ADELE "I like you both the same way and in the same quantity", I said and they both smiled. "But not up to the way I like my husband", I added thoughtlessly but the smile that appeared on Chris's mother's face was indeed priceless. She looked like she had gotten all she had ever wanted in the world. "Uhm- can I get your attention, please?", the master of the ceremony suddenly said, getting all the attention of the people in the room, and everywhere went silent instantly. "Introducing the new Chief Executive Officer of the most popular appliances-making company in the country", he continued after everyone has their gazes on him. "Christopher Marvin!", he announced and Chris appeared on stage with a microphone in his hand, earning thunderous applause from everyone, including myself. "Good day everyone. I am Christopher Marvin", Chris started and everyone cheered him on with claps once again. "I just wanted to thank you all for coming out-", he started but the words seem to go
ADELE "What's going on here?!", Chris asked in annoyance and I turned my head quickly to look at him. He looks furious. So furious and his stone-cold face is staring at me. "Uh-", Aunty started in a whimpering tone. "We were just having a small disagreement, it's nothing", she explained firmly and I turned my head to look at her in surprise. She is looking at Chris with that sweet signature smile of hers on her face. Thank goodness I now know it's fake. "We are cool", she added before turning to look at me. "Right, Adele?", she asked, smiling at me with a smile I am very familiar with and my head went into jumbles. What exactly is going on? Did I imagine everything? One minute she was acting all bitchy- dare I say- towards me. And now, she is all sweet again. She feels like a robot right now. Like she has been programmed to do all that she is doing. "Adele?", Chris strained yet unfamiliar voice called out to me and I snapped out of my piercing gaze or stare toward Uncle
ADELE I can boldly say the dinner I had with Chris this evening was the worse dinner I have had with him since we started living together. He just served me my food and walked out, he did not even have anything. So, I guess I had dinner all alone. I would admit to the fact that I am still angry at him but he looks annoyed too and that is somehow making me more furious at him. I mean, I am the one who is supposed to be that angry at him. He had spewed that nonsense right to my face and I just acted how I saw fit. My head turned sharply towards the door when it sounded and I saw Chris walk in. I had not seen him since he served me dinner and I had taken my shower already, preparing to sleep. He headed towards the shower immediately after he came in and I pushed myself comfortably under the duvet as well. Even I do not have the time to banter with him again this evening. I had started falling asleep when I felt the bed go down due to Chris's weight. I want to tell him not to sle
CHRISTOPHER Even though I am quite proud of my decision, I still did it. I successfully ignored Adele for a whole week. I need her to understand how hurt I felt by what she said to me. I mean, how could she compare me to Daniel? I thought I was starting to get a chance in her life, a place in her heart, but it turned out that he is all she thinks about. If he isn't, then he would not have come up during our argument at all. Today is Saturday but I decided to just work from home. I have to find a way to end this fight with Adele too. I have gotten so immersed in it, that I do not know how I am going to stop anymore. Adele has been trying to reconcile with me since Tuesday but I have not given in to her. It is saddening that now that I am ready to reconcile, she has stopped asking me to forgive her. Stopped asking me to talk to her. I sighed as I walked down the hallway. I had a quiet breakfast with Adele this morning but all I did during breakfast was stare at her. She did not s
CHRISTOPHER Adele is standing in the doorway with a solemn look on her face. Wait, did she hear what I discussed with Mom or not? Her expression is not giving anything away! "I was wondering", she started talking and I gulped. "Do you want to go in the pool- with me?", Adele's voice came softly at the end of her sentence. I looked down at my hands in relief. I don't think she heard anything. I raised my head back to reply to her. "Uh- no?", I asked as I squinted my eyes at her. "Oh! Okay then", Adele replied before turning around and leaving. The door to my study room closed loudly and I jumped a bit. God, I feel so uneasy right now. I would give anything to go in the pool with Adele but I have to get myself together first. I need to think of how to react to her like before, such that it won't seem too sudden and it won't seem strange as well. I ran my hand through my hair as I tried to think straight and then- "Gbam!", I heard a thud sound come from outside and all of
ADELE A few minutes have passed and nothing has changed. It isn't a dream. I am still in Chris's arms and he now has his right hand wrapped around my lower back. He is patting me slowly on the back and I like how drowsy it makes me feel. "Adele", he suddenly called out, his voice vibrating against my hand that is on his chest. I like the feel of it. "Yeah?", I inquired quietly in return. "I am sorry", his words came as a surprise to me and I stiffened instantly in his arms. His right hand is still patting my lower back gently. I gulped before asking in one breath, "For?" Chris shifted his body on the bed a bit before replying, "For how I acted that evening", he replied and I know the evening he was talking about quite well. "I shouldn't have talked to you like that. I should have asked you about what happened first before reprimanding you for anything", Chris said slowly to me and my gaze fell to the hand I have over his chest. Well, he got that right. He should have ask
CHRISTOPHER I shut down my computer before looking up at the lady sitting a few meters away from me and a smile appeared on my face instantly. I bent my head a little bit to look at what she was drawing and I smiled when I saw it. A cute little cat. The way she manages to add every little detail to her drawings is very captivating. They always look so real when she is done with them. I am suddenly reminded of that drawing I had seen. I should talk about it. "Adele?" I called out to her and she hummed. Her head suddenly snapped back to look at me, all her focus directed at me. "Yeah?" She asked again when I had not spoken up. "I was thinking," I started with a gulp. I hope she agrees to this. "do you want to visit the park sometime with me?" I asked and her eyes widened at me almost instantly. "What? Why?" She asked with all but wide eyes and I gulped uncontrollably. "I just-" I started as I thought of what to say. I can't possibly tell her that I had gone through her d
ADELE I groaned as I checked the time for the umpteenth time this afternoon. Chris is yet to arrive back from the work that he is not supposed to be at in the first place. It has been an hour! A fucking whole hour and he still isn't back yet. My stomach rumbled and I groaned as I got up from the bed. I pushed my purse away in frustration before going downstairs. After finally getting down about twenty stairs, I kicked my heels off my feet before continuing with my walk. I am dressed in a black and white striped gown that is very free underneath. I got into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. The bucket of vanilla ice cream that Chris had brought home with the groceries two days ago is still lying there, in the fridge. I pulled it out before getting a ceramic bowl from the drawers. I served myself a portion that would be enough for me before returning the bucket to the refrigerator. I walked out of the kitchen with the bowl of ice cream in my hand as I muttered incohere
ADELEIt's been a week since the competition. Everything is back to normal and Chris has even gotten up to prepare for work today as well.Oh yes, Bianca's modeling job went down because of what happened at the competition. Apparently, someone had been filming all that happened. She got out of the police jail not long after she was placed in it but I think she has learnt her lesson. Chris walked out of the walk-in closet and I sat up immediately to look at him. I felt a sharp headache and I hissed. Chris got in front of me- at the foot of the bed- in no time as he asked. "Hey, are you okay?" I pushed my hand in front of him to tell him to stop talking. I don't know where this headache came from all of a sudden. "Yeah, I am fine," I replied with a smile as I looked up at Chris. My stomach started making some disturbance and I winced when I suddenly got a stomach ache. I bent forward on my seat on the bed as I clenched the cloth holding my stomach tightly in my hand. "Adele?""So
ADELE"So, why did you do it? Why did you take my artwork?" I asked and she moved in the tight grip of the investigator. She brought her face in front of mine as she spat those foolish, unkind words. "Because I hate you," she replied as she looked into my eyes and I frowned. She moved back as a loud hysterical laugh escaped her lips. The investigators moved his feet while he pulled Bianca after him. She stopped laughing all of a sudden and screamed at the top of her voice. "I can walk on my own!" She demanded to the investigator who held on to her right arm and he let her go immediately. She walked in the front while the two investigators walked behind her. I released a deep breath as they went out of my sight. Chris arrived backstage with the two men who had collected my artwork from me outside the hotel yesterday. They were both carrying my artwork."You are here," I said as he reached in front of me and he nodded. "And let's welcome Mrs. Marvin to the stage!" I heard the Ma
ADELEThe investigators arrived some moments later in a black round-neck top and jean trousers. Two of them went into the hotel while others stayed inside the car, not far away from the hotel. I welcomed them into my hotel room and shut the door. I am only thankful that the event has started, so all the artists are in there. Chris asked me to take my seat on the bed while the two investigators stood in front of me. Chris stood on my left, not far away from the bed and not far away from the investigators. "When last did you see the artwork, Mrs. Marvin?" The nice and calm looking one of the investigators asked. "Uh, yesterday afternoon when I brought it here in my husband's car," I replied and the other one wrote something down. "Your husband explained to us that two men collected the artwork from you," he said and I nodded. "That's right," I replied and the other man wrote something down again. "Can you describe those men?"I nodded and tried to make a good description of them
ADELE"Bianca?" I asked as I squinted my eyes at her and she giggled. "Surprise!" She said back cheerfully and I furrowed my brows at her. What is wrong with her?"Oh right, I did not know you would be here as well," she added in her normal self as she slanted her lips at me. I must say, she is still looking beautiful as always. "What are you doing here?" I asked and she sighed. "I am here for the art competition," she replied and my mouth went round in surprise. I thought she was a model, how can she be here? Or does she perhaps paint as well?"Wha-? How?" I let out uncontrollably and she chuckled again. "Well, I might have lied to my new boyfriend that I know how to paint. Then, he signed me up for this and here I am," she said with a shrug and I nodded at her words knowingly. Well, that sounds like her. "Nice to see you again then," I greeted as I forced a smile at her and she smiled back instantly."Same here," she replied and I hummed before getting into my room. "I wil
ADELE"Chris? What are you doing here?" I asked with my eyes wide in surprise. "Can I come in?" He asked and I moved away from the door immediately. "Of course," I replied as Chris pushed his body in with a sigh. I closed the door and turned around to look at Chris immediately. "I called your phone," he said with a sigh as he sat down at the edge of the bed. "My phone is dead," I replied as I moved forward and stood in front of him. "Oh, I got so worried though," he breathed under his breath and I took my seat beside him. "I know"Chris pulled me into a hug immediately I sat down and I gasped in surprise. I became comfortable in his arms and just hugged him back tightly. "I missed you," he breathed into my neck and I chuckled. "I missed you too," I replied as I rubbed his back with my right hand. We stayed like that for a short while before he finally let me go slowly. "How are you?" He asked as he held my hands in both of his. "I am fine," I replied with a small smile on
ADELE"My artwork?" She asked and I nodded. "Some guys asked for my painting when I got in front of the hotel-," I started panicking as I explained but she cut me off midway. "Oh, those guys. I forgot about them," she replied and I took in a deep breath, waiting for her to continue. "They collected mine as well, saying they had somewhere allocated for each artwork," she added and I released the breath I was holding. "I guess that is how it works then," I said with a smile and she nodded. "Yeah"She faced the stage before turning to look at me again. "I am Veronica," she introduced herself as she stretched her hand which had three rings on them towards me. "Wow," I said out in amazement anyways and her expression turned into one of deep confusion. "You have the same name as my younger sister, that's all," I replied quickly before taking her hand. "I am Adele, Adele Marvin," I said proudly and her eyes widened. "I knew you looked familiar," she said cheerfully with a huge smil
ADELE"He knew my name, it was pretty weird," I came out to Chris as I furrowed my brows at the direction the men had gone in. "Oh?" Chris asked back and I turned to look at him. "Yeah," I nodded and Chris raised a brow. "You realize that is not strange, right?" Chris asked with a chuckle and I frowned in confusion. "And how is it not?" "Because you are pretty popular. At least, a bit." Chris explained before using his index and thumb to hold his jaw as if he was thinking about something."Uhn?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I am still confused. He brought his focus back to me before explaining more clearly, "You are Mrs. Marvin, remember?" He asked and my mouth went round in shape in realization. "Oh yeah! Yeah, that's true. I almost forgot," I said the last sentence as a silly joke as I chuckled but I don't think Chris understands. He is looking at me in surprise and confusion at the same time. "Come on, I have to get my baggage out of the car," I said as I hit him playful
ADELEIt's finally a day before the day of the competition and I am very excited about it. Chris is carrying the little baggage I packed into the car. The baggage contains the little necessities I might be needing during my stay there. He returned to the art room and I took my gaze off the covered artwork- that is standing against the wall- to him."I seriously can't peep at it?" Chris asked and I rejected the idea immediately. "No! It is going to be a big surprise," I replied with a tired sigh. "Help me get it out of the house?" I asked and he walked closer to where I stood. "Sure!" He replied before holding the artwork from his side. He tried lifting his side and he dropped it back down instantly. My eyes widened in fear when I heard that slight sound it made against the tiled floor. "Don't you dare hurt that thing, Chris, or I am going to get angry at you," I warned with a frown on my face as I pointed my index finger at Chris and he chuckled. "I seriously don't know why you
ADELEI have moved back into my art room since the moment I started working on this competition project. I don't want Chris to see what I am making or it would ruin the big surprise. The competition or event is in two weeks and Chris has really been helping me a lot. He has been buying all the art supplies I ask for while I collect them from him, just at the door of the art room. Then, I shut the door right in his face. It had been fun to shut the door in his face in the beginning but now, I miss him so much, that I close the door slowly. A knock sounded on the door and I raised my head from the painting quickly. Chris is here. When did he get back from work?I dropped my brush in a can before walking to the door. I pulled it open and Chris's face appeared in front of me. "Hey," I breathed out and he smiled. "Hey," he replied before pushing his hands into his pocket. "Dinner is ready," he added as he took his left hand out of his pocket and pointed behind him. "Oh oh, I will b