Aries fluttered her eyshes as she raised her gaze at the door upon hearing a knock. She watched it slowly open, seeing a towering man with hair the color of blood and eyes the hue of burning ash.


    Her lips curled up, adjusting her back against the headboard of the bedfortably. She kept the book on herp, which was on top of the sheet covering her legs, a winess on the nightstand.


    "Look who''s here," she greeted Joaquin without standing up to wee him. "I thought you will note."


    "I promised, didn''t I?" he asked whilst removing his coat, draping it on the chair not far away from the bed where she was sitting on. "Did I make you wait?"


    "Not at all." Aries smiled with her lips closed, shrugging. "I had somepany today. Hence, I didn''t feel dispirited than I initially thought I would be."


    "Apany?" Joaquin quirked a brow as he sauntered towards the bed, sitting on the edge, palms on either side of him.


    "My husband, it''s a bad practice for you to sit on the bed right after you arrived from outside."


    "Is that a custom in Haimirich?"


    "It''s called being hygienic." She shrugged, sporting a cunning grin. "I don''t know who you met and whose filthy hands those hands shook throughout the day. I''d rather not have their lingering scent on the sheet I would sleep on."


    "Blunt, as always," Joaquin whistled as he looked at her in amusement. To appease her, he raised his hands from the mattress.


    "Don''t chase me away, Circe. Your husband had a rough day and I would like to sit for a bit and stare at my gorgeous wife to replenish my energy."


    Aries smirked as she huffed. "Suit yourself, but don''t touch me."


    "Why?" His expression dulled.


    "I hate filth." She returned almost instantly, staring straight into his eyes. "Just as I said, I don''t know whose hands those hands shook and held. I''d rather not have their scent on me. Your wife has a frail body. Hence, I might fall ill once I bathe in the middle of the night just to get their scent off of me."


    Joaquin gazed at her squarely, seeing the unfaltering resolve in her eyes. If this was someone else, he would''ve grabbed her neck and choked her until she begged for mercy. But Aries knew he wouldn''t do that.


    "You''re breaking my heart." He frowned mildly, about to stand up to leave and wash up first. Something he wouldn''t do for someone else as it grazed his ego, but he had to y along with her for now.


    But before he could strand, Aries raised her foot and ced it on his thigh. He raised a brow and cast her a look of wonder.


    "I said, don''t touch me, but I didn''t say you can''t look at me." She clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "Rest for a bit and indulge with my beauty to replenish your energy."


    Aries picked up the book on herp and pretended to read it while Joaquin furrowed his brows beforeughing in amusement. She looked quite adorable, especially when she was trying so hard to keep her fierce front.


    "I really can''t touch you?" he asked, warranting him a re from her.


    "No means no."


    ''No means yes when I say it''s a yes,'' he replied internally, knowing there was nothing in this world that he set his eyes on that he didn''t get by means or by foul.


    "I''ll ask someone to change the sheet." He voiced out,promising for her willingly. He then wrapped his hand around her foot that was on his thigh, holding it with the quilt in between them.


    Aries pressed her lips as she nced at her foot before raising them up at him. Joaquin was looking at her with a charming smile, massaging her foot gently.


    "I''m not touching you... directly. So this is fine, right?" he gave her a lopsided grin.


    "Well." She took a deep breath before moving her other foot to hisp. "It''s not bad if someone will rece the sheetter. But only for tonight."


    Aries bit her lips to suppress it from stretching wide, ying with his hands on her toes. Joaquin just stare at her for a moment before his eyes sparked with something... puzzling.


    "Are you happy?" he asked, observing how her brows rose. "This."


    "I did a lot of walking today as the head maid showed me around the pce."


    "You should''ve told her you don''t feel well, and I told you to rest."


    Aries frowned as her toes stopped moving. "If you truly want me to stay in here, you should''ve stayed. Else, I''ll go mad stuck inside the chambers all alone."


    "You should''ve told me this morning then."


    "If I tell you, will you stay?" she tilted her head, batting her eyes ever so slowly. "Will you consider missing a day from your duty for a woman whom you just met the first time yesterday?"


    The answer was definitely a no. If Aries made such a request earlier, Joaquin would surely find her annoying. They were both aware of that.


    Aries let out a deep exhale as she lowered her eyes at her feet over hisp.


    "I don''t me you for having duties to fulfill. My brother is the same. If I don''t join him in his office for some tea, I wouldn''t see him," she expressed, eyes softening as she recalled her brother, lips curling up bitterly. "I may be too much on many things, but a moment of the people close to me is enough for me."


    She raised her eyes at him and smiled subtly. "You''re my husband now, and you will be the father of my children. You may not love me or I may not love you now, but I am hopeful there will be at least a bit of affection to make this marriage bearable."


    Unlike her fierce approach yesterday and moments ago, her eyes now shimmered with sincerity.


    "Let''s be friends, Joaquin." She offered him a subtle smile, but Joaquin was rather nonchnt about her offer.


    "I don''t want to be your friend. You''re my wife and the woman whose body I ached for."


    "So what? We can be friends and also have fun at the same time." She giggled mischievously, hiding the lower half of her face with the open book. Her eyes gaze at him over it.


    "No hard feelings," came out a yful offer, wiggling her brows while her foot caressed his thigh. "You should wash up and join me... as friends."


    Joaquin nced at her foot under the sheet as he drew his lower lip from between his teeth, cked jaw. That simple caress sent electricity to the ends of his nerves, and the thought of crossing the line between friends amplified it.


    Surely, there was something in the idea of the forbidden that thrilled a man like him.


    He nced up at her, sporting a frown. "I can''t touch you?" he asked once again as he honestly didn''t have the patience to bathe, only to sweat bucketster.


    But Aries was heartless as she red at him. "No! If you truly want to touch me, then make haste ande back to me!"


    Joaquin sighed and, in the end, he gave in. "Fine." He nced at her with a frown, making her giggle.


    "Tell me you''re demanding this much because you enjoy it."


    "Of course... not." She giggled, watching him shake his head before pushing himself away from the mattress.


    As he left, Aries'' sweet smile faded and was slowly reced with coldness.


    "Disgusting," she scoffed as she nced at her feet. "I feel like throwing up."