Vengeful Matrimony | ✔️

Chapter 65

NICHOLAS

I patted the spot next to me, only to find it empty and cold. Giselle. I jerked out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes as panic slammed into me.

"Giselle?" I called out, listening for any sound from the bathroom. Maybe she woke up early and went to the bathroom. "Giselle?" I called out again, pulling on my discarded t-shirt from last night.

I padded over to the bathroom, pushing the door open. Empty. I checked the closet next, but it was also empty.

Fuck.

I burst out of the room, checking the empty rooms as I went. She was nowhere to the found. The panic I felt increased tenfold as I neared the stairs to the bottom floor.

"Giselle!" No. Fucking. Answer. "Giselle. Gi..."

I trailed off when I found her in the kitchen, sitting in a corner by the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the beach. She was lost in her head; she didn't even move when I entered the kitchen.

Her hair was still in the process of drying and she had a thick white robe wrapped around her, one side sliding down her shoulder, baring her smooth, creamy skin.

I released the breath I'd been holding during my search for her. She was safe - physically, but that was only half of the problem solved. What destructive thoughts were running through her head? It'd take some time before Lucia's vile words stopped tormenting her- if it ever. Mine was still tormenting me to this day.

I sighed, walking over to the table she sat at. I slid into the chair in front of her, and that was when she finally noticed my presence.

A big smile tilted her lips upward. Her entire face brightened, and her eyes lit up. And fuck if she wasn't the most beautiful woman I'd laid eyes on.

"You're awake! The view here is amazing. The waves are so beautiful. I'm sure it'll look even prettier during sunset."

I chuckled, leaning my weight back on the chair. "Slow down, firecracker. Get a couple of breaths in between."

She laughed. "I can't help it when I'm excited. You look tired. Why are you up?"

'Because I couldn't find you on the bed, and I thought you were going to try to kill yourself again,' would be my reply if I wanted her to start feeling guilty all over again.

Instead, I plastered a smile on as I said, "I didn't find you on the bed when I reached out."

She eyed me like I was out of my mind. "So, you came to find me?"

I shrugged, keeping my easy smile on. "I missed you. What can I say? I'm a needy bastard."

She let out a sound that was a hybrid between a snort and a laugh. "I can tell." She looked out the window again before heaving a deep sigh. "You know, I've been thinking..."

I stiffened in my chair. That didn't sound like a good conversation starter, especially when she had that faraway look in her eyes.

I was adding one more hour to Lucia's torture session before I finally give in to her pleas for death.

"Thinking about what?" I forced myself to ask, fighting to keep my tone neutral.

"About us. After everything that happened, I realized I knew nothing about you. Your favorite color, favorite animal, favorite food, likes, dislikes, allergies." She ticked the list off on her fingers as she went. "The list goes on and on. My point is, it's pretty weird that we're married and we don't know these things about each other. I want to get to know you..."