Invest In Me

“There isn’t any problem, dear. Let them come! I’ll cook something by then.”

“You’re the best, do you know that?” Thomas grabbed her ass and she wiggled invitingly before his eyes.

“Oh, if only I could stay with you all day,” Thomas said leaving the room and Bella sent a kiss in the air behind him.

*****

The whole day passed in a whirl of cooking in the kitchen, getting to know the house, meeting with the maid and the other staff, and talking with Amy about the wedding. Her best friend had to return to their hometown immediately as there was some issue with her herd of cows.

Before she even knew it, Bella found herself sitting on the sofa in the living room in her best cream dress with Thomas sitting next to her in his suit. The armchairs, the other sofa, and the additional chairs they had brought from the dining room were occupied by ten of Thomas’ friends. They were chattering and drinking all the time, so Bella didn’t exactly have the chance to meet each of them separately. The only thing she knew was that the most of them were college friends and neighbors from his old neighborhood.

“Where were you from again?” one woman her age addressed her.

“Umm… From the south…” Bella replied feeling a little bit uncomfortable. She didn’t imagine that she would feel so strange around them. They all looked glamorous with their high-pitched voices and dresses screaming high society.

“Interesting,” the woman spoke. “I’m Amanda. And you were…”

“Bella.”

“Now Bella Graves!” Thomas chimed in, breaking the conversation with a man sitting next to him. They were talking about football or something similar. “You know guys, if I knew that she existed before, I would grab her from her house and bring her here earlier!” he joked and everyone smiled.

“Wow! It seems like our sexy bachelor finally found his match. Congrats, Tommy!” a model-like woman sitting opposite of them said. Who did she think she was? And what was all that ‘Tommy,’ ‘our sexy bachelor.’ Bella started to feel angrier and more irritated with every passing moment. She was madder at herself than at them for believing that they could be actually honest and pleasant to talk with.

Bella protectively took Thomas’ hand in hers and smiled as sarcastically as them.

After that, she rarely opened her mouth the whole night. The guests went on and on talking about topics that were alien to her, reliving some memories she didn’t live with them and talking about some economic stuff connected to the company. The word bored and Alice in Wonderland barely scratched the surface of the atmosphere.

However, finally, she caught a word that she understood and was able to join the conversation. The three women closest to her were conversing about something with ‘bucks.’

“Yeah, horses are amazing creatures. Once, I came in the stables and they were all bucking at the same time,” Bella said proudly, but her guests were staring blankly at her.

“Horses? We’re talking about spending a few more bucks on the newest heels’ collection,” one of the women replied and the three of them burst into laughter. Bella thought that she would sink in the ground. And she thought that she found the right topic.

“What are you girls smiling about?” Thomas asked amused. He, too, must have believed that Bella had said something funny. Little did he know about her stupid words and he would never find out.

“Nothing, honey. Just some women stuff.” She smiled to Thomas weakly and he nodded returning to his male friends. Phew.

Luckily, the guests didn’t stay for much longer. They left an hour later leaving the sink with a pile of glasses and plates in it and Bella beyond exhausted.

She sprawled on the sofa with her legs up and took a deep breath. With the corner of her eye she caught Thomas, sitting beside her and sighing. He, too, looked extremely tired.

“How was your day, Tom?” she asked not opening her eyes.

“Busy. Very busy.”

“Did you tell the investors about us?”

“I did.”

“And?”

“They were glad to hear it. It’s only that that is the beginning of our crazy days.”

“Why?”

“Well, they’ll call us to events, take pictures of us and stuff like that.”

Bella sighed even louder, rubbing her temples.

“Want us to go to bed now? I can’t stand anymore truly,” Thomas asked, rising.

Bella only nodded as he took her in his arms. As much she could walk by herself, she enjoyed him carrying her, so she let him.

*****

Thomas’ words had turned into a reality and Bella had completely lost her head in the previous weeks. One by one, the events had been piling up every day, making her go in and out of different dresses and heels all the time. She had rarely seen Thomas too, who had been as busy fixing the company’s problems. From red carpets to private cocktails and business dinners, she had had to prove to everyone that her marriage with Thomas had been real and full of love. They had laughed and hugged and kissed in public all the time and shortly, Bella had felt more like a decoration that Thomas had to take with him in front of everyone he had met. Like she had had no personality of her own, but had spoken through Thomas’ words.

What was more, with each passing day ,she had been getting more and more confused about the truth behind what she had been telling people. Was she truly in love with Thomas that much? After all, they had rushed through their marriage and as it turned out, the married life wasn’t as easy at all. She hadn’t seen peace since the day she had lain foot at his huge mansion. And Thomas hadn’t seemed to pay much attention to her lately, as well. He had been preoccupied with his stuff that she thought that he had completely forgotten about their marriage and her property problem. In any case, he had done so much for her that she couldn’t possibly leave him.

Now, standing tall and fake smiling before those people in tuxedos and expensive dresses, she felt all those things catching up to her. They were at a fundraising gala, where Thomas’ firm had donated a large amount of money. The same story with the talks and pictures and convincing started all over again.

She turned around in search of Thomas, but he was nowhere to be found. He must have met with some colleague and was now loudly talking about some company stuff. Boring as usual.

“Want some more, madam?” A young guy carrying trays of drinks approached her. She took more glasses of champagne than usual and the boy must have remembered her.

“Sure,” she said taking one more in her hands. It tasted nice and bubbly in her throat and that made her feel better. Oh, how much she missed her little town and her small house and her mom and her life there. Although, some things could never return and that included her late mother, who was still so fresh in Bella’s memories.

“Cheers, madam.” A man dressed in a white suit came next to her. His eyes were glistening from the alcohol and he was smiling like a lunatic.

“My husband will come now!” she replied sharply and turned on the other side.

“Husband? Don’t lie to me. I see you standing here alone for the last half an hour. And such a beautiful lady shouldn’t be standing alone for such a long time.” He leaned toward her, but she evaded him and ran out of the wide room with chandeliers as big and shiny as the moon.

She felt a bit light-headed because of the champagne, but she didn’t let that stop her from escaping down the hall and the stairs. Spotting the bathrooms on the left, she entered the girls’ one and locked herself up. Never in her wildest dreams would she let that man attack her.

She went to the sink and threw a few handfuls of water on her face. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she saw nothing but a tired, disappointed, and scared dark-skinned woman. It was incredible how she had turned into one at such a short period of time.