The Lotus And The Billionaire

Chapter 56: Pretty Wife

The Alvarezes were surely intimidating. Simply being in their presence made me feel small, even when I never saw myself as someone inferior to them. Perhaps it’s the air they have around them that makes me feel that way.

Or so I’d like to think. I was trying not to feel insecure as I looked at every Alvarez woman. Now, I’m wondering if Alvarez made me wear this out of spite. For what, though?

A sigh escaped from my lips as I found my way back to my seat. No one has spoken to me ever since Alvarez and I came downstairs. Thankfully, no one came up to him as well.

“Hey,” he called as I sat down beside him. “What do you think about the party?”

“Terrible. It’s horrendous.”

“I get an inkling you’re actually talking about the people, not the party.”

I can say that it’s true. The looks I received were…somewhat infuriating. Now, I feel like it’s an Alvarez thing to look at someone as if you’re gazing at a bug that needs to be smashed to bits.

This feels suffocating. If I could, I would have gotten out of the party myself. Alvarez says he’s not allowed to leave or things could get bad. And that’s why I’m stuck in this hellhole.

“You sabotaged me…” I muttered as I drank my wine.

“I didn’t. Diaz, when you’re being ignored, that’s when you know you’re in the spotlight.”

My brows furrowed as I looked at him. “I don’t get it.”

He grinned. “You don’t have to. Just keep looking good tonight and we’ll be able to enjoy the party…”

I shook my head in dismay, trying my very best to look as nice as possible. This night was supposed to be perfect, according to this asshole’s parents. They took care to ensure that everything would go well, but now their son is out here doing all in his power to ensure that things would not go as they had planned.

Neither of us want to be at this party, but we’re here anyway. Still! At least I’m out here trying my best to stay put. Meanwhile, my i***t husband is out here, plotting how he’s going to make everyone as furious as they could possibly be.

I can’t help but wonder what it’s like having this kind of person as the head of the clan. Boy, it must be infuriating. At this point, I’m no longer confused about people wanting to take over or something.

But for some reason, it feels like they still respect him. It’s just that they despise the way he acts. No surprise there, considering his obnoxious attitude.

As I was thinking of several things that I didn’t really need to think about, I felt Alvarez nudging my elbow. I turned to him, annoyed.

He held my waist and made sure I wouldn’t be able to leave him. “Stop brooding over things you don’t need to think about. Focus on the scene before you.”

“Why? There’s nothing happening—”

“Within the confines of this area, Diaz, a great deal of crappy negotiation is taking place. You're simply not perceptive enough.” His tone was firm, almost as if commanding. Ah, I think that’s what he was going for, anyway.

A sigh escaped from my lips. “What am I supposed to be looking at, anyway?”

“See that? The ones from the far corner?”

“Where the f**k are you pointing at?” I strained my eyes to see, but I was unable to identify anything that seemed fishy.

Alvarez let out a heavy sigh and held my chin to make me look at…two men. “See those assholes?”

“Aren’t those Sky and Al? What’s wrong with them?”

“Oh, you guys are on a nickname basis now?” he asked with a voice that was as mocking as it was humanly possible to sound.

I looked him in the eye, confused. “Just what the hell is wrong with you?”

He shook his head in dismay. “Nothing’s wrong with me, but what? Since when did you start calling them by their nicknames?”

“It’s not even a f*****g nickname! You know, we should really stop arguing here. It’s embarrassing if people realized we’re bickering while at a formal event.”

He sighed. “Yeah, you’re right.”

It appears that he has, at long last, come to his senses and gotten himself together. I'm sick of having to argue with him in this sickening place, especially considering that we're meant to be allies tonight.

Anyway, he continued to spew trash about everyone who was present inside the place as if he himself was not like them. Well, I know he’s right about most of these people, so I didn’t really disagree with everything he had said.

Personally, I don’t know anything about the people here, but I have developed a negatively strong prejudice about them based on the looks we have been receiving since earlier. They’re assholes, that’s for sure.

“And lastly…” Alvarez trailed off as he took a glass of wine from the waiter that passed by us. “Red Alvarez, also known as the biggest psychopath within the Alvarez clan.”

I blinked twice. “Wasn’t that supposed to be you? The biggest psycho here, that is.”

He glared at him. “Red is in a far worse situation than I am. He believes that he possesses more authority than I do.”

“Doesn’t he?”

“Diaz, stop testing my patience.”

I chuckled. “Alright, my bad.”

He shook his head as he downed the glass he was holding, annoyed. “You wouldn’t want to speak to him, Diaz. Trust me on that one.”

“Wait, why? I mean, I already know that I shouldn’t try to deal with Alvarez by now, but why?”

“He’d tell you s**t you don’t want to know, manipulate you into leaving me for him, and downright treat you like garbage to the fullest extent of his ability.”

“How…” I couldn’t find the right words to say after hearing what he had just said. “How do you know all that?”

“Rea snitched on him.”

“Who’s Rea?”

He smiled. “The only nice person in this family. That’s his sister.”

I c****d my head to the side as I listened. “But I haven’t seen anyone nice yet.”

“That’s because she’s in the hospital. She’s been in a coma for two years now.”

“What? Why?”

He raised a brow. “I find it hard to believe that you haven't heard of that by now.”

“Am I meant to be aware of this?”

“Not necessarily,” he replied, chuckling a little. “She got into an accident with Red. That’s also one of the reasons he turned for the worse.”

Oh…

When I looked over at Red, I realized that he was also staring in our direction. In spite of the menacing expression he was projecting, I made sure that I wouldn't tear my gaze away from him. It was only because Alvarez drew me to a more discrete location that I was able to evade the looks he had been throwing at us.

“What?” I asked, confused.

He shook his head and pulled me closer by my waist. “Nothing, really. I just want you to stay close to me.”

“We’re already so close back there. What’s wrong?”

“No, I just feel suffocated.”

I tilted my head to the side. “Do you want to go out?”

He shook his head and flashed a fake smile. “We’ll leave soon, don’t worry. I can bear with it for a little more time.”

“But we can leave now, right? You don’t have to force yourself…”

“Diaz, you need to quit acting like you're so concerned. Things are fine. Just stay put,” he told me, his voice firm.

Okay, that sort of sting…

Because of what he said, I became quite silent, but not because I was offended or anything like that. I simply did not want him to get angry while we were at this place. As much as possible, I’d like to avoid making a scene.

Actually, I’m kind of hurt. Just a little, though.

Okay, I lied. I really was hurt.

Why, though?

I mean, he was right. I shouldn’t be acting so concerned! Not when we both know how much we hate each other’s guts. I guess I was hurt by the fact that he just shut me down like that when I was expressing genuine concern.

Because of this, I chose not to speak up even though I had a number of questions I wanted to ask him. Even when he made an effort to communicate with me, all I did was reply with a hum or nod.

And then, after what seemed like an eternity, that was when he realized there was a problem. I thought he wouldn't notice until we left. He seemed to be hoping that by simply looking at me, he would be able to figure out what was going on.

“Diaz, are you okay?”

I only smiled, nodded, and turned aside to give the impression that I was enjoying myself while everyone else was having a good time. However, Alvarez did not shift his gaze away from me at any point. Instead, he just remained there, attentively watching all of my actions to make me talk.

“What?” I asked when I couldn’t take it anymore.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he tried to hold my chin.

I avoided his hand. “Nothing. You told me to stay put.”

Alvarez went silent for a few seconds, as if he was trying to figure it out. And then, after a while, his face softened. He sighed and held my hand as he tried to fix my hair.

“I’m sorry…” he trailed off, his voice gentle, contrary to what it was earlier. “I didn’t realize you were genuinely concerned.”

Oh.

I received another apology from him. That’s…surprising.

I stood perfectly motionless for a few seconds, trying to remain tough. Alvarez was looking at me with a kind stare, the likes of which I had never encountered in my entire life. It's like… I've never seen him exhibit genuine compassion before, but I'm seeing it now.

I think I have previously witnessed it quite a few times, but this instance seems to be rather distinctive. It feels so real, almost enough to sweep me off my feet. Okay, that wasn’t an almost. It was just so strange that I found myself staring at his pretty face.

I wonder how it’s possible for an awful person to look like this? I mean, he does look ruthless, but it just feels like…he’s a bit too pretty for it. When his eyebrows aren’t furrowed, he sort of looks like he’s nice.

Oh, wait.

Damn, what am I even saying?! I pursed my lips and looked away from Alvarez’s face. But unfortunately for me, he’s persistent and wouldn’t let me get away.

He held my chin and made me look him in the eye, making my knees go weak. “Diaz, look, I’ll make it up to you after this,” he told me as he tried to crack a smile.

Oh, damn…

I pursed my lips and thought about it for a while. “I guess it’s fine…” That was the only thing I could say because his eyes were too much for me.

He smiled. “Alright. For now, just bear with me.”

Wow.

Was that really the Gray Alvarez I had married? Or am I seeing a new version of him? Wait, this one might not be him, though—

What am I even thinking? There’s no doubt that this is him, but somehow, he’s far from what he was a few months ago? It’s like he’d gone soft after marrying me.

Anyway, we stayed there for quite some time because I didn’t want to make Auntie upset. But I promised Alvarez that we’d leave as soon as we got the chance to. Or perhaps when I can’t take it anymore.

“Diaz, don’t look anyone in the eye,” Alvarez told me when he noticed that I was starting to make eye contact with the people around here.

“Why? They’re not Medusa, are they?” I joked.

He chuckled. “No. They’re worse.”

Ah.

Alright.