The Affair by M. Syrah at Inkitt

1

The driver was getting me home and I sighed in the car. Five years. Today marked the five year anniversary of my wedding to Maximilien Castle. He was ten years older than me and as you might have noticed from my total lack of joy, it was an arranged marriage. We both benifitted from it. At least at first. Now, we were just two strangers sharing a house.

I came home from work to find my husband, tucking his shirt in his pants and a girl probably ten years younger than me leaving the house, blushing. I sighed. I was used to this by now. We never had sex together anyway.

"An intern?" I asked.

Maximilien offered me a glare out of his deep brown eyes. He was a CEO and he still looked younger than his fourty but he was so dull, I did not know what they thought when they saw him. I never thought he was good looking nor smart. He was not ugly but... Meh.

"That's none of your fucking business, Faith. I respect our agreement, it's not one of your friends. I'll be in my office, don't wait for me to get dinner. I don't want to be disturbed." He said sharply before disappearing at the end of the hallway where his office at home was.

How surprising. I would be alone tonight. Again. Sometimes I wondered why I agreed to this marriage and then I remembered why. I needed the money and he needed a girl to play wife. A girl that would be discreet enough and shut her mouth during events. That was me five years ago but I was getting tired. I wondered if life was even worth living.

I was too exhausted from work to eat so I just went to my bedroom. Yes, we did not even share a bedroom. For that I was actually grateful. I did not want to come home to find fluids on my sheets. At least, I had sex with men outside the house. I was being the decent human being here while my husband... Did not care much.

I took a shower in my bathroom and put on a nightgown with a kimono so I would not get cold and went back downstairs to curl on the couch. I put on a stupid movie and started to get bored.

That was my life. I loved my work but when I got home... I just ceased to exist. I was a wallflower. Only the staff would talk to me to ask if I needed anything. Yes, I should not be complaining. I lived in a beautiful house that I would never have been able to afford on my own, in a chic neighbourhood. I had a car with chauffeur and wore designer dresses. Some people had nothing, like me five years ago. That was why I never complained openly.

My marriage was a joke but at least I was not homeless and I was doing the job I loved. What could I want more? I just went numb. That way I could endure my life better. That was my way to survive.

"Do you want something to eat Madam?" Hannah the maid asked.

She was an old lady and had been working for my husband since he was a child. I liked her and she always seemed so pained to see me all alone and to have to welcome all my husband's mistresses.

"I'm fine Hannah, thank you." I smiled at her.

"You're going to look like a skeleton if you don't eat more. I'll make you some tea, it should help." She said concerned.

"You don't need to really."

She did not listen to me though as she moved to the kitchen. I knew better than to argue with her. She set the tea in front of me and I let the nice smell of jasmin fill the room. That was one of my favourite tea. I took the cup and hummed in content. It was good and without sugar, just how I liked it.

"I'm sorry, Madam." She said with tears in her eyes. "He used to be such a sweet kid."

She always said that but kids grow and there is nothing we can do. My husband grew into an asshole and I accepted that. He did save my ass after all. That was where my loyalty to him ended.

"It's not your fault." I smiled to reassure her. "I'm not being a good wife either."

"If he took better care of you, I'm sure that you would be." She pouted. "You're such a sweet woman."

The staff really liked me and I liked them too. They were my only company when I stayed at home.

I was about to answer when there was a knock on the door. Who could it be at this hour? Hannah seemed as surprised as me but she went to open the door.

I heard a man's voice, deep and suave. It made me shiver on the couch. I liked that voice but I did not know whom it belonged to. Who could that be? I knew all my husband's coworkers. Well, those who mattered. I was underdressed but it was late. I shrugged, I could not care less if that was a problem.

"Sir, I'll go tell Master that you wish to see him. Please, come in." Hannah said even if I could hear that she disapproved such a late visit.

I stood up from the couch to welcome the man. He looked hot as Hell. I blushed just looking at him. He was around my age, tall, muscled, wearing a grey suit that fitted him perfectly. He had light brown hair that were tousled on the top, tanned skin and I could see the hint of a tattoo because his shirt was not buttoned to the top. He had a stuble on his sharp jaw and full kissable lips. While I was watching him, his eerie amber eyes landed on me. I refrained a flinch. His gaze was intense for a stranger but it also felt good. Who was this man?

"Hello." I said my voice uneven somehow. How could he affect me so much?

"Hello, Mrs. Castle I presume?" He said and I repressed a shiver.

"Yes." I nodded, extending my hand.

He shook it and I felt like a surge of electricity course through my entire body. His hand was warm around mine and his eyes took on a shade darker. I retrieved my hand slowly to not insult him but I felt like a rabbit in front of the big bad wolf.

"I'm Rafael Conti." He introduced himself. "I'm here to see your husband for an important matter."

"Sure... Do you want to... Move to the living room? My husband can take some time when he's working." I said trying to calm the rapid beating of my heart.

"Yes, I'd like that." He said offering me a small smile.

I blushed and turned around to go back to the living room. I motioned for him to sit on the couch and he sat down. Now, what to say? I saw that Hannah had left another cup so I could always offer him some tea. Would he even drink tea? He looked like the Whisky kind.

I was in a whirlwind of emotions when he put his hand on my forearm. I whipped my head to him and he was gazing at me intensely. I tilted my head on the side and he was about to say something when my husband entered the room.

"Mr. Conti." Maximilien said and he seemed nervous. That was a first. He never was nervous with his business partners. "Whisky?"

"Sure." He said.

Maximilien poured two glasses and Rafael arched a brow eyeing between me and my husband.

"You don't ask your wife what she wants to drink?" He asked.

"Oh... Faith only drinks tea at this hour."

The liar. I flinched but grabbed for my cup when I saw that Rafael was eyeing me suspiciously. I took a sip and smiled at him as if to say that everything was peachy. That was my role as a wife.

Maximilien handed one glass to Rafael and he sat next to me. That looked awkward but I had perfected the art of feigning happiness. I leaned a bit against him and he wrapped an arm around me but his focus was on the other man.

Rafael took a sip of his Whisky and the bare sight made me swallow hard. He was really sexy even doing something so simple. How was it possible?

"As you might suspect, Maximilien, I'm here to talk business." Rafael said sharply.

Uh oh. I would not like to be on the receiving end of those cold eyes. My husband was in trouble.