Chapter 4: Heartless Plans

At 10 pm, the man opened the door only to find out his wife sleeping on the couch in a worse condition. He silently kneeled in front of the sofa and stared at her peaceful face. 

She was having a strange dream. Her husband was staring at her affectionately while caressing her face. When she opened her eyes, she was stunned at the sight if him. He found him staring at her and her senses were awake in an instant. She stood immediately and regained her composure. "Have you eaten?" she asked quietly. He shook his head. "Come on, lets eat. Eat with me." she said shyly and he stared at her foolishly. Not only she waited for him, she even cooked food! He felt a gentle tug on his heart. 

While his head was busy processing the sudden attack of his wife, he was suddenly awaken when he felt her delicate hands carefully removing his tie. When she finally removed it, she held his jacket and removed it in the same manner. He was overwhelmed. Something was really wrong with her. He felt a tug on his hands and he was dragged to the kitchen by her. 

He's confused but also happy inside. He is very entertained by the show his wife was putting... She wasn't evil. She just want to end their marriage as soon as possible. 

Rei knew his wife was up to something. He just can't think what exactly. And he didn't know how cruel it is. Meanwhile he is still speechless and all he could do was follow her. 

Alina tried her best to act. This is her stage. She have to act to gain her freedom. People use money to control things, now she uses her talent.

They both sat in the table without saying a word. "Rei." she called him, "Hmm?" he answered. "What exactly is your occupation?" she shyly asked out of genuine curiosity. They have been together for months but she barely knew anything about him. "I manage my father's company." he briefly answered. "Then... Where are you working?" she asked again, more like a child who is asking her mother which way they are going. "Andromeda Corporation." he answered. "You cooked this?" he asked. She nodded. "Is it bad? I might not be used to cook in this big kitchen." she guiltily said. "No. Its fine." he smiled at her but she is still absentmindedly thinking about her next moves. 

Andromeda. It is an influential corporation across the country. If she was not mistaken, it even reached international countries. So he is really influential. 

"Rei, why did you chose to marry me?" she bravely asked even if she has a trace of fear in her resolute eyes. He looked at her in the eyes and stop eating for a while, he pretended to think carefully then he looked at her again. 

"Nothing. I just want to." he said nonchalantly and she could almost see his eyes illuminating a strange flicker. It was a deadlock for both of them. Neither of them spoke and just stared at each other in silence. She didn't know what she would feel. Her head was in confusion. Deep inside she want to mock him. Is it possible to marry at first glance? Isn't that feeling too shallow? But she didn't voice it out. She want to please him. She want to please him so that she can throw him as soon as possible. He wants to marry her? How? They doesn't know each other. Is it possible to marry someone you just met? Was he just smitten by her looks? 

They finish eating and the atmosphere turned so awkward. He got to the room while she washed the dishes. After she's done washing them, she went upstairs to sleep. She felt complicated when she reached the door. How is she supposed to behave? Asking that 'question' seemed so stupid now. She gather her courage and opened the door. She saw him sleeping sideways and must not saw her enter. She sat on the edge of the bed and was extra careful not to disturb the man sleeping. But she was was startled when she he spoke. 

"Don't you believe me?" he asked, his eyes still closed. 

"No, don't misunderstand, I just think that its strange. It was my first time seeing you and you said you want to marry me. I was just thinking-" he cut her off. "It was not my first time seeing you. I always see you but I didn't dare approach you. I always see you, unexpectedly." he whispered. 

How was he so gentle? Is he acting too? 

"I want you..." he said in an exhausted voice. She stayed silent and lied down beside him. 

"You should rest. I know you're tired." she whispered to him. 

If he knew her plans of making him fond of her only to dump him sooner, what would he feel? Could he still dare to say those words as honest as he does now?

HIS POV 

She suddenly acts weird. I know it. But I don't know exactly. What is it? I closed my eyes tightly and tried to fall asleep. 

"You should rest. I know you're tired." I let her voice carry my troubles away and drifted to sleep. 

~~~

"Why did you call us here? It is rare to see you leaving your office." Nico welcomed me with such words. I gulped the liquor which smoothly entered my throat. 

"How's your honeymoon going eh?" Jared the dumbass asked. 

"We didn't have honeymoon." I asked. 

"Should we be surprised? You never loved." Ace said sarcastically. "Yeah, and you too. So shut up." I answered and stared at the bottle in front of me. 

"I want her to know my feelings. I badly want to. But I don't know how... I'm lost." 

"You care for her right? Just let her feel it." -Nico

"I've long forgotten how to care. I don't know what to do." I sighed in defeat. Fuck... 

"I'm not even sure of what I feel." 

"What do you mean?" 

I sighed again before responding. "It felt like I want to marry her. When I first saw her... She's like the sun. So bright." I shook my head at those overrated words.

"Hearing those words from you are weird. I thought you don't give a fuck to all those women you see." Ace seemed confused. 

I don't know. I dont really know. 

"When I saw her, it was different. It feels like she's so familiar yet we were strangers..." I whispered and let myself drown on my thoughts. 

"Do you still do it?" Jared suddenly turned serious, which is rare. 

"N-no." I hesitantly said. They all become serious all of a sudden. What's with the sudden change of mood? I will not do 'it'. I stopped doing it. Because if I do? I cannot go back to what I used to. Everything will change. 

"Please stop doing that Rei, not for our sake, not for your father, but at least for your wife." -Ace

I shutted my mouth and thought about the old times when I did that. That's a calamity. But nothing compared to those memories I'm trying to run away from. They are concerned about me. I know that. But how? How to forget? How to run away? When everything is on my shadow? How to overcome something which became a part of me? 

"You are very aware of the catastrophe it brought Rei. Please don't let that happen again. I'm begging you..." Ace added seriously. I sighed. 

"It is sooo hard to forget asshole. Why is it fucking hard? Tss." I gulped directly from the bottle because it felt like one glass wouldn't be enough. I drowned myself to this everytime. Drowning in liquor is better than drowning yourself with the memories you're trying to forget. 

"You don't know that don't you? When it just hurts like hell and you drown yourself from pain. You want to end it all but you can't. You remember painful memories every single time. Yet you can't do anything but to stay there and live at my own hell." I said blankly. 

"Why don't you tell her? Maybe she could-" 

"No. And don't you ever tell her."