Heartfelt - An Arranged Marriage with a Billionaire

Chapter 7 - Hope Rekindled

This chapter is dedicated to FTEmperial! Happy reading! :)

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Naomi pov:

Kazuo san and I ate breakfast in silence just as we did every other day. Days had become weeks and it was now just over two weeks since we were married. Life had settled down, so to say, with me being busy with my studies and Kazuo san busy with his company's work. We barely spoke to each other during meals or when we were at home together – Kazuo san treated me as if I didn't exist but I couldn't do the same to him. I was always aware of his presence and despite knowing I was being merely wishful, I couldn't help but hope that there would come a day when we became friends at least. I didn't want to live the rest of my life being ignored by the man I was to spend my life with....

I sighed softly while poking at my food a bit before taking a bite. I could hope to be his friend only if he let me talk to him – after two attempts of trying to talk to him despite him saying he was busy, he had got angry and demanded that I stop bothering him. He was frightening that day, his eyes narrow and so cold, his brows furrowed deeply and his muscles noticeably tense as he looked down at me with all the hatred he had for me. I had felt like a mouse trapped in the eyes of a venomous snake that wanted to put me down with its fangs. He had even ordered me to stop crying despite the pressure and fear he had put me through. I had controlled my emotions in front of him with great difficulty then but I clearly remember how I had collapsed to the ground trembling and sobbing into my hands after he had left.

Since then, we hadn't spoken a word to each other and I hesitated to even greet him in worry that he would get annoyed just hearing my voice.

Kori was really angry at Kazuo san's behavior when I told her of my failed attempts to tell him the truth and she got completely worked up, enough to threaten to break into my house and yell at him for me. She had calmed down after I told her that it would only make things worse between us – well, she knew that too but she couldn't control her angry outburst when we were in the library and we got kicked out soon enough for causing a ruckus.

I felt more and more suffocated in this house as the days passed. There were times when it was unbearable and I would sit in a corner in my room, curled up and with my head in my knees, trembling and gasping for breaths until the moment of panic quelled. I felt like I had no energy or enthusiasm these days and it only felt worse because I had begun to feel just a little attached to Kazuo san and sometimes yearning for his attention – I had involuntarily come to fully accept him as my husband and I wanted to talk to him, to reach out to him and feel some sort of protection and affection from him. It was....instinctive.

As I watched him working so diligently, I came to respect him a lot more than I did when I just knew him to be the CEO of Toyama Corporations or my husband. I could see just how dedicated he was to his work and it was thoroughly inspiring and admirable. Besides that, he was a gentleman and I had observed several other quirks that I found to be charming about him – his kindness and consideration towards the attendants in the mansion, the way he was organized and always wanted things to be in their dedicated places, the moments of silence and serenity he drifted through when he wasn't working and, not to mention, his handsome and mildly muscular physical appearance.

It was obvious that he was really intelligent too, considering how he managed such a large conglomerate, and he was self confident, considerate and courteous, even to me despite not liking me. He was a good person but I couldn't understand why he was so cold to me and so....distant from those around him.

"Naomi." Kazuo san spoke up suddenly causing me to almost jump out of my skin as I broke from my thoughts.

I glanced up at him hesitantly though he wasn't looking at me. I also noticed the black gun that was strapped to his waist belt and a cold fear bubbled in my stomach. I swallowed thickly and looked at his face again and he met my gaze after a moment. His eyes were as steely as always and I felt a sting in my chest at the look of irritation that passed through them as he stared at me.