Chapter 4

"I've told you many times, don't ever prepare food or touch my things, whatever! If you have ears, you should know what I'm saying!"

The sound was booming to the beat of the heart. Instantly a chill filled the room. It was as if the air supply had been forcibly taken away, leaving a feeling of tightness in Velove's chest. This is not the first time Darwin has spoken harshly or given him a warning.

A month has passed. But, still, he did not have a single good attitude that Darwin showed to his wife. Like this morning, before going to work, for the umpteenth time, Velove took the initiative to prepare his breakfast menu for himself and his husband to eat.

However, instead of appreciating, let alone thanking him, the man was curt. Maybe he was annoyed because Velove didn't listen to what he had repeatedly said.

"You should try this food first, Win. You don't need to be afraid, I won't put poison in your food."

"Why should I try your cooking? Just try marriage. I don't want to make my own life miserable anymore."

The man then left. Leaving Velove, who was again silent in his chair. Staring sadly at the figure of a man who until this moment, did not even want to appreciate it.

Want to cry? Velove's tears were dry. Want to complain? Unfortunately, Velove is not the type of spoiled child who likes to complain about the bad luck he experienced with his parents.

Velove also didn't want to worry his father. That's why all the bad behaviour that Darwin showed, he kept to himself all this time. Hoping that one day the man will realize and want to look at himself a little.

"Non Velove, do you want me to clean up the food or leave it alone?" Rani's remark, one of the household assistants who had been working with her husband for a long time, suddenly made Velove wake up from his reverie. Looking up, he then flashed a smile.

"Just clean it up, sis. I'm also done and want to get ready to go to work."

"Please just understand Pak Darwin's behavior, miss," Rani said bravely. While cleaning up the dirty dishes on the table, he spoke quietly. "In fact, originally Mr. Darwin was kind. I don't know now if I have the devil, can I become as grumpy as I am now."

Velvet nodded. As an old worker, Rani certainly knows the behaviour or character of her employer very well. And from the beginning of moving to Darwin's house, Rani was also very close and became Velove's friend to tell stories.

There is so much that Rani tells and shares with Velove. From the matter of what Darwin likes and dislikes. Even before marriage, the husband often brought his girlfriend to stop by the house.

"Yes, Ms. Rani. I understand. Maybe Darwin still doesn't want to accept the fact that he has to marry me."

"In fact, non-Velove beauty is everywhere compared to Pak Darwin's bitchy old girlfriend. He doesn't even want to scold me at all," the woman muttered while protruding her lips in annoyance.

Velvet smiled again. The woman got up, ready to leave.

"Yes, maybe he's really in love. But that's okay. Slowly, I'm sure I can make Darwin eventually like me."

"I will support non-Velove 100%," said Rani, raising two thumbs at Velove.

"All right. Then I'll go to work first. For dinner, Ms. Rani will prepare it. Just cook Mr. Darwin's favorite food. Incidentally, today I came home a little late because I had to work overtime at the end of the month."

Velove then left to go to the car quickly. From the beginning, he worked and led the Caribbean, one of his father's subsidiaries engaged in the retail sector. After marriage, Velove decided to continue his career. After all, being a successful independent woman is a dream from the past.

Arriving at the office, Deasy was already waiting in front of the room. Carrying a folder containing a collection of files, the woman immediately followed suit when Velove entered her room.

"Ms. Velove, there are a number of things that need to be revised. I think you missed some important points," said the woman.

Velove sat first in the work chair. Grabbing the folder Deasy gave him, he immediately checked what his secretary and best friend meant.

"Oh my gosh. This really went too far. Maybe, yesterday I wasn't focused enough so I didn't check if I forgot something."

Deasy smiled knowingly. He thought maybe his best friend was tired or had a lot on his mind. Besides, it's the end of the month now. Usually, the work will pile up more and more, asking to be completed immediately.

"In that case, I'll just stay here and let Mrs. Velove re-read it. If you need help, just call me right away."

Velvet nodded. After a while, she heard the woman let out a long breath. His slightly tense face indicated that there was something she was thinking about.

"Ve, are you okay?" whispered Deasy. The beautiful-looking woman immediately approached her position while leaning her face.

"I'm fine Des. Just a little dizzy."

"You must be sick?"

Velvet shook his head.

"No. I'm not sick. It's just ----"

"Your husband is upsetting again?" guessed Deasy. He seemed to be starting to understand what was going on with his boss.

As a subordinate who is also a friend, Deasy often listens to Velove's outpourings. There was nothing that this beautiful woman had to hide, including the rough temper and evil behaviour that Darwin often shows.

Deasy got angry. He even advised Velove to separate immediately or at least reciprocate any rude behaviour that the man did.

However, because his fundamentals were sound, Velove still took Deasy's words as wind. He didn't even have the slightest intention of repaying the cruel acts that Darwin often showed him.

"Darwin doesn't throw tantrums," Velove argued. He's lazy, still this early morning to hear lectures from his best friend.

"So? What's the headache?"

"Thinking about the end of month deadline, Dec. I have some work to finish today too. That's why my head really hurts."

"Are you sure it's not because of Darwin?" Deasy probed once more. Convinced himself that what he accused happened or not.

"Really. This is because of work," Velove said again, trying to convince the woman in front of him.

"All right. In that case, I'll clean up a bit of my work in a moment. After that, I'll help you finish one by one the deadlines that have to be sent today. But ... if Darwin messes up again, I'm asking you to get back at him. Don't be too quiet, Ve. Don't want your pride to be trampled on."

Velvet smiled. Lazy to bother, he just nodded at what Deasy had just said.

***

Darwin massaged the nape of his neck, which felt very tense. A few minutes earlier, he had just finished attending a meeting with several boards of directors.

Just leaning back on the chair, the room door was knocked. As soon as he looked up, he found Samuel and Randa, who were walking towards him carrying a medium-sized box that he didn't know what it contained.

"Why don't you stop by and let me know first?" Darwin said when his two cousins pulled the chair in front of him. Samuel can be seen handing over the box she brought first before sitting there.

"No time, Win. After the meeting, I was immediately ordered to deliver this to you," said the man, pointing to the box he had just handed over.

Darwin's brows furrowed deeply. Straightening up, the man pulled the box on the table, so it was closer to him. Intend to check for yourself what's in it.

"What is this?"

"That's blackforest," Samuel said. He sat down, relaxed and folded his arms in front of his chest. "Luna made it. I once told you that you really like blackforest. Coincidentally, last night she made lots to share."

"Never mind you. I just got the cake delivered right away last night. I don't know if it's just cooked or what. What's certain is that it will be delivered directly to my house." Randa, who had been sitting quietly, now added to Samuel's words.

Darwin himself immediately smiled broadly. Pleased with the attention her cousin-in-law gave her.

"Your wife is very kind. She cares for her husband, children and the whole family. She remembers everything right down to her cousin."

"Really! Luna has always been like that. She thinks about everyone who goes to the orphanage. That's why I love her even more," Samuel continued later.

Darwin nodded in agreement. He did not dispute Samuel's statement. As a man who has known Luna for a long time, Darwin knows that his cousin's wife is indeed kind and caring.

"It's really nice to be married to a woman who cares. Especially one who loves each other like you. You're very lucky."

Samuel chuckled. He understood what Darwin meant. He also knew that his cousin had always been annoyed because, in the end, he had to be arranged and forced to marry a woman he didn't love.

One year after returning from South Korea, Samuel knew that Darwin was so happy to continue his relationship with his lover, who had been in LDR for quite a while. Samuel recalled that her cousin was already preparing to propose and ask her lover to marry her.

However, Darwin's hopes vanish when his father sets him up with another woman for a specific reason. Samuel remembered how stressed Darwin was at that time. It's hard to refuse. However, it still didn't change in the slightest on Gerald's decision to marry his son to the woman of his choice.

Samuel did not forget that Darwin spent almost three days in a row at bars or nightclubs to get drunk. He and Randa got dizzy because they had to take turns bringing their cousins home and tried to give understanding so that Darwin would not continue to be sad.

"Who said I married the woman I love? Compared to you, I'm worse off, Win. From the start, Luna and I weren't compatible. At the beginning, the two of us even fought more often. Where did Luna get so annoying. If not tender from Pakuwon, maybe I won't marry him."

Randa, next to Samuel, chuckled. He was also tired of hearing about Darwin, who always complained about his marriage at every meeting.

"You should take a course with Samuel first, Win. In the end, the two of them can even unite and even love each other as long as there is a will. Oh, you? It's okay to refuse first. It doesn't even seem like you're giving your wife a chance to get closer or get to know each other ."

Darwin, this time sighed lazily. The thought of having to be nice to Velove made him sick.

"You haven't felt in my position yet, Ran. How nice is it to have to get married and even live in the same house with a woman you don't like."

"Ah, that's how you feel," mocked Randa. "Didn't Samuel used to be like that with Luna?"

"But before that, Samuel had known each other, even though it was only limited to bosses and superiors? Was it me? Really didn't know each other at all."

"Just the same, Win," said Randa.

"Different, Ran," grumbled Darwin. He was so annoyed himself arguing with his cousin. "I just pray that you also feel the name of being arranged to marry a foreign woman you really don't know, like, or love. So you know what it's like to be in my position."

Randy laughed loudly. He was not offended or angry at the prayer Darwin said for him. He was used to hearing his cousin angry or grumbling.

"But after marriage, you haven't drunk anymore, have you?" This time it was Samuel who asked again. Make sure that the man repeats the bad habits that Darwin once did.

"No," Darwin shook his head. "You don't need to worry. I've never been to a bar or nightclub again."

"Good," said Randa. "It's bothering other people. What you didn't realize at that time was that Samuel and I got dizzy ourselves."

"Yes. When you were unconscious, Randa and I wanted to give you antimo," said Samuel.

Darwin pulled his face in. Why did Randa suddenly think of giving him all kinds of Antimo drugs?

"What are you doing? You want to kill me?"

"No!" Randy shook his head. "Indiscriminately want to kill! Antimo is an anti-drunken drug. Who knows, if you are given the drug, you can immediately sober up and your hangover will immediately disappear," joked Randa innocently.

"Yes, it's not connected, stupid! Where is there a correlation with alcohol drunkenness given motion sickness medicine. You crazy cousin."

Darwin immediately grumbled. Indeed, it was his fate to have a cousin whose behaviour was equally bold and sometimes very absurd.

"That's it. I want to go back first. If I stay here too long, I'll even be neglected with work."

Samuel got up quickly. Randa followed after. The two men hugged Darwin first. Only after leaving the room.

Not even a few seconds before the door to the room of the sad-eyed man was closed, the sound of knocking on the door was heard again, followed by the sound of footsteps. Without looking up, Darwin, who had just focused his eyes on the laptop screen, immediately reprimanded him. He believed that the one who entered just now must have been his secretary.

"Why Alisa? Did you finish the report this morning?"

No answer at all. Lifting his face, Darwin immediately showed a look of surprise. There was a figure of a woman he loved now standing right in front of him.

"Vicky."

The one who called his name immediately smiled broadly. Step forward. Approaching the position where Darwin was sitting.

"I'm not disturbing your work time, am I?"

Darwin shook his head. Even though he is busy, he will not mind setting aside time for his idol.

"Why didn't you come here before?" asked Darwin curiously. Usually, it was he who picked up or met Vicky first.

"I really miss you. We haven't seen each other for three days. That's why I just came here right away."

"Sorry, honey. The past few days I've really had a very busy work schedule. Please don't be angry."

Vicky just smiled. Not the least bit angry or annoyed after hearing the reason Darwin had just conveyed to him. He was mean when his girlfriend was busy taking care of her work.

"It's okay. I know you're busy. The important thing is, now I can meet you."

Darwin didn't respond to anything except pulling Vicky's body, so he sat on his lap. Immediately, he planted a long, deep kiss. I want to treat the longing that his lover is feeling.

"You miss me so much?" Darwin whispered as he broke the kiss.

"Yes, please. I want to hug you for a long time," Vicky replied while stroking Darwin's lips which were wet from their last kiss. "How about we just go to my apartment? You really don't want to miss me?"

Vicky's eyes looked playful. Deliberately teasing the man who is now holding his body.

Darwin immediately pulled the corners of his lips high. How could he refuse an offer to spend time with the woman he loves so much? After all, it was common for the two to spend time together.

"Okay, let's go to your apartment."

Then at that moment, Darwin got up. Ignore his work. Prefer to leave. If necessary, he doesn't need to go home today so Vicky feels satisfied spending time with him.