The Mistress Is Reborn As The Fiancée
Chapter 28: Could It Be Jealousy

Chapter 28: Could It Be Jealousy

Noelle gestured towards the adjoining living room, a spacious area furnished with plush sofas and tasteful artwork. "There is a very luxurious couch in there, and if you don’t like that, there is another couch and another." she said, her voice matter-of-fact. "Plenty of room for you, I’m sure you will be comfortable."

Flynn hesitated, his expression unreadable. Noelle, sensing his reluctance, narrowed her eyes, a hint of steel entering her voice. "Or have you forgotten our terms," she said, her tone laced with a subtle edge, "or that you were about to get kicked out of your house before we got married? Is the couch not good enough for you? Do you expect to share my bed."

Flynn’s gaze sharpened, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes and for a moment, Noelle thought he was about to demand his place on her bed. "That is not at all what I meant," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "We are newlyweds after all. It is customary for newlyweds to share a room, don’t you think someone would be suspicious if they ever came in here and found signs that I was sleeping out there?"

Noelle’s eyes narrowed further, a hint of suspicion creeping into her expression. She scrutinized him, searching for any sign of hidden innuendo, any trace of ulterior motive. But Flynn’s expression was guileless, almost disarmingly innocent. Much too innocent, she thought, to be entirely believable.

"Fine," she said, her voice laced with a reluctant agreement. "You can lay blankets on the floor and sleep here. But remember, our marriage is not to be consummated."

"Of course," Flynn said, his voice smooth and reassuring. "I had no intention at all of initiating that. I simply thought it would be best if we presented a united front to your family. It is part of my... job description isn’t it."

Noelle’s suspicion lingered, but she could not deny the logic of his argument. Their marriage, though a matter of convenience, required a certain level of public performance. She could imagine how the rest of her family would use the knowledge that the marriage was a fake to ruin her, and it would break halmeoni’s heart to know it was a contract marriage, not a real one.

"Very well then," she said, her voice crisp. "But you have to remember to keep your distance."

"As you wish, your majesty." Flynn bowed with an exaggerated flourish, his voice laced with a hint of sarcasm which Noelle ignored. "Now, about that home gym..."

He looked at Noelle, his expression shifting to one of professional concern. "Since Dr. Rajesh advised that you engage in regular exercise to aid your recovery," he said, his voice laced with a gentle authority. "I would like to have a look and set up the gym as soon as possible so we can begin a suitable regimen."

Noelle, momentarily distracted by his shift in focus, directed him towards the fully equipped gym at the far end of the house, past the gardens. After he left, she settled onto the edge of the bed, her mind swirling with conflicting thoughts.

Flynn’s easy acceptance of their platonic arrangement, his insistence on maintaining a professional distance, left her feeling strangely unsettled. She had expected, perhaps even anticipated, a hint of protest, a subtle attempt to breach the boundaries of their agreement. But his complete lack of interest was... unexpected.

A strange, unfamiliar emotion stirred within her. Was it disappointment? Was it... hurt? Could it be jealousy? She scoffed at the thought. She did not care even a little what he thought of her.

She found herself pondering his words, replaying the conversation in her mind. "I had no intention of initiating that." The phrase echoed in her ears, a subtle sting to her pride. Was it because he did not find her attractive? Was it because he saw her as nothing more than a business partner?

He was probably so sure of himself, of his looks. Probably had a flood of women he was entertaining, he looked like he would like the company of strippers, or maybe he liked busty women and she was a B cut at best.

The thought, once dismissed as irrelevant, now gnawed at her, a persistent, uncomfortable itch. She had always prided herself on her independence, her self-sufficiency. She had never sought validation from anyone, least of all a man.

Yet, here she was, questioning her own attractiveness, wondering if she was desirable to him. The realization was both unsettling and infuriating. Why should he care? He was her employee, not her husband, not even someone she wanted to be intimate with in the first place.

She stood up, her movements sharp and decisive. She was not going to dwell on this, she was not going to let him get into her head. She had more important things to worry about than wondering if he would still have that annoying smirk on his lips if she kissed him suddenly. She had to find out who had tried to kill her. She had to protect herself.

She walked towards the window, her gaze fixed on the sprawling gardens below. The setting sun cast long shadows across the manicured lawns, painting the landscape in hues of orange and gold. It was a beautiful sight, a reminder of the life she was fighting to protect.

She turned away from the window, her eyes filled with a renewed determination. She was not going to let anyone, not even her own insecurities or the crazily hot man who was causing the turmoil in her head, distract her from her goals. She was going to find out who was behind the attack. And she was going to make them pay.

She would not think about Flynn, no, she would not think of her temporary husband. She would not think about why he did not want her. She would focus on the matter at hand. But the thought still lingered, a small, prickly thorn in her side.