Ulterior Motives
1153 Words
"I don't believe you two! I'll still live here for now!"
Mia's words leave everyone shocked.
"Yes." Mia folded her arms, showing that she didn't say it without thinking. She had thought about it the moment she got the news of her daughter getting married.
"You gotta be kidding me," Sofia muttered, rising from her shock. Just the idea of her mother living already made her dizzy, "I refuse to accept this!"
"I didn't ask for your opinion," Mia reply sharply, "like your marriage." she glanced at Arsenio then looked away only to get a smile from him.
"Need to remember this is my house?" Sofia quipped as well, "and I'm an adult, you can't control my life, especially who I fall in love with."
"I don't believe there is love between you two. I've been in this position before so I knew what I'm doing," Mia defended herself, "Arsenio?"
"Yes?" Arsenio responded simply.
"If you want to be a good son-in-law, then you'll let me stay here."
Arsenio stares in disbelief, can't believe he's just been considered a son-in-law even though Mia's lips haven't closed after saying she doesn't believe in love between him and Sofia.
What is this his 'wife' mother playing?
He glanced at his wife to 'discuss' it.
Sofia gave him a sharp look, warning him not to go along with her mother's wishes.
Arsenio had expected Sofia to refuse, too easy to read, but sadly ... "Sure you can stay here, Mia."
"What!?" Sofia screamed in shock. Where did the sharp look she gave earlier mean that it was permissible? "Have you lost your godd*mn mind!?"
"No," Arsenio simply replied back innocently, "anyway, you can have a guest room, Mia."
"I know that," Mia replied sharply. She would not let her guard down just because this time Arsenio chose to be on her side.
"Arsenio!" Sofia screamed in rage—but the fact he just covered his ears with 'I don't care' look really pushed her to the limit of her patience. Regardless of the situation, she pulled his black coat, "Follow me." she commands coldly.
Arsenio doesn't mind at all, letting Sofia 'pull' him into the bedroom, "Geez ... remind me that you're the impatient type."
Sofia massages her temples in frustration at his attitude that seemed to oversimplify the situation, "Do you know what you've done? HUH!?"
"Is yes not enough for you?" Arsenio asked back, "you talk this loud, I can confirm both our mothers will hear this nonsense."
"My room is soundproof."
"Oh~? Good~" Arsenio gave a naughty look, biting his bottom lip.
Sofia immediately blushed, "If you think what I am thinking what it is, the answer is never again!"
"You says that before you attack me," Arsenio replied innocently.
"Aaaahhh!!!" Sofia screamed with all her might. Need to remember why this man in front of her is so annoying? "You! Just tell me what you're planning!" she says sharply, but her cheeks were blushing madly remembers what happened in the past, thanks to him.
"Look, you know what my parents' relationship happened," Arsenio reminded her, his tone serious, "by us accepting Mia to stay, we can show her what she thinks is wrong. You and I know inside and out since childhood, we just add 'the loving look', then it won't be a problem."
Sofia could see what Arsenio's thinking, if he was serious of course, and she had to admit it wasn't a bad idea, but one thing that doubted her was that they were talking about her mother, another person who knew all their good and bad behavior, "Seriously, I wish Mom would be more open-minded."
This whole thing is ridiculous.
Sofia knew the reason her mother was furious she 'married' Arsenio was because he's the son of Faye Grace, she was one hundred percent sure if she married another man, Dominic for example, her mother would give her a blessing.
"Don't blame your Mom, she just wants to do what's best for you."
Sofia narrowed her eyes. He gave such a compliment making her suspicious, "You ..."
"Ya'?"
"You don't have any ulterior motives, do you?" Sofia asked with her eyes locked on him.
"Me? Hahaha... no." Arsenio reasoned with an awkward laugh.
"Aha!" Sofia knew it. If he's scratching the back of his neck it means something is up, and she knows what something is, "if my Mom stayed here I'd be gentle with you, huh, you're so wrong."
"You can speculate all you want, but allow me to tell you something, isn't it time we start thinking about the beginning of our 'lovely' relationship?"
Somehow, Sofia knew he had just tried changing the subject, but she wasn't in the mood to argue either, "We've been dating secretly for 5 years, how about that?"
Arsenio almost laughed at the idea, "Wait, you want to copy your 'bizzare' relationship with Domino to us?"
"Something wrong with that, genius?" Sofia quipped back, "His name is Dominic Miller, how much I have to tell you, Arsenio Grace?" She let it slip when she was drunk, other than that, she will not accept it.
Arsenio didn't really mind, "When we were still roommates?"
"Yes," Sofia answered awkwardly, "back then, I said I had a boyfriend so Mom would stop worrying about us living together." Now it's backfired, she can imagine her Mom's reaction be like.
Arsenio let out giggles. He remembers how Mia ignored an important client meeting to go to their apartment to make sure it was really her dear daughter living with him, "Mia is really something else, and so are you."
"I pretend I never heard that. Anyway, the reason we fall in love is clear, right?"
"Because we were roommates? Love bloom when we lived together?" Arsenio says what he thought with a mysterious look on his face.
"Uhm ..." when he said so Sofia can't help thinking about the times they were roommates.
Back then, everybody including their friend cheered them will be together, she always brushes it off with the excuse she sees Arsenio as a big brother, and is proud when she can keep her words until they graduated.
Now everything changed.
"Sofia? How long are you going to be in there? Hurry up." Her mother's voice of protest followed by a quick knock on the door ended their conversation.
"I think we should get out," Sofia says, "remember, you proposed to me a month ago."
"Got it, Boss." Arsenio responded briefly, then opened the door, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mia."
Mia looked away, choosing to look at her daughter, "Would you like some dinner? I'm sure you're hungry after the long ALONE trip from Las Vegas." she emphasized the word 'alone' giving a hint to Arsenio who coldly let Sofia go home alone.
It's going to be a long night for Sofia.
"Yes, I'm starving. I'll make dinner for all of us, Mom."
- Writer
