Married 24 Times

After Ileana had excused herself, I had set to finding places for the things in the boxes she had left alone. I had contained most of my items to one of the bedside tables, but I was running out of room for all my things. A bedside table was only so big, after all. I couldn't cram every last object onto one table and I was only halfway through the first box.

I lifted my gaze from the crowded bedside table and glanced around. On the far side near the balcony doors were some shelves, but they were full of books for leisure reading, it looked like. There were some spaces on the shelves where some of my rocks could fit.

Ever since I was very young I had collected rocks and crystals I thought were pretty. I had geodes of various colors, gems of different sizes, and various polished rocks I had found on walks with my mother from when I was little. I was doing my best to pick only my favorites for the bedside table, but there truly were too many. In my old bedroom, I'd had a display case made for them. I missed that display case now.

I turned the other way to check the mantel space and the other side of the room when my eyes passed over the imposing man standing in the doorway.

"H-Hey," I said as I tried to calm my beating heart. Julian had been watching me. I didn't know when he had appeared, but I thought my heart was going to escape from my throat when I noticed him.

"Unpacking?" Julian came into the room and approached my side of the bed to see what I was doing on the floor.

"Yes, but..."

"Hmm?"

"I don't know where to put things." I gave him a troubled smile. As he came around the bed he saw the crowded bedside table full of small objects.

I really was troubled, but for a different reason than just the lack of space. Julian had never seen my collection before in any of our lives, since we had never shared a room. I was worried he might tell me to throw them away.

"What are those?"

"They're... my rocks."

Instead of making a disgusted face like I thought he might, surprised flashed across Julian's face. He came closer and studied my rock collection before picking up a smooth blue rock.

"You can put them wherever you want." Julian walked to the fireplace and set the blue rock in the middle of the mantel. "Where did you get this one?"

I was at a loss for words. What was going on? I couldn't help but narrow my eyes slightly. This was just too suspicious. Julian was not only holding a normal conversation, but he was asking questions? And complimenting something to do with me?

"I found it."

Julian furrowed his brow. "Someone didn't give it to you?"

"No," I blinked in confusion. "Why do you ask?"

Julian didn't respond to my question, but his brows remained furrowed as if deep in thought. He ran his fingertips slowly along the stone before dropping his hand to his side. A silence came over us before I finally couldn't take this strange atmosphere any longer.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

It was a blunt question, but I seriously couldn't take it! Why was he being so nice? Why the room? Why the questions, as if he honestly regretted telling me he didn't care? What was going on?

Julian kept his face towards the mantel and the stone for a moment before he peeked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"I didn't consider your side of things yesterday. Take my kindness as my apology." Julian looked back at the stone. "But don't be mistaken, I still can't accept this marriage."

I tried to refrain from wincing at his blunt refusal to accept me. But still, this was better than being abandoned altogether. Progress, no matter how small, was progress!

"I didn't ask for this marriage, either. But it's the one I ended up with, so I'm going to make the most of it."

I stood up from the floor to seem a bit more dignified and to solidify my determination. If Julian didn't accept me now, he would eventually. I would make him accept me! A rare hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Julian's mouth, but it wasn't out of happiness.

"Make the most of it, huh." Julian gave a small joyless laugh that sent a shiver down my spine. "I suppose that's what I'm doing as well."

"What does that mean?"

Julian looked at me with an expression I couldn't determine the meaning of. "I moved you into my room as a bedwarmer."

"A what?"

"I do not care what you do or where you put your things in this room," Julian said as he approached me. "And in exchange, you will become a human pillow."

"T-That's..."

He placed a finger under my chin to tilt my head back. "I can't accept you as my wife, but as a heated pillow, you'll be just perfect."

Heated pillow my ass! I could feel the indignation building inside me, not to mention the horrified embarrassment. As if I could handle Julian embracing me every night! I could feel my cheeks heating under his gaze.

"I-I don't accept this."

"I don't care."

This... This bastard! I clenched my hands into fists at my sides. So I wouldn't be abandoned, but I would be used as a human pillow? Perfect. I'll heat him up until he dies!