CHAPTER O1: ROSE

Since I was a young girl, I've always dreamed of meeting my prince charming. I read fairytales when I was young and wondered if there was someone—a prince who was waiting for me or when I will meet him. I got older and continued dreaming about the perfect guy, I fell in love with male leads in romance books, envied the book couples' relationship. My friends got into relationships and their significant other helped them get over their problems, healed their scars, comforted them, loved them like the world was ending. I was happy for all of my friends, they all found their true love in their teenage years and now were happily married. As for me, all my hopes crushed when I got married, it wasn't love marriage, it was an arrange marriage and I had no choice but to say 'yes'. People say arrange marriages work when the couple spend days together, they would eventually fall in love and in many cases, it has been proved right but not in my case.

Its been 10 months since I've got married to one of the most richest CEO of new York City and I haven't even shared sweet talks with him—don't get me started on kisses. Not. Even. A. Peck. On. The. Cheek. And Juliet had it worst than me, please. Ryan is one the most coldest man I've met in my life. He doesn't even smile. Yes, I, his wife, have never seen him smile. That guy doesn't smile at all, he doesn't even laugh at my jokes. I'm very offended.

I'm not going to lie. I don't hate him, he's darn good looking, every girl would drool over him—some even do. Green eyes, brown hair, sharp cheekbones, perfect jawline, tall, broad shoulders. He was everything a girl would want in a guy. Just, that, he doesn't believe in love.

I remember once asking him, his reply was "love is just a word to tell the other person they're special to you. People use 'love' for everything, everyone. Its nothing special." His words left me speechless. I couldn't sleep the whole night, I was even zoning out the next day, processing his words, how can someone be so.. dry? Oh I know who. Ryan Hartford. Fucking handsome bastard. I still wonder if I could make him change his mind…

"So, what are you planning for your anniversary?" Bree—Ryan's younger sister's voice brought me back to my sad reality. Anniversary. The word echoed in my head. Our one year anniversary was coming up and I have no idea what to do. I'm for sure Ryan's not planning anything romantic—who am I kidding, he's not planning anything, he's probably going to work late that night so he doesn't have to come home.

"I'm not sure. We haven't talked." I answered to her question, tracing circles on the counter.

Bree let out a hum before continuing "maybe I should throw some sense in him. Tell him how to treat his wife." Her aggressive voice in the end made me chuckle.

I loved Bree, I knew her way before I knew Ryan. We were best friends since high school, I knew about Ryan but I never met him—well, I wouldn't say 'never' I did meet him, on family gatherings when Bree would invite me. I never made any conversation with him, although I always tried to like 'so how's the business?' 'anything special happened?' 'oh you know I completed my assignment earlier this week. Shocker! It never happens, it's a miracle' his response would only be 'fine' 'I don't know' and just few hums. Favorites. I gave up after few more hard tries because I sounded desperate and I wasn't. I just thought I might be that girl in books who breaks the guy's 'I don't believe in love' shell but here I am, married to him with no progress.

Bree always wanted us to be together, she even tried setting us up a few times but failed because Ryan would make up an excuse and shatter our hopes. She was excited when she found out I would be her sister-in-law. I always treated her like my real sister since I was an only child. Bree always got furious whenever I would update her with the same old news "no. no sweet talks from Ryan" she hated how Ryan acted around me even threw tantrums sometimes but it didn't help. Ryan was Ryan.

"you don't have to do that. I'm…" I paused, trying to figure out how I should say I feel. Was I sad? Kind of yes. Upset? I didn't know. Hopeless? I might be.

"don't give me 'I'm fine' shit. I know you're not." I sighed at Bree's confession. I wasn't fine. "you deserve all the things you read about in books, even better than that."

"why thank you Bree but I don't think it will come true."

"it could." Her little hope made me smile. She knew how much of a romantic I was.

"oh well" I glanced at the clock hanging at wall. Ah shit. Ryan was about to come home in an hour and I still didn't make dinner. Stupid. "Hey Sades, I have to go. I need to prepare dinner."

"oh okay. I should go check up on Sarah." Sarah, Bree's daughter, my niece was the sweetest person on this planet. 1 because she was an adorable toddler. 2 she always made the people around her smile—except Ryan. But if the little curl on the side of his lips counted as a smile then Sarah was the only one who could make that cold creature smile.

"Give her a kiss from me."

"I will" Bree said "talk to you later, bye"

"bye" we hung up and I placed my phone down on the counter with a sigh. I placed my hands on my hips and turned towards the stove. I pulled up my sleeves and put my hair into a messy bun before starting to cook.

Ryan might be the coldest person on earth but that didn't stop me from hoping there was a soft side of him. And I would find it. I will. Hopefully.