My Marriage-of-Convenience Husband Regrets It

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Holden made it clear he would never touch me.

He also said that if I agreed to be his wife for three years, he would give me a nine-figure sum as compensation.

I agreed.

But after we were married, a drunk Holden crawled into my bed.

His eyes were red, his voice trembling. Delaney, I regret this. I like you. Just kiss me, please?

1.

For two years, Holden and I had slept in separate rooms.

Until last night.

He got drunk at the companys annual party and stumbled into my bedroom by mistake. He was a full head taller than me, his body a solid, heavy weight. I couldnt move him. Left with no choice, I spent the night sharing a bed with him.

When I woke up the next morning, Holden was back to his usual cool, composed self. He straightened his clothes, fastening every last button with meticulous care.

Then, he turned to me and said, with the utmost seriousness, Thank you. I apologize for intruding last night. His tone was so polite he could have been a stranger.

Not long after, an expensive pink sapphire necklace arriveda gift, he said, to make amends.

We were husband and wife, but he always treated me with this detached courtesy.

Before our wedding, hed been explicit: he wasnt interested in women, nor did he have any inclination toward men. Our marriage was simply a shield, a way to appease his familys demands for him to settle down and to fend off the endless stream of women who threw themselves at him.

Our relationship had always been one of mutual, respectful distance.

I just never expected that tonight, Holden would be in my bed again.

I sighed. He was, after all, the man who paid my bills. I had to take care of him.

I carefully slipped off his suit jacket. Underneath, he wore a high-quality gray shirt, the collar slightly open, revealing a stark white stretch of collarbone that contrasted sharply with the cool, handsome lines of his face. The whole look was pure, uncut temptation.

I almost lost control, overcome by the urge to lean down and kiss him.

But I couldnt.

Falling for your benefactor was the ultimate taboo.

What a waste. A face like that, made for admiring, not for touching.

Just then, Holdens long eyelashes fluttered. My heart skipped a beat. I thought he was waking up and scrambled to pull away, but he only shifted in his sleep, turning onto his side. The movement caused the hem of his shirt to ride up, exposing the lean, powerful muscles of his back and the taut line of his waist.

Almost unconsciously, my fingertips ghosted over his belt.

I gave myself the perfect excuse: He cant possibly sleep well with something so rigid digging into him, can he?

My eyes fixed on the buckle. Then, my gaze drifted slowly downward. Even through the fabric of his trousers, I could still make out the shape of him. And wow. He was impressive. I wondered what it would be like

My face flushed crimson. To stop the wicked thought from taking root, I tried to wake him. Holden, wake up.

He didnt stir.

I leaned closer to his ear. Holden? I whispered.

Still nothing.

I took a deep breath. Well, if thats how it was going to be I was just going to have to take his pants off for him.

The moment I slid them down, the sheer, obvious size of him left me breathless and a little weak in the knees.

2.

My hands fumbled as I grabbed the duvet and threw it over him. Then I bolted into the bathroom, gasping for air.

I was, after all, an adult woman with perfectly normal needs.

But Holden didnt love me. Making a move on him would only make him despise me.

I remember, early in our marriage, I was full of a naive hope. I woke up early one day and made him a lavish breakfast. Holden sat at the table and told me, with polite earnestness, Delaney, please remember that we are strangers bound by a marriage contract. Nothing more.

Then he peeled an egg and added, just as politely, The breakfast is delicious. Thank you.

From that day on, I took the love I felt for him and shattered it, piece by piece, locking it away in the coldest, deepest part of my heart.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

Before I could even react, the door swung open. Holden pushed it in from the outside.

I nearly jumped out of my skin, my phone almost clattering into the tub. I frantically tried to cover myself, letting out a sharp scream. Ah! You

Holdens gaze froze on my naked body for a fraction of a second before he recoiled as if hed been burned, stumbling back out of the room.

Im sorry.

The door clicked shut.

I scrambled to dry myself, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Was Holden drunk or not? If he was drunk, it made sense that hed assume this was his master bedroom and just walk in. But if he was sober why would he knock, and then open the door without waiting?

I couldnt make sense of it. After getting dressed, I stepped out. Holden was standing right outside the door, his cool, composed face etched with apology. I am truly sorry about that.

I looked down. Its fine.

I waited for him to leave.

He didnt. His Adams apple bobbed, and his voice was a little rough when he spoke. The lock on my bedroom door is broken. Could I sleep in here tonight?

I nodded.

The tension in Holdens shoulders seemed to ease slightly. Thank you, he said, his voice laced with sincerity.

In bed, Holden lay flat on his back, perfectly still, his breathing even.

He was asleep.

I stared up at the ceiling, listening to the wind sighing outside, a bitter taste rising in my throat.

One more year, and we would be divorced.

The night deepened. Drowsiness began to pull at me, and I was just about to drift off.

Suddenly.

A pair of scorching hot hands wrapped around my waist from behind.

My eyes flew open. I went rigid, not daring to move a muscle. Holden had rolled over, his searing chest pressed against my back. His breathing was heavy and hot against my neck. Then, his hands began to move, sliding slowly upward, slipping with excruciating slowness beneath the hem of my nightgown

Mm

The touch sent an involuntary shiver through me, and a soft moan escaped my lips.

Holdens fingers flinched away as if theyd touched fire. He quickly retreated, putting a sharp distance between us.

I stared at the white curtains in front of me and whispered, Holden, are you awake?

His breathing was ragged. It took him a moment to get it under control before he answered, his voice stiff with politeness. Apologies. I I touched you by accident just now. I will compensate you.

Then, he got out of bed and walked toward the bathroom.

3.

From the bathroom, the sound of the shower running couldnt quite cover the choked, muffled groans.

Holden was in there for a long time.

So long that I was in my own kind of agony, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. I was his legal wife, yet he would rather take care of himself than come to me. Several times, I was overcome with the impulse to go knock on the door, to ask him why.

But the words always died in my throat.

He had told me, more than once, that we were just contract partners. He didnt love me and would never touch me.

I refused to humiliate myself.

As the sky began to pale, I finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a heavy sleep.

I dreamed.

I was in a field of blooming spring flowers. Holden was no longer the aloof, untouchable man I knew. He swept my nightgown aside without a word, his warm lips trailing a path of fire down my body The sensation was so real it made me tremble. I arched my back, cupping his face in my hands, pulling him into a searing embrace as we kissed deeply.

When I next opened my eyes, it was well past noon. The sunlight was blinding. I threw back the covers and was met with a sticky, unpleasant feeling all over my body.

Blushing, I hurried to the closet, grabbed a lounge set, and went into the bathroom. As the warm water rained down, I closed my eyes, a wave of regret washing over me.

Holdens prenuptial agreement was clear: I was not allowed to fall in love with him. If I did, I would walk away with nothing.

At the time, I thought I was a pragmatist, a woman who cared only for money. I thought it would be impossible to love him.

But I was wrong. The more time I spent with him, the more I realized my mistake. Holden was from a distinguished family, devastatingly handsome, and treated me with the utmost respect. How could I not fall for a man like that?

But falling for him was the one thing I couldnt do.

I sighed, a decision solidifying in my mind. It was better to rip the bandage off quickly. Tonight, I would ask Holden for a divorce.

My gaze drifted to the laundry basket in the corner. The hem of the nightgown inside was crumpled and stained with something unspeakable.

My eyes widened. Holden had been in the bathroom for so long last night Could he have been using my nightgown to?

The image of his prim, proper, ascetic face flashed through my mind, contrasted with the thought of him, in secret, taking one of my personal items and doing that.

My cheeks burned, the heat spreading to the tips of my ears. A wave of shame washed over me, quickly followed by a deeper, more profound sadness.

Holden was a normal man with normal needs. Yet, he was so faithful to our agreement that he refused to touch me.

As I was lost in thought, my phone on the counter buzzed. It was a message from Holden. Delaney, Ive left a gift on the living room table as an apology for my behavior last night. I hope you like it.

He was always like this. Polite, courteous, distant.

Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I replied without even looking at the gift. Thank you, I love it.

After my shower, I went out to the living room. As promised, a beautifully wrapped velvet box sat on the coffee table. Next to it was a black phone. I recognized it as Holdens personal burner. He had two phones; his work phone never left his side, but he sometimes forgot this one.

I walked over, intending to put it away for him. But as my finger brushed against the screen, it lit up, displaying the notes app.

I had no intention of prying. But the words on the screen were a single, repeated line:

I want to do it with her, I want to do it with her, I want to do it with her, I want to do it with her, I want to do it with her