OTTE'

ther about a future you don't want, and the next, you are standing before a mi

into something like this. But here I w

.. acc

e signed the marriage agreement. His eyes were quiet, guarded but not

other had made her bed and I was

dered, but

th my head high, even if

otests or soap opera-style objections. Just makeup artists, phot

" she said, adjustin

de mine in the mirror. "Do I loo

ozen. "You look like

xactly? I didn't

ious. The kind of wedding fairy tales had been ghostwritten by a board

ect posture. But his eyes..... they weren't perfe

nd, there was a spark. A

asked unde

. "Let's

at was more political than passionate and then

someone else was living it. We flew to Santorini. Aiden's choice because I didn't

the sea. He never imposed, never assumed. E

rd night, some

watching the sun dip below the horizon, pai

t I expected." H

im. "What did

reluctant bride. Som

ter and angry. But I'm le

since I met him. It changed his entire fa

ise me too

arrogant tha

ow. "Is that a

t myself, but yes, it's

time, I let myself look at him not as my husband on paper, but as a man. A complicated and guarded man

t wasn't the usual honeymoon night where couples spend th

ll asleep, I

a bit scary. Adjusting to a new

ion, it was as if all the staff knew what to do

oat slightly, his vo

is Cha

nd continue

Whatever she needs, you give it to he

im but he didn

ms are always in order. If she wants to c

ave me the east wing of the mansion and

le-aged woman, Petra, who is the chef, and coo

to the east wing, and Aiden stayed back to

wing. Most mornings or

. and went to his private gym at 4 a.m. He always stopped at a particular

other and other times our h

uess we were trying to mak

en, I returned to my room to find a gift b

t Garden." A book I had always loved since I

you mentione

about this ha

Ai

as the gift he had given to me. Not

before I knocked. He opened the door. His shirt was unbuttone

say thank y

. "You ar

ack to my room to avoid the weird silen

hink we could

nswer, he j

ove with Aiden Kingston that night but I think it's safe

e thinks