ZAINEA'S POV
“Wah!! What the?!” A loud and ugly music woke me up from my deep sleep. It was like a girl screaming from some horror movie.
“You—why did you play that near my ear?!” Aww, my precious eardrum.
“Good evening, too.” He unbuckled my seatbelt.
“Humph! That's not a good way of waking up someone! If you wanted to wake me up, you could shake my shoulders, or say ‘Hey, wake up. We're here.’ something like that. Can't you be more gentle? Gladly, I don't have any heart disease, or I might die early from a heart attack because of you. Learn something nice, Mister Zayden Constello!”
“Oh yeah?”
“‘Oh yeah?’ Can't you see I'm scolding you? Urgh!”
He puts wireless earphones on his ears. “I can't hear you.”
Grrr!! Urggggghh!!! My frustration for him is overflowing!
Instead of arguing with him, I set my eyes outside. It's a basement parking?
“Hey, where are we—hey!! Are you going to leave me here?! Wait for me!” Gosh, is he going to abandon me here?!
He's still wearing earphones. Wow. So, he doesn't want to talk to me nor hear my voice?
He pressed 20 on the elevator as it opened.
I take a tight grip on the sleeve of his coat, thinking the elevator might malfunction again. He was about to shake my hand off, but I stopped him.
“10 minutes, no, five minutes or so. Just until we get out of this elevator. Did you hear me?” I frowned when he didn't even bother to look at me. Instead, he's looking at the elevator's door with a poker face. I removed the earphone on his right ear. He gazed at me.
“Finally, I got your attention.”
“What again?”
“Where are we? Why did we travel this far? It's already what, evening? We traveled for five hours? Just what are you planning to do? Can you give me some heads-up before making a decision that involves me?”
I really don't like people deciding for me without considering my thoughts, especially if it has something to do with me.
“Think what we are supposed to do today,” he said, then takes back the earphone and wears it again.
“H-Honeymoon? Hey!” I pushed him. I crossed my arms over my body. “I'm telling you, I'll break your bones if you lay your finger on me.”
The elevator opened. A luxurious bar-like place welcomed us.
Don't tell me we're going to drink?
“Are you planning to get me drunk, then dispose me after?”
“Am I that ruthless in your eyes?”
“Uhm, yes?”
“Then, start to pray,” he sarcastically said.
“Sir.” Tristan came out of nowhere and lead us to our table.
There are only few customers.
We sat near the window. The view is astonishing. The city lights added color to the dark streets of the city.
“Miss Zainea.” Tristan handed me a menu book.
“I thought? Isn't this a bar?”
“President Constello knew the owner of this place. We could request him to cook some dishes for you.”
“Oh. Perks of being rich. Hey...” I asked him to come closer.
He takes a look at Zayden who is currently looking at the menu book.
“Bend down. I have something to ask you,” I whispered.
“I might get killed. No thanks,” he whispered back.
“Ayaa. I just want to ask for his schedule this whole month.”
“His? President Constello's? Why?”
“U-Uh... Uhm... Of course as his wife...”
“Aah. I get it, miss. I'll send—”
“What are you two whispering about?” Zayden asked. He looked at his secretary.
“Miss Zainea asked for your—”
“Cellphone number,” I finished what he's going to say.
He's way too loyal. Can't he keep it a secret?
“I... I just want to ask for your number.”
“Why do you have to ask him for it when you can directly ask me?”
“Well, uhm, I thought you might not give it to me, so.”
He gave me his business card.
“Ah.” Right, a business card. What am I? An outsider, really?
“Are you done ordering?”
I am thinking... I'll take my revenge, now.
“I want all the dishes on these menu.” I'll let you spend more than what you should spend.
“Alright. Tristan, do as she says.”
“Ok, sir.”
He didn't complain. Why?!
“Don't dare leave this table until you finish all what you've ordered.”
“No way.” Tell me, how can I finish all those dishes?
“You asked for it.” He's a real jerk.
I kicked his leg under the table.
“Tristan!” He called for his secretary. “Add more dessert. My wife must've been so hungry.”
“You—!” I grabbed the glass of water and gulped it.
Tristan came with a bottle of wine and a document. He gave the document to Zayden, and poured our glass with wine.
“I'll bring your orders in a minute.” He left.
Zayden handed me the document.
“My terms during this marriage period.”
“What terms?” I opened the document.
✓Although this marriage is for convenience, act as a real wife in front of the media.
✓Don't meet Zerro, privately.
I could do the first, but the latter? I don't know. What if Zainea suddenly comes out?
“You could just say these to me. I can keep these in mind. Why bother write?”
“I don't like verbal contracts. Now, sign it.”
“Wait. I have my terms, also. Let's be fair. Hmm?” I take the pen on his hand.
✓No physical contact, as much as possible.
✓No meddling in each other's business.
Signed by: Zainea Amadeo
“There. Give me my copy on that.”
“No physical contact? My beloved wife, this is not possible.” He crossed it out.
“Hey! What do you mean not possible? We could do that! We won't be seeing each other frequently, so I see no problem with that. You have your company, and me, well, I have my own business to do too.”
“On your left.”
“Huh? Don't change the topic, Constello. Hand me that. You shouldn't remove what I wrote. You mustn't complain, too.”
“On your left,” he repeated.
“Urgh! What on your left, on your left are you—” I turned my head on my left.
Two suspicious man and woman avoided my gaze. They're sitting four tables away from us. I stared at them. The woman smiled at me.
“They're paparazzi.”
“Oww.” I beamed at the woman. “Why didn't you inform me earlier?”
“You're busy hating me. How could I?”
It's because your attitude is very hateful!
“Here are you orders.” Tristan, along with the chefs, came and prepared all the dishes on our table.
“Enjoy,” the head chief, I guess, said.
“Tristan.”
“Yes, ma'am?”
“Tsk. Stop calling me ma'am. Zai is fine.”
“But...”
“No buts. Can you carry my chair and move it beside Zayden?”
“President?”
Humph. Even this? You need to ask for his permission?
“Hayyy, never mind. I can carry it.” I carried my chair. Dude, it's heavy.
Zayden nodded at Tristan.
“Yes, President.” Tristan gets the chair on my hand and puts it beside Zayden.
“Thank you. You can leave us.”
Zayden started to eat.
“Eat more, honey.” I fill his plate with various dishes.
“Here, try this. This one too. And this. Oh, this shrimp looks delicious, have one.”
“What are you doing?”
“Feeding you. Try this fish. Say ahh.”
“I can feed myself.”
“I know. Say ahh.” He opened his mouth.
“How is it?” He chew the fish slowly.
“You should try it too.”
“Oh. No. I don't eat fish.”
“Me, too. But did I complain when you asked me to eat it?”
“Aish. Fine. For those paparazzi who followed us until here.”
He feeds me a piece of fish.
It tastes good. Who cooked this? I want to hire you.
“Since you ordered these. Eat everything, and don't leave any single one.”
“I... But—” He glared at me.
“I won't let you meet Caileigh Ruscitti tomorrow if you'll not finish all these.”
“Are you threatening me?” Because if yes, it works a lot! You don't know how much I want to meet that bitch.
“I'm offering you a deal.”
“Deal? It looks like a threat to me. You know what? I really want to punch your face.”
“That's what you get from your tricky plans. A double backfire.”
I can see victory in his face, and it's so irritating.
I started to eat, and I can almost finish half of the dishes.
I want to throw up. My stomach can't take it. There's no space for the rest.
Zayden ate, but it's just little! It's just a plate of steak! How dare he?
The desserts came.
Nooo.
“It's almost time. Take a look outside.”
“What again? Aren't you done torturing me?” My stomach aches, you jerk. I might not be able to stand! I'm so full!
He signalled me to look outside.
I'm at awe. The fireworks are so beautiful.
The people inside this building are taking pictures of it.
“Wow.”
At the end of the firework display, words appear one by one.
“I'm... So... Blessed... To... Be... Your... Husband...? How touching. Whoever did this, he's so sweet. Hey, you should learn from this—”
Zayden is standing beside me, holding a bouquet of red roses. He then kneeled.
“I'm so blessed to be your husband, Zainea Amadeo.”
“You...?” Gosh, heart. Why are you acting this way?!
I take the roses from him. He smiled.
No, please. Don't smile. You're making my heart fall. Really, why are you smiling?!
I know this is just for the benefit of those paparazzis and his image as Zainea's husband, but why am I smiling and acting this way?!
The people clapped. He stands up.
“Didn't I tell you to give me a heads-up before doing an action? I don't know how to react, dummy,” I whispered.
“I want to see your real reaction. Like that, your face's expression right now, it shows everything.”
“What... What reaction?” I touched my face. It's hot, idiot. Am I blushing?! I immediately take my glass, and drank the wine. However, it's not enough to lessen the hotness I'm feeling, so I took the bottle instead and drank from it. Geez, why did I take the bottle of wine instead of water?!
“What the?” Zayden grabs the bottle.
Zainea... You have a low tolerance of alcohol? I laughed. I feel like I'm going to vomit.
“You... Hmm. You have a twin?” Why am I seeing another Zayden?
“Are you drunk?”
“Who's drunk? How dare you threaten—” He covered my mouth. He takes the roses and puts it on the chair.
“Damn. You really are. Let's go home.” He assisted me. He holds my waist.
“President, what happened to her?”
“Hmmpp!” I removed his hand on my mouth. “Tristan, right? You... Why don't you just resign and work with me? I can pay you double. Zayden... That guy, he doesn't deserves you. See his face? It's expressionless,” I whispered and laughed.
“You need some punishment.”
“Who are you to punish me? You don't know me? I can... I can crash your career... I own an extensive enterprise, I'm telling you. I can destroy your life.”
“Pay the bill. I'll just take her home.”
“Yes, President.”
“Home? Take me to China or to Philippines, then. That's where my home is.”
“How could you drink from that bottle when you can't even handle a glass? Silly.”
“So, can you take me to China?”
“What China? Your home is here. France. What are you even blurting out? You're out of your mind.”
He carried me.
“Caileigh... Why did you betray me?”