Chapter 42: Chapter 41

At home

He even got home earlier than me! Damn! How do I go inside now? She thought pacing back and forth outside the room.

She put her ear against the door, trying to hear, but she heard nothing from the other side. She slowly opened the door and peeked in. “he isn’t here?” She looked, turning her head around. She then heard the sound of the shower.

Now’s my chance! She thought. She entered and closed the door slowly, trying not to make any sound.

“You’re late.” She was startled by his voice.

“Y-you’re not in the shower?” Teresa stammered seeing him at her side.

“No, I’ve been waiting for you behind this door.” He smiled.

“That’s cheating!” Teresa complained.

“So let us continue our talk?” He cornered her against the wall. “so you got jealous, wifey?”

“As I said I was not.” She denied.

“You were.”

“Wasn’t.”

“Were.”

“I said I wasn’t.” Teresa began to hit him.

“Ouch. Why are you hitting me?”

“Cause you’re blabbering nonsense.” She was about to hit him again but he caught her hands and pinned it against the door.

“You were jealous.” He whispered in her ears.

She bit her lips and he was simply enjoying seeing his wife flustered. “Okay fine, I’ll let you off for now.” He let her go and stepped away from her. Teresa sighed with relief but after few seconds “Jealous, jealous.” He began to sing with a wide grin on his face. But suddenly the grin disappeared as his wife looked at him with a murderous glare and her hands picked a vase.

“Oh shit.” And it was the time for him to run, Run for his life.

“Teresa, No, not that. please!” He shouted stepping back. “Here, You can use this instead.” He offered a pillow but his wife was already targeting him with the vase.

Ryouma closed his eyes covering his head with his hands but nothing came.

He opened his one eye then the other and found his wife trying to suppress her laugh.

“What?” He composed himself.

“Nothing. You’re too funny, dear husband.” She smiled at him.

“You hit your head somewhere?” Ryouma looked at her with a puzzled expression.

She eyes squinted to the side gesturing him to look at the door, where he found his mother staring at them.

“Did I tell you how much I love you mother?” Ryouma rushed to his mother and hugged her.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” His mother eyed him suspiciously.

“Nothing. You just saved my life.” He smiled at his mother.

“Did he hit his head somewhere?” She asked Teresa.

“He was about to.” Teresa shrugged.

“But why are you here?” Ryouma asked his mother.

“Oh I almost forgot. Teresa, the things you asked for....” Midori trailed off as she saw Teresa shaking her head vigorously with finger on her lips, behind Ryouma.

Ryouma turned to looked at his wife but saw her eyes wandering around the room.

“What are you guys planning? Did you guys plant a bomb here or what?” Ryouma eyed them suspiciously.

“What planning? I think mom he actually hit his head somewhere.” Teresa nodded.

“Yeah. I think so too, okay then good night.” Midori excused herself and was about to go back.

“Wait, weren’t you telling her something?” Ryouma questioned his mother.

“Yeah but now she doesn’t want to, right mom?” Teresa smiled at mom.

“Why?” Ryouma was getting even more suspicious of them.

“Girls talk. Why are you so interested?” Teresa glared at him.

“But...”

“yeah Ryouma, why are you so interested?” Both the women glared at him.

“Okay fine. I don’t want to know your ‘girl’s talk’ or whatever it is. Stop giving me that look now. Scary women!” Ryouma folded rolled his eyes.

“Then Good night.” Mom cheerfully wished them.

“Good night.” Ryouma replied.

After his mom went, he looked at his wife.

“What?” Teresa glared at him.

“What were you guys whispering about?” Ryouma asked his wife.

“I thought you were not interested.” Teresa replied.

“But it’s suspicious, are you guys planning something against me?” Ryouma raised his brows.

“Oh so you’re worried about that don’t worry I am not that cruel to team up with your mother against you. I am more than capable to trouble you on my own. So, you can sleep peacefully without worrying about anything ’kay? And if you want to worry then worry about tomorrow’s presentation not about useless things.”

“You should be worried for tomorrow because you’re going to lose.” Ryouma grinned.

“We’ll see.” Teresa threw a pillow at him and ducked her head inside the blanket.

“Yes, you’ll see.” Ryouma threw the pillow back to her.

They both turned their laptop on and started to work. Ryouma on the couch and Teresa on the bed. They both had works to complete for tomorrow as both of them couldn’t properly concentrate on their works for past few days.

Teresa sighed. Seeing that her husband was not in his place she looked around, she got up from her bed and decided to take a peek at his work. “No Teresa!” She slapped her cheeks. “But I’m just going to take a look, nothing else.” She muttered.

“What are you doing?” Ryouma tapped her shoulder.

“Oh no!” She screamed startled by his presence. “I wasn’t doing anything.” She replied avoiding his gaze.

“Then go back to your seat or you do want to have a look of my project? I can show it to you but your confidence is going to crush down after that so I suggest you better not see it.”

“Yeah right! Mr. overconfident! Let’s see you talk after you lose tomorrow!” She turned away making a ‘humph’ sound, back to her work.

Morning

Breakfast Table

Ryouma’s P.O.V

“Nervous, wifey?” I patted her shoulder.

“Why would I be?” She rolled her eyes.

“Then stop tapping the table, it’s annoying.” I pointed at her hands which were constantly tapping the table.

She stopped tapping the table but now was biting her nails.

“Teresa, you’ll be fine ’kay? You’ve done well.” I assured her wife patting her back to calm her down.

“But she started shaking her legs, making the breakfast table shake too.

“Stop it you’re making me nervous too.” I yelled as I lost my patience.

“Am I hearing things or you just said you’re nervous?” Dad laughed.

“Dad please. I am not nervous but looking at her is getting me nervous, Say something.” I asked Dad for help.

“Ryouma is right Teresa, relax. You’ve done well and you’ll do well. Fighting!” Dad curled his fingers into a fish, encouraging her.

“Exactly. So don’t be nervous and don’t make me nervous either. You’ll do well.” I patted her back.

She nodded.

“Come, let’s go.” I extended my hand to her. She looked at my face then to my hand and back to my face.

“We’re going to the same place? No need to give me that look.”

“Sorry but today I’ll be dropping her to the office.” Mom slapped my hands away and held her hands.

“Why?” I looked at her confusedly.

“Because I want to, you’ve got any problem with that?” Mom glared at me.

“No, but we’re going to the same place so I’ll take her with me, why do you need to drop her?”

“Ryouma, I said I’ll drop her then I’ll drop her.” She said with a stern face trying not to yell.

“Okay, no need to yell.” “Hey dad, can you accompany them both?” I went to dad and whispered.

“Why?” Dad looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Nothing but seems like they’re plotting something against me.” I whispered.

“Why, you think it’s a daily soap that they’ll plot against you? Mother in law and daughter in law plotting against own son/husband?” Dad mocked me.

“Dad!”

“Fine, I’ll come with them, happy?”

“thank you.”

The next day

Company’s anniversary party

Third person’s P.O.V

“Congratulations dear, you got the project.” Rihito hugged Teresa.

“Yup, thank you.” Teresa hugged back cheerfully.

“Congratulations.” Ryouma smiled at her.

“Congratulations to you too.” She smiled back.

“So in the end, you both are going to work together. No one won hmm?” Rihito said in a disappointing tone.

“I guess.” Teresa replied.

“But I was so excited to see Ryouma get defeated.” Rihito pouted.

“In your dreams, buddy, In your dreams.” Ryouma patted Rihito’s back sympathizing him.

“But even though you two are working together, she did get the project so I guess I won the bet hmm? You owe me one, bro.” Rihito grinned.

“I guess so.” Ryouma nodded.

“Yay! Finally I get to make you do something, but not now later.” Rihito’s grin widened.

“Fine.” Ryouma rolled his eyes.

“Rina! Here.” Teresa waved at her best friend who just entered the party.

“I’ll be back.” Teresa excused herself and ran to her best friend.

“Congratulations bff.” Rina hugged her.

“Well congratulations to you too. But that aside, help me with my problem.” Teresa pouted.

“What problem?” Rina raised her brows.

“I told you about it, yesterday night? I mean I declared that I’ll make my stupid husband fall for me and blah and blah but I realised I haven’t done anything to win him over, in fact this whole period I’ve done nothing but fight with him. I don’t even know the type of girl he likes and like an idiot I’ve been declaring that I’ll make him fall for me, like this not even his shoes will like me.” Teresa complained.

“Why should his shoes like you?”

“Don’t go on the words, just understand the meaning and help me out.”

“So go and ask him his type?” Rina suggested Teresa.

“Oh yeah? As if! Last time after the things with Sara he still teases me about me getting jealous over him and now you expect me to go and ask his type? He’ll haunt me my entire life. If I had to be so obvious, I would have went and told him directly that I love him but I want to make him confess first, not me! You get that?”

“Okay, I get it. So what do you expect me to do?” Rina sighed.

“Help me with it.”

“Fine I’ll do something. Let’s go.” Teresa and her best friend walked to her husband and his best friend.

After a while Rina randomly pointed at a girl in the crowd, “Rihito, isn’t that your girlfriend?”

“Where?” Rihito looked around.

“Right there.” Rina pointed.

“No, but not a bad choice maybe I should make her my girlfriend.” Rihito said with his index finger on his chin.

“Seriously? You’re literally fine with any girl?” Rina gave him a disgusted look.

“Yeah, as long as it’s a girl, he’s fine with anyone.” Answered Ryouma.

“But you must have a type right?” Teresa jumped in and asked Rihito, understanding her best friend’s trick.

Teresa and Rina gave a knowing smile to each other.

“Yeah, beautiful women are my weakness.” He winked.

“Hey guys, what are you talking about?” Ren joined them.

“Nothing, just about the type of girl Rihito likes.” Teresa answered him.

“By the way what is your type?” Rina asked him.

“You know my type.” He winked at Teresa.

Ryouma was waiting for Teresa to ask the type of girl he like but realized she was too busy to flirt with her so called best friend Ren. Ryouma clears his throat.

“What?” Teresa looked at him.

“You’ve got nothing to ask me?” Ryouma questioned.

“Not really, but if you want to you can tell your type too.” Teresa acted as if she was not interested.

“Not interested.” Ryouma replied.

“Then don’t bother.” Rina faked a smile.

Teresa hit her elbow but Rina just smiled and told her to wait.

“But if you’re insisting then I don’t mind telling you.” Ryouma replied.

“We’re not really interested but go ahead.” Teresa bit her nails.

“Short haired but not too short.” Ryouma started while Teresa looked at her long hair and pouted.

“polite and doesn’t shout every single minute, behaves like a lady and doesn’t fight on every single conversation, knows how to cook and not like someone’s disastrous cooking that would make even a healthy man sick.” With Ryouma’s every single word Teresa realized she’s exactly the opposite of every single thing he described.

“Okay that’s enough.” She cut him. “We didn’t ask for that much of a detail.” Teresa said sulking.

“No, there’s more.” Ryouma smiled seeing her getting irritated. Why should he be the only one getting irritated? Sometimes she should too.

“No thank you, that much was enough. We didn’t even ask you in the first place.” Teresa rolled her eyes. “Let’s go Rina, it’s suffocating here.” Teresa glared at her husband and left dragging her best friend along.

“I swear if I stayed a little more I would have kicked him there. He likes short hair? And what I fight him in every single conversation? He’s the one who starts it and what else? My cooking is disastrous? I cooked for the first time in my entire life, What does he expect? I can’t expertise within a night.” Teresa huffed crossing her arms.

“Calm down Teresa.”

“What to do? His type is exactly my opposite!” Within a second her anger vanished and she had pitiful expression on her face.

“Aww, he was just teasing you idiot.” Rina smiled but Teresa was too busy in her own world.

“Should I cut my hair? But I don’t want to! Should I now join cooking class? And I should keep my anger in check too. Remind me not to pick a fight with him too. What else?” Teresa began to think deeply.

“Are you even listening to me?” Rina clicked her fingers in front of Teresa’s eyes.

“Yes I’ve decided I’m joining cookery classes from tomorrow.” She clasped her hands.

“I guess, no use telling you anything. Sure I’ll introduce you to a good cooking school.” Rina sighed.

“Really? Thank you.” Teresa hugged her.

“I can at least do this for you.” Rina smiled.

“Just you wait, I’ll shock him with my cooking.” Teresa said determinedly.

“You already did.” Rina laughed.

“I mean in a good way, like ‘tada! surprise!’ Ah I know I’ll bake the cake for his birthday by my self. I hope I can learn to bake a cake within a week.” Teresa looked at Rina.

“Of course, just make sure you don’t blow the cooking school.” Rina clicked her tongue.

Home

Ryouma and Teresa knocked on to each other while entering the washroom.

“Go ahead.” Ryouma stepped back.

“No you go first.”

“Huh? Come again?” Ryouma couldn’t believe his ears.

“Go ahead.” Teresa gives him the way.

“Why? Normally you go first by throwing me out.” Ryouma narrowed his eyes at her.

“For a change I thought you should go first.” She smiled at him.

“You didn’t set any trap inside, right?” Ryouma asked her suspiciously.

“Come on husband you think I’ll do that?” She asked him with an innocent look on her face.

“Yes.” He nodded.

“JUST..” Teresa realized she’s raising her voice, she calmed herself. “Just go husband, you first.”

Ryouma eyed his wife suspiciously.

“Just go, I insist.” She smiled.

Ryouma slowly opened the washroom’s door and immediately stepped back.

He then slowly peeped inside, up and down, left and right, then he looked back at his wife who was smiling at him.

“The bathroom is okay but something is wrong.” He thought.

He then gave a small smile to his wife and entered, finally assured that the bathroom was safe for him.

Early morning

Ryouma woke up startled by a noise. He actually dreamt someone bombed his car but when he woke up he was in his own room and weirdly it was 7 in morning and his wife was nowhere in the room.

“what the hell is going on?” He thought to himself and went downstairs to check where the noise came from.

As he entered the kitchen the whole kitchen was smoky and he heard coughs of maids.

“What the hell is this?” He found his dad shout beside him.

“Like I have any idea!” Ryouma replied.

From the smoke, emerged two figures, his mom and his dear wife.

“Sorry mom I messed up again.” Teresa said with tears on her eyes.

“It’s okay dear, at your age I was worse.” She patted her back.

“Really?” Teresa looked at her mother in law.

“Really! You’ll eventually learn so don’t worry okay?” Mom assured her.

Teresa nodded.

“What is this?” Ryouma questioned his wife.

“Nothing.” She smiled.

“Mom?” Ryouma turned to his mother.

“Nothing son, we were preparing the breakfast.” Mom replied.

“Preparing the breakfast or trying to blow the house?” Ryouma stared at his wife.

“Ryouma, don’t be rude, at least she’s trying to learn.” Mom slapped his back.

“I don’t understand, why the hell did you suddenly want to cook?” Ryouma questioned his wife.

“Because I wanted to.” She replied.

“Yeah but why? Especially when you’re so bad at it.” Ryouma pointed at the smoky kitchen.

“No one will learn if they already know it. Isn’t that obvious she wants to learn cooking because she’s bad at it?” Midori scolded her son.

“Yeah but why did she suddenly have the urge to learn it?”

“Because you’re good at it and I don’t want to be behind you in anything.” Teresa thought of an excuse.

“Haha, you want to defeat me in cooking? You got luck with the project but you’re thousand years early for this.” Ryouma laughed.

“Whatever.” Teresa pouted.

“But still best of luck.” Ryouma said trying to suppress his laugh.

“Thank you.” Teresa replied with a smile.

“Normally she would shout at me for making fun of her. but today she’s smiling at me?” Ryouma eyed her suspiciously.

The whole morning he tried to provoke her but all she did was smile at him. Even at the breakfast table he would constantly tease her but she, again smiled at him.

“What is wrong with her? Is she actually Teresa? Did she eat something weird?” Ryouma looked at her worriedly.

Ryouma prepared to leave but Teresa didn’t move from her seat.

“You’re going to be late, if you sit around and chat like this. And out of pity for today’s morning I’ll drop you. Hurry up, let’s go.” Ryouma held his wife’s hand and pulled her from her seat.

“Why should she go with you? She’s staying home today.” Mom pulled her back.

“Why? She’s got very important works to do.” Ryouma protested.

“What do you mean why? You plan to make her workaholic like you? Excuse me but I’ve already got two workaholics in my house and I’m so not letting her be the third one. It’s been so long we’ve sit and talk and it’s your entire fault, you made her join your office. Sorry son but you just can’t have your wife to yourself. She’s my daughter and today’s my day with her and if you get lonely bear it but don’t you dare interfere.” Midori warned her son.

“Okay fine, have her, Not that I’ll get lonely or whatsoever. She just has her works pending but it’s her problem, not that I care.”

“Then bye bye.” Both mother and daughter in law waved him bye.

“They’re obviously plotting something.” thought Ryouma.