Chapter 1

Thorn kept glancing at his wife while they were both moving her things from her car to his house in Bachelor's Village. Every time he sees her calm expression and movement, Thorn can't help but remember what happened on their wedding night.

Instead of a hot, steamy night like he was hoping for, he was mistaken as gay by his own wife. It was so messed up, but he didn't correct her because of the relief and happiness on Cassia's face. It was like, for him, being gay was a blessing to his wife—like it was a good thing.

That night, it was as if he had to choose between his dignity and his wife's pleasure. And because Cassia was his wife, he felt responsible for her happiness, so he kept her sexual orientation to himself. It's the fault of whoever said happy wife, happy life. He thinks it was Tyron who said it.

'Damn you, Zapanta. Now I'm stuck!'

Now he felt like his wife's happiness was more important than anything because that was what he learned from his friends. Thorn was new to this marriage thing; months ago, he didn't even consider getting married, and he used to tease his married friends for being sappy, but now, he was like an infant trying to crawl and walk in this marriage thing. He struggles with what he should and shouldn't do.

'I should've stayed single. Now I have to be responsible for my wife since I accepted this setup in the first place.'

Thorn wanted to blame his parents for this and, of course, blame himself for just deciding out of the blue to settle down just because he thought it was a good thing to get married and have a family like his friends. But it was he who signed the marriage contract. No one forced him, so he had to be responsible for his decisions and actions.

But I'm still confused as fuck!

"Where do I put this box with only my clothes?" It was the wife's voice that stirred Thorn's thoughts.

He immediately answered as he carried a cardboard box into his house, "Just put it in the living room. I'll take it up to our room."

Cassia stopped entering the house when she heard that and turned to Thorn. "O-our room?"

Thorn stilled too, saying, "Yeah. I still have to clear half of my closet for your clothes."

Cassia pressed her lips together. "We're.... sharing the same room?"

Thorn frowned. "Well, we're husband and wife, aren't we? And it's not like I'm going to touch you inappropriately." Thorn said that to appease Cassia's mind that he was not a perverted husband.

But Cassia interpreted it differently. What she thought was that Thorn would never touch her inappropriately because he didn't like women, and that made Cassia smile and relax.

"Okay. Thank you!"

Seeing Cassia enter the house with a smile on her face, Thorn facepalmed as he realized the possible reason for Cassia's smile.

"Perhaps that is the understanding of what I said."

Thorn sighed as he thought that there was a big possibility that he understood differently from what he said. Now he realized they were not only on the same page; they were not even in the same book!

Sighing, Thorn carried the boxes to his house, and then he found Cassia looking around the living room and checking the pictures and furniture. When she noticed his presence, she immediately turned towards him and smiled.

"Your house is nice," Cassia commented. Cassia heard from her mother that Thorn was rich, but she didn't expect his house to be this big.

"Our house, you mean?" Thorn takes care of Cassia.

"Yes it is." Cassia clasped her hands behind her back while facing Thorn.

"By the way," Cassia was thinking about the right words to say and use before continuing to speak, "what will I do as your wife?" Cassia frowned at her own question, "I mean, I don't know what I should do as your wife, eh. I have an idea, but I'm not sure?"

Thorn couldn't help chuckling because they were thinking the same thing—they were both not sure how this marriage thing worked. They were just strangers a few days ago, and now they're living in the same house.

"I'm not sure too," Thorn admitted. "A few months ago, I didn't really want to get married, and then one thing led to another, and here we are."

Cassia let out a strained laugh. "What the hell is that? Our relationship is weird."

Thorn chuckled, "You and me both, Cinnamon."

Cassia sat on the edge of the long sofa while still looking at Thorn. "How about we set some rules and stuff?" Cassia's suggestion to her husband was, "I mean, we're both groping because we don't know each other and we've both been involved before. But I think we're mature enough to handle this right, right?" Cassia was hoping for a favorable response.

Thorn looks like he's easy to talk to. She really wanted this marriage to work. Because he has nowhere else to go if this too doesn't go well. But Thorn didn't answer immediately; he sat on the single sofa first, his elbows resting on his knees, and faced Cassia before he spoke.

"How about we start with getting to know each other? No pressure."

Cassia nodded. That could work. "Okay. Ahm. What do you want to know about me?"

"Food." Thor immediately answered. "As a chef, I want to know your favorite food."

"Whatever. I can't be chosen."

"Sweet tooth?"

Cassia smiled. "Almonds with chocolates."

"Allergies?"

"Not that I know of," she answered.

Thorn nodded before asking again, "Any ex-boyfriend that I should know about? I mean, is there a guy who wants you back? Just in case, so I can prepare my knives."

Cassie actually laughed at Thorn's joke before shaking her head. "No. Nothing like that."

Thorn frowned. "You didn't have an ex?"

"There is, but we parted ways."

"That's good." Thorn was relieved that no one would bother them. It was a good start.

"How about you?" Cassia asked Thorn. "Is there anything I need to know about your love life?" I don't want to hinder his happiness. "Don't worry. I'll support you all the way."

Thorn wanted nothing more but to correct his Cinnamon, but thinking that him being gay was the only reason why she was this relaxed and casual with him and not cold and indifferent like that time they got married, he just smiled and said, "I don't want to talk about it. Let's leave it at that for now."

Cassia frowned upon hearing bitterness in Thorn's voice. "Did you two break up?"

With that question, Thorn didn't know what to do, but he gaped at his wife and stared at her blankly.

Seeing Thorn's stunned face, Cassia immediately scolded herself for being nosy. "Sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"It's okay," Thorn said after recovering from the shock of what he heard. Just who the fuck did I break up with? And by his cinnamon tone, he broke up with a dude. Jesus Christ!

"Sorry," Cassia said again, "I won't ask about your love life again."