Chapter 18: Chapter 18
"Now, let me make one thing very clear to you. You are now my wife, in as much as you and I resent that fact. Do you know what it means to be a billionaire's wife? I..."
"I can't say that I do, but from the little I've seen, apparently it means having to act like a puppet and do everything you're told without being allowed to have a mind of your own." Carol cut in angrily. Who did he think he was to talk to her like that?
"Well, if you want to put it that way, I can't say that I'd stop you. However, the fact remains that we're in very dangerous times, and you wandering off on your own just because you feel like it, is not in any way a wise move at all."
"Meaning what exactly?"
"Meaning that you could easily get kidnapped or something equally bad just because you've chosen to be pigheaded and then someone else will have to bear the cost of your stubbornness. Now, don't go thinking that I'd be willing to fork out a shit ton of money if out of stupidity and a desire to show that you have a mind of your own, you manage to get yourself into such a situation."
"You flatter yourself a lot. I wonder if you're even truly a billionaire. I did not know you from Adam before now. I thought billionaires are supposed to be popular."
"I take it you know all the billionaires in the world, then. Ah, by the expression on your face, I can see that you don't. I'm not surprised though. You don't look the slightest bit like someone who fraternizes with billionaires."
Carol slammed her mouth shut and pouted, feeling stupid, and then opened it again, not about to give up.
"Anyway, no one even knows me or knows that we're married, so I don't see what the fuss is all about."
"Is that so? No one knows we're married?" Sebastian queried in a mocking tone. "So whose fault is it that you've decided to live in a shell?"
"I don't understand what you mean by that."
Sebastian picked up a magazine from beside him and dropped it unceremoniously onto her lap. Carol, wondering what he was up to now, glanced down at the magazine and gasped as soon as she spied the front page. Right there occupying the front page was a picture of her and Sebastian on their wedding day with the heading "Billionaire Sebastian weds unknown girl in what seems to be a surprise marriage."
The picture that was used was the most unflattering one that she had ever seen of herself and one that she had had no idea was taken. In it, she was wearing a spaced-out and shocked look, and her skin looked clammy and too pale. Even the wedding dress, which was supposed to be her saving grace because of its beauty and how expensive it was, looked ill-fitting on her since it was originally made for Victoria. To sum everything up, she looked like the most unbecoming bride in the history of unbecoming brides, and felt her face light up in embarrassment as she stared at the front page of the magazine. Sebastian on the other hand was looking dapper and every inch a handsome, young billionaire. He was even smiling, something she had not noticed him do even once that day, so it was obvious that he saw the camera person before the shot was taken.
"Why did you not tell me that someone was about to take our picture?" She snapped at him, somewhat feeling betrayed for reasons she could not identify.
"And agitate you even more than you already were? I think not. Anyway, as I was saying, you can't just go out on your own without protection or security. It's not safe."
"Do you have many enemies, then?"
"I don't know about enemies, but one thing I know is that prevention is better than cure. Besides, one does not need to have enemies before something bad happens. After all, there are many greedy people who would love an opportunity to kidnap someone and ask for a ransom or worse, depraved and perverted humans who would do far worse than that just because they can."
Carol could see that he was right, but she was not about to give him the satisfaction of telling him so, so she looked out the window stiffly instead and they continued the rest of the ride in silence.
After driving for a while, they got to the estate gate. Belatedly, she remembered that Sebastian had sent her money this morning, even though she had not yet touched the money.
"Um." She said into the tense silence, although it was probably tense only to her. Sebastian did not look as though he gave a flying fuck about anything. Even now that she glanced at him, his face was carefully blank. Carol wished that she could be as nonchalant about this whole thing as he was, but the truth was that she hated being in a confrontation with anyone or having them mad at her. Besides, what sort of an ingrate would she be if she refused to acknowledge the fact that someone sent her a whole fifty grand?
Sebastian did not even look at her so cleared her throat and tried again.
"Did you send me money?"
"What do you think? That the money just flew into your account of its own accord? Of course, I did."
Carol shook her head slightly. This man seemed to always be angry for no reason. "Thanks a lot. I appreciate it, but do you mind telling me what you sent me the money for?"
"I mind, actually. You've started once again with unnecessary questions. It would not kill you to let peace reign for some seconds, you know."
"You could have just answered me instead of saying all that. Besides, it was not an unnecessary question. I need to know."
"How about this? I don't want to answer you. If you're getting into an agreement, you should try to familiarize yourself with all the terms and everything else involved. That is how people get scammed. I don't know how many times you want me to tell you this. Go and read the contract and you will get the answer to your question so that you don't keep bombarding me with questions I don't need to answer all the time."
By this time, they had driven inside the estate and the driver had parked the car in the garage. Sebastian got down from the car and slammed the door shut, before striding into the house, leaving her all alone in the car.