The Transient Wife

Chapter 16

"Where exactly is your home?" Cassandra asked behind her husband.

By the time they arrived yesterday, they went their separate ways to go home. Cassandra packed her clothes once again for the transient stay at his house. The very next morning—which was today—he picked her up.

He shot her a glance. She knew he was pissed that she was seated at the back of his car. Cassandra was nearly traumatized the last time he urged her to seat in front and when she saw the boxes still present when he came, she remembered he said they were just full of crap so she transferred them in the trunk along with her suitcases, ergo his very foul mood.

"Where exactly is your home?" she asked again. They were nowhere near the tall buildings anymore. "Don't tell me you live outside the city..."

"As a matter of fact, I do," he retorted.

She stared at him incredulously. "You drive more than an hour to get to work?"

"I work at home."

"And how do you manage to turn up in time...all the time?"

"Time management—which you obviously don't have."

"Of course I know how to manage—"

"And I drive fast," he interrupted and looked at her through the rearview mirror and added, "Except when I have some crazy person riding with me who can't handle more than 30 miles per hour."

She pursed her lips. He was right though. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience then," she snapped.

"That's okay, babe. I'm sure you'll need time to rest anyway before you start on your chores."

Her eyes flew towards him. "What do you mean chores? I'm not doing any chores!"

"If you're staying in my house—which you don't have a choice over—you'll do your own share of chores." He smiled for the first time that morning. "It's in the contract. Signed and sealed by your dad."

He was mocking her. It was a challenge. She couldn't back out of a challenge.

But his mood swings were making her feel she was doomed for the rest of six months. Unbelievable!

*****

His house was amazing though—really amazing. And it was really—really—out of the city, way out and too private, too.

At first, you would think it was a small cabin, but once you get closer and looked beyond the trees that covered most part of it, you would see the most magnificent collaboration of modern and nature.

It was made of big trunks and the glass windows surrounding the bigger rooms like the living room and dining room were gigantic they were like walls—well, maybe they were because they ran from ceiling to floor. The moment Cassandra entered the front doors a staircase greeted her which then led to the four rooms of the house. To the right of the staircase was the dining room and deeper into that was the kitchen. To the left of the staircase was Philip's office and at the end of the corridor, at the back of the house was the living room surrounded by the glass walls looking out at the woods. You could actually circle around the house because the living room was directly connected to the kitchen and the dining room in one open space.

"I want to see my room now, please," Cassandra told him a few minutes after the tour.

"Come with me." He led her up the stairs one more time and to the door to the left. He opened it and she entered the tidy room. It was probably the guest room and it was apparent that no one had stayed inside ever since—well, perhaps since the house was constructed.