Adalina Salvatore

He walked a few feet in front of me and even with his back facing me, I could tell he had a big scowl on his face. I mentally sighed as I followed him into the elevator with his bodyguard, Thane, following closely behind me.

It was awkward. The air thickened until the square room was suddenly twenty times smaller. I felt trapped under the curse of his ignorance. My own husband didn't even bother to spare me a glance, let alone said a word to me.

Best fucking marriage ever!

My dearest mother in law however had arranged us a tour around Paris, one that we couldn't just skip or she would have his head delivered to her on a silver platter. Her words not mine. I loved that woman with a passion.

But, that certain threat had worsened my husband's already bad mood into something else. I wanted to say something, to tell him that he needed to grow the hell up and swallowed the fact that he was now my husband but Thane had another opinion. He knew my insults would only make it worse and I agreed.

My twenty seven years old husband was worse than a fucking child.

The elevator came to an abrupt stop and he walked out without a single care in the world. I figured I was barely a shadow to him. Sighing, I followed him to the hotel's exit. Eden swung the glass door opened and walked out before he slammed it right back in my face.

Chivalry was fucking dead.

" That's it. I won't tolerate this any longer. You are acting like a fucking child. " I shouted after him.

He didn't even look back at me. He just kept walking down the road and entered the car that was waiting for us. I glared at his unbothered state as I took the seat beside him.

" Talk to me. " I hissed.

" I don't want to. "

" What kind of husband doesn't want to talk to his own bloody wife? " I snapped, making Thane flinched in the driver's seat.

" Divorce me and I shall find you a husband who talks. "

" You're unbelievable. Which part of I will never divorce you that you don't understand? "

" All of it. " he said, looking out the window.

I would never imagine myself in this situation. Paris was supposed to be romantic, a happy place for people to get to know each other but he made the magic of the city vanished as I spent the whole tour listing my reasons why I would never divorce his cold ass.

He listened to every words, I knew he did judging by the growing frown on his face. He didn't say a word. He acted like I was talking to myself which was incredibly embarrassing but I couldn't careless.

With drying throat, we walked back to the hotel through the snow covered city shivering underneath our thick coats. My phone dinged inside my pocket breaking the silence between us.

" Hello. " I greeted, smiling.

My favorite person on earth. He was a guardian angel indeed.

" Are you going to the ball tonight, your highness? " Blaze asked.

" Of course. Mom and dad insisted I go. "

" Bring the prince. " he said before hanging up the phone.

I stared blankly at the black screen dumbfounded. How the hell was I supposed to convince him to go. It might have been a few days since we married but even a dead person could tell this dude hated parties. He didn't even want to attend our own bloody wedding.

" We are going to a winter ball tonight. " I cleared my throat, catching his attention.

He tilted his head sideways to look at me before grumpily replied. " I'm not going. "

" Yes, you will. " I muttered.

" Why should I? "

" You're my husband. " I glared.

" I know. I attended the wedding. " he huffed, turning his head back to look at the street.

" But, that doesn't mean I have to attend some stupid ball with you. Have fun, princess. " he continued and before I could respond he disappeared through the hotel's entrance.

I would make sure he attended that bloody ball if my life was depended on it.

Red and royal blue was the theme for tonight. Chandelier hung high, white strings of lights flickered everywhere, and with a twenty feet tall white Christmas trees drown in golden and silver ornaments, it was a true winter wonderland.

My husband and I entered the party in black, snapping all heads toward us.

Eyes followed the new prince as we made our ways to our assigned table. I loved the attentions on him. I had my hand tugged under his arm and walking side by side, people knew he was mine.

" Eden, be nice. " I muttered lowly but loud enough for him to hear.

Placing a hand on his thigh from under the table, I smiled softly at the French Royalties around our table. He tilted his head toward me before heaving out a sigh. I let out the breath that I had been holding for the past thirty worst minutes of my life.

First winter ball of the season in France, our first public appearance together but my husband wasn't so excited to come until I threatened to stay naked throughout our honeymoon, it was then that he made a compromise to join the ball with me.

" Can we leave? I can't stand their small brains any longer. " my husband whispered as he took my hand off of his thigh.

Small brains indeed, he had been lecturing the whole table about their healths for the past minutes and I could tell that no one had a clue about what he had been saying.

I didn't either. With all his big doctor words, I could barely understand a thing. But, I listened intensely of what he had to say. He spoke of his speciality with so much passion in his eyes that I could feel the loves he had for treating people.

I admired him. He was perfect in every ways. If only he wasn't the biggest jerk of the century.

" We arrived an hour ago, your highness. It would be rude to leave before the dance even started. " I said looking at him in amusement.

His glare burnt my face, digging holes on my forehead as I tried my best not to squirm under his gaze.

A tall figure in blood red tuxedo, a few tables away caught my eyes. Once again saved by Blaze, I grinned as he walked toward our table. Eden followed my gaze curiously before taking in a deep breath. It wasn't their first encounter together. The two met briefly at the reception of our wedding and Blaze made it clear he was into him, a lot.

" Good evening, princess. Hey, hot stuff. " he greeted, winking at my husband.

I stared at them amusingly as Eden groaned shutting his eyes. " I'm going to get some fresh air. "

Without another word and before I could respond, he was out of the table. I smirked at my cousin and he gasped in shock. Horror flashed across his eyes as he took the seat Eden was in.

" That man is immune to all humans. " he scoffed, gulping down his champagne.

Adrenaline rushed past my system shocking my brain as a wicked smile appeared on my face. My husband was something else. He was different from any other men in every ways possible and I was fucking intrigued. He made it even more excited for me. Every moments with him were like a slap in the face telling me that the world really didn't revolve around a princess liked myself.

He didn't want me. I wanted him and I couldn't wait until he was mine, begging for me.

Blaze watched me in bewilderment but didn't dare say a word liked he knew what was going inside my head. He was here since forever, the duke knew his princess always loved a good challenge.

" It's midnight. Where the hell were you? " I hissed under my breath.

Eden took a champagne glass from the tray before sipping it slowly. He stood in the very corner of the ball room hiding behind women's big dresses when I got a glimpse of his handsome face. Thane, his bodyguard stood behind him holding the tux jacket that he had discarded, his bow tie was loosened, and was now hanging loosely around the collars of his shirt.

" I took a stroll down the park. There was no people around, it was rather peaceful. " he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his trouser.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I ignored the disappointment in the depth of my heart and brought my hands up to his neck. He didn't even invite me.

His body drilled under my touch, I let out another sighs before taking the bow tie off of his neck and shoved it into Thane's hand.

" Care for a dance, your highness? " I asked, adjusting his shirt.

He was about to shake his head when I grabbed his hand and dragged him out to the dance floor. With a mischievous grin on my face, I placed his arms around my waist and mine on his broad shoulders.

We swayed to the slow music. His hands burnt my skin but I always enjoyed playing with fire. I stared at him completely mesmerized while his looked blankly into nothingness. I was in his arms but what was the point when he wasn't even here, with me.

I wondered if there was another lover. If there was, that bitch was so fucking dead.

When the music ended, he dropped my hand and left the dance floor, breaking my heart, hurting my ego. I glared at his back as he walked away and then stormed off myself, rejecting the men who asked for a dance.

" He's so hot. " Blaze said as he nonchalantly licked his lower lips.

Sipping my champagne, I followed his gaze across the room. My husband stood tall in all his glory, blue eyes shined under the lights. He had his hands shoved into the pockets of his trousers and even with a scowl on his face, Eden Salvatore was the hottest man in the room. He won the gala's most handsome face, looking bored and all.

" He is my husband and your in law. " I tore my eyes off of him and narrowed them at my cousin.

" I look but I won't touch. Unless-

" Finish that sentence and I will send you to my dungeon. " I glared.

Blaze looked at me in amusement, chuckling lowly to himself. " No need to be the psycho wife. I'm only joking, princess. "

When my eyes landed on him again, I felt my heart thumped against my chest as the grip on my glass tightened. Blaze gasped beside me before slowly patting my shoulder.

Elizabeth Rohan, the minister's daughter, my sworn enemy since elementary school. She had her hand brushing his arm, my husband's. Then there was this seductive smile playing across her face, the one that I knew all so well. He let a stranger touched him but with me he flinched liked I burned him alive.

Without thinking I placed my empty glass in Blaze's hand and walked off to them.

" There you are. Are you enjoying the night, sweetheart? " I smiled, tip toeing to kiss his cheek.

Eden watched me carefully, confusion laced in his eyes before whispered in my ear.  " No. Let's leave. "

" Your highness. " Elizabeth curtsied, catching our attention. I intended to ignore her.

" Elizabeth. " I gave her a curt nod.

" I apologize for the straightforward flirting, your highness. I had no idea you are the new prince. " she bowed her head in an apologetic manner.

" Of course. It wasn't like his stupid face was plastered across every magazines for the past few days or that we entered together. " I smiled sweetly at her.

Elizabeth responded with a smile that didn't reach her eyes before turning to bat her eyelashes at my husband. I scoffed in disbelief.

" There's no need to apologize. I didn't exactly pay attention to you. Can we leave, Adalina? " Eden said catching the both of us off guard.

She stood gaping at his response while I stared at him in admiration.

My name. He said my name. He acknowledged me for the first time since our wedding. I never really cared about my name but the way that it fell so silkily out of his mouth was enchanting.

" Of course, my prince. But, let me say goodbye to the duke. " I fought the urge to smirk as Elizabeth looked like she had just seen a ghost.

" I will wait for you in the car. " he said before walking off.

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