Chapter Preview: Chapter 1
October 10, 2022. Maxwell's Apartment. New York.
Stacy woke up alone in the room. She smiled sadly as she got up from the bed.
Stacy
(Sighs) What do I expect, anyway. My husband has never shared the bed with me since I moved into his apartment.
Stacy panicked after looking at the clock on the nightstand.
Stacy
Oh, shit! It's already seven!
Stacy left the room and found out her husband was already having coffee in the kitchen.
Stacy
Good morning, Maxwell!
Just like usual, Stacy didn't hear a single reply from her husband.
Stacy
(Bites her lower lip) Uh… sorry for waking up late. I finished a term paper last night. I forgot to turn on my alarm.
Stacy
(Swallows) Your class today starts at eight, isn't it? I still have time to cook breakfast.
Stacy
What do you want to eat?
Maxwell stood up from his seat. He brought his empty cup of coffee to the sink, washed it before facing Stacy with a cold expression on his face.
Maxwell
Stop this, Stacy. You don't have to do this for me.
Stacy
But I'm your wife, Maxwell. And this is my responsibility as your wife.
Maxwell
(Sighs heavily) You don't have any responsibility to me, Stacy.
Stacy bowed her head, her heart aching with Maxwell's words.
Stacy
(Swallows hard) We're married, Maxwell. No matter what you say, you can't stop me from acting this way.
Stacy slowly looked at Maxwell with pleading eyes.
Stacy
I know you never wanted any of this, Maxwell… but can you at least try it, for us?
Maxwell's jaw clenched as his blue eyes turned colder.
Maxwell
(Grits his teeth) I told you from the beginning, Stacy, marrying me would be the stupidest decision you'd ever made in your life.
Maxwell
Still, you didn't listen.
Maxwell picked up his trench coat on the counter before walking past Stacy.
Stacy
M-maxwell…
Maxwell stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. But he didn't manage to turn his head toward his wife.
Maxwell
What is it, Stacy? I don't wanna be late.
Stacy
Is there really no chance for you to love me back?
Maxwell
You know my heart already belongs to someone else, Stacy.
Maxwell
I don't love you. And I made it clear to you that I would never love you.
Maxwell
So stop asking for my love.
Maxwell
Stop hoping for me to love you back.
Maxwell
It would never happen, Stacy.
A tear escaped from Stacy's eye. She immediately wiped it away with her thumb.
Even if her heart was breaking, she still managed to pull off a small smile.
Stacy
T-take care, Maxwell.
Stacy sighed.
Now that she was married to Maxwell, she thought she'd be the happiest woman alive. 'Guessed she was wrong.
Two hours later. New York University. School of Business.
Kelly
Stacy, you're late.
Stacy settled on the chair beside her best friend, Kelly.
Stacy
(Sighs in relief) Thank God Professor Morrison hasn't arrived yet.
Kelly
Oh, Prof. Morrison had an emergency. He won't be attending the class today, Stace.
Stacy
(Beams) Really?
Kelly
Yeah. Now tell me why you're almost half an hour late.
Stacy pursed my lips as she fixed her brown hair that got disheveled from running almost half a mile earlier.
Stacy
(Sighs) My Uber driver's car broke down.
Kelly
(Raises a brow) Why do you have to ride an Uber in the first place, anyway? Where's your husband?
Stacy gave Kelly a warning look.
Stacy
Sshh. Someone might hear you, Kelly!
Kelly
(Bites her lower lip) Oops. Sorry, Stacy. I forgot that no one here on campus knows you're married, except me.
Kelly leaned on Stacy and lowered her voice.
Kelly
But what's the score between you and your husband? Any progress, Stacy?
Stacy was about to answer when she saw Dave approaching.
Dave
Hey, ‘you two free this weekend?
Kelly
What is it, Dave?
Dave
(Smiles) I'll have my advance birthday celebration at Temple Bar. I hope you two both come.
Dave
Especially you, Stacy.
Stacy
(Purse my lips) Well… uh, I'm not so sure, Dave. Is it okay if I just give you a present?
Dave
(Twists his lips) But the only gift I want from you is your attendance, Stacy.
Kelly
Come on, Stace. I think it'd be fun.
Stacy
Hmm, fine. I'll try, Dave. But I'm not promising you anything.
Dave
(Smile widens) Thanks, Stacy.
Three hours later.
Stacy and Kelly were walking towards the university cafeteria.
Kelly
Are you going to Dave's party or not?
Stacy
(Shrugs) I don't know, Kelly. I rather spend time at home with my husband during the weekends, you know.
Kelly
(Rolls eyes) But your husband doesn't even talk to you.
Kelly
You know what, I feel sad for Dave. He doesn't even know that the girl he likes is already unavailable.
Stacy frowned at her best friend.
Stacy
What? Dave and I are just friends.
Kelly
He likes you, Stace, if that isn't obvious.
Stacy
He's just friendly, Kelly. That guy flirts with everyone.
Kelly
(Shakes her head) Well, let's go back to your husband.
Kelly
He didn't even give you a ride today?
Stacy
It was my fault. I woke up late, Kelly.
Kelly
Oh, speaking of the devil, and the devil shall appear.
Kelly
(Nudges Stacey) There's your husband, Stace.
Stacy's eyes widened when she saw Maxwell.
He was talking to an old man while walking in their direction.
Stacy gave Maxwell a smile as their eyes met, but Maxwell didn't stop; he didn't even return her smile.
Kelly
Ouch… he completely ignored you, Stace.
Stacy
(Sighs) It's okay, Kelly. He's talking to someone.
Kelly
(Frowns) But you're his wife, Stace. How dare he ignore you. You don't deserve to be treated that way.
Kelly
The old Maxwell won't do that!
Stacy
(Smiles bitterly) It's okay, Kelly. He's cold and sometimes rude to me, yes. But at least, he doesn't hurt me.
Kelly
(Scoffs) So you're supposed to thank him for that? That's not even the bare minimum.
Kelly stopped and faced Stacy.
Kelly
You know what, Stace? The problem with you is that you love him too much that you're just willingly accepting what he can give you.
Kelly
Stop tolerating your husband.
Stacy
(Sighs) I don't know what to do anymore, Kelly. I've been trying to talk to him… asking him to give our marriage a chance, but he keeps rejecting me.
Stacy smiled bitterly upon remembering her husband's words to her this morning.
Kelly
Words aren't enough, Stacy. You have to back it up with actions!
Kelly
You know what? Use your charm, Stace.
Stacy
What do you mean?
Kelly
You know the way to a man's heart?
Stacy
(Looks confused) Uh, through his stomach?
Kelly
Hmm, right. But there's another way, Stace.
Stacy
(Frowns a little) And that is?
Kelly
(Smirks) Through his dick. Seduce your husband, Stace.
Stacy's eyes widened at her best friend.
Stacy
Kelly!
Kelly
(Frowns) What? You talk as if you're innocent about these things!
Kelly
Let me remind you that you're married to him because you two had sex!
Stacy
(Swallows) It was only a one-time thing.
Stacy bit her lower lip. The truth is, she's still a nineteen-year-old virgin.
But three months ago, something happened that made Stacy trick Maxwell into marrying her.