Chapter 2
In the quiet back garden, a tense confrontation unfolds between Catherine Callister (Kate) and her daughter-in-law, Althea. Kate angrily accuses Althea of shamelessly demanding her son Daven’s attention, despite his impending marriage to Vanessa. Althea remains composed, clarifying that she only asked for thirty days of Daven’s time, not his love, hoping to end their unrecognized marriage peacefully.
Kate’s fury escalates as she condemns Althea for jeopardizing Vanessa’s dream wedding and family plans. Despite the harsh words and contempt from the Callister family, Althea holds onto her dignity and quietly asserts her place, recalling the kindness of Eve, the only family member who treated her with warmth. Daven arrives, revealing he agreed to Althea’s request after discussing it with Vanessa, who supports giving him the time.
Kate is outraged but forced to accept Daven’s decision. Althea insists she will leave after the month ends but wants to spend the remaining time in peace. Daven mocks her stubbornness and questions her motives, implying that if she truly wants to be his wife, she must share his bed. Althea, though fearful, affirms her resolve, ready to face whatever comes.
The chapter ends with Daven coldly warning Althea that he will return as the husband she demanded, without hesitation or mercy. The tension between them is palpable, as Althea braces for the difficult days ahead, determined not to back down despite the emotional and physical challenges she anticipates.
Chapter 2
The quiet of the back garden was abruptly shattered by a sharp, piercing voice. “Are you out of your mind?” Catherine Callister—known to most as Kate—snapped, her tone cutting through the spring air like a knife. Her perfectly manicured fingers dug harshly into Althea’s shoulder, causing the slender woman to stagger slightly. The lightweight plastic watering can she had been using to tend the white roses slipped from her grasp, crashing onto the jagged stone tiles below and breaking apart with a harsh clatter.
Althea didn’t recoil. Instead, she winced briefly at the sudden, painful grip, then quickly gathered herself. Her pale blue house dress fluttered softly in the gentle breeze, enhancing her fragile appearance, yet her eyes remained calm and unwavering as they met her mother-in-law’s fiery stare. Her hands rested quietly, folded neatly in front of her.
“How dare you make such a shameless demand?” Kate’s voice rose, thick with fury. Her eyes blazed with contempt. “You know full well my son is about to marry Vanessa. You’re well aware of that—and yet, you have the audacity to beg for Daven’s attention p>
Althea’s lips curved into a faint, almost wistful smile, about to respond, but Kate cut her off sharply, unwilling to listen to a single word.
“You look like some pitiful, love-starved beggar,” Kate spat.
Still, Althea returned a small, gentle smile—one that seemed to offer a flicker of warmth amid the storm of anger. “I’m not asking for Daven’s love, Mrs. Callister,” she said softly, her voice steady but edged with a quiet dignity. “All I requested was time. Just thirty days of his time p>
Kate took a step forward, her designer heel crunching over the shattered plastic with a sharp, splintering sound. “And what do you think you can achieve in thirty days, huh? You believe you can make Daven fall for you? That will never happen. Remember that, Althea. Daven loves Vanessa. He always has, and he always will. You’re nothing but a barrier to their happiness p>
A slow breath escaped Althea’s lips as she bowed her head for a moment, struggling to steady the turmoil swirling inside her. Then, lifting her gaze, she met Kate’s eyes with unwavering calm, now infused with quiet strength.
“I never intended to stand in anyone’s way,” she said softly. “But I’m not someone to be discarded either. I have been Daven’s wife for nearly a year, even if no one has ever recognized it. I only want to end this marriage… peacefully p>
Kate’s scoff was sharp and derisive, her cheeks flushing with anger. “End your marriage peacefully? You’ve clearly lost your mind, Althea p>
Though the words stung, Althea’s resolve remained unbroken. From the very beginning, she had never been welcomed in this house. The only person who had ever shown her kindness was Eve—the warm-hearted older woman who treated her like family.
How could Althea not love Eve? She had become like a mother to her, a comforting presence filling the void left by the mother she had lost. Eve was the grandmother Althea never had—the only light that gave her the strength to endure the cold, unwelcoming atmosphere of the Callister household.
Everyone else? They regarded her with nothing but contempt, mockery, and loathing. As if she were a scheming intruder bent on ruining everything. As if she harbored secret, cunning intentions. Yet, not once—not even once—had Althea ever considered using her situation to her advantage.
If she could wish for anything, it would be a quiet life with her late mother, far removed from this grand, glittering house. She had never wanted to live here—not if it meant sacrificing her dignity.
“You’ve already made a mess of everything, Althea. And now? Now you’re making it worse?” Kate’s voice cracked with rage. “Vanessa has been preparing everything—her dream wedding, the family gathering, every important guest. And now, because of some ‘final request’ from a nameless, orphaned girl, it’s all been postponed p>
Althea lowered her head, biting her lower lip to hold back the ache threatening to spill out. When she finally spoke, her voice was clear and steady.
“Yes, I am nothing more than a girl with nothing—no wealth, no power, no name. But I still have my dignity, Mrs. Callister. And all I want is to hold on to that p>
Kate sneered, disbelief etched across her face as she looked at her daughter-in-law. She simply couldn’t understand how Althea’s mind worked.
“You can keep your dignity, Althea. But at the very least, you should know your place in this house p>
“I am fully aware of that, Mrs. Callister,” Althea replied calmly.
Kate opened her mouth to retort, but the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted her. Daven appeared from behind the glass doors of the house, his suit still impeccably tailored despite the weariness etched on his face after a long day.
He glanced briefly between the two women before speaking with a flat tone, “Is there a problem p>
Kate turned to him with a dramatic sigh. “Of course, there’s a problem. Your precious wife is trying to sabotage your wedding with Vanessa. She made an absurd request, and you—” she jabbed a manicured finger at him “—you agreed to it? I honestly don’t understand what you were thinking, Dave p>
Daven didn’t respond immediately. His eyes locked onto Althea’s. She said nothing, but he knew she wouldn’t deny it. Unlike the others in this house, she didn’t hide behind masks or false pretenses.
“She only asked for my time, Mother. Just one month,” Daven said finally. “And I agreed. I’ve already spoken to Vanessa and explained everything. She’s willing to give me that time. Our love has withstood the test of time, Mother. It’s been a year since I married Althea, and Vanessa still waited for me. She didn’t mind giving me thirty more days p>
Kate could hardly believe what she was hearing. Overwhelmed with frustration, she buried her face in her hands. But there was nothing more she could do. She had no choice but to accept her son’s decision.
“Just make sure this shameless woman is out of the Callister family’s life when the month is over, Daven. I don’t want my beloved daughter-in-law waiting any longer p>
“Yes,” Daven replied curtly.
Althea, who had been standing quietly between them, spoke again.
“I know exactly where I stand. And I will leave once my time is up. But for now… I just want to spend what’s left in peace. That’s all I ask p>
Kate hissed under her breath, then turned sharply away.
“I will never see you as part of this family,” she spat before disappearing down the hallway, her footsteps sharp and swift—like every cutting word she had just thrown.
Althea released a long breath once Kate’s figure vanished from sight. Her hands trembled slightly, but she hid them beneath the folds of her dress. Only one person remained, standing silently, watching her with the same cold stare—as if she were nothing more than a discarded object.
“I didn’t realize my wife was so stubborn,” Daven mocked, his tone laced with disdain. “Do you want to be my wife that badly?” He scoffed.
“Do you regret agreeing to my request?” Althea asked softly, her eyes gentle yet clouded with pain and disappointment.
Daven held her gaze for a moment before shaking his head.
“No. But I still think it’s ridiculous p>
“That’s fine,” Althea said, forcing a smile that barely reached her eyes. “What matters is… I won’t regret it p>
For a moment, only the soft whisper of the breeze filled the space between them. Daven turned his face away, though his eyes lingered on her flushed cheeks—glowing under the afternoon sun, or perhaps from the tears she refused to shed.
Without another word, he began to walk away. But just before disappearing through the doorway, he called back over his shoulder.
“If you’re this insistent… does that mean you’re ready to share my bed tonight, Althea? Isn’t that what you wanted—to become my wife in every sense of the word p>
Althea blinked, stunned. After all, she was the one who had made that request—asking to truly be his wife. Which meant… he had the right to touch her. Anytime. For the next thirty days.
Her fists clenched tightly at her sides.
“Yes,” she answered firmly. She couldn’t back down now, could she? Even if the very thought made her body tremble with fear.
But Daven’s response was as cold and unyielding as ever.
“Too bad… I’m not interested p>
“But you already made a promise, Daven,” Althea said, her voice steady, stripped of any shame. She had nothing left to lose—not even her pride.
Daven laughed, but there was no warmth in the sound.
“You’re really clinging to that, huh?” He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “Tell me, Althea. Do you want to be my wife that badly p>
She instinctively took a step back. “It’s not like that p>
“Oh? Then what is it?” he snapped. “You begged for this. You practically signed yourself up to be mine—for a month p>
His voice dropped to a dangerously calm whisper. He reached out, his fingers brushing against her chin—not harshly, but not tenderly either—just enough to lift her gaze.
“Tomorrow night,” he said, his eyes locked on hers, “I’ll come home not as the man you married on paper—but as the husband you insisted I become p>
Althea’s breath caught in her throat. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, but she did not look away.
“I hope you’re ready,” Daven added, pulling back just slightly. “Because I won’t stop to ask if you’ve changed your mind p>
This chapter delicately explores the tension and raw emotions simmering beneath the surface of Althea and Daven’s strained relationship. Althea’s quiet strength and dignity stand in stark contrast to the hostility and rejection she faces from the Callister family, especially Kate. Despite the harsh judgments and coldness surrounding her, Althea’s plea for time is not a demand for love but a request for recognition and peace in a life marked by loneliness and misunderstanding. The chapter captures the fragile balance between hope and despair, as Althea clings to her sense of self amid the storm.
The closing moments deepen the emotional complexity between Althea and Daven, revealing a tentative, uneasy truce that carries both vulnerability and unresolved tension. Daven’s reluctant acceptance of Althea’s request, coupled with his cold detachment, underscores the distance yet undeniable connection between them. As the thirty days begin, the promise of a closer, more intimate union looms—a fragile chance for Althea to claim her place not just in name but in reality. The chapter leaves readers suspended in a moment of quiet anticipation, where courage and uncertainty intertwine.
The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the complex and tense relationship between Althea and Daven, as the thirty-day period of forced proximity begins. Emotions will run high as Althea braces herself for the challenges ahead, navigating the coldness and resistance from Daven while holding onto her quiet dignity. The fragile truce between them is bound to be tested, and readers will be drawn into the subtle power plays and unspoken feelings simmering beneath the surface.
Meanwhile, the presence of Kate looms large, her disdain and determination to keep Althea at bay hinting at further conflicts that could shake the fragile balance within the Callister household. The emotional stakes are raised as Althea’s resolve is met with skepticism and hostility, yet there remains a glimmer of unexpected support from unexpected quarters. This chapter will explore the nuances of loyalty, pride, and the possibility of transformation, leaving readers eager to see how these intertwined lives will unfold under the weight of past wounds and future hopes.
Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.