Camilla stirred from her slumber as the gentle rays of the morning sun slipped through the window blinds and painted the room with a warm and welcoming glow.
She let out a soft yawn and stretched her arms, relishing the sensation of the soft sheets against her fingertips and let out a contented sigh, feeling completely rejuvenated and refreshed.
As she slowly opened her eyes, a feeling of disorientation washed over her.
Her body felt heavy, but in a comforting way, as if she had been lost in a deep and dreamless sleep for hours.
She sat up and took in the grandeur of her surroundings.
The high ceilings, ornate wallpaper, and massive chandelier all spoke of opulence and extravagance.
She continued to survey the room, taking in its grandiose details and wondering how she had ended up here.
She couldn't recall falling asleep or even getting into bed, and the disorientation she felt only added to her confusion.
Her mind was hazy, and she struggled to piece together the events of the previous evening.
She lifted the blanket that had been covering her and was taken aback to find herself adorned in a beautiful silk nightgown, complete with delicate straps and intricate lace accents.
Her mind swirled with confusion as she struggled to recall how she had come to be wearing it, given that she distinctly remembered donning her wedding dress before.
Her last clear memory was leaving the wedding reception with Alexander in a limo that was taking them to the new house gifted by Harriet.
Even though they had insisted that such an extravagant gift was unnecessary, Harriet had insisted on giving it to them.
Her memory of the limo ride with Alexander was hazy, consumed by awkwardness and nervousness for what lay ahead when they got home.
A feeling of unease settled in her stomach as she wondered if they had already consummated their marriage.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the bedroom door slowly creaking open, and in walked Alexander, wearing an apron over his clothes.
He appeared surprised to see her awake. "Oh," he said, his gaze flickering away before returning to her.
"Good morning," he greeted her awkwardly. "Did you sleep well?" he asked and she nodded.
"Good morning," she said hesitantly.
"Well...I'm not entirely sure what happened last night. I mean, I don't remember much after getting into the limo with you. Did we... Did we already...?" She trailed off, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Alexander responded with an awkward chuckle, clearly nervous.
"No, we didn't do anything. You were exhausted after the reception, and you fell asleep shortly after we got into the limo. I carried you to bed when we got home," he explained.
Camilla's confusion lingered as she nodded slowly. "I see. So that's why I'm wearing this nightgown, but I don't recall changing into it."
"Did you, by any chance, change me?" Her words were tentative, and she couldn't help feeling a bit vulnerable.
Alexander's face turned red as he explained himself to Camilla. "I... umm... I tried to wake you because I thought sleeping in your wedding dress might be uncomfortable, but you were deep asleep, so I..."
Nervously clearing his throat, he continued, "I changed you. I initially thought about calling a female worker to help, but then I realized it might have been awkward given our relationship."
"So, I had no choice but to do it myself," he explained, his nervousness evident in his voice.
Camilla's cheeks turned bright red from embarrassment as she listened to Alexander's explanation. "I see," she muttered softly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Noticing her discomfort, Alexander rushed to offer some reassurance. "I'm sorry, but if it makes you feel any better, I did it with a blindfold on, so I didn't see anything," he assured her.
Camilla let out a small sigh of relief, feeling slightly better. "It's okay. Thank you," she said, still a bit embarrassed but trying to let it go.
Her voice was hesitant as she spoke again, "I was just wondering how it was for you... I mean not being able to see what you were doing and still being able to get it right."
And Alexander seemed visibly relieved that she wasn't angry with him.
"Well, it wasn't easy at first, but after a few attempts..." Alexander trailed off, and Camilla nodded in understanding.
An awkward silence descended upon them, and Camilla's gaze wandered to Alexander's clothes.
She couldn't help but smile at the sight of him wearing an apron, his hair tousled, and his face smudged with flour.
"Why are you wearing an apron?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.
Alexander sheepishly looked down at his outfit, then back up at Camilla with a grin, "I wanted to surprise you with breakfast in bed, but..." he trailed off, piquing her curiosity.
"But what?" Camilla asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alexander let out a sigh of defeat, "You should come and see for yourself," he said, gesturing towards the door.
Camilla nodded and followed him out of the room, taking in the grandeur of the house as they made their way to the kitchen.
As they entered the kitchen, Camilla was taken aback by the sight before her.
The once-pristine room was now a complete disaster zone.
Flour and various ingredients were scattered across the countertops, and several pots and pans were piled high in the sink.
The oven was smoking, causing her to cough as the scent filled her nose.
Alexander muttered a curse as he realized his forgetfulness, "Oh shit!..."
"I completely forgot about the arancini." He swiftly donned the mittens and rushed to the oven, retrieving a tray of arancini that had been baking for a while.
Alas, the arancini were irreparably burned and blackened, beyond any hope of redemption.
With a loud clatter, Alexander discarded the tray into the sink, causing Camilla to cringe at the noise.
She slowly approached the sink and saw the ruined arancini, emitting smoke, her heart sinking at the sight of the wasted food.
It was hard to fathom that something so promising had turned out so disastrously.
As she looked at Alexander, she could see the unmistakable expression of embarrassment on his face.
It was clear that he had attempted to make a grand feast for their first meal as newlyweds, but things had not gone according to plan.
Despite the mishaps, Camilla couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards her new husband.
She knew that he must have put in a lot of effort into the meal, and seeing it all go wrong must have been frustrating for him.
"I'm so sorry, Camilla," Alexander apologized, running his hands through his hair in frustration.
"Your grandma mentioned that Mango Panna Cotta was your favorite, but since you're allergic to anything mango due to the pregnancy, I asked for her suggestions and that's how I ended up with this dish," Alexander explained, gesturing towards the burnt Arancini and other failed dishes in the kitchen.
"I also thought I could spice it up with some other dishes, but clearly, things didn't go as planned." He sighed, disappointed with the outcome.
"I'm sorry. I almost burnt down our house," he added, sounding dejected.
Camilla's eyes darted around the kitchen, still filled with smoke from the burnt Arancini.
She coughed, trying to clear her throat.
"This is a disaster, why didn't you just allow the cooks do this instead?" she muttered, approaching the oven to switch off the hob and open the range hood to let the smoke out.
Alexander appeared contrite. "I'm sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought I could make this work on my own so I told them to stay away for today."
"It's okay," she replied, a smile playing on her lips. "I appreciate the effort." Looking at him with a hint of amusement and they shared a laugh, shaking their heads at the chaos in the kitchen.
A moment of silence passed between them before Camilla spoke up again.
"How about we clean up together and then make some Arancini that aren't burnt to a crisp?" she suggested, offering a hopeful smile.
Alexander grinned back. "That sounds like a plan," he said, and Camilla immediately grabbed a broom to start sweeping up the mess, while Alexander reached for a clean napkin to clean the countertop.
As they worked, minutes ticked by until Camilla noticed a small card on the ground.
The peach-colored card piqued her curiosity, with a design of a blooming flower on the front. She picked it up and inspected it closely.
Alexander, who was wiping down the countertops, noticed her staring at the card and asked, "What is that?"
She replied, "I don't know. I just found it on the floor." opening the card and saw that it was blank, except for a few handwritten words in red ink on the second page.
As she read the card, Alexander watched her with a confused expression. "What does it say?" he asked, curious to know the message's contents.
Camilla looked up at him, equally puzzled. "It's a wedding message...but written in some kind of cryptic way," she said.
Alexander furrowed his brow in confusion and leaned in to get a closer look.
"Let me see," he said, taking the card from her. As he read the words, he hesitated for a moment before reading them out loud.
"May your union be as eternal as the shadows that dance upon the walls. May they guide you through the darkness and light the way to eternal love."
"But be warned, not all that glitters is gold. Sometimes the shadows hold secrets that can't be ignored. Keep your eyes open and your hearts guarded, for the darkness may be closer than you think."
"With love, Red Saint," he finished.
They both stood in silence for a moment, seeming to digest the message, before Camilla suddenly let out a chuckle, amused by the cryptic nature of the card.
She couldn't help but wonder who would send such a thing to a newlywed couple.
However, Alexander's demeanor was far from amused.
He appeared deeply disturbed and serious, staring at the card with intense concentration.
"Alexander," Camilla called out, noticing his unusual behavior.
However, he seemed lost in his own thoughts, muttering the name "Red Saint" with a clear tone of animosity.
Perplexed by his reaction, Camilla blinked, trying to make sense of his demeanor.
"Alexander!" she yelled, shaking him out of his trance. He jumped back, a bit startled.
"Sorry, I was just... umm..." he trailed off, searching for an explanation for his absent-mindedness.
"I was admiring the handwriting of whoever wrote this," he lied, flashing her a quick smile.
Though Camilla nodded in understanding, she was still doubtful and curious about his strange behavior.
"You do know whoever wrote this might just be playing a prank, right?" she teased, trying to ease the tension.
"Of course," Alexander said, trying to hide his anxiety, "one of the staff members who prepared the house for us must have dropped this to try and spook us out." He chuckled nervously, hoping to convince Camilla.
Relieved by his explanation, Camilla joined in his laughter and picked up her broom to resume sweeping.
"Yeah, I was starting to think you were getting scared by a mere prank letter," she joked, her doubt fading away.
Alexander breathed a sigh of relief that Camilla had bought his lie and was not being overly curious about the letter.
However, he couldn't shake the feeling of tension that had taken hold of him, his muscles tensing and his heart racing as he stole another glance at the ominous message.