Problems I didn't create

(Livia) I stayed in my room until it was nearly one. Hunger made it difficult to think about anything else, but I refused to leave early and give Julian another reason to complain. I checked the time twice before opening my door. This time, I wasn't going to miss the meal. Mrs. Harris was leaving the dining room when I arrived. She gave me a small nod before continuing toward the kitchen. Julian wasn't there, which made sitting down much easier. A plate had already been placed at one end of the table. I sat and began eating. I hadn't finished half of it when footsteps came from behind me. Julian entered wearing a dark suit and carrying his phone. He took the seat at the other end of the table. "I see you managed to arrive on time." "I can read a clock." He looked at me. "Watch your attitude." I put my fork down. "You nearly fired someone because she gave me breakfast. What kind of attitude would you like me to have?" "The kind that remembers whose house you're living in." "I'm your wife, not a guest you invited here." Julian picked up his glass. "You keep mentioning that." "Because you keep acting as if I broke into your house." He said nothing after that. I continued eating because I wasn't going to lose another meal over him. A member of staff brought Julian his lunch and left without speaking. I wondered how long everyone had worked for him. My phone rang inside my pocket. I pulled it out and saw my father's name. I considered ignoring him, but he rarely called me himself. Something had to be wrong. "Hello?" "Your mother said you haven't responded to her." I looked toward Julian. "I didn't know her message required an answer." My father sighed. "Don't start behaving like Camille." My fingers gripped the phone. "I could never get away with behaving like Camille." Julian's attention moved to me. "You are married now, Livia. The agreement has been completed, and we expect you to do your part. Julian's family has already upheld theirs." "What exactly is my part?" "Being his wife and avoiding unnecessary problems." I looked at Julian again. He was listening now, though he pretended to be interested in his phone. I wondered whether my father had any idea what my life inside this house already looked like. Then I realized he probably wouldn't care. "He put me in a storage room." My father didn't respond for a few seconds. "Then I'm sure he has his reasons." I couldn't believe him. "His reason is that I'm not Camille." "Julian expected to marry your sister. Give him time to adjust." Something inside me changed at those words. My father knew Julian blamed me, yet his concern was still the agreement between the families. I had spent years trying to earn love from people who had already decided how little I mattered. I wasn't going to beg them now. "I have to go." "Livia, don't hang up on me." I ended the call. Julian placed his phone beside his plate. "Problems with your father?" "You heard enough to know." "He isn't wrong." I stared at him. "Of course you'd think that." "You expect everyone to forget what happened at the wedding because you claim you were forced into it." "I don't expect anything from you." Julian's eyes stayed on mine. "Good. Keep it that way." I finished what was left on my plate. My appetite had disappeared, but I wasn't wasting food when I didn't know whether Julian would find another reason to stop me from eating later. When I stood, he did the same. I stepped away from the table. "Where are you going?" "Back to my room." "You'll be coming with me." I stopped. "Where?" "My parents are coming here." I stared at him. "Why do I need to be there?" "Because they want to speak to us about the wedding." The last thing I wanted was another conversation about Camille. Julian left the dining room without waiting for me, so I followed him into a large sitting room. His parents were already there. I recognized them from the ceremony. His mother looked me over before turning to Julian. "Where have you been?" "Working." She glanced at me again. "Sit down, Livia." I sat in the chair nearest the door. Julian remained standing until his father pointed toward another chair. Neither of his parents smiled at me. I had the feeling they hadn't come to welcome me into their family. Julian's father spoke first. "The wedding created more attention than we wanted." "I didn't create it." His mother looked at me. "Nobody said you did." Her voice told me something different. "We need to make sure there are no more surprises. People already know Camille didn't attend the wedding, and questions are being asked." "What do you expect me to say?" "You don't say anything." I looked at her. "Excuse me?" "If anyone contacts you, you direct them to the family office. You don't discuss Camille, the marriage agreement, or what happened at the ceremony." Julian finally sat. "She's right." I looked at him. "I wasn't planning to speak to reporters." His mother folded her hands in her lap. "Good. There is another matter. There will be photographs released of you and Julian together. The public needs to see that the marriage is legitimate." I turned toward Julian. "You want us to pretend we're happy?" "No." His mother answered before he could. "You will behave like a married couple long enough for photographs. Nobody is asking you to fall in love." Julian stood again. "Absolutely not." His father looked at him. "You don't have a choice." Julian's face changed. "I already married the wrong woman to satisfy the trust. I'm not putting on a performance too." His mother's eyes moved to me. "Then perhaps your wife can convince you." I almost asked why she thought Julian would listen to me. Instead, I stood and faced all three of them. My parents had forced me into the marriage, Julian had decided how I would live, and now his parents wanted control over what I said and how I appeared in public. "I won't convince him of anything." Julian looked surprised. "If he doesn't want the photographs, that's between you and him. Stop expecting me to fix problems I didn't create." His mother stared at me as I walked toward the door. I expected Julian to order me back, but nobody stopped me. I kept walking until I reached the hall leading to my room. I had said exactly what I wanted to say. It wouldn't change my situation, and I knew Julian wouldn't suddenly start treating me differently. But I was tired of being used whenever someone else made a choice. Camille had run away, and somehow everyone expected me to pay for it.