The Substitute Heiress

The First Night

Chapter 11: The First Night

Cassandra

Present Day.

The reception had ended, and as the last guests left, the weight of what had happened began to settle on me. The day had been an endless succession of forced smiles and empty words. Now, I faced the hardest part of all this: sharing a night with Warrick.

The car that would take us to the hotel awaited, and the crowd of paparazzi never stopped following us for a single moment. The lights of their cameras were blinding as we got into the Rolls-Royce decorated with white flowers and a ribbon that said "Just Married." Warrick, with his usual unperturbed expression, helped me into the car and then sat beside me.

"Ready to go," he said softly, his tone devoid of any genuine emotion.

I nodded, trying not to show how much I despised this situation. The idea of sharing a room and a bed with Warrick was unbearable, but I had no other choice. I hadn't shared a bed with a man in years, and the prospect both scared and embarrassed me.

The drive to the hotel was brief. One of the most prestigious hotel chains in the country had insisted that we spend our first night there with all expenses paid. We arrived at the hotel and were received with all the honors. A red carpet led us to the entrance, where the hotel manager and several employees awaited us with smiles and congratulations.

"Mr. and Mrs. Renfield, it is an honor to have you here. I hope you enjoy your stay," said the manager, shaking our hands.

"Thank you, we are sure it will be a wonderful night," Warrick responded with his usual poise, his hand around my waist, while I just nodded, trying to maintain composure.

We were taken to the bridal suite, a room that was more like a luxury apartment. The decor was impeccable: soft tones of white and gold, fresh flowers in every corner, and a king-size bed covered with rose petals. A bottle of champagne and a tray with chocolate-covered strawberries awaited us on a nearby table.

Warrick closed the door behind us, and suddenly, the reality of our situation hit me hard. We were alone. For the first time since all this began, we were truly alone.

"Well, here we are," Warrick said, breaking the silence as he removed his tuxedo jacket and carefully hung it on a hanger.

"Yes, here we are," I responded, not knowing exactly what to say or do next.

We moved around the room in silence for a few moments, each of us trying to adapt to the situation. I approached the window and looked at the city lights, seeking a bit of calm in the panoramic view.

"Champagne?" Warrick offered, lifting the bottle and showing me a smile.

"Yes, please," I replied, thinking that maybe a little alcohol would help me relax.

Warrick opened the bottle with a soft "pop" and poured two glasses. He handed one to me and raised his own.

"To our... union," he said, with a slight smile.

"To our union," I repeated, clinking my glass with his before taking a sip. The champagne was fresh and bubbly, and I felt the first sip helping to calm my nerves.

We sat on the couch, each at one end, trying to find a way to fill the uncomfortable silence.

"Cassandra, I know this isn't easy for either of us," Warrick began, looking directly into my eyes. "But I want you to know that I'm here to fulfill what we agreed. It doesn't have to be harder than necessary."

"I know, Warrick. I just need a little time to get used to all this," I replied, trying to be honest.

"I understand. Let's take this one day at a time," he said, maintaining a neutral expression.

We continued talking, but the conversation was superficial and forced. Warrick was not just the arrogant man I had known, but he also wasn't interested in making my life easier.

After a while, I felt comfortable enough to suggest that we get ready for bed. The suite had a spacious bathroom with a jacuzzi, and we decided to take turns using it.

"I'll go first," I said, needing a moment alone to process everything that was happening.

Warrick nodded and poured himself another glass of champagne while I headed to the bathroom. The bathtub was filled with hot water and aromatic bubbles. I submerged myself in the water, letting the heat relax my tense muscles. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine I was anywhere else, but reality always returned. I couldn't escape the truth of our arranged marriage.

After a while, I left the bathroom wrapped in a towel and let Warrick use it. While he bathed, I put on a white silk nightgown I had chosen for this night. It wasn't too revealing, but it wasn't modest either. I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to remember why I had decided to accept this situation in the first place. It was for my family, for their well-being. And I had to remind myself constantly.

Warrick came out of the bathroom shortly after, dressed in pajama pants and a t-shirt. He looked relaxed, almost casual, and that helped to ease some of my tension. I was surprised to see how the t-shirt outlined his muscles, evidence of hours spent at the gym. The sight of his well-toned body made me feel a mix of discomfort and an unexpected embarrassment.

"Ready to sleep?" he asked, approaching the bed.

"Yes, I think so," I replied, trying not to show my nervousness.

We slid under the sheets, each maintaining a respectful distance from the other. The bed was large, but even so, the proximity felt strange. We turned off the lights, leaving only a dim lamp on the bedside table.

Before arriving, I had hoped that this room would at least have a comfortable sofa to sleep on and not have to share a bed, but the reality was that there were only a couple of uncomfortable chairs. It could have been the hotel's doing or a cruel twist of fate, but here we were, sharing a bed like husband and wife, but far from the reality.

"Good night, Cass," Warrick said in the darkness.

“Good night, Warrick,” I replied, closing my eyes and hoping that sleep would come quickly. But sleep did not come easily.

My mind kept racing, thinking about what the future held for us. How would we manage to maintain this farce? Would we be able to find a way to coexist without driving each other crazy? And most importantly,

“Cass, are you awake?” Warrick's voice broke the silence, surprising me.

“Yes, I can't sleep,” I admitted.

“Me neither,” he said, his tone more serious. “We don't need to complicate this more than necessary. You know this is just an agreement. We can be cordial and respect each other's space.”

“I know. It's just that... all this is so surreal,” I responded, feeling a bit more at ease hearing his words.

“Then let's try to keep things simple. We fulfill what's expected of us in public, and in private, we do what's necessary to move forward,” he suggested, his tone firm.

“Agreed. We'll keep things simple,” I responded, feeling a small spark of relief.

We fell silent, and finally, fatigue began to take its toll on both of us. We said goodnight again, and this time, sleep came more easily. As I drifted into darkness, I couldn't help but feel a small spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could find a way to make this work. It wouldn't be easy, but at least we were willing to try, no matter how cold our relationship was.

In the dim light, I heard Warrick's steady breathing beside me, and though we were not friends, not lovers, not even true partners in crime, there was a strange sense of security in knowing that at least we were in this together, even if only for the money.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally managed to fall asleep. But it wasn't a deep or restful sleep. I woke up several times during the night, each time acutely aware of Warrick's presence beside me. It was a constant and palpable reality that I couldn't ignore.

***

The morning came too soon. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in a golden glow. I slowly opened my eyes, trying to orient myself. Warrick was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed and checking his phone.

"Good morning," I said, trying to sound normal.

"Good morning, Cass," he replied without looking up from his phone.

I got up and headed to the bathroom, craving a bit of privacy to start the day. I washed my face and looked at myself in the mirror, reminding myself once again why I was doing all this. For my family. For their well-being.

When I came out of the bathroom, Warrick was standing by the window, looking at the city.

"We have a meeting with the hotel manager in an hour. He wants to make sure everything was to our satisfaction," he said, without taking his eyes off the horizon.

"Perfect. I’ll get ready quickly," I replied, feeling a knot in my stomach at the idea of facing another day full of pretense and forced smiles.

I dressed in an elegant but discreet outfit, appropriate for the occasion. Warrick had changed into an impeccable suit, and for a moment, I wondered if I would ever see him disheveled.

"Ready?" he asked, offering me his arm.

"Yes, ready," I responded, taking his arm and preparing to face the day.

The meeting with the hotel manager was cordial and professional. He congratulated us once again on our marriage and assured us that if we needed anything, we only had to ask. Warrick handled the conversation with his usual poise, while I nodded and smiled at the right moments.

After the meeting, we headed to the hotel dining room for breakfast. It was a luxurious buffet, with a variety of options that would make anyone’s mouth water. I took a plate and began serving myself, trying not to think about how strange it was to share this experience with Warrick.

"Do you like the food?" he asked, sitting across from me with his own plate full of delicacies.

"Yes, it's delicious," I replied, taking a sip of my coffee.

We ate in relative silence, each lost in our own thoughts. The food was excellent, but the atmosphere was charged with an underlying tension that neither of us mentioned.

We finished our breakfast and headed back to our suite to pack our things. We had to return to our normal lives, although I knew that nothing would ever be the same. The charade had to continue, and we were both committed to maintaining it.

When we returned to the suite, I paused for a moment at the threshold, looking at the room. It was a reminder of the life we had chosen, or rather, the life that had been imposed on us. I took a deep breath and followed Warrick inside.

We packed our things in silence, each immersed in our own thoughts. Finally, I closed my suitcase and headed to the door, ready to face whatever came next.

"Ready to go?" Warrick asked, taking his own suitcase.

"Yes, ready," I replied, knowing I was lying a little but also knowing I had no other choice.

We left the hotel and headed to the car waiting for us. The driver greeted us courteously and loaded our luggage into the trunk. We sat in the back seat, and as the car pulled away from the hotel, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of relief and anxiety. The day had been long and exhausting, and I knew there were many more days like this ahead.

I looked out the window as the urban landscape sped by, losing myself in my thoughts. Warrick remained silent beside me, his gaze fixed on some distant point. I knew we were both thinking about what the future held for us, and although our lives were now intertwined in a way we had never imagined, I also knew that each of us had our own goals and reasons for being here.

"Cass," Warrick said suddenly, breaking the silence. "We're going to make this work. For our own reasons, we're going to make this work."

I looked into his eyes and saw a determination I hadn’t noticed before. I nodded, feeling a small spark of hope.

"Yes, Warrick. We'll make it work."

And with those words, we began our journey back to reality, knowing that while the road would be difficult and full of challenges, we were both committed to moving forward. Because at the end of the day, although our union was a charade, the need to survive and maintain our appearances was very real.

As the car took us back to our new life, I couldn’t help but think about what the future would hold for us. I knew there would be moments of tension, disagreements, and perhaps even moments when I would doubt our decision. But I also knew that, somehow, we would find a way to coexist and, hopefully, build something that, while not true love, would at least be an alliance based on respect and mutual need.