Chapter 4

Marie looked at her reflection in the mirror once more before finally being satisfied with her appearance. From outside her room, she heard a small commotion emanating from the kitchen along with the sweet scent of butter that spreads into her room, provoking the sound of her hungry stomach just by smelling the scent of butter earlier. As she tried to restrain herself, to remain calm in the eyes of the man who has officially become her husband since a month ago—Keith Gilbert—who seemed to have just finished making breakfast for her.

She hoped that a year would be enough to make the man who had just served the butter-fried rice on the plate that was on the dining table to love her back, just as she had loved him from the first sight of their meeting at the cafe where her husband worked. Indeed, she proposed a contract marriage to the man after she heard from Aura—the name of the woman who worked at the same cafe as Keith—saying that he did not like commitment, which made her change the tactic of her approach to get him. Using the coldest possible excuse she could do to make the man believe what she said, she succeeded in getting him to accept her proposal. At least, for now, that was more than enough for her. All she had to do was move slowly so that the man would not suspect her true intentions.

"Breakfast is ready, Marie."

She tightened her blazer while staring at the fried rice, which managed to whet her appetite but still put on her flat face. "I told you so many times. No need to bother yourself preparing for our breakfast. We have Peony who will cook for us."

"I can't do that. Homemade food is much better than eating out or take out. Besides, you never eat Peony's cooking and always eating out, so I only seized a small part of her task."

"Suit yourself. As long as you didn't make trouble for me like that time,” she said, although she held herself back from squealing with joy, knowing that the man realized she never ate at home. To be honest, she felt guilty until now. Because of her selfishness and insensitivity, she made Keith hospitalized for two days due to exhaustion. If she had not realized it earlier then, maybe she would never see Keith again for good now.

"I’m sorry. I'll make sure it won't happen again in the future," the man made a regretful face at her before returning to the kitchen.

Still trying to maintain a calm demeanour, she ate the food with grace. There was no need to rush, as she still had an hour to reach her office, which was only fifteen minutes away if she was driving her Volkswagen XL1.

"Should I also make a lunch box for your lunch?" asked Keith, who was still in the kitchen.

"No need. I'm eating out today.”

"Okay."

She felt that the man was still keeping a distance from her from the first day of their wedding. What else could she do? The man who was her husband for now only considered their marriage to be nothing more than a symbiotic mutualism relationship that would end in a year. She ate the fried rice solemnly. The taste was just right. It met her taste perfectly. Since the death of her mother and living with her father who was rarely at home, she has never eaten homemade cooking anymore. To be honest, she was a little surprised when she tasted Keith's cooking for the first time as it reminded her of her mother's cooking when her mother was alive. Although she did not expect him to be so good at cooking. All she just wanted for him to make his life more comfortable while enjoying his life as her husband. As simple as that, so she was reluctant at first when she knew he could cook.

"Do you have a plan later for this afternoon?"

Keith, who had just finished taking off his apron and pulled up his chair to sit down, stared at her in confusion. "Yes, but not so important, so I can cancel it. What's wrong?"

"There will be a big family gathering at my paternal grandfather's residence, and I have to come as I will introduce you to my extended paternal family," she said. In fact, she was somewhat reluctant to come to her grandfather's mansion every month because when she went there, she would not get anything but insults from her paternal family. Her father's entire extended family did not like her existence since her father chose to marry her mother, who came from ordinary and orphaned circles, not from the upper class. But she was forced to come because of her father's request, who was reluctant to refuse her grandfather's invitation. "I'll be home before three in the afternoon, so I want you to be ready when I pick you up later."

There was no answer from Keith as the man was closing his eyes with his lips moving to chant a blessing as soon as he sat in his chair. Then when he finished, the man opened his eyes and began to eat his food. "I know my job. Don't worry."

"Good," she sipped her mineral water after she finished the butter-fried rice, getting out of her chair. "I'm leaving first.”

Even though she had given him what she thought the man wanted. House, credit card with no limit for him, everything. Why did she keep feeling that man was keeping his distance?

"Be careful on your way. Have a nice day."

She did not reply to him back as she was busy with her own mind. Deep in her heart, she did not like Keith's doll-like attitude in front of her. Was there something wrong with her approach? Maybe she should contact Patricia Caroline—her best friend from college—to give her some advice that might help her change Keith's attitude toward her.

She hoped so.

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