An Impossible Marriage

Chapter 25

Elizabeth nodded with understanding. “Of course, as it should be. You were gone for three years, and Meg has been staying in her old room during this period. Now that you're back, it makes sense for her to move in to your room. I'll make arrangements at once.”

“It's time you address her differently, too,” Christopher reminded.

"Ah, yes,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “I'm used to calling her Meg, but I should be calling her Mrs. Lewis now.”

Elizabeth headed over to Margaret's room and merrily told the girl that she would be moving, much to Margaret's confusion. “But why? Where are you going to take my stuff?” Margaret asked.

“Since Mr. Lewis is back and you two are married, it's only natural that you and he share a bedroom,” Elizabeth explained, beaming. “Mr. Lewis isn't getting any younger, you know. Maybe the two of you could start trying for a baby.”

Margaret, with downcast eyes, offered no response. He won't touch me, and there’s no way we'll have a baby.

Shortly after, all of her belongings had been moved to Christopher's bedroom. Margaret sat on the bed listlessly. She was not sure if she could get used to having free access to Christopher's room and using it as her own.

The sound of the servants doing dishwashing floated upstairs. Margaret finally broke out of her musings and went to the bathroom.

She did not expect to see Christopher still in the living room when she emerged from her shower. Margaret was surprised. She had thought that he would be eager to leave for the hotel as soon as dinner was over. Hence, she deliberately spent longer time than usual in the bathroom to avoid having to watch him leave. / guess I miscalculated.

Adopting an air of nonchalance, she went upstairs into his room. After drying her hair, she carefully slid into bed.

An expanse of starry sky was projected onto the ceiling, Margaret stared at the constellations, lost in her own thoughts, Everything about him is so unique... I wonder what he was thinking about when he used to lie in this very bed.

The door opened, and Margaret closed her eyes instinctively. She was not yet ready to be alone in the same room with Christopher as his wife.

Her husband said nothing. All Margaret could hear were faint rustling noises coming from the bedside. Curious, she took a peek and was greeted by the sight of the man changing out of his clothes with his back to her.

It was her first time having such a direct view of his body. Though not particularly muscular, his physique was nevertheless well-defined, and there was unmistakable power in those sinewy muscles.

She watched him for a moment longer and failed to tear her gaze away when Christopher turned around suddenly and locked eyes with her.

Caught like a deer in headlights, she did the only thing she could think of and snapped her eyes shut. No matter how hard she tried, however, she could not calm her thumping heart and rapid breathing.

Christopher's expression was unreadable as he buttoned up the shirt he just put on. Wordlessly, he left the room, shutting the door with a note of finality.

Margaret let out a sigh of relief. The blush on her face, however, lingered long after he was gone. Unused to the bed, she tossed and turned throughout the night. Despite her exhaustion, her mind remained perfectly clear. It was a classic case of insomnia.

Her phone abruptly started buzzing with an incoming call. She gaped slightly at the caller's name displayed on the screen. Why is Christopher calling me at this hour? Isn't he with that woman? Dubiously, she took the call. "Hello?"

A stranger's voice came from the other end of the line. “Hello? Is this Christopher's missus? He's drunk. Would you be able to come and get him?” the man said.

Missus? Her heart skipped a beat at the title. Regardless, she wondered if this was a prank call. "What do you mean? Where is he?" she asked puzzledly,

There was a lot of background noise, and it took her a while to understand what the man was saying. Apparently, they were at a bar.

After ending the call, Margaret got up and draped a coat over her shoulders before heading to Fredrick's quarters. She had no choice but to wake him up as she did not

have a driver's license and hence was unable to pick Christopher up by herself.

Upon reaching the place, Margaret got off the car. She could spot the group from afar. Besides Christopher, who was completely inebriated, she also saw two other men standing on either side of him.

Though they were her husband's friends, she had never met them before, as she was not involved in Christopher's social circle. It's true that birds of a feather flock together. Appearance-wise, his friends are both tall, dark, and handsome just like him.

"Oh, hey,” Steven Jones called when he saw her. He regarded Margaret with a note of approval, though his tone also carried a note of hesitation as he said, “Christopher sure knows how to keep a secret. He only told us that he married a girl after he got wasted. I never would've pegged him for one who goes after the pure and innocent type. Are you the girl he adopted?”