CH4: The First Glimpse of Warmth

Days turned into weeks, and life inside the grand mansion settled into a steady, quiet routine. Fiona did her best to follow every rule and instruction that Gian had given her. She was always punctual, she kept to her own space unless she was needed, and she never asked unnecessary questions or disturbed him when he was busy. She learned how to behave properly during formal dinners, how to carry herself with grace, and how to act as the wife of one of the most powerful men in the country.

To everyone around them, they looked like the perfect couple—wealthy, respected, and admired by all. But behind closed doors, the reality was very different. They lived under the same roof, they ate at the same table, and they attended events side by side… yet they remained like two strangers sharing the same space. Their conversations were always short, formal, and strictly about matters related to their agreement. There was no laughter, no sharing of thoughts or feelings, and certainly no affection.

Fiona often found herself feeling lonely and empty. She missed the simple life she used to have—the warm home, the loud laughter, and the feeling of being truly loved and cared for. Here, she had everything money could buy, but she had nothing that money could not buy. She wondered if she would ever get used to this kind of life, or if she would simply have to endure it until the two years were over.

One afternoon, the weather suddenly turned bad. Dark clouds covered the sky, and strong winds began to blow, followed by heavy rain and loud claps of thunder. It was a fierce storm, one of the worst the city had seen in months. The power went out completely, leaving the whole mansion in darkness, lit only by the soft glow of candles that the staff quickly placed in every room and hallway.

It was already late in the evening, and dinner time had passed. Gian had not yet returned home from the office, and the storm was getting worse by the minute. Fiona sat in her room, looking out the window at the heavy rain pouring down, feeling worried and uneasy. She knew how dangerous the roads could be during such bad weather, and even though he was cold and distant, she still cared about his safety.

“Where is he?” she whispered to herself, biting her lower lip nervously. “I hope he is safe. I hope nothing bad happens to him out there.”

After what felt like hours, Fiona heard the sound of a car pulling up in front of the house. She immediately stood up and walked quickly toward the main entrance, her heart beating faster with every step. When the large door opened, Gian walked inside, followed by his driver and security team.

He looked completely exhausted and soaked from head to toe. His expensive suit was wet and crumpled, his hair was messy, and his face was pale and showing signs of pain. As soon as he stepped inside, he leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, and it was clear that he was struggling to stand straight.

“Sir! Are you alright?” Mrs. Cruz, who was waiting there, asked immediately with deep concern in her voice.

Gian tried to speak, but he only managed to let out a low groan. He slowly lifted his hand to hold his left arm, and Fiona noticed that his sleeve was torn and stained with fresh blood.

“He got into a small accident on the way back,” the driver explained quickly. “The road was slippery because of the rain, and another car lost control and hit us. Sir protected himself and us, but he hurt his arm badly and also hit his side against the door. He refused to stop at the hospital because he said he wanted to come home immediately.”

Fiona’s eyes widened in shock and worry. Without even thinking, she rushed forward before anyone else could move. She stood right in front of him, looking at his injured arm and his pale face, her heart aching with concern.

“You are hurt… badly hurt,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “Why didn’t you go to the hospital? You could have made your injuries worse!”

Gian looked at her, surprised to see her standing there, and even more surprised to see the genuine worry and care written all over her face. It was an expression he had never seen anyone direct toward him before. For years, people had only looked at him with fear, respect, or greed—but never with this kind of pure, selfless concern.

“I am fine,” he said, though his voice was weak and he was clearly in great pain. “It is just a small injury. I do not need doctors.”

“It is not small!” Fiona replied, her voice becoming a little firmer, as if she had forgotten for a moment that he was her strict boss and the man she was only bound to by contract. “Look at you! You are bleeding, you can barely stand, and you look like you are about to collapse. How can you say it is nothing? You are being stubborn and foolish!”

Everyone around them fell silent, shocked that anyone would dare speak to Gian Vance in such a tone—especially someone who was supposed to respect and obey him. They waited nervously, expecting him to get angry or shout at her for speaking out of turn.

But to everyone’s surprise, Gian did not get angry at all. He simply stared at Fiona, looking deep into her eyes, and for the first time, that cold, hard wall around his heart seemed to soften just a little. He saw that she was not scolding him out of disrespect, but because she truly cared about his well-being. In all his life, no one had ever spoken to him this way—honestly, directly, and out of pure concern.

“I… I just wanted to be home,” Gian said quietly, almost as if he was explaining himself to her.

“Then let us take care of you here,” Fiona said gently, her tone softening again. “Mrs. Cruz, please prepare hot water, clean cloths, antiseptic, and bandages immediately. And please bring something warm for him to drink. I will take care of his wounds myself.”

Mrs. Cruz nodded quickly, relieved that someone was taking charge, and hurried away to prepare everything.

With great care and gentleness, Fiona helped Gian walk toward his private living room. She guided him to sit down on the large sofa, making sure he was comfortable, and she helped him take off his wet coat and jacket. As she did this, she could not help but notice how tired and worn out he looked. For the first time, she realized that behind his powerful image and cold personality, he was still a human being who felt pain, got tired, and needed care and rest just like everyone else.

When everything was ready, Fiona began to clean and treat his wounds. She worked slowly and carefully, her hands moving with such tenderness and precision, as if she was handling something very precious and fragile. She cleaned the cuts gently, applied medicine, and wrapped the bandages securely, making sure not to hurt him more than necessary.

Throughout the whole process, Gian did not take his eyes off her. He watched the way her face showed concentration and concern, the way she bit her lip slightly when she saw a deep cut, and the way she whispered soft words of comfort as she worked. He felt the warmth of her hands against his skin, and even though his body was aching with pain, he felt a strange, soothing warmth spreading through his chest—a feeling he had not experienced in a very long time.

“Why are you doing this?” Gian asked suddenly, breaking the silence between them. His voice was low and filled with genuine curiosity. “You did not have to come here. You did not have to worry about me or take care of me. We agreed that our relationship is only formal and business-like. You have no obligation to care about what happens to me.”

Fiona paused for a moment, her hands still resting gently on his arm. She looked up and met his eyes, her expression sincere and honest.

“You are right… we are bound by a contract, and we have agreed on what this relationship is supposed to be,” she said softly. “But that does not mean we have to be heartless or cold toward each other. You are my husband in the eyes of everyone, and you are the person I live with every day. Whether it is written on paper or not… you are still someone important in my life. I cannot just stand by and watch you get hurt or suffer without doing anything. It is just not in my nature to be that way. I care about you, Gian. Not because of what you have or what you can give me, but because you are a human being, and you deserve to be cared for.”

Her words struck him deep in his heart, like a gentle touch that broke through the thick walls he had built around himself for so many years. He had spent his whole life believing that people only cared about him because of his money, his power, or what they could get from him. But Fiona was different. She was showing him kindness and care simply because she was a good person, and because she saw him as a fellow human being.

For the first time in his life, Gian felt something he thought he had lost forever: the feeling of being truly seen, truly valued, and truly loved for who he was, not for what he owned.

“Thank you, Fiona,” Gian whispered, his voice sounding softer and warmer than ever before. “Thank you… for everything.”

Fiona smiled gently at him—a warm, beautiful smile that lit up her whole face. “You are welcome, Gian. Just rest now. I will stay here until you fall asleep, and I will check on you from time to time to make sure you are doing alright. Everything will be okay now.”

As Fiona sat beside him, watching over him quietly, Gian closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax completely. For the first time since he was a little boy, he felt safe, protected, and truly at peace. He realized that maybe… just maybe… this contract marriage was not going to be the cold, empty arrangement he had planned it to be. Maybe it was actually the greatest blessing that had ever come into his life.

To be continue...

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