House of Cards
A sleek black limousine pulled up to a large mansion. The mansion's windows were dark and uninviting. Victoria stared at her new home, feeling uneasy in her stomach.
'Home sweet home," Louis said sarcastically as he stepped out of the car.
Victoria followed, her wedding dress rustling. 'Charming," she replied, her voice sounding fake and sweet.
As they entered the foyer, Victoria noticed how big the house was. The floors were made of marble, and there were crystal chandeliers and expensive art everywhere. It was beautiful but cold.
'Your room is upstairs, second door on the right," Louis said, not looking at her.
Victoria was surprised. 'My room? I thought we were supposed to act like a happy couple."
Louis turned, and his eyes were hard. 'The act ends at the front door, Victoria. I won't be sharing a bed with you."
'Thank goodness," Victoria replied. 'I'd rather sleep on nails than be next to you."
Louis clenched his jaw. 'Glad we agree. Now, I have work to do."
He stormed off towards what Victoria assumed was his office, leaving her alone in the large entryway.
'Jerk," she muttered, grabbing her suitcase and heading upstairs.
Victoria took off her wedding dress. She hung it up. She felt a mix of regret and relief as she did this.
While unpacking, her phone buzzed. She got a text from Barry: "How are you holding up?"
Victoria's heart clenched. She knew she shouldn't respond, but...
"As well as can be expected when you're married to the devil," she typed back.
Barry's reply came right away: "I'm here if you need me. Always."
Victoria closed her eyes, trying not to cry. She shouldn't have encouraged him, but she felt so alone.
A knock at the door startled her. "Victoria? Dinner's ready," Louis called out.
She took a deep breath, preparing herself. "Coming!"
The dining room was fancy, like the rest of the house. Louis sat at one end of the long table, Victoria at the other. The distance between them felt important.
"Wine?" Louis offered, holding up a bottle.
"Please," Victoria replied. She had a feeling she'd need it.
They ate in silence, the sound of silverware echoing in the big room. Finally, Victoria couldn't stay quiet anymore.
"So, is this how it's going to be?" she asked. "Silent meals and separate bedrooms?"
Louis looked up, his expression hard to read. "Would you prefer I pretend to be interested in your day?"
Victoria got angry. "I want you to act like a human, not a robot!"
"That's rich, coming from you, the ice queen," Louis shot back.
"Ice queen?" Victoria stood up, her chair making a loud noise. "You don't know anything about me!"
Louis stood up too, his eyes flashing. "I know you're a spoiled princess who's never worked a day in her life!"
"How dare you!" Victoria yelled. "I worked hard to become a lawyer! What have you done besides use your dad's connections?"
Louis's face turned red with anger. "I made this company what it is today!"
"Oh, please," Victoria scoffed. "You were given everything!"
They kept shouting at each other, trading insults. The maid who came in saw what was happening and quickly left.
"I can't believe I'm stuck with you forever!" Victoria cried tears of frustration in her eyes.
"Trust me, I feel the same way!" Louis roared back.
Suddenly, Victoria's phone buzzed loudly. She looked at it and saw Barry's name on the screen.
Louis's eyes narrowed. "Who's that? Your boyfriend?"
Victoria's heart raced. "That's none of your business."
"It is when you're my wife," Louis growled, reaching for the phone.
Victoria snatched it away. 'Don't you dare!"
They grappled for the phone, their faces inches apart. For a moment, the air crackled with a different kind of tension.
Then Louis stepped back, his breathing heavy. 'You know what? I don't care. Do whatever you want, Victoria. Just keep up appearances in public."
He stormed out of the dining room, leaving Victoria alone and shaken.
She looked down at her phone, seeing three missed calls from Barry. With trembling fingers, she typed out a message: 'Can you meet me tomorrow? I need to talk."
As soon as she hit send, guilt washed over her. What was she doing?
Upstairs, Louis poured himself a large whiskey, his hands shaking with anger. He pulled out his phone, staring at Amaya's number.
His finger hovered over the call button. It would be so easy…
But no. He had committed, no matter how much he regretted it now.
As the night wore on, two people lay awake in separate rooms of the grand mansion. Both are trapped in a marriage neither wants, and both long for someone else.
Little did they know, their actions were setting in motion a chain of events that would change everything. The house of cards they had built was about to come crashing down around them.