Chapter 6
“This will be our house,” Matias said as they entered a large home.
Lirah couldn’t help but marvel as they stepped inside the two-story house. Their mansion in the hacienda was big as well, but it wasn’t as modern as this one. The design here was simple yet elegant in her eyes, with its black and gray color scheme. It was far from her favorite color, yellow, but she found it beautiful nonetheless. The first floor was a studio-type setup. From the living room, one could immediately see the kitchen with a counter blocking the way. In front of it was a long table that could accommodate eight people. On the side of the living room was the only staircase leading to the second floor.
“Can’t I just go back to the hacienda?” Lirah asked. She positioned herself behind the long sofa while Matias sat on one of the chairs by the dining table.
Matias chuckled slightly. “No, you can’t. I hate to admit it, but we’re married now, and we need to live under one roof.”
Lirah sighed. “Okay.” If she had a choice, she’d prefer staying in the hacienda rather than this beautiful house.
“House rules. I don’t care what you do, whether you leave the house in the morning, go ahead. But I want you to come home every night. I want you to be here when I come home.”
Lirah raised an eyebrow and faced Matias. “So, I can go to the hacienda?”
“Yes. Just come home. I don’t want our families to say anything. We need to act like a married couple.”
“Why? You seem to dislike this marriage too. So why did you agree to it?”
Matias avoided eye contact. “It’s none of your business.”
“How rude.” Lirah rolled her eyes and turned away from him.
Matias shook his head. “Our bedrooms are upstairs. The master’s bedroom is mine. Yours is the one across from it.”
“We’ll have separate rooms?”
“Yes. Why?”
Lirah shrugged. “Aren’t married couples supposed to share a room?”
Matias paused for a moment. He was starting to feel a headache from Lirah’s questions. It seemed like she knew nothing about these things or couldn’t understand what he wanted to convey. He grinned and took a step closer to Lirah, stopping behind her. He couldn’t help but compliment her because she smelled nice, like her dama’s scent. It was as if she sensed his presence and suddenly turned to face him. Her eyes widened, and she quickly stepped back. Thankfully, he caught her by the waist before she fell.
“W-What are you doing?” the girl asked, frightened.
Matias grinned even wider. “Do you want to share the same room? I’d be willing to share a bed with you. But are you willing to share yours with me?” he asked meaningfully, glancing at her chest.
Lirah’s eyes widened even more. She gasped in shock and quickly pushed Matias away. “Pervert! Hey! Just because we’re married doesn’t mean I’ll allow you to—” She stopped abruptly, realizing that she had never done that with any man before. She hadn’t even kissed anyone, and yet this man just stole a kiss from her.
Matias grinned even more. “What? Can’t you say it?”
Her face flushed with embarrassment. She was used to discussing these matters with Kiray, but with anyone else, especially a man, she couldn’t bring herself to talk about it.
“Pervert!” Lirah yelled and quickly ran upstairs to the second floor. She saw three rooms there and rushed into the one with a large door close to her. She froze when she saw that the interior was the same black and gray color scheme as the outside. Even the copper bed was in the same gray color. But Lirah didn’t mind. She quickly lay on the bed and covered herself with the blanket.
Matias was left behind, shaking his head in amusement at the girl’s behavior. She acted like an innocent child, unaware of the world around her. But his smile disappeared when he realized he was smiling. He quickly shook his head and walked towards the second floor. He entered his room, the largest among the three, as it was the master’s bedroom. All their belongings were already there, making it easy for him to settle in.
Matias removed his necktie and started undressing. However, he was interrupted when the bed suddenly moved, and Lirah stood up from it. He was stunned as he stared at her.
“What are you doing here?!” they both asked at the same time.
Lirah’s eyes widened, and she immediately averted her gaze from Matias’ body. But when she looked down at his stomach, which had a six-pack, she let out a scream, “Ah! Pervert! Pervert! Pervert!” She quickly covered herself with the blanket, her face turning red with embarrassment.
Matias also looked at his own body and realized he was naked as he was heading to the bathroom. He quickly grabbed his discarded clothes and covered himself.
“What are you doing here? Your room is on the other side!” Lirah exclaimed, trying to control her embarrassment.
Lirah froze, barely able to scream in shame. She prayed that the bed would swallow her up as she lay there.
“I-I didn’t know! But why are you naked?”
“This is my room! What do you expect?!”
“Fine! I’ll leave! But go to the bathroom!” Lirah said, flustered.
Matias sighed in exasperation. He didn’t know what to do with his wife. “Okay. Go out as soon as I enter the bathroom.” He walked towards the bathroom, still covering his body with his clothes. But he stopped near the bathroom when he looked at Lirah. He suddenly grinned broadly.
“A-Are you still there?” Lirah asked.
Matias didn’t answer. Instead, he dropped the clothes covering him and slowly got on the bed.
“Should we share this room instead? After all, we’re married, right?” Matias whispered to Lirah.
Lirah’s entire body went cold when she felt Matias’ warm breath. She quickly removed the blanket from her body. In her hasty movement, she accidentally hit Matias on the cheek. She didn’t respond and quickly ran out of the room, locking the door behind her. She entered the adjacent room and locked it as well. There, she felt like she entered a different world. If the other room was all black and gray, this one was all yellow, her favorite color. She blushed with embarrassment and muttered, “Embarrassing! Annoying!”
In the other room, Matias was left rubbing his nose, which Lirah accidentally hit. He smiled broadly. “What kind of woman is she?” he asked himself in disbelief. Shaking his head, he got off the bed. “This will be fun.”
Chapter 7
Lirah woke up early the next day. She didn’t even bother to get dressed due to the overwhelming embarrassment she felt. The image of Matias’ manliness kept lingering in her mind. She wondered if there was any place where he couldn’t find pleasure because of his size. She recalled something Kiray had told her about the guy.
Lirah got up and dressed. Surprisingly, she found her belongings inside the room. It seemed like Matias had prepared everything for their move to that house. After taking a shower, Lirah put on her flowery dress, letting her long hair down, and then she left the room. She paused for a moment when she saw Matias’ room.
“Is he still in there?” she whispered to herself. Lirah shook her head and said, “Whatever.”
She went downstairs to the first floor and noticed that there was food covered on the table. She approached it and saw fried eggs and sausages. There was also neatly arranged bread on a plate and an empty cup with warm water and coffee inside. She picked up the sticky note attached to it.
‘Warm the water and fill your cup.’
Lirah hesitated. It seemed like her assumption about Matias was wrong. She followed his instructions and made herself a cup of coffee.
“He probably left already,” she thought to herself.
Lirah sighed and decided to have breakfast. Afterward, she cleaned up her eating area. She had plans to visit her father at the hospital and check on her mother. However, there was a knock on their door, so Lirah opened it, revealing the old man she had seen yesterday.
“Good morning, Madam. I’m Arnaldo, Butler of Sir Matias Gomez,” he introduced himself.
Lirah opened the door wider and let the man in. “Why? Is Matias not here anymore?”
Arnaldo paused and looked at Lirah. “Yes. He’s already at the office.”
“Oh, I see.”
“He sent me here to give this to you.” Arnaldo handed a small paper bag to Lirah. She quickly took it and checked its contents. “There are two cards you can use to buy whatever you need or anything else. Your cellphone is in there too, and his number is saved. If you need his help, you can contact him. My number is also in there.”
“Cellphone and cards? What will I do with these?”
“For emergencies.”
Lirah winced. “Oh, I don’t need that. I’m not materialistic, and I don’t use social media at all.” In reality, Lirah didn’t even have a cellphone. Kiray had more belongings than she did. She would rather spend her time reading books than staring at a gadget that only harmed her eyes. It would be alright if it only affected her eyes, but she had seen Kiray talking to her phone alone, laughing and crying.
“But you need this, Madam, to easily communicate with Sir,” Arnaldo insisted.
Lirah sighed again. “As if he would want to talk to me. But fine, I’ll take it.”
Arnaldo nodded at her. “Do you have somewhere to go now? Your car is ready outside, Madam. Let me introduce you to Rico, your personal driver and bodyguard as well.”
“Driver? Oh no, sir. I don’t need that. I can take a taxi.”
“Madam, your husband is the richest and most influential person in this country. You need to accept it.”
Lirah scratched her head. She had never experienced this in her family before, except maybe for her eldest sibling, who was a model. She just nodded and agreed with Arnaldo. She excused herself briefly to get her bag. She brought the cellphone Matias gave her and the cards. Then, she hurriedly went downstairs. Upon exiting the house, she saw the black luxury car and a man standing next to it.
“He’s Rico, your personal driver and bodyguard. He will accompany you wherever you go,” Arnaldo introduced.
Lirah nodded and waved gently at Rico. "Hello." The young man nodded back and greeted her. Rico was much bigger and taller than Lirah, but he didn't seem much older than Matias. "Thank you for your help," Lirah politely greeted Arnaldo.
"You're welcome, Madam," Arnaldo replied, nodding at her.
Lirah got into the car and asked Arnaldo to drive her to the hospital. While on the way, she opened the cellphone Matias gave her. She stared at it, realizing she wasn't familiar with using a touchscreen phone. She could still manage a keypad phone, as she had used one back in college. In truth, she was more comfortable using a laptop or computer than this small device. Lirah decided to put the cellphone back into her bag and waited silently until they reached the hospital. She would ask Kiray to teach her later when she arrived at the hacienda.
"Thank you, Rico. I'll text you—oh," Lirah winced. "I can't text, actually."
"I'll be waiting here, Madam," Rico replied.
Lirah nodded. "Alright. Thank you."
She entered the hospital and went straight to the fifth floor. Upon entering her father's room, she saw her mother and sister there, and they immediately turned their heads to her.
"Oh, the newly married are here. How was your night, little sister?" Liza asked playfully.
"Why didn't you come to my wedding yesterday, Mama?" Lirah asked.
Paulina rolled her eyes. "I don't have time for that. Your father needs me, right?"
"Is that so? Sorry."
"Don't be a baby, Lirah," Liza commented. "Now tell us, how was Matias Gomez?" She wanted to see her sister embarrassed and regret her marriage to that worthless man.
Lirah's cheeks turned slightly red. She avoided looking at Liza.
Liza frowned when her sister didn't respond. "You're so boring."
"What are you doing here, Lirah?" Paulina asked.
"Um, I just wanted to visit Papa and tell you about the wedding."
"I don't care," Paulina quickly retorted. "But thanks to you, your godfather paid for the money we lost in our company. We won't struggle anymore, and I'm sure your father will be pleased when he wakes up."
Lirah felt her heart squeeze when she heard her mother's words. It was as if her mother cared more about the money Matias' family gave them rather than asking how she was doing. It seemed like they considered her marriage to Matias as the end of her relationship with their family. She sadly nodded and looked at her father.
"H-How's Papa?"
"Lirah." Liza stood up and faced her sister. "It's not your business anymore. You're now married to Matias Gomez. They are your family now."
"Sister, Papa is still my father. You're my family."
"We don't need you. You've fulfilled your duty. You can now go with your miserable life."
Tears welled up in Lirah's eyes. "I-I can't do that, Sister."
"Urgh! Go! Don't show yourself here again. We don't need you anymore!"
"Your sister is right, Lirah. It's better for your father if you never come back here again."
Lirah couldn't believe what she was hearing from her sister and mother. It felt like they were suddenly rejecting her, even though they were the ones who arranged her marriage to Matias. She started to cry and exchanged glances between her sister and mother. Her lips quivered, and she tightly clenched her fists. She couldn't help but feel hurt by their actions towards her. She turned around, crying, and left the room.
'Why is it like this? I followed Mama's wishes, but why do they still treat me badly? They didn't even think about the sacrifices I made for this family.'
Chapter 8
Lirah couldn’t stop crying while in her room. She still couldn’t accept that her family seemed to not care about her. She was used to it, but it still hurt, especially the way her mother treated her. She could only pray that her father’s condition would improve and think about visiting him when her mother and sister were not around.
It was already afternoon when Lirah decided to get up and go downstairs. She felt like her whole body was in pain because she had nothing to do at home. She also sent Rico away since she had nowhere else to go.
“I’ll ask Matias later if I can visit the hacienda. I’ll die of boredom in this place,” Lirah said as she poured herself a glass of water. She sighed while looking around. She couldn’t help but feel lonely because she suddenly missed her pets.
“I hope they fed Chuchay properly.”
Lirah busied herself with exploring the house. It was large for just the two of them, and the structure was very modern and luxurious. Lirah was used to living in a hacienda, but she knew how to recognize expensive items because of her mother and sister.
“I wonder how wealthy he is?” she asked herself again.
She knew her godfather Manuel well. She knew he was wealthy because her father used to take her to his house often. However, she didn’t really know Matias since he was always absent. That’s why she couldn’t recognize what he looked like. Lirah carefully examined the picture frame hanging on their wall near the staircase. Beside it was their wedding picture.
“He’s handsome indeed, but his eyes seem lifeless. Why is that? And why is he holding a gun?”
Suddenly, Lirah remembered the night she met Matias. He didn’t seem to recognize her, but he was wearing the bracelet she made for him. She smiled, thinking that he must have liked it.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Oh, gosh!”
Lirah almost jumped when someone spoke beside her. She held her chest and widened her eyes as she faced the slightly frowning Matias.
“Why are you so startled? Can’t you knock?” Lirah snapped at him. “Don’t you know how to knock?”
Matias raised an eyebrow. “Why would I need to knock? This is my house.”
Lirah grumbled. She straightened herself and took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you say you were coming home already? I haven’t prepared dinner yet.”
“You don’t have to. I don’t want—”
“Why not? We need to eat.”
Matias stared at Lirah. Even though he hadn’t been with her for a long time, he could already sense her playfulness. He started walking upstairs.
“Hey, what food do you want?”
“Whatever you cook,” Matias replied quietly, but Lirah heard him clearly.
She glared at him and went downstairs. “So grumpy!”
Lirah walked towards the kitchen and passed by the wall clock. It was already six in the evening. She paused for a moment in her steps.
“It seems he comes home early.” She continued walking. She realized that she needed to know when he comes home and when he leaves because, in some way, they are still married. Lirah shook her head. She was still too young to be married. But here she was, already married. She just hoped that her father’s condition would improve.
Matias had just come out of the bathroom when he smelled the delicious aroma of cooking. His stomach immediately grumbled.
"She's really cooking," he said in disbelief.
He couldn't help but smile. It seemed like it wasn't a bad idea to come home early that day. He deliberately did so because he couldn't focus in the office. He kept thinking about Lirah's well-being. He didn't understand why, but he couldn't get her out of his mind. It was as if he had known her for a long time. He had thought about going out again since he saw that Lirah was doing well at home, but he decided to stay for dinner.
After changing into a simple red t-shirt and shorts, Matias went downstairs to check on Lirah. He saw her busy cutting the chicken on the counter in front of her. Behind her, there was a pot simmering on the stove, releasing a delightful smell.
"You know how to cook?" Matias asked.
"Oh god— Why do you keep startling me?!" Lirah asked in return.
Matias chuckled a bit. "Why do you get so easily startled?" He sat in front of Lirah.
Lirah glared at him and continued with her work. "It's so quiet here. Plus, how would I know if there's suddenly someone else with me?"
"And who do you think would dare to enter this place?"
Lirah shrugged. "I don't know. A thief?"
"This is a secured place. You don't have to worry about thieves."
"Just making sure."
"What are you cooking?"
"Ah, are you hungry already? I'm cooking Menudo. Then I'll also cook fried chicken."
Matias nodded. Actually, he didn't know the dish that Lirah mentioned. He wasn't used to eating home-cooked meals because he often ate out. The last time he had a home-cooked meal was when his mother was still alive.
"Not yet. I'll wait," he replied.
Lirah furrowed her brows. She stopped cutting and looked at Matias, who seemed to be surprised. She tightened her grip on the knife, alerting Matias.
"Do you not know how to cook, huh?"
"No. I have people hired to cook for me."
"You mean, you only eat expensive dishes?"
"Is that so?"
"Just small portions. I always see that in the vlogs Kiray watches. They don't seem filling, but they're expensive." Lirah shook her head. "Don't worry. From now on, I'll always cook for you."
Matias suddenly smiled. "Really, huh?"
"Yes!" Lirah replied confidently. "You won't go hungry anymore."
Matias shook his head, still smiling. "Okay then."
As they continued to eat, Matias watched Lirah. He had seen many skilled chefs before, but he couldn't help but be more impressed by Lirah. When she opened the pot, his stomach growled louder. It was the first time that had happened. He felt as if he hadn't eaten for days. He crossed his arms and started to salivate.
Lirah noticed this and became worried. Matias had stopped talking and was chewing quietly.
"How is it?" she asked.
Matias didn't answer. He took another spoonful from his plate and ate it slowly. He even sighed slightly and closed his eyes while savoring the taste in his mouth.
Lirah's cooking was so delicious. Tears almost welled up in Matias' eyes because the taste was just like his mother's cooking.
'Mom...'
Chapter 9
Since that evening, Lirah has always been cooking for Matias. It wasn't a problem for her because she was used to cooking. Her Yaya, Nanay Myrna, taught her, and she always helped her in the kitchen. However, what puzzled her was why Matias suddenly became silent that night. After that, he didn't speak again. She was worried that he might just force himself to eat her cooking.
"It's delicious, right?" Lirah asked Kiray. She was waiting for her friend's response after giving her a taste of the cooked menudo. They were currently at the hacienda that day. Lirah asked Matias if she could stay here every day. He agreed as long as she returned home in the afternoon and cooked their dinner.
"Yes, besh! You're really good at cooking!" Kiray exclaimed.
Lirah furrowed her brows and blushed slightly. "Why is he like that then?"
Kiray raised an eyebrow. She placed her spoon on the plate and looked at her friend. "Why? Doesn't your husband like your cooking?"
Lirah shrugged. "I don't know. He doesn't say anything. But he always wants me to cook."
"He must have liked it!"
"I don't know. He has a different expression when he's eating."
"How so?"
Lirah fell silent as she recalled Matias' expression whenever they ate together. He remained quiet and focused on his food. He looked like he enjoyed eating, but there was something else.
"Um... he looks sad."
"What? What's wrong with your husband? Is he insensitive? Even your pets get excited when you feed them. How much more him?"
"I don't know. Let's just leave him alone. Call Nanay and let's have lunch!"
"Okay!"
Lirah stayed in the kitchen. She quickly cleaned up the other dishes she prepared. One of their household helpers caught up with her and tried to take over washing the dishes. Lirah had no choice but to let her and proceeded to set the table.
"Besh! Let's eat outside!"
Lirah paused in setting the table when she heard Kiray’s voice. “Why?”
“Because it’s nicer outside. The breeze feels good,” Kiray replied.
“Okay, fine.”
They both brought the food out to the front of the mansion. They often ate there because it was refreshing, and it wasn’t too hot even in the middle of the day. Lirah’s hacienda staff always joined her when she had meals. She didn’t like eating alone. They both helped in setting up the table. After a while, they all sat together and started eating.
Lirah had only been away from the hacienda for a few days, but she already missed them. Earlier, when she arrived, she immediately visited Chuchay. She was delighted to see the sow lively again with her piglets.
As they were eating quietly, they suddenly heard the sound of a car approaching. Lirah quickly looked in that direction, furrowing her brows. It was familiar to her, but she was sure it wasn’t her driver.
“Do you have a visitor, Nanay?” Lirah asked.
“No,” her mother replied.
They all looked at the car as it stopped not too far away. After a moment, the driver stepped out. Lirah’s eyes widened slightly when she saw that it was her husband, Matias, who had arrived.
“Oh! He’s handsome!” Kiray whispered with a gentle nudge on Lirah’s shoulder.
“Wait, isn’t he the one you helped, dear?” Myrna asked.
“Yeah, right?”
Lirah swallowed. “Y-Yes.” She immediately stood up and went to meet Matias. “Matias! What are you doing here?”
Matias didn’t stop walking, so Lirah followed him.
“I’m hungry,” he replied.
“Huh? Why didn’t you say so?”
“You’re not answering my calls.”
Lirah scratched her head. How could she answer his calls when she didn’t bring her cellphone?
They stopped walking when they reached the table. Everyone just stared at Matias with curiosity.
“Who is he?” Kiray couldn’t contain her excitement, her eyes fixed on Matias.
Lirah cleared her throat. “Um, ’Nay, this is Matias. He’s my husband.”
Myrna stared at Matias. “You? Oh my! Sit here. Eat. Get another plate for yourself, Kiray!”
Kiray immediately stood up and followed her mother. Lirah wasn’t sure what else to say, so she just sat beside Matias.
“Your husband turned out to be quite handsome, Lirah,” Berth, one of her staff, remarked.
Lirah smiled shyly. She glanced at Matias, who was engrossed in eating.
“Did you cook this?” Matias asked.
“Lirah did, son. She’s usually the one who cooks here,” Myrna replied.
Matias quickly looked at Lirah’s plate and took it. She was surprised by what he did. He didn’t even wait for Kiray to come back with his own utensils; he used hers instead.
“Your husband seems really hungry, Lirah,” Myrna chuckled. “Are you feeding him well? He might lose weight.”
Lirah blushed. “Yes, ’Nay! I always wake up early to cook for him.”
“Oh, well, don’t worry. Just use that new plate,” Myrna said, pointing to a fresh plate for Matias. She then looked at him again. “Eat as much as you want, dear. My daughter’s cooking is delicious.”
Matias didn’t respond and just continued eating. Lirah felt slightly annoyed by his behavior. She couldn’t read his thoughts at all.
After they finished eating, Lirah also helped her staff clean up the dining area. While arranging the dishes, she couldn’t help but glance at Matias. He seemed lost in thought, and it seemed like there was something on his mind.
“Your husband is so quiet, besh. Why is he like that?” Kiray asked.
“I don’t know. He only talks to me when I’m cooking,” Lirah replied.
“Oh! Are you still worried that he doesn’t enjoy your cooking? Did you see it earlier? He practically finished everything you cooked.”
Lirah sighed. “I don’t know. He’s so quiet and often grumpy. Do you know? He always has this permanent frown, like he’s angry at the world.”
Kiray laughed. “Why do you seem affected? I thought you didn’t want to get married to him in the first place?”
“It’s not that. I’m just puzzled by him. He hardly says anything.”
Lirah looked at Matias again, who was now near the chicken coop. She decided to leave her tasks for a moment and approached him.
“Matias, are you not going back to work?” she asked.
He turned to look at her. “Are you sending me away?”
“No.” Lirah stood beside him. “Next time, I’ll pack your lunch. It’s quite a trip for you to come here.”
“It’s okay.” Matias looked around. “This place looks familiar.”
Lirah paused. ‘He still doesn’t remember, but he hasn’t taken off the bracelet.’
“Maybe it just looks similar. We’re not the only ones who own land around here.”
“Maybe.”
“The bracelet looks unique. It’s beautiful,” Matias commented.
Lirah looked at her hand. “Ah, someone put this on me.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t recognize the person? Why don’t you take it off then?”
Matias shrugged. “I found it cool. And I’m hoping to see her again because she saved my life.”
Lirah raised an eyebrow. “You still can’t remember her?”
Matias thought for a moment. “I remember seeing her face. But I can’t remember again. Maybe it’s because of what happened that night.”
Lirah furrowed her brows. “You forget so quickly,” she murmured.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing! I said, if you’re leaving, go ahead. I’ll go home early and make sure everything is in order here.”
“We can stay here for now.”
Lirah’s eyes widened. “Seriously? I can stay here for a while?”
“Us. We can stay here.”
“You too?”
“Yes. Since if I leave, you’re coming with me. You’re my personal cook now, remember?”
“Huh? When did I become like that in your life?”
Matias smiled and winked at her. Then he walked to another part of the hacienda. Lirah couldn’t help but gape at what he did. She knew she was a good cook, but she never expected to become someone’s personal cook.
‘Oh well! If he weren’t my husband!’
Chapter 10
“Thank you very much for the unwavering support!”
“I’ve been looking for you for a while now. You’re just here.”
Lirah looked back. There was Matias, peering at her from outside the pig pen. His forehead wrinkled, and he had his hand slightly covering his nose.
“Sorry. I heard Chuchay crying,” she replied. Lirah continued to look at the piglets.
“Chuchay?”
Lirah nodded and pointed to the nursing sow. “That’s Chuchay. And these are her piglets.”
Matias furrowed his brow even more. He couldn’t believe the pig had a name. He shook his head, and his eyes caught sight of something red tied around one of the pig’s feet. He had seen other animals with red strings tied around their feet before, but he didn’t pay much attention to it.
“Why were you looking for me?”
“I’m hungry.”
Lirah raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t we just have dinner?”
“Yes, but I’m hungry again. So, finish that already. I want to be full before I go to sleep.”
Lirah was left dumbfounded. She turned to face Matias, but he was already walking away. He had a disgusted look on his face, and it was clear he was bothered by the smell around him. She shook her head in amusement.
“What kind of stomach does he have?”
After her visit to the pig pen, Lirah went to her room to take a shower. She had no idea where Matias was. He wasn’t inside the mansion when she entered. Since he didn’t have a room of his own yet, he might be wandering around. When she went down again, she headed straight to the kitchen. She wasn’t sure what to cook for Matias.
“We still have some food left.” Lirah sighed, exhaling loudly. “Where could he be now?”
Before she could go out, she saw Matias entering the mansion.
“Matias! Where have you been?” she asked. He stopped walking and approached her. Lirah was taken aback when he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs. “Hey, wait!”
“Where’s your room?”
Lirah’s eyes widened. She hesitated for a moment as Matias held her in an embrace.
“What do you mean?” she stammered.
Matias thought for a moment, frowning when he saw Lirah’s reaction to his touch.
“Are you serious? Don’t worry. I have no intention of touching you. I just need to confirm something.”
Lirah gulped. She slowly stood up straight, avoiding his gaze. She suddenly felt embarrassed, as if it meant he wouldn’t even like her body. She was sexy, wasn’t she?
“W-What is it?”
Matias raised his hand. “What do you know about this? Did you really make it?”
Lirah looked at his hand. “About what? The bracelet?”
“Yes. I finally saw the animal feet on each charm. That’s why I’ve been noticing them.”
Matias shrugged. “Now, where’s your room?”
Lirah hesitated for a moment. “Here.” She walked towards the door leading to her room and guided Matias inside.
He immediately entered her room and looked around. It triggered his memories of what happened to him. He placed his hand on his head and then looked at Lirah again.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Did you know me the moment we met?”
“Yes, of course! I took care of you. Besides, how can I tell you when you always have a frown on your face whenever I talk to you? You only become nice to me when you’re hungry.”
Matias winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be like that. You know how we started, right? I never thought you would be the one I’d end up marrying.”
“So, what now? You already know that I saved you. And why do you have a gun, huh?”
Matias avoided her gaze. “Nothing. Let’s go. I confirmed that it was you who saved me. Cook something for me now,” he said, walking out of the room.
“Is that all?” Lirah followed Matias.
“Why? Do you want money?”
“Huh? No! I mean, I saved you.”
“And?”
Lirah rolled her eyes. “Never mind!”
She walked ahead, leaving Matias wondering why Lirah suddenly acted so irritable. It was the first time he saw her like that. “What happened to her?” he mumbled, then followed her into the kitchen.
Lirah cooked menudo for Matias, a small portion since it was only him eating. She quickly finished and was about to leave when he suddenly held her hand.
“Where are you going?” Matias asked, puzzled.
“Upstairs. I want to rest. Tomorrow, I’m sure you’ll want me to cook again. Poor me, always cooking for you.”
Matias didn’t know if he should laugh or be annoyed by Lirah’s words. She was raising her eyebrows and giving him a displeased look.
“Cute.”
“What?”
“You’re small, but you always have a lot to say.”
“So, you need to be tall to speak?”
Matias laughed. “Come on, just accompany me.”
“I don’t want to.” Lirah tried to pull her hand away, but Matias pulled her to sit beside him instead. She gave him an annoyed look. “You’re so persistent!”
“Thank you.”
Lirah was taken aback. She looked away and swallowed. “H-Huh?”
“Thank you for saving me that night. Thank you for cooking this tasty food for me. Thanks for being kind to me even though we didn’t have a good start. I understand why you had to marry me. I’ll be nice to you from now on.”
Lirah’s heart suddenly raced. She didn’t know if she was hearing things or if she was mistaken. She looked at Matias and saw a broad smile on his face. For the first time, she saw him genuinely happy.
“A-Are you enjoying my cooking?”
“Yes. That’s why I want to taste more of your cooking.”
Lirah’s lips trembled. She tried to hold back her smile, but she couldn’t hide the happiness she felt. Matias thanked her.
“Y-You’re welcome.”
She smiled at him. She didn’t leave her seat and stayed with Matias while he ate. For the first time since they got married, they had a long conversation.
Maybe Lirah didn’t want to get married right away, but she was happy to take her time getting to know her husband.
