At the time, I actually admired him for it. Thought he was principled. A man of standards.
I told myself to be patient. Give it time. Feelings would grow.
That glass of water stayed on the bed for three years.
The rumors outside were relentless. People said Sylvester either had something wrong with him physically or simply didn't like women, and that he'd only married me to satisfy the family alliance.
He never denied any of it. Denying the rumors would only turn the spotlight on himself and anger Matriarch Farley.
And during that time, he did seem to thaw. A little.
He'd join me for breakfast occasionally. He'd send coffee to my office when I worked late. He even backed my proposals in board meetings.
I thought life would just continue like that.
Then the news came that Lucy Stephens was returning from overseas.
That day, I'd allowed myself a rare moment of peace. I sat in the piano room at home and played a Chopin nocturne.
He actually came in. Leaned against the doorframe and listened without a word.
When I finished, he walked over and said softly, "That was beautiful."
I looked up at him. For once, there was warmth in his eyes.
I leaned closer. He didn't pull away.
I kissed him. He didn't refuse.
In that moment, I believed everything was finally moving in the right direction.
Then his secretary burst through the door, breathless.
"Mr. Farley, Miss Stephens's plane just landed!"
Sylvester shoved me away.
Every trace of warmth vanished from his eyes. Gone, like it had never existed.
He didn't even stop to put on shoes. He ran out barefoot.
I stood in front of the piano like a discarded toy.
Take it slow. What a joke.
From start to finish, the only person in his heart was Lucy Stephens.
If he was so in love with Lucy, why had he agreed to the marriage in the first place?
When Matriarch Farley proposed the alliance, I hadn't accepted right away. I'd asked my grandmother to send someone to get Sylvester's answer.
The messenger came back with a simple response: "Mr. Farley has agreed."
It wasn't until later that I learned the truth. The day he nodded yes was the same day the news broke that Lucy had died in a car accident in Continental Heights.
But Lucy hadn't died.
She'd defected to the Henson family's competitors. Then she and Sylvester worked together, one from the inside and one from the outside, and dismantled Henson Corp piece by piece.