eyes caught something she walked past. Draped carelessly over the back of a chair was a silk scarf, delicate and clearly feminine.

The edges were hand-stitched with an elegance that spoke of a designer brand. One glance was enough for Heira to know it was expensive, far beyond anything the house staff would own or casually leave behind.

Suspicions raced through her mind. She climbed up into the hallways, pushed open her bedroom door to settle in after a long day.

As she set her bag on the chair, her gaze drifted across the hall. The soft light beneath Dante's door told her he was still awake.

What a busy man! He must have brought some work home to continue, she thought.

She slipped out of her shoes, changed into a soft satin chemise, and sank onto the bed, ready to enjoy the silence of the night as sleep beckoned.

Just when her eyes were about to be shut, she started to hear light giggles flow through the stillness.

Her head snapped up as another followed; softer, feminine, paired with the low rumble of Dante's voice. It was clearly coming from Dante's room, and it seemed like he had company.

Her chest tightened, unsure of what was happening or who it might be.

What access does another woman have to his bedroom?

She slipped out of bed, her bare feet hitting the floor as she padded toward Dante's room. The corridor stretched endlessly, with her heartbeat rising with each step.

She hesitated a bit when her hand clutched the doorframe. Scared of what she thinks it might be.

The moment she nudged it open, the sight struck her like a blow. She was right, Dante was cheating on her.

His arm was carefully wrapped around a woman whose laugh she'd just heard. The same woman that was with him at the restaurant.

Heira froze, her breath catching in her throat, her chest heavy with the shocking truth.

The woman seemed to notice her presence, she rolled her eyes as she gestured to Dante.

Dante rose slowly from where he lay, his tall frame casting a shadow across the room, standing squarely before her.

For a second, she searched his face for even a flicker of guilt, but there was none except annoyance, as though she had interrupted whatever they had going on.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have manners?" he growled.

Heira's chest burned, a silent ache spread through her veins, and a tear managed to slip out. The man she married is having an affair with another woman in their home and he's not being remorseful.

Her lips parted, desperate to ask why, but the words didn't come out, turning her speechless.

The next minute, she felt a tight grab on her arms, followed by a push and the door slammed in her face.

Dante had just shoved her out of his room.