When she remembered Conrad again, Meryll became upset. In the nearly two months since Conrad proposed to her, she felt that the man’s treatment towards her was slowly getting colder.
A wall seemed to be slowly growing between them and she knew it wasn't something she could just ignore.
She knew that sooner or later, there would be a serious gap between them. And she had to find a way to get rid of it between the two of them.
She loves Conrad and she won’t let anything to ruin everything just because of whatever pressure there is in the middle of them. She will not allow the day to come when he will lose all feelings for her. No. That can't happen.
A tear fell from her eyes. He was her everything. And she will do everything to keep him on her side. No matter what happen. Conrad belongs to her. And to her only.
-----------
Todd's face was expressionless as he watched how the woman in front of him was showing her attitude.
Unlike those passed three times they had met, she looks more beautiful now. She's well-dressed and her face was mixture of elegance and wildness.
She has light make up on her face but it didn't change her outlook that has Hispanic touch.
"Whom I owed this privilege of you asking me to meet with?" He asked after a while.
Her lips curved into a smirk and just by looking at it, he could not looked away his eyes from it.
He remembered how she bit his lips that night. And now, by just a glance on it, he suddenly felt the urge to get revenge.
"My lipstick shade is flaming red. You can buy it in Paris." She said.
From her lips, his gaze travels up to her eyes.
"You want me to buy you a lipstick?" He smirked.
"No. I'm just telling you so you will not keep your eyes looking at my lips. It's annoying."
He raised his eyebrow at once. This woman is really something.
"I just have a guess that the color was not fit with your personality. You should put black next time."
" Thanks for your suggestions but I don't need it. "
He heaved a sigh. He couldn't imagine how they will burn the night with this kind of conversation. Seems like sarcasm was their favorite cup of tea.
He cleared his throat. "What do you want to have? Drinks? Appetizer? We can order."
"Not yet. I had just finished throwing up at the restroom before you came." She said coldly.
"Why? Is your stomach upset? We can see the doctor if--"
"I'm pregnant." She cuts him off.
Todd seems not minding it for a moment. But frowned afterwards.
"You are what?"
"Do I have to make it more dramatic for you? You heard it and I won't repeat myself."
"So you just came to meet me to tell me that you are pregnant?" His voice suddenly sounds agitated.
"Honestly, yes." Her expression softens as she leaned forward.
"But..."
"Actually, I'm just here to ask you one thing.  I know you actually recognized me the moment we met at the elevator. And you even want to mention that you and I spent a night together before. So I'm sure you should know by now what I mean when I tell you about my situation."
"You mean, you are pregnant with my child?"
"Exactly." She nodded. "So I'm gonna ask about your concern on this matter. Will you gonna be a responsible Dad for the baby?" Siren keep herself guarded as she looked on his face. She didn't want anything else but an honest answer from him.
Earlier, she already braced herself on what to expect. She can't take no for an answer but she can't pushed herself to him if he would rejects her either.
She wants to make things clear on what to expect from her child's father.
"Wow ... That's a very aggressive way to ask someone to marry you." He commented with her boldness.
"It's just a matter of yes or no. If you will say yes, even if I don't have feelings for you, I'll set things up for the child's sake. But if you'll say no, I'll make sure not to bother you anymore. You don't have to expect anything from me then."
"But it's still my child. And I'm not irresponsible enough not to take my responsibility as a father." He glared at her.  She seemed to talk as if she was the only one who had the saddest part of the story.
It's a clearly reverse psychology in a not so obvious way.
"So I guess you are saying yes?" Her face lit up.
"I'm not saying yes either. Besides, this is a sudden thing and I'm not yet ready for it."
"I'm much younger than you, so cut that crap and be man enough to say what you are thinking."
"Younger? We are just at the same age. I remember you said that."
She looked away. "I lied. What's the surprise about that? I even lied about my name."
"So I guess I must be thinking twice about your pregnancy then?" He frankly said.
She looked at his eyes again with disdain on her face. "What are the stakes if I would lie to you about this?" She asked in an irritated manner. "I already told you that I don't have feelings for you."
"Then why are you saying these things?" Todd couldn't control his voice anymore. He had mixed emotions because of her sudden news and her sarcasm isn't helping the situation.
"Oh my God..." She dramatically wiped her forehead with her fingers. "Are you dumb or what? Did you eat too much calories that it also consumed your brain?"
For the first time in his life, he felt like he wants to grab the neck of a pregnant woman. Especially the one who's in front of him.
He took a harsh sigh before looking away. He calls the waiter to give themselves a break. Their conversation is even worse than the looming war of other nations.
"Ask everything that you want." He said coldly when the waiter arrives.
"Strawberry cake." She simply answered. Giving the waiter a childish smile as if they are not having an argument earlier.
"It's not good if you would eat cake at this hour." He resisted.
"I like eating strawberry now." She insisted.
Deep inside him, there's a smile he was so reluctant to show off. She's craving for a strawberry. Clearly it was because of her conception. Women are all the same when it comes to pregnancy.
After giving his order to the waiter, he looked at the woman's figure silently.
He noticed that she lose weight from before. Is she having a hard time during her first trimester? Isn't she starving a lot these days?
"Anyway, may I ask what's your work?" She breaks the silence between them.
"I'm a chef. And a restaurant chain owner."
"Restaurant owner?" She pouts. "How much is your net worth?"
"Why do you ask?" He sharply looked at her. Though she looks innocent in his eyes, he can't give his guard down.
"I'm just asking. I just want to know if me and my baby won't be getting dry if I would choose to marry you."
He scoffed. This woman had high hopes then.
"Marrying you? You seemed to be so interested in such thoughts, young lady."
Siren smirked while seeing him like this. She got the same reaction with Conrad before. Why do men hate it when a woman ask about their money?
"I'm not. I'm just asking if you could be a great provider for the family."
"Hah! Don't try to think that I'll be giving you money for your own expenses. You are just bearing my child, but not my wife."
"Who told you that I want to be your wife either?" She rolled her eyes. "What a jerk."
"What did you say?" He gave her a deadly glare.
"Didn't you heard it?" She gave him a smug look as a response.
"No."
"Calm yourself then. What you don't know won't hurt you."
Todd was about to say something when the server arrived. He first serve the strawberry cake to the woman. And the rest on him.
Siren quickly took her wallet and pull a hundred dollar bill. She fold it neatly and wrapped it with tissue.
Todd gets confused when the waiter thanked her multiple times.
"What is that?" He asked when the waiter left.
"Secret." She starts eating her food while smiling.
Todd couldn't say anything but just to roll his eyes.
---------
After dinner, Todd suggests that they should go home. Reminding her again and again that she was pregnant and she should sleep early.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" He asked when the lady was looking so reluctant of inviting him inside her home.
"I'm all alone here and we're not relatives so no." She said.
"But I'm your child's father. I do have the right to invade your privacy." He shoved his hands on his pockets.
"As you said, you're just the father of my child. But not my husband." She sneered.
"Oh Goodness..." He's getting really exasperated. At this point, even if they don't have a relationship, they always end up in an annoying argument. How would it be if they are about to live under one roof?
"But since, you look like a decent man, I'll let you come inside." She opened the door for him.
Upon entering the woman's home, Todd felt ashamed of himself.
Earlier, when Siren asked how much his net worth was, he thought that she only wants money.
But with what he's seeing inside the woman's residence, he realizes that his assumptions about her are wrong.
"How much is the rate for this place?" He asked as he sat on the couch.
"Have a guess. People are quite good in guessing things about me." She answered.
Todd bit his tongue. Is she referring to him?
"How about you move in to my place? It's not as big and luxurious as this, but at least you don't have to mind your rent every dues."
Siren, who was sitting on the opposite side, let out a faint laugh.
"No, thanks. But I'm comfortable living here alone."
"But in my place, at least I can attend to all your needs and wants. I can even cook anything you want." He was so convincing.
"I can handle myself well. Besides, I don't know how to do works at home. I don't want to be with a person who would expect me to do chores at home."