CHAPTER 74: BITTERSWEET MEMORIES

Edison, who was already standing behind Naomi, cleared his throat. "Yes we are arguing, Dad," he admitted. "We are very sorry, please forgive us... it’s just a normal couple fight," he apologized sincerely.

Alpha Thomas shakes his head clearly disappointed. "I don’t tolerate arguments and loud noises in my house. As a couple it is your duty to behave in your best manners and not disturb other people. We can hear your verbal fighting all the way to our room, this is not acceptable! It must never happen again!" he said, scolding the newlywed couple.

"Guys, quarreling between couples is normal, but next time you fight please lower your voice so as not to disturb other people in this house. I hope you follow the house rules from now on," Luna Alicia said softly.

Naomi nodded her head. "I’m very sorry for my bad manners, Dad and Mom. We will not do it again, we are very sorry," she apologized between gritted teeth, bowing her head in acceptance of her fate.

"Good, now you get ready for breakfast in one hour." Alpha Thomas said and walked away.

Luna Alicia looked at the couple with a sigh before following her husband.

Naomi closed the door and faced her annoying husband with anger blazing in her eyes. "Things will be much easier between us if we have separate rooms. You have your privacy and I also have mine. Can you please use the guest room for sleeping?" she said, half pleading.

"No! I must stay here with you. Your father is already pissed that you and I were arguing heavily on the second day of our marriage. We will not make our situation worse. Don’t worry, I will sleep on the floor tonight, just to please you. I’m now your husband, just accept it!" He said and left the room.

Naomi was relieved that he left the room, but to her chagrin he returned a few minutes later with his bag containing his clothes. She raised a brow. "What are you doing?"

"...Put my clothes in the closet." He dropped the bag on the floor and began pushing aside her clothes to give way to his stuff.

Naomi can only stare at his back helplessly, frustrated that she failed to kick him out of her room for good. And now he will be a permanent fixture in her life, in her own room, her only refuge. Grrr! She has no privacy anymore! Such a hassle!

How can she chat with Alpha Maxwell if Edison is breathing down her neck all the time?

She took a deep breath, annoyed as hell. Her life just took a wrong turn, she just hit rock bottom!

After Edison finished putting all his stuff inside the closet, some of her clothes were already on the floor.

Grrr!

Naomi was annoyed, she had to re-arrange everything in her closet to accommodate all his stuff.

"Are you done?" she asked irritably.

"Yes, darling," Edison replied sheepishly, grabbing her clothes from the floor, putting them on the bed.

She released a deep sigh, heading to the closet and removing all his clothes, putting them on the bed.

"What are you doing with my clothes?" he asked suspiciously.

"I will fold them and arrange them properly in the closet. Don’t worry, I will buy a cabinet for your clothes so you have your own place to put your stuff," she said calmly.

Edison grins. "Thank you, darling wife. I appreciate it."

She dismissed his endearment. "Cut the crop, Edison. Marrying you doesn’t give you the right to get chummy with me. You can call me your wife but that’s all there is to it. We can’t be intimate with each other. No physical contact between us, you can’t kiss, hug or touch me. Do you understand?" she hissed, her tone serious.

He threw his hands in the air. "Bullshit! What kind of marriage is this?" he protested.

"Lower your voice!" she snapped at him.

Edison sighed heavily. His chest tightened with restrained anger. "I can’t accept this! Why are you doing this to me? We had sex before and we both enjoyed it. Why can’t we have sex now that we are already married? How can we have babies if you don’t want us to have sex?" He voiced his frustration.

She looked at him with resentment flashing in her eyes. "Because you deserve all of this! You married me just because you wanted my father’s help in restoring your family business to its former glory. You are using me! You could have walked away and set me free but now you cage me in this loveless marriage. Now enjoy the rotten fruits of your labor!"

Edison shut his eyes for a few seconds, trying to control his rising temper. "Thanks for reminding me about my intention but having you as my wife was also part of my goal. I won’t indulge you in your anger today, but you have to remember that one of these days you have to submit to me as your husband. We will consummate our marriage, whether you like it or not!" he said furiously and left the room after putting on casual clothes.

Naomi was left alone in the room, fuming in anger.

She knew all along that her marriage to Edison was going to be very difficult, but she did it to satisfy her father’s wishes. Now, her father was no longer breathing on her neck, replaced by her annoying husband.

Ugh! Her problem is never ending.

She was thinking about how long she could keep up with her husband. Divorcing him within six months would be the best thing to do. She would just try her best not to give him a chance to violate her body for his own personal gain. She can’t bear other men touching her body, the very thought repulses her.

She arranged their clothes in the cabinet properly. She remembered that there was an extra unused cabinet in the storage room. She will instruct the servant to bring it upstairs to her room and put all Edison’s clothes and personal stuff in there.

After she finished with her task, she left the room to join the family in the dining room for breakfast.

Half an hour later, Naomi and the rest of the family gathered in the dining room to have breakfast. They ate in silence.

After breakfast, Edison and Alpha Thomas went to the living room to discuss business.

Naomi went to the storage room and ordered the maid to clean the plastic cabinet and bring it to her room. "You already know what to do," she told the maid.

"Yes, ma’am, we will bring the cabinet to your room after we are done cleaning it," the maid replied.

Naomi went back to her room and took a shower while waiting for the cabinet to arrive.

After she finished bathing, the cabinet arrived and the maid left after they had finished their task.

Naomi transferred all Edison’s clothes and stuff to the cabinet. Done with her task, she sat on the edge of the bed and unlocked her phone, wanting to chat with Alpha Maxwell. She entered their chat and greeted him good morning.

She didn’t wait long, Alpha Maxwell finally entered the chat.

Alpha Maxwell: Sweetie, good morning! How was your wedding yesterday?

Naomi: Honestly, I don’t remember much. Everything is blurry in my mind. Maybe because all I did was fake my smile from start to finish until my mouth hurts. I didn’t enjoy the wedding because I was forced to do it. It’s not my dream wedding. I feel much happier when we marry each other in the facility. I enjoyed that wedding even if all our guests were wearing masks on their faces and we got drunk.

Alpha Maxwell: Yeah, that wedding was indeed special for both of us despite the circumstances we were in at that time. It’s now a distant dream, so real yet fantasy-like. By the way... what happens after the wedding?

Naomi: Did you mean to ask me if Edison and I consummate our wedding night? You want to ask if we engaged in sex last night?

Alpha Maxwell: I’m sorry sweetie, I know you are feeling uncomfortable discussing it. You don’t have to answer my question if you don’t like answering it.

Naomi: No need to apologize, I will answer your question. Honestly, nothing happened last night. I kicked Edison out of the room and locked the door. I slept alone in my room last night. He slept in the guest room.

Alpha Maxwell: That’s good to hear, sweetie. I feel relieved now.

Naomi: Don’t worry, Edison agreed with my request that we would sleep in separate rooms.

Alpha Maxwell: Really? He agreed with the set-up you requested?

Naomi: Yes, he refused at first but eventually he accepted. You should also do the same with Deborah after the wedding. You should stay in separate rooms.

Alpha Maxwell: I already told her that.

Naomi: Did she agree with the set-up?

Alpha Maxwell: Not yet, she was angry. But eventually she will accept because she can’t force me to sleep on the same bed with her.

Naomi: Your wedding will take place this coming Saturday, right?

Alpha Maxwell: Yeah...

Naomi felt sad and miserable discussing his wedding so she quickly changed the topic.

Naomi: So how is our son Jacob? How is he? Do you have any new photos and videos of him taken today?

Alpha Maxwell: Later after lunch. I will go there to the bungalow house to check on them.

Naomi: OK, I’ll wait for it.

Alpha Maxwell: By the way, when our son was handed back to me, I found our wedding photos inside the bag along with baby formula and baby Jacob’s clothes. I will upload it here so you can see the photos.

Naomi: Really? Wow, let me see those photos!

Alpha Maxwell: Hold on... give me a moment.

He uploaded all the wedding photos one by one.

Seeing the photos one by one made Naomi nostalgic.

After seeing all the beautiful photos, Naomi’s chest tightened as tears burned her eyes. The photos screamed bittersweet memories. All the wonderful memories they shared together in the windowless room came back in her mind in full force. Fresh tears sprang from her eyes. She burst into tears.

Alpha Maxwell: Sweetie, where are you? Are you still with me?

Naomi: Yeah. I’m still here. I feel sad and happy at the same time. The photos are beautiful, they made me cry.

Alpha Maxwell: The photos of us wearing our wedding attire, smiling at the camera struck my heart deeply. I’m teary-eyed right now.

Then the couple discussed their wedding photos, every memory tugging at their heartstrings.

Once again they were transported back to the time they stayed in the windowless room, remembering every detail of their intimate and romantic moments together resulted in the creation of their beloved son, baby Jacob.