Falling For Her contracted Husband

Third Person POV

Sky entered the office building with a sense of urgency, clutching the documents Ocean had carelessly left behind. She had spent the morning rushing through her own tasks, only to realize that he would need these papers for the meeting he'd mentioned earlier. It was just like him, she thought, to forget something so crucial, leaving her to pick up the slack. Her frustration simmered as she navigated the hallways, her steps quick and purposeful. She wasn't expecting gratitude; she only wanted to get this over with. 

Pushing open the door to his office, Sky froze mid-step, her breath catching in her throat. There they were—Ocean and Amanda, locked in an intimate embrace, far too close for comfort. Amanda leaned into him with an air of satisfaction, her smirk sharp and cutting as her eyes met Sky's. 

Ocean, on the other hand, seemed startled as he pulled back slightly, his gaze shifting to Sky with something that looked like guilt but wasn't enough to erase the sting of what she had just witnessed. Sky's heart ached, a deep and almost physical pain that made her feel like the air had been sucked out of the room.

Amanda moved away with deliberate slowness, her expression smug, as if she had been waiting for this exact moment. Sky's hands trembled as she gripped the documents tighter, her throat dry, but she forced herself to speak. 

"You forgot these," she said, her voice quieter than she intended. She swallowed hard, fighting the urge to let her emotions spill over, but her hurt was evident in the way her words faltered. Ocean stepped forward, his brows knitting together as though he wanted to explain, but he stopped short, his silence doing more damage than any words could have.

Sky's gaze darted between them, trying to hold herself together, but Amanda's satisfied smirk only deepened her pain. 

"I thought you might need them," she managed to add, though her voice cracked at the edges.

Ocean collected the documents from Sky with a polite thank-you, his tone laced with the practiced warmth of someone playing a role. He knew the game he was supposed to be playing—acting like a devoted husband to Sky so Amanda would burn with jealousy. Pulling Sky closer, Ocean smiled at her with a sweetness that felt calculated, though he delivered it flawlessly. 

"You shouldn't have stressed yourself bringing these," he said, his voice smooth as he gently pinched her side, a subtle reminder of their shared performance. 

Sky flinched slightly, her composure faltering for just a second before she steadied herself. Her heart ached, not from the pinch but from the knowledge that every affectionate gesture he offered was for someone else's benefit. She swallowed the lump in her throat and met his gaze, forcing a faint smile as she responded. 

"I had to bring them. They're important, and I didn't want them to get misplaced." Her words were quiet but steady, masking the hurt simmering beneath. 

As Ocean continued his act, Sky found herself wondering how much longer she could endure this charade. She had known from the start that his motives were centered on Amanda, but knowing didn't make the reality any less painful. Each sweet word and soft touch, meant for an audience, only deepened the ache in her chest. Still, she reminded herself of the role she agreed to play and tried to push the hurt aside, even as it threatened to consume her.

Amanda's eyes locked with Ocean's, both of them glaring at each other with an intensity that seemed to fill the room. Sky stood to the side, feeling the weight of the silence pressing against her chest, the tension between the two palpable. Her heart ached as she felt their animosity, the sharpness in their gazes making her stomach twist. She tried to stand tall, but the hurt was undeniable. The moment felt like it was stretching on forever, like the air itself was suffocating her. Her fingers clenched at her sides, but her thoughts were clouded by the strain between them, the pain of being caught in the middle.

Ocean, sensing the growing discomfort, cleared his throat and broke the silence. He stepped forward, turning toward Amanda with a sharp edge in his voice. 

"This is Sky," he said, his tone firm but slightly strained, as if forcing himself to speak through the tension. His eyes never left Amanda's, though there was a flicker of something unreadable behind them. 

"I hope you remember her," he added, his words cutting through the silence. 

Amanda's lips curled into a knowing smirk, and she chuckled lightly, the sound mocking. Her gaze flicked over to Sky, her eyes cold with disdain. "Oh, I remember her," Amanda replied, her voice dripping with condescension. 

"The clumsy secretary who pretends to be innocent." She took a step closer to Sky, her smile never wavering. 

"You finally succeeded in taking him, huh? Trust me, you wouldn't last. I'm sure you're not even good in bed, as I used to be for him." The words were sharp, laced with bitterness, as if she were savoring the sting she knew they would leave.

Sky's chest tightened, her breath catching in her throat at the cruel words. The pain was almost physical, the way Amanda's words cut through her like a blade. She forced herself to stay composed, her gaze flicking briefly to Ocean, searching his face for some sign of the man she once knew. But his expression was unreadable, the tension between them thickening with every passing second.

Ocean's voice cut through the tense air, his words sharp and dismissive as he looked at Amanda. "You don't know anything. You know the guy from six months ago, not the one standing here now." He stepped closer to Amanda, his gaze unwavering, as his tone grew colder. "And you'll be careful with the words you speak to my wife, Sky." Amanda's lips twisted into a scoff, her eyes flashing with annoyance. Without a word, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room, her heels clicking against the floor as she made her way to the door. Ocean didn't watch her leave. He simply stood there, his expression unreadable, as if she were nothing more than a fleeting annoyance.

Sky stood there, her breath shallow as she tried to maintain her composure. She looked at Ocean, her heart heavy with a mix of frustration and hurt. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll be leaving now." She didn't wait for a response, but as she turned to walk away, she felt the weight of his indifference settle over her. Ocean didn't acknowledge her departure, his back turned as he walked toward his seat, his frustration evident in the way he carried himself. Sky stood still for a moment, watching him, her heart sinking. She shook her head, the tears threatening to spill as she turned and walked out of the room, her steps quickening with each passing second.

Later on, Sky arrived at Lori's place, her mind reeling from the encounter. She couldn't hold it in any longer. As soon as Lori opened the door, Sky poured out her feelings, ranting about the conversation with Ocean and how little he seemed to care. Lori listened quietly, but when Sky finished, she couldn't help but speak her mind. 

"You need to get over him, Sky. He won't even look at you. You're just hurting yourself." Sky's frustration flared. 

"I don't get it. Why did I marry him in the first place? I knew this wouldn't be easy, but I didn't expect to feel like this." Lori sighed, shaking her head. "You know he still loves Amanda, right? You're just going to get hurt." Sky's eyes welled up with tears, but she quickly wiped them away. 

"I didn't have a choice, Lori. I married him because I needed the money. I know it was stupid, but it had to be done." She paused, her voice softer now. 

"Please, don't remind me of what I did. I already know."

Lori softened, her expression sympathetic. "Alright, I won't. But I know what'll help." She grabbed two glasses from the counter and filled them with alcohol. 

"Drink with me. It'll take the edge off." The two of them sat together, the alcohol slowly dulling the sting in Sky's heart, but it didn't erase the emptiness that lingered. By midnight, Sky felt the alcohol's warmth, but the reality of her situation still loomed over her.

When Sky finally returned home, she expected the house to be quiet, to be met with the loneliness that had become her constant companion. But as she stepped into the living room, the lights flicked on, and there he was. Ocean, sitting in the darkness, waiting for her. His eyes locked onto hers as he stood up, his presence imposing. 

"Where have you been?" he asked, his voice cool, but there was a tension in his posture that she couldn't ignore. Sky's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected this, not after everything that had happened. But she didn't let herself falter. 

"Out," she replied quietly, her voice steady despite the storm brewing in her chest.