Jansen & Desiree's Love / An Arranged Marriage Story

Chapter 1: Welcome home, husband

"What have you been up to all day, wife?" Desiree Garcia-Lee jumped at the sound of her husband's voice, his huge frame engulfing her, making her feel so little against him.

"I, ugh, have been okay." She answered with a stutter, she didn't want to anger him when he just came home from a long day at work.

Jansen gave Desiree a cold stare, his piercing eyes sizing her up. "Just okay?" He questioned, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.

Now Desiree is panicking deep down. What should I tell him? She questioned herself.

"It's been great!" She answered in panic, her voice a higher pitch than normal. "I made sure everything in the household is to your liking." She tried to answer as bravely as she could.

"Is that so?" He says, his voice carrying a note of amusement. As Desiree looked up to her husband, he raised his eyebrows, obviously intrigued by her sudden display of bravery. "Well, then, show me what you've done."

Desiree took Jansen to a quick tour around the huge estate. The living room was in top shape, ready for any guest that would grace them with their presence. The whole manor was in impeccable state, based on Jansen's impressed facial reactions.

Then their last stop was the dinner room. Already the room was filled with delicious aroma of Korean cuisines, particularly Korean barbecue and Kimchi rice.

"Dinner is ready." The chef announced, bowing his head as the couple entered the room.

"Shall we have dinner?" Desiree asked her husband, who gave her and the chef a curt nod.

"Yes, dinner sounds good." Was all he said as he took his seat at the head of the table.

"It's Korean barbecue and Kimchi rice for tonight, I hope that's alright."

"It'll do." Jansen answered in a curt tone again, his voice devoid of any overt enthusiasm.

At least he's being his usual non-confrontational self again..

"Okay." Desiree sighed in relief. At once, the maids prepared the meal for the couple, and the chef offered wine that'll go with the meal.

Jansen raises an eyebrow, intrigued by Desiree's choice of wine. "And what's this?"

"Oh, I heard that wine goes really well with spicy food. So, I wanted to try and see if it does." Desiree explained enthusiastically, her usual timid self seemed to be somewhere else at the moment.

The couple said nothing more and indulged in Korean barbecue and Kimchi rice in comfortable silence.

After a few moments, her husband's lip curled into a faint smile as he lifts the glass to his lips. "A woman of taste, I see."

"I try to do my best." She said timidly, unknowingly bitting her lip in the process.

Jansen's gaze lingered on his wife as he sets the glass down, his voice dropping into a lower tone. "I want you to know that I appreciate your efforts, wife." She felt the air shift as he inches closer to her. "It seems today brought forth a side of you that I find alluring."

Desiree couldn't take the intensity of Jansen's gaze, and decided to stand and put some space between the two of them.

Theirs was a marriage arranged by their parents, to keep both families powerful in the business world.

It never said anything about love.

Until 2 months ago, Jansen was just someone she only sees on business functions, where her parents insists on taking her everytime. She would see him with powerful business tycoons, never even sparing her a glance.

He was too much for her tastes that even his huge frame and body, handsome face, and killer smile couldn't elicit an attraction from her, knowing there was no possibility of him ever knowing she even existed.

They both decided to keep their well-hidden secret from the public: that their marriage has not been consummated yet.

"Ahh, too much for my dear timid wife?" Jansen teased menacingly, making her breathe shortly. "With the impeccable state of the manor, have you found any time for yourself, Des?"

Desiree stared up to her husband as he got up from his seat, her heart skipping a beat. He never pays attention to the clothes she wears, much more her looks.

Whatever is going on?