Chapter 6 Dinner

Kia woke up slowly, the sound around her feeling strangely familiar. Hmmm... What's that noise? When she opened her eyes, she realized she was in a small room.

How did I end up here? I was in the car before I fell asleep...

Still a bit groggy, she rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up in bed. "Is this Ares' house?" she wondered.

"Oh, you're awake? I'm sorry if my typing noise disturbed you. I'm just finishing up a report for work. And yes, this is my home. Once I'm done, we can go out for dinner," Ares smiled as he continued typing.

"Um... You can wake me up, actually. It seems like it's already evening. I must have been asleep for a while. I'm sorry for making you wait," Kia scratched her head in embarrassment.

How long was I out? I didn't expect to sleep this much. It's embarrassing, especially since Ares had to carry me into the house.

"I didn't wake you up because I figured you might be tired from all the packing earlier, and you brought quite a bit of stuff," Ares explained, flashing a warm smile as he took a brief break from his work.

Kia felt a warm blush creeping up her cheeks, turning them a shade of bright red, almost like apples. "Thank you," she mumbled.

I didn't expect him to be this considerate... He seems really nice and gentlemanly. I should be cautious though; he's still a stranger despite our marriage. She reminded herself in her thoughts.

"Have you had dinner? I've kept you waiting for quite a while... I know a nice place nearby. Let's go there for dinner, my treat!" She added, her smile forced as her stomach suddenly growled, betraying her. She quickly patted her tummy, adding to her embarrassment as she avoided eye contact with Ares.

"So, you're hungry, huh? I forgot, you were pretty sleepy last night," Ares said with a grin on his face. Kia's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she averted her gaze from Ares, hoping he wouldn't notice.

Jerk! I take back the nice things I thought about him earlier!

"N-no, it's not that..." Kia began to stutter.

"Alright, just kidding," Ares said softly, chuckling at his own antics. "I've ordered some food. It should be here soon. Go ahead and take a shower. We'll eat as soon as it arrives," he added.

"Um... okay..."

Why do I feel like this? I just met him, but it's like I've known him for ages... Maybe I'm just really tired...

She got out of bed and started looking for comfortable clothes to wear before heading for the shower.

…

"You... you've got quite an appetite. Looks like everything I ordered isn't enough for you. Next time, I'll take you to a nice restaurant and we'll order heaps of food. Don't worry about holding back; just enjoy whatever you like. I promise my salary will keep you well-fed," Ares remarked, watching as his wife devoured the last five boxes of food. She ate as if she hadn't seen a meal in a month, leaving him astounded by her boundless energy. Concealing his own hunger, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Really?" Kia replied, chuckling herself, finding her husband's statement rather amusing.

"What if you still want to eat out after all this?" she playfully quipped, "Are you sure you won't kick me out for eating too much?"

A smile spread across Ares's face as he admired Kia's beauty. Beyond her flawless complexion and red lips, her eyes sparkled whenever she smiled. "Hold on a second, you've got rice on the side of your lip," Ares pointed out, noticing a grain of rice stuck to her cheek.

Kia began searching for it, "Huh? Um... is it here?" Ares watched with a smile as she earnestly searched for the tiny grain of rice, her face reddening with embarrassment.

What's this... Oh no! How embarrassing! Please, let the ground swallow me now!

Ares gently touched Kia's cheek and said, "Let me." He hadn't used his fingers yet but leaned in slightly, bringing his lips close to hers, and kissed her, removing the grain of rice from her face. The unexpected act sent Kia's heart racing.

*Thump— thump— thump*

Her heart pounded as if she had just run a marathon. "W-what are you doing?" she asked nervously.

"Why? Is something wrong? We're married now, and that's called a kiss of love," Ares teased her. Kia clenched her teeth and suppressed the shiver that had coursed through her moments earlier. "Do you know how long I've wanted to do that to my future wife? I see couples flirting on the street all the time. Now it's my turn."

…

KIA

Calm down, self! Don't let yourself fall for this man too quickly...

After I finished eating, he suddenly got up and started clearing the table, taking the plate I was holding just as I was about to help. "I've got this. You need to rest. It's late; go to sleep. I'll be back soon," he whispered as he busied himself with cleaning up my mess.

What was the Lord thinking when He paired me with Ares France Vuertalejo? Please, don't wake me up if I'm dreaming... He doesn't know me, but the way he treats me makes me feel like he loves me as his wife. Is it because I'm a decent wife?

I just wanted to use this marriage to escape the pain caused by my ex and stepsister. But... why do I feel like I'm slowly falling for this person?

Geez! What was I thinking?

I shook my head, trying to snap out of my thoughts. "Wait... Where will I sleep tonight? The bed earlier was too small for both of us... Well, even though we fit in that bed, it's still a no for me. There are two rooms in this house; maybe the other room is a guest room."

Will he agree that we won't sleep together? It seems like I'll have to come up with an excuse, like snoring loudly when he's in a deep sleep, so I might disturb his rest... Or should I warn him that if I can't sleep well due to his loud snoring, I'll kick him out of his own home?

Oh no, I can't say that. It's too harsh...

"What's with that expression? Is something wrong?" The voice behind me caught me off guard.