A wedding night Love Affair With The Billionaire
Chapter 44 Punished

The dishes had all been served, and the servants went upstairs to tell Tanner dinner was ready.

However, Eliza was still huddling on the sofa, either thinking of the message or that Nicholas was still in the restaurant alone. She didn't even notice Tanner had come down while she was on the phone. He swiftly got behind Eliza and peremptorily snatched her phone away.

He couldn't believe she was still thinking about that man and even called him now that she was home!

Checking the phone, he saw the name was saved as 'Nicholas Abbott'.

Tanner let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief. He would most probably flip if she had saved some weird nickname. The self-control he had always been so proud of was nothing in front of her. What was worse, she never realized his love for her growing up, thinking his heart had always belonged to Raelyn.

"Dinner's ready." With that, he ended the call in front of her.

A strange feeling arose in Nicholas's heart as he listened to the noise on the other end of the line, but he couldn't put a word to it, probably a flirtatious strike from a couple to this bachelor. Knowing that his appetite wouldn't come back to him anytime soon, he decided to head home. After saying goodbye to the owner and paying for the meal, he left.

Back in the mansion, Eliza was dumbfounded when Tanner appeared out of nowhere. The next thing she knew, he called her over for dinner, hung up her call, and tossed her phone back to her. Only bossy, outrageous, and domineering could be used to describe the entire process.

Of course, Tanner wouldn't admit he deliberately said what he had, letting the man on the other end of the line know she was his.

No longer paying attention to her, he took his seat at the dining table.

Eliza was rather upset. She had only wanted to express her gratitude to her savior, but he acted as though she had done the heinous.

He probably wasn't like this in front of his sister. He wouldn't act so arbitrarily, considering Raelyn's feelings, just like how he did to her in Ball Island.

Thinking back, that attentive, gentle man was a completely different person from the bossy, tyrannical man in front of her. Reminiscing Ball Island, it felt as though it happened a century ago.

The heart wrenching feeling was unbearable. Picking up her phone, she headed upstairs. She didn't have an appetite away, and the two of them would only feel uncomfortable if she went to the dining table.

At the dining table, Tanner had wanted to make her realize she was his wife and that she should consciously keep her distance from other men when she came over.

However, she never came after waiting for some time.

Looking back, she was no longer there.

Already in the fit of anger, suppressing as hard as he could, even his patience had worn off right then.

He had never felt so confounded in his life before. There would be times when he'd go mad as well!

Putting the cutleries down, a crisp clink could be heard as they hit the plate.

Tanner got up and headed upstairs.

Standing aside, Ms. Bell could see his frighteningly gruesome expressions, somewhat savage even. Though he was intimidating, making people feel tyrannized even if he just stood there, he had never seen him fuming before.

Eliza had gone upstairs a while ago... Watching as he went up as well, she grew worried.

Eliza locked the door as soon as she entered her bedroom, but she knew it was useless as he had all the keys to the house after all.

But it could, at the very least, bring her a sense of security. Bitterness welled up inside of her as she recalled the evening, leaning against the door.

She felt horrible when she wedged herself in between Tanner and Raelyn in the beginning. After spending some time together, Tanner's charm had gotten her to become obsessed with this absurd relationship. Slowly, she had forgotten she was merely a stand-in.

Raelyn's message earlier was like a slap in her face, waking her up in an instant.

The person he loved was Raelyn...

Her vision gradually blurred, and her heart felt as though it had been mutilated, suffocation slowly engulfing her.

She leaned quietly just like that, her head against the door.

The lights in the bedroom suddenly switched off after some time. The sudden darkness blinded her momentarily.

The sudden feeling of a man's arms around her waist, hugging her tightly from behind, got her subconsciously wanting to struggle. But then a familiar crisp scent traveled to her nose. Tanner. Knowing who it was, she settled down.

He must have entered from the study; an archway connected it to the bedroom. As she faced the bedroom door, she didn't see him come in from behind.

Being held in his arms, Eliza told herself to indulge for once, not to push him away, feel his warmth even if it was for just another second.

Then his voice rang out in the darkness.

"You really are missing the touch of a man." He coldly said as he wandered his big hands around her body.

Eliza struggled a little before she stayed obediently in his arms. Tanner had to admit, her subtle action had pleased him but at the same time irritated him.

"Do you play hard to get with other men as well?" Tanner asked grimly.

Eliza's eyes widened in shock. Why? Why must he humiliate her like this?

Her heart brutally ripped open; his mockery pained her more than anything else.

She then started to struggle intensely, but Tanner wasn't going to comply.

With a warm kiss on her neck, his actions got even more wanton.

Why was he still behaving as though he cared a lot about her when he saw her as a stand-in, when he loved Raelyn, when she was so filthy in his eyes? Heartbroken and aggrieved, tears started streaming down her face involuntarily.

She didn't want to give herself any hope anymore. She didn't want him to think about her sister when he hugged her...

"You're my brother-in-law..." Eliza's voice sounded nasally.

Tanner paused his actions right then.

If the lights were on, he would've seen her broken heart from her eyes, and she would've seen the panic and heartache in his.

However, it was pitch-black, and Tanner's heart only ached in a flash. The next second, his eyes turned bloodshot, and there was only malevolence left in his gaze. After all this time, she still hadn't a clue who his heart belonged to!

Okay, fine, he'd tell her himself!

Eliza felt a chill on her back as she heard the sound of clothes being torn apart.

"What are you doing?" She resisted with all her might, but her clothes were still torn to shreds in his hands.

"I'm doing you," he said word by word, not a hint of playfulness in his tone.

"You seem to have forgotten we are married. Everything I do to you is legal." His words exploded in her mind. She could hear the anger in his tone.

Huh! Brother-in-law? She would have to be punished for calling him that.

Now completely naked, he could feel her cool, soft skin under his hands.

Picking her up, he threw her onto the bed and pinned her down.

Filled with fear, Eliza begged.

"No, please..."

"

He only replied, "This is not up to you."

Eliza felt as though her body had been disassembled when she woke up, and the hickeys and bruises all over it were a shocking sight.

Right in front of her was a fuzzy noggin. Tanner seemed to be still asleep, looking sate.

She had to get to her new job! She tried to extend her hands to check the time, only to realize she couldn't move no matter how hard she tried. Stirred by the subtle movement next to him, Tanner frowned and dragged her into his arms.

"Hiss." A wince.

He opened his eyes and latched his gaze onto her.

Because of last night, Eliza frowned and faced away from him, feeling both embarrassed and mad.

But Tanner wasn't angry, only reaching out for her face, forcing her to look at him.

Just then, Eliza's phone rang. The sound seemed to be coming from his side.

With just a feel, he found her phone.

Nicholas was calling.

One look at the name, and the all-powerful Mr. Deleon turned grim.

Tanner being Tanner, he concealed his emotion in a flash. He wanted to see her reaction, smirking.

He waved her phone at her.

Immediately seeing 'Nicholas' on the screen, she knew she must be late. He had called to ask why.

She wanted to reach for her phone, but she was well spent.

Worried the call would end, she had no choice but to look at Tanner.

He was smiling, but it was ferocious.

Seeing he was unfazed, she spoke up, croaking.

"Tanner, this call is very important to me."

Tanner looked at her; his gaze turned cold.

She didn't look too good, a little tired, but her eyes were bright.

One phone call from that son of a b*tch, and she was this excited?!

Knowing he was angry again, she thought for a moment and said, "This is really important. You can put it on speaker."

Smirking, he wasn't interested in their conversation.

He pressed the answer button and placed it next to her ear before getting up, making his way to the shower.

Nicholas's gentle voice traveled from the other end of the line.

"Dear beautiful Ms. Eliza, it is already ten. I'll look bad if you skip your first day of work when I'm the one who anointed you."

Eliza smiled with how he made her feel less embarrassed by remarking her tardiness wittily though Nicholas couldn't see her expression.

But she couldn't even get out of bed, let alone go to work with her current state.

Resigned, she had to come up with a lie.

"Sorry, I... I'm not feeling well today. Can I take three days off?"

She really did sound sick, thanks to her croaky voice.

However, her heart pounded, and her ears flushed. She wasn't a liar; she would start feeling guilty whenever she lied. Nicholas would easily see through her if he was right in front of her.

"You're sick?" She did sound unwell, so he bought it. "Well, I suppose our employment offer was a bit abrupt. Three days off it is; rest well."

"Thank you. Sorry to trouble you." Eliza heaved a murky breath after ending the call.

"Are you really so happy after chatting with your side piece?"

Catching the smile still on her face, Tanner leaned against the bathroom door, looking scornful.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐