CHAPTER 7 THE UNRAVELING

Things start to fall apart for Theresia when Luka, with his strong presence, stood over her, looking into her eyes intensely. She could sense his warmth mixing with the cool water droplets on her skin from the pool. "Are you entertained by this?" Luka asked in a cold, almost robotic tone, but Thersia couldn't ignore the tension beneath it.

His closeness made her heart race with a blend of fear and determination. "No, I'm not," Thersia replied firmly, struggling to sound calm despite the shaking in her body. "You can't ask me how I relax after a long day," Luka said, his eyes narrowing.

Thersia noticed a hint of annoyance on his face, but it disappeared quickly. "Do you think this is a joke, Thersia?" Theresia stood her ground, her eyes showing defiance as she spoke, "Our marriage, this house, everything - it's not a place for you to play around like it's a game."

"Do you think I like this? Being used as a prop in your ideal life?" She spoke with emotion in her voice, feeling upset with herself. She didn't want to appear weak to him, but the reality was, she was exhausted—fed up with the lack of warmth, the emotional distance, and the constant pretending.

Luka moved nearer, his warm breath close to her face. "So why haven't you left yet, Thersia? If you dislike it here, why stick around?" Thersia fell silent for a moment, thinking about the weight of his words.

She wondered why she was still staying there. Was it because she had no other options, or was there a deeper reason? She wasn't prepared to confess, not even to herself. "I remain because I must," she quietly said, her voice barely heard. "Because even with all that's happened, I can't leave."

Luka's expression became gentler for a moment, and he tried to reach out to Thersia, but then hesitated. "You don't get it, Thersia. The life I lead, it's not as simple as you think." "Then tell me about it," Thersia asked, squinting her eyes. "Help me get it, Luka."

Luka glanced elsewhere, feeling like the barriers he had put up were starting to break a bit. "It's more complicated than that," Theresia said firmly, crossing her arms. "I don't want things to be easy, Luka." "I want you to tell me the truth," Luka said firmly, his face showing determination.

He then turned around abruptly and walked away, whispering to himself, "There are some secrets that should stay hidden." Thersia was left standing by herself, feeling even more isolated. On her way back to her room, she couldn't stop thinking about how to get past the walls Luka had put up.

She also wondered if she had the courage to give it a shot. The next morning, Theresia felt more determined than ever. She knew she couldn't change Luka, but she could choose how to react to him.

Theresia decided not to let his distant behaviour affect how she saw herself or their relationship. She enthusiastically spent her day supervising the redecoration and renovation of the house, surprising herself with her passion. The maids were happy and helpful, spreading their good vibes to everyone.

By the afternoon, the house started to feel cosier and more welcoming. Thersia stepped back and looked at the changes with pride. One of the maids then offered her some lemonade, to which she happily accepted. She enjoyed the cold, refreshing drink from the glass.

While taking a break, she remembered the argument with Luka from the previous night. She knew they would have another disagreement soon, but she was determined not to let it bring her down. That night, Thersia chose to have a calming bath. The cozy water eased her achy muscles, and she briefly forgot about the problems with Luka.

She shut her eyes, feeling the warm steam around her, and finally, she felt calm after a long time. However, the peace didn't last long. When she came out of the bathroom in a towel, she saw Luka in the hallway. His face was hard to figure out. "We have to have a conversation," he told her in a quiet and serious tone.

Theresia felt her heart race as she followed him to the living room. They both sat down, not saying a word, but the silence between them was filled with unspoken feelings. "I've been pondering," Luka started, looking at the floor. "About what you mentioned yesterday. About helping you grasp it." Theresia stopped breathing, anticipating his next words.

Luka confessed, "I'm not good at sharing my feelings. I've kept myself closed off for a long time, and now I don't know how to let people in." Theresia squinted her eyes. "So why continue pretending? Why keep playing this game?" Luka glanced up, locking eyes with her firmly. He said, "We need to do this. It's important for both of us."

Theresia laughed mockingly. "You think this fake marriage is important?" Luka snapped angrily, "You only know a small part of the story. Do you really think this is simple for me? Do you think I like doing this?" "I don't either," Thersia replied. They looked at each other, feeling the tension between them like electricity.

Luka finally spoke in a calm but intense voice, emphasizing the importance of upholding our reputation. He stressed the significance of maintaining a positive image for his business and for the well-being of our families. "We must maintain a good image," Theresia said through gritted teeth.

She disliked how he constantly redirected the conversation to work and responsibilities. "Okay," she stood up and said. "We will continue pretending, but don't think I will be pleased with it." Luka starred as she left, his face showing no emotions. "I don't," he said quietly, almost to himself.

Thersia felt both angry and frustrated as she walked away. She understood they were stuck in this marriage because of responsibilities and how things looked to others. But that didn't mean she had to be okay with it. As long as they disagreed, she would try to keep her pride and stay true to herself, despite what Luka or anyone else believed.