Fleeing the Nightmarish Father novel Chapter 17

“Have you thought about any activity?” He sparked the conversation, arching an eyebrow.

Thankfully not sounding as awkward as before. Maybe he was not used to speaking first?

“Not anything for now. Are we going to have a honeymoon?” I sighed, leaning on the armrest.

He shrugged, “If necessary to convince people.”

“Why do you care about people? Why do you want to show them that you are happy when you are clearly not?” I asked compassionately.

Not once since our meeting, have I seen him doing anything for himself…

“It doesn’t concern you.” He scoffed like always.

“What if I say I want to have a honeymoon?” I smirked, raising my eyebrows to tease him.

“Why don’t you go alone?” He suggested with the same smirk, intentionally to piss me off.

“Alone on honeymoon?”

“Yeah, it will be a great new experience for you.” He winked.

“I wonder if you deliberately talk like this only to frustrate me.” I growled, glaring at him but he rose from his seat, the tempting smirk not leaving his lips.

I opened my mouth to mock him but he took a step closer and pinched my cheeks, staggering me, and walked away with a chuckle.

“Who knows?”

Shaking my head to not be affected, I got up, going after him. I remember our last confrontation, he was a man of stone. I felt nothing this time.

“Where are you going now?” I questioned, going after him.

“On a walk.” He replied.

“Wait, I will join you.”

He frowned, “I don’t recall inviting you.”

“I am going nonetheless.” I smirked, finally having one thing to piss him about.

We went on a walk in the evening. I was taken aback to find people coming to him and greeting him. And him being a faker, he flashed his charming smile, greeting them with sweetness too.

His fake gallantry aside, I didn’t expect people to be this attracted towards him. Giving me the same respect as I was his wife.

“Wow, it seems like you are respected too much.” I whispered when we were finally away from everyone. Still in shock.

“I am and I want it to remain like this.” He replied calmly.

“Maybe they don’t know you.” I muttered, not believing someone would willingly respect him.

“What do you mean?” He asked, confused.

“Everyone knows you are notorious for being selfish and arrogant. I don’t find any reasons for them to be this close to you, might be to be in your good book?” I chuckled dryly, snickering at him which made him frown.

He glanced down at my small form for a second, narrowing his eyes suspiciously but gave no reply.

Not paying heed to his reaction, I asked casually as it had been a week yet no sign of what he originally planned.

“Anyways, how are you going to convince me to hate Jared and Veronica?”

At my question, he stopped instantly, causing me to bump into him, “What the-”

He paused, turning to me slowly, calling me in a low, tempting tone so others won’t hear it.

“Darling.”

I paused when he called, turning to me, eyes scanning around and after reassuring everyone was busy in their world, he closed our gap, showing his malevolent aura.

“We just got married. There is a whole year ahead of us. Let’s not be hasty.”

But honestly, we were a total opposite of each other and adjusting was hard in just a week.

“You are honestly frustrating me.” He sighed, shaking his head in disappointment and setting the table.

Yeah, I came to know that the one who made our bed and set our things constantly was not a maid and in fact ‘him’.

He was used to things being organized, always ready and immaculate.

I smirked teasingly and plopped on the couch, “Why did you marry me then? I was not dying to marry you.”

He growled, trying to ignore me but I continued to push his buttons for fun.

“That is why one should be in a relationship after knowing another person. That is what you get for marrying a stranger.”

I was about to continue but he exhaled loudly, putting his hands in the air to stop me from continuing and reminding me that it was ‘his’ choice.

“Okay, okay, enough, I get it, it’s my fault.” He hissed, taking his office bag and everything.

“That you are a perfectionist?” I smirked.

“That I talked to you. I am leaving for work.”

He corrected my words and was about to leave and out of the blue, I spoke what I didn’t intend to.

I chuckled, waving my hand at him, “Take care. And don’t forget to have lunch.”

And surprisingly he waved his hand back and left for work with the unexpected reply, “You too.”

“What the-”

We both stopped, stunned for a second and looked at each other for a few seconds. What the hell were we thinking?! Blinking to fathom how normally we acted and shaking our heads in denial with both turned our heads away.

Without further words, we went to our respective works, having no idea where this life was going to lead.