Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Sofia's Pov

I'm so screwed.

That was the only thing I could think of as I went to bed that night and I woke up the next morning when I heard a piercing cry of a baby, when did we get a baby?

Oh my goodness, I sprang up from the bed and carried her from her crib that had been transferred to my room, I quickly fetched her feeding bottle from the food warmer and started feeding her.

She slurped on the bottle and I was relieved that she had calmed down, but I hoped all that noise didn't wake up her father.

It was past five in the morning and I'm used to waking up early but not this early, I yawned exhausted, and smiled at the cute brown hair angel in my arms.

Her bright brown eyes shone brighter as she grabbed my hair still sucking on her feeding bottle, I giggled and released the strands she captured in her tight grasp.

I have always wondered how babies can manage to do that despite being small and fragile, "I guess you aren't as cute as you look, you are a tough little girl aren't you, Jojo" I kissed her forehead and she ceased from sucking then proceeded to start mumbling in baby language.

She was so cute I found it funny but the smile on my face didn't last long as my door opened, I wasn't expecting to see Mark and I thought I was fast enough to attend to her.

He really needs a less violent and repulsive entrance, I gulped as he stared at me with bloodshot eyes and he was still in his suit, making me wonder if he was sleeping or working.

He said his wife died and it must be recent, judging from his cold attitude towards me and he is probably still mourning.

"I thought I heard her crying" He grumbled gruffly and I shook my head knowing better than to say the truth in this situation, "She is eating now so we need a quiet atmosphere" I faked a smile that appeared genuine, that's my excuse to throw the aggravating man out and I wasn't joking a bit him scaring my baby because she is already paying too much attention to the source of the terrifying voice.

Did I just call her my baby?

What is--

"Are you throwing me out, Sofia?" He challenged me in a scary tone and the way he called my name spreads goosebumps all over my skin, I should be so worried about how my heart races at the sound of his voice but I am.

Who knows what this man can do to me?

We might have forged some sort of alliance earlier and as long as I take care of his children then I'm going to survive, but I couldn't help but think about the what-ifs...

What if he kills me when I'm no longer useful to him?

Or what if he kills my brother instead?

That was worse than dying for me and a ruthless man like him knows that, "No, just stating facts" I replied in my best neutral tone trembling inside, I was happy my fake bravado worked as he sighed and felt the room shutting the four behind him.

I heaved a sigh of relief and continued with feeding Jojo, I couldn't believe that actually worked.

So the best way to keep up is to look unbothered or show confidence, any sign of weaknesses can be exploited and I would be at the receiving end.

Jojo went back to sleep so I did too.

I was still on my bed when I felt a tug on my toes, I opened my eyes to see those blue big eyes and I smiled at Luis.

Unlike his baby sister, he is easy to understand and maybe my theory about this being their mother's room has proven to be true, they know how to move and around to the extent that the baby knows how to climb the bed, it might be low and easy to climb based on how it's designed but it felt like they had done this countless times.

"Good morning, cutie" I sighed and stood up to go prepare food for him, his sister was still asleep and I made sure to move around quietly.

I carried him and headed to check their own room and wasn't shocked to see it in a disorganized state, they had toys and plushies all over the place and I figured out he was hungry now so I decided to prepared breakfast for him.

By the time I got downstairs the aroma of bacon, scrambled eggs and pancakes filled the air, I smiled glad that the maids beat me to it I headed for the kitchen with Luis in my hand.

My feet came to a halt when I saw the broad squared shoulders, I gasped as Mark skillfully flipped the pancake and he was wearing an apron.

I guess he's doing this for his children and I wished I experienced this while growing up, instead, I learned to cook at the age of twelve, my father never cooked for us and my mom did all the work.

He tensed as if he noticed I was there, I wondered why the maids weren't present when I needed them as a distraction.

"Good morning" I smiled and he turned off the cooker and veered at the sound of my voice, if I thought the back view was good then maybe I wasn't prepared to see the front view.

His black button-down shirt was left open and I spotted the black inks, I quickly looked away so I wouldn't start ogling and my cheeks heated and I froze as he walked toward me.

Then I remembered I was holding his son as he took him away from me, Luis giggled as his father ruffled his hair and I felt left out of their bonding time.

"You can sit and join us for dinner, where is Joey?" He asked finally diverting his attention towards me and I flinched at the intensity of his gaze.

Those piercing blue eyes pierced into my soul and I was scared he could see how terrified I was, afraid he would see how much of a mess I was inside and how I longed for affection and love.

I'm never going to get that now.

Not all dreams come true, right?

"She is asleep after waking up so early I assume she is exhausted" I replied and he nodded drawing out a chair for me in the dining area, I blinked at his act of kindness and sat down quietly, he went back and brought a plate of pancakes.

After he was done setting the table I didn't have the guts to eat, if he is Mark Carvajal then why is he cooking for me?

A mafia that knows how to cook?

Sounds like a trap to me, so I just played with the food ignoring the urge to eat, "I thought the maids helped with stuff like this?" I asked and he ignored me feeding Luis.

"I don't allow anyone to cook my food for me, I was poisoned once so that mistake can't repeat itself. You probably think I poisoned you right? That's why you still haven't touched your food" He shook his head as if I was overreacting.

Has he meant the man in front of me? The one who killed someone at the altar and the one who threatened to kill me if I was useless to him.

"I'm not going to kill you if you prove your worth" He interjected.

That convinced me to take a bite from the pancake and I moaned in delight, I lifted my gaze only to meet with his deadly glare.

What did I do this time?

I gulped and drank from the cup of water beside my plate, I started choking as I rushed the water.

I felt embarrassed and he looked pissed at my clumsy attitude, "Get ready you are following me to an event later this evening" He stated and stood up.

I felt a surge of surprise mixed with a dash of anxiety as Mark announced, "We're going out tonight."

My mind raced. "Going out? Tonight? With Mark?" I repeated inwardly, trying to process what I just heard.

"Ermmm... Where.. What's the occasion?" I asked stammering.

"It's a business event. I'm telling you so you can know how to present yourself there." He said, handing Luis over to me as he left.

I sighed in relief because my life just flashed right in front of me.

What am I going to do it get rid of my fear of this man? That was not even the most important question right now.

"What am I going to wear to this event?" I asked myself out loud.

I went into my room and tried to pick out what to wear and as I did that, I asked myself how I'm meant to survive the rest of my life with Mark. I feared him so much and I couldn't even hide it, The thoughts of how I could impress him clouded my brain.

I asked myself series of questions but I had no answer because he is an enigma, although I'm not entirely clueless as to what he thinks about me.

He sees me as a kid so he is thinking of keeping me for the sake of his children, or he wouldn't have let me live after last night.

I can't afford to make any mistakes and if Mark sees me as a kid, I need to prove to him that I'm not.

I'm not dumb or useless as he thinks and I'm going to show him, but how?

Then it hit me.

The event! That's how I'm going to sure him I'm a full-grown woman, not a pushover.