Intruder

The breeze caresses my face, and my hair whips freely as Marcus drives with the top down, making the trip more fun and exciting.

I’m happy because I have everything I’ve ever dreamed of: a successful business that I’m passionate about; my parents are healthy and living comfortably in their large house near the mountains; I can eat without guilt because I have a fast metabolism and love to exercise; plus, everyone says I’m beautiful and intelligent. I’m also healthy, rarely even catching a cold.

And as if life couldn’t get any better, I have Marcus. We met a year ago while I was vacationing in Paris. The spark was instant, and we spent the entire month together. After returning home, he contacted me a week later, and that’s how our romance began.

Marcus is attractive, intelligent, chivalrous, and very sweet. He’s also a talented businessman and the sole heir to his parent’s company.

We’ve made our relationship official and will soon announce our engagement, which is why he’s taking me to his parents’ house. My beloved boyfriend lives in the same city as I do, in a bachelor pad, but he usually visits his parents every few months, spending a whole month at their mansion.

Huge gates swing open, revealing a long driveway lined with trees and gardens. I can’t believe this is the entrance to the mansion! I come from a good family and have a comfortable life, but this place is on another level. Apparently, Marcus is even richer than I imagined.

Well-dressed servants greet us with courtesy and elegance. After saying hello, I glance to my right, where a beautiful garden makes me sigh. But something catches my eye. It’s a gorgeous maid with long, brown hair, big eyes, and an attractive figure.

She’s watching me with a look of sadness and disappointment. I also sense bitterness and hatred in her eyes. A shiver runs down my spine as our eyes meet, and I instinctively hug myself, feeling threatened.

After settling in and taking a well-deserved bath, Marcus enters the luxurious room that the maids prepared for me. He finds me on the balcony, admiring the stunning view of the distant mountains.

“Are you comfortable?” My boyfriend wraps his arms around me from behind.

“How could I not be?” I turn around and put my arms around his neck. “I feel like a princess in a fairy tale.” We kiss.

The kiss is tender and lacks passion, but it’s okay with me. I hungrily savor his mouth. I love this man, and I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

“I’ll let you get ready. Dinner will be served soon, and you’ll finally meet my parents.” He breaks our embrace, and a wave of melancholy washes over me. It’s strange, he’s felt different since we arrived. But I chalk it up to nerves; after all, I’m finally meeting his parents in person.

Dinner was exquisite, and Marcus’s parents were lovely. I can tell how proud they are of their son, and rightfully so. Marcus has done an excellent job of upholding the family name.

After the meal, my boyfriend walks me to my room.

“Stay with me tonight,” I whisper against his lips, my voice filled with longing.

“No, darling,” he caresses my cheek. “It wouldn’t be proper for us to sleep together at my parents’ house. Rest, it’s been a busy day, and we have a lot of family activities planned for tomorrow.”

I nod reluctantly and we share one last kiss. He kisses my forehead and then leaves. Once I’m in my room, I sit on the bed and sigh.

I want to be with him so badly. Not that we’re used to having sex. Come to think of it, we’ve only done it three times in our relationship, and only when he wasn’t feeling well. Sometimes Marcus gets depressed for no reason. It worries me, although I understand his mood swings are probably due to the stress of all the responsibility he carries on his shoulders.