Jealousy

Before Vivian could talk, she felt his lips on hers. Her eyes grew wide with surprise. Her husband was roughly kissing her such that her lips might end up bruised.

Vivian tried pushing him away but he had cornered her against the wall. He pressed his body against hers so that she could not move an inch. His right hand was at the back of her head, so she could not avoid his kiss.

‘What the heck is wrong with this person?! This was the first time he did something like this.’

Sure they kissed before but never that way. Mostly, they only kissed for show. Their first kiss was when she signed the deal. The second was when they shot a video for their engagement and the third was at their wedding. The others were after their wedding night before he departed.

But this was entirely different. It was a searing kiss out of anger and he was so violent. Not that he was truly hurting her or anything but it’s not the kind of kiss she wanted the first time they met after three years.

He had never kissed her like that before either. His intensity was too much for her. She could feel that he was furious. And he directed his anger that way.

At least it wasn’t what she was thinking. She thought for a second that she might end up getting killed. Maybe he remembered that he had promised not to hurt her.

‘I really hit his pride, didn’t I? Did I just embarrass him in front of his people? It must have been a great insult to him.

‘What do I do now?’

But before Vivian could do anything, he forcefully opened her lips and she gasped when she felt his tongue intrude her mouth and touch her own.

He held her tightly and kept her still despite her efforts to push him off. He held both her wrists when she kept pushing him. He was too strong for her. He explored her mouth like she really was his wife.

‘Wait. I’m his wife. That’s right. But I am not his lover.’

Once again, his mouth turned violent. He was treating her with anger. Vivian worried about how her lips might end up after that and her wrists honestly hurt. He had tightened his grip when she tried to wriggle free.

Vivian thought of biting Zander’s lips but it would be hard to explain to his cohorts later. If they did not know that they were only married due to a deal, they might treat her differently if they knew that she was rejecting their boss.

She thought that he must be psychic. He suddenly held her jaw. She could not bite him now. And with how his tongue was moving around inside her mouth, she couldn’t even keep up with what was going on anymore.

‘Did he really think I cheated? This damned bastard thinks he can just do as he pleases. In his dreams! We haven’t seen each other in three years.’

When he finally stopped, she gathered her strength and was finally able to push him off before he could go further. She almost slapped him but he caught her hand and held her wrist.

“You haven’t seen your husband in three years and you can’t even accept a kiss? You’re even slapping me now?” he asked incredulously, looking royally pissed that he looked like Asura himself.

“Jerk,” Vivian said with venom in her eyes. She did not back down. She couldn’t help getting annoyed as well.

“I am your husband. I nearly died and that’s the first thing you say to me?”

“Oh, really? I almost forgot I was married,” she scoffed.

Well, he was right. He nearly died and all, so maybe, she should go easy on him. But she was still annoyed at him for not trusting her. As if she could go sleeping with another man while her husband was missing.

Zander did not reply and just stared at her. Vivian tensed when his right hand closed in on her face. She closed her eyes and tilted her face away in fear of a slap. But she felt a gentle caress on her cheek instead.

“Did I make you lonely?” she heard him say in a low gentle voice. She slowly opened her eyes.

He looked so sincere when he asked that, that she suddenly felt guilty for almost slapping him and thinking that he would slap her.

“No.”

Vivian thought that she had no reason to be lonely. Why would she feel lonely when she’s used to being alone? She’s also used to not having a man so she didn’t mind not seeing her husband. They had no feelings for each other anyway.

More importantly, she was so busy making money that she had no time to be lonely. She was content with the gifts she received on special days.

He leaned in to kiss her again but stopped midway.

“Then why were you about to slap me?” he asked. He looked hurt when she had not even slapped him.

“You were so rough. You promised you wouldn’t be violent,” she pouted.

“I did. . . I promised that. But I wasn’t being violent at all.”

“I think you’re underestimating your strength mister,” she showed him her wrists and his eyes widened. She harrumphed as he examined it with a guilty look in his eyes.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he gently caressed her reddened wrist with his thumb.

“Well, you just did,” she pursed her lips.

“I . . . I’m sorry,” he kissed her wrists.

‘Was he not used to giving an apology?’

“Fine. As long as you don’t do it again since my bones might break if there’s a next time.”

He flinched. He didn’t seem to like breaking any of her bones at least.

“Your bones are so small,” he blinked after he felt up her wrists.

The look on his face said that he agreed that he might break her bones if he held it too tightly again. He gently caressed her wrists with his thumbs and kissed it again.

“It's fine now,” she pulled away her hands in embarrassment. That was the first time a guy did that to her. And he did it twice.

“You are so frail, indeed,” he said as looked at her from head to foot.

“I am not. You are just much stronger than me,” Vivian retorted. He caressed her hands this time and held them in his huge hands.

“You said you wouldn’t have an affair with other guys,” he brought out her promise from three years ago.

“And I didn’t. I didn’t break my word. He’s just a friend,” Vivian retorted. They were back on that topic again.

‘Why is he looking at me like that? It’s not like we are lovers.

‘Sure I said I wouldn’t have an affair with other guys since I was not interested. But why was he acting like a jealous husband? He could stop acting now. He truly can get the best actor award. I’ll concede.’

“Stop acting now. You don’t have to act like a jealous husband when no one’s even watching,” Vivian sighed and she was puzzled when Zander was wide-eyed and did not speak for a few seconds before he said:

“Any husband would be insulted and jealous if their wife exchanged kisses with some random man right in front of them.”

“It wasn’t even a real kiss. And Danny is my friend, not a random guy.”

After she said that, she felt his lips on hers again. He kissed her like he owned her and he only stopped when she was breathless.

“Friend? Or lover? Why won’t you be honest? We’re alone right now. I heard you call him ‘baby’ just a while ago,” her husband said after her breathing calmed.

“Ugh. I never knew you were so annoying.” He almost kissed her again but she covered his mouth with the palm of her hand.

“He is just a friend. I have known him since middle school. I even know most of his ex-boyfriends. He is like a brother and a sister to me. There’s nothing romantic or sexual between Danny and me.”

“Can I trust those words?”

“Yes. I swear it’s true.”

“Alright,” her husband finally said and Vivian sighed meekly.

“But I still need to show the boys how jealous I can be. I need to show my cohorts that I am staking my claim,” he said and carried her to the couch and seated her. He settled himself beside her and suddenly licked and kissed her wrist.

Vivian’s eyes bulged as he repeated the gesture.

“Eeek! Gross. Stop it!” She felt like her hair just stood on its ends.

“What did you say?!” Zander smiled eerily. He looked insulted.

“Oops. I didn’t mean it that way. Sorry,” she quickly explained. She was just surprised at the feeling of his tongue. She was inexperienced with such things.

“Did you just call me gross? You’re saying I disgust you?”

“No. No. Not at all, my dear husband.”

“STRIP. We are consummating this marriage right now,” Zander said all too seriously that Vivian panicked. She needed to escape from him.

“What? No way! I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean it that way. I just –” she sighed, feeling embarrassed.

“Just?”

“I’m not used to this. I’m not used to men touching me.”

“Oh. Then don’t move.” He seems to have calmed down a bit but he had a weird smile on his lips.

“I just have to leave marks on visible parts of your body to serve as proof. My cohorts knew I haven’t seen you for a while so I have to pretend to be eager,” Zander smirked.

“And with all your flirting with another man right in front of me, you need some punishment. With kiss marks on your skin, they will surely interpret it as something else,” Zander continued and Vivian felt like he had some kind of insidious plan.