The Deal
1237 Words
Arsenio glanced at Dominic who had just stepped out of the elevator, his eyes locked on a single button that was undone on his black shirt, "Right. I can see you two are working together PERFECTLY." he said sarcastically.
Sofia cleared her throat awkwardly, "I'm fine now, let's go back, Mom probably worried."
To be honest, Arsenio still had something to say, but he swallowed his curiosity, he extinguished the fire that was burning in his heart by turning to face the two officers who were giving him innocent faces. He smiled and said, "Thank you for helping me, Sir. My wife is fine now."
"Don't mention it, Sir."
"We just doing our job."
Arsenio flashed a wide smile before turning around and pulling Sofia to his side by wrapping his arms around her slender waist, "Come on, Babe."
Sofia rolled her eyes, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she whispered fiercely.
"Just doing my job," Arsenio responded shortly, but his act said otherwise by pulling her closer until he could inhale the scent of shampoo on the strands of hair that were in her ear. Still the same as before, his favorite vanilla scent.
"You—" Sofia intended to say 'sweet' words because he was starting to show his mischievous side again, but was cut off by a voice behind her.
"Hey... I'm still here. I am invisible to you guys?"
Arsenio stopped walking which made Sofia automatically stop too, "You're still here?"
"Where do you think I'm going?" Dominic asked back hotly.
"Home?" Arsenio answered innocently, "Seriously, you know we're married, I don't see why you're following us."
"You—!" Dominic couldn't; he couldn't act civil with Arsenio Grace—there's something about his new boss's expression that really disgusted him, especially since Arsenio knew his 'secret' making things difficult.
"Stop it!" Sofia shouted angrily, standing between the two of them before attacking each other, "I understand you hate each other, but I ask to work together only tonight."
"What are you planning?" Arsenio felt lost for what she said.
"I asked Dominic for help to convince our relationship to be more real because you used to be good friends, right?"
"As you said, we used to be good friends, but now we're not," Arsenio said coldly, "I'm confident we can do it fine just the two of us."
"Can you stop? My Mom has great respect for Dominic all this time, so I'm confident I can provide a strong foundation for us," Sofia explained, "Only Dominic knows about our secret relationship because you often tell him about your problems."
Arsenio understood what Sofia was trying to say. It was true that he and Dominic were friends before because they were both party animals when they were in college, but after 'that' incident, everything turned cold, and he went to Indonesia to take care of his family's company before he could properly ask about their friendship, "I'm ok as long as he knew his place."
"Excuse ME?"
"Just hear my words, you two," Sofia said exhausted, "no more protest. Hear my plan as we walk to my penthouse. The end."
***
Being alone benefited Mia in doing her investigation, she started checking the food equipment—finding a couple glasses made her angry, but for a moment she thought about whether Arsenio's favorite color was blue, then she went to the bedroom to check the closet—several shirts were too big for her daughter, clearly these belonged to a man. She went to the last place, namely the bathroom, where there was more than one toothbrush and skincare for men.
All of these investigations showed that it was true that Sofia seemed to be living with a man, although there were not many men's clothes.
'Well, Arsenio just returned to New York, it's normal that he doesn't have many clothes—'
Mia shook her head vigorously, "Stay strong, Mia! I'm sure some clues can make your suspicions rig—aah!" At that moment she was shocked almost jumping when she heard the sound of the doorbell. She rushed to open it, "You are—huh?" She realized there was Dominic.
"Mom, why does the door have to be locked?" Sofia complained softly.
"Ensuring security," Mia answered with a sharp look at Arsenio, then returned her attention to Dominic, "Do you need something here, Dominic?" She didn't remember Sofia being close to Arlyne's fiancé.
"Yes, I actually came to congratulate my two best friends," Dominic lied cleverly, "I ordered some wine to celebrate."
"Really?" Mia only saw the bouquet of roses earlier, which is weird.
"Since you're here, I made an extra order. It will be a little late, but for you, it's worth it, Mrs. Harrington," Dominic said.
"Thank you, Dominic," Mia was touched to hear it, "but it looks like we can't wait any longer because the food Sofia made has gotten cold."
"Let me take care of that. You guys just wait in the kitchen, you too Dominic."
"Okay."
Sofia let them all go in first, she took a deep breath before following to take the food on the table to be warmed up.
'I hope this works.'
***
During cooking, her ears did not hear any shouts or negative words, only Dominic and Arsenio's friendly words competing with each other for her mother's heart. She rolled her eyes, "At least they're tame now."
It was hard to believe that the two of them were playing 'best friends' so well now after the long argument on the road earlier.
Sofia carried the tray to the dining room, placing the plates one by one on the table, "Thanks, babe." She was very grateful to get help from Arsenio because it was quite heavy to carry three plates at once.
Dominic stared sharply at the fake intimacy; he wanted to scream to everyone that this was fake, that Sofia was his; the deep sigh he took helped restore his logical side, "They really cute, right Mia?"
"No."
Dominic held back his laughter, it was really satisfying to see the hatred implied in Mia's eyes, "I know you're surprised, but they've been like this all their time in a relationship behind your back, Mia."
"Oh?" Mia still didn't buy it.
"See? This is the reason they kept it a secret from you," Dominic said, "Arsenio was scared to say that he was dating Sofia."
"And chose to keep it a secret until they got married!?" Mia couldn't accept such a lame excuse.
"I'm sorry if I came too strong, but I couldn't hold back from letting Sofia be without a clear status, especially since I heard that there was a man who already had a girlfriend eyeing her, too. Can you blame me?" Arsenio explained while roasting the illicit relationship between his 'wife' and Dominic.
Sofia almost choked on the sarcasm from her 'husband'. When she threw a sharp glare at him, he was only returned with a sweet smile that she wanted to erase right then and there.
How dare he play on thin ice here?
What if her mother thinks that man is Dominic!?
Sofia really didn't understand Arsenio's way of thinking.
"Really?" Mia's eyes widened, "Sofia, stay away from a man like that. Understand?"
Sofia was a little awkward and the voice that came out was stuttering, "Y-yes."
Sh*t.
She must have made her mother even more suspicious.
- Writer
