Isabelle looked at herself in the floor-length mirror, while she was smoothing her hands on the surface of the little black dress she had picked for dinner.
It was simple yet chic, the kind of outfit she would have worn to an art gallery opening or a friend's party.
However, this was not a common social gathering.
This was her first time to be seen as Liam Callahan's fiancé and the enormity of the situation was weighing her down like an overbearing shroud.
A sudden strike on the door scared her. "Miss Marino! It is Eliza. Mr. Callahan is waiting for you. "
Isabelle exhaled and calmed down a bit. "Coming. "
With the weight of lead, she walked across the carpeted floor of the plush and opened the door.
Eliza was on the other side, her expression staying coolly professional as always.
"Follow me, please. "
Isabelle followed the assistant who was so unexpressive, her heart was beating in her ears every time she took another step.
They went through the twisting corridors of the hallways until they could see the really big dining room.
Then, on the chair at the head of the table, sat Liam Callahan himself.
He got up as they entered, his intense eye movement made her feel the skin get pricked.
"Miss Marino. I believe you have made the right decisions regarding your new living conditions, in my opinion, are agreeable. "
Isabelle resisted the temptation to fidget when her attention was being rigorously supervised.
"They're. .. lovely. Thank you. "
Liam's lips stretched into a smile that didn't even touch his eyes. "I want my wife to be at ease, that's all. "
The words were so spooky that Isabelle felt a shiver run down her spine.
His wife.
Thus, the thought was still so far away, so unbelievable.
Liam waved to the table. "Please, have a seat. "
Isabelle went down into the padded chair, while Liam kept on staring at her as if she was a magnet. The perfectly white cloth napkin was placed on a side of her plate, and she was occupied with folding it over her lap, just to make her hands something to do.
"You are so beautiful tonight," Liam said, kindly indicating the end of the awkward silence.
Isabelle's gaze shifted to his eyes and his. "Thank you," she moaned, her voice so soft that it was almost a whisper.
Liam let out a tiny smile showing that he was slightly amused. "No need to be nervous Ms. Marino. We're husband and wife to be so you see."
Isabelle heard a slight shake at his words. "Isabelle is okay. Miss Marino is so formal, I mean. "
Liam raised his brow a tiny bit. "I agree. It is Isabelle, alright."
He sunk back in his chair and observed her with a mischievous expression.
"Tell me, how much do know about my business affairs?"
She was surprised by the question that came out of nowhere.
"I hardly see it that way, to be frank. Just that you're a successful businessman."
Liam's smile was like that of a vulture, sinister and threatening.
"That is just a saying. Callahan Enterprises is one of the largest and strongest conglomerates in the world. We are in everything from real estate to technology to finance."
He took a breath, so the impact of his words was felt by the listener.
"And as my wife, you will also be considered a part of that empire's maintenance. "
Isabelle's stomach knotted up in a mess. "What do you mean?"
"It is, would you believe me, you will have to go to functions, flirt with potential investors and clients, and act the sweet wife," said Liam, his voice low and intense.
Isabelle's throat was suddenly parched.
She had decided to marry this guy, but the actuality of what it involved was just starting to dawn upon her.
Just at the moment, she was about to say something, Eliza popped up by Liam's side with a bottle of expensive-looking wine in her hands.
She took out the bottle with ease and poured a large amount into Liam's glass and then she turned to Isabelle.
"A glass for you, Miss Marino?" she asked, her voice totally without any inflection.
Isabelle tried to respond but Liam interrupted her by casually waving his hand.
"No, Eliza, for instance, my wife won't be drinking. "
Isabelle's eyebrows formed into a complex bridge of concern. "I. .. won't?"
Liam fixed her with a straight-eye glance. Certainly not.
"I can't have you drinking while we are fighting to make a child."
The words struck Isabelle like a blow and took her breath away as if they were physical. "An. .. heir?"
Liam's expression remained impassive.
"Naturally. What did you think this arrangement was about, Isabelle? Love?" He asked sarcastically and the sound failed to convey the humor. "No, this is a business transaction, a transaction which demands that you be the mother of the heir who will continue my legacy."
Isabelle's head was spinning as the gravity of what he had said sunk in.
She knew, from the time she was a little girl, that this wasn't like a fairytale love story.
However, to be so plainly notified of her functions, of the real reason that this fake union is all about. ..
It was almost impossible to hold back the tears.
Liam was so much aware of her inner turmoil.
"I'm not a fanatic person, Isabelle. Carry out the roles of a good wife, give birth to a child, and then you will not have to be worried about anything. But if you don't, you will be left with nothing."
The hidden threat was present in the air and the tension caused by it killed Isabelle with its weight.
She was stuck, a shining bird in the cage of her own making, with no way out in sight.
As Eliza took over the first course, Isabelle was forced to look into Liam's cold eyes and she felt more determined.
If this was to be her life, she would play the game.