Chapter Sixteen

Alaska knew that since the campaign will be starting soon, Ariel will be more expose to abuse by the people because of him. To avoid that, he thinks he should send warning to the people and also do the press conference. 

But he did not know if it will go well with Ariel because of the shock from the reporters and mobs the last time. He needs to consider her emotion if he wants her to perform well in the press conference too. 

That next day, he decided to ask her to know what she thinks, he has not been sleeping in the same room with her since they returned back to Alaska. But that night, he decides to sleep together in the same room with her. 

Ariel has been relieved now that she has the room to herself, she already locks the room from behind preparing to sleep when she heard the room getting unlocked from outside. 

She looks surprise and runs to the door to know what was happening but Alaska had unlocked the door. She looks surprise seeing him enter the room.

“W…what are you doing here?” she could see Alaska was there to sleep, she wonders why he was suddenly back to sleep in her room. 

“What not? You are my wife and I’m your husband. What is there to be surprise about?” he walks in and seat at the edge of the bed. 

Ariel sigh frustrated, she doesn’t know what is going on in his mind. Why the sudden change of mind, she felt that he should have just leave the room for her. 

“I…I thought you don’t…” she wanted to say he left the room for her but he stops herself. 

“That I don’t want to sleep with you?” Alaska said sarcastically. 

“I always wanted to sleep with you” he decides to tease her since he hates him in her room. Ariel instantly looks so pale like blood had drain from her body. 

“As he decided...?” she could not bear to finish her thought. Alaska almost burst out laughing seeing her pale face. 

Alaska was seated at the edge of the bed, unbuttoning his shirt as he prepares to sleep. Ariel looks confused, she knows she could not leave the room for him. She slowly went to the sofa ready to sleep on it. 

Alaska knew she must be planning to sleep on the sofa, he wanted to talk to her and he also want her to accept the fact that they are now husband and wife even though if it was forced, contracted or borrowed. They are both husband and wife on paper.

Therefore, he will not allow her sleep on the sofa, the faster she accept he is now her husband the better for her. 

“Come here I have something to say to you” he says tapping the space on the bed next to him, but Ariel pretends not to hear him and just lay on the sofa closing her eyes as if she has fallen asleep. Alaska lifts his head to look at her, knowing she was pretending, he sighs and leave the bed then walk to her on sofa. 

“Come to the bed” Alaska said to her gently. She opens her eyes and looks at him angrily, she doesn’t want his problem but he seems to be deliberately finding trouble with her. 

But Alaska seems to be enjoying teasing her these days, he finds it to be fun. 

“I told you I wasn’t interested in you, so come to the bed” he tells her. Ariel sigh getting more frustrated. 

“I know!” she looks pissed hearing the same word from Alaska again. 

“If you are not interested in me, why bother about where I sleep. Even if I sleep on the street” she said almost starting to cry from frustration. Alaska looks at her sad face which he hates the most and sigh. Ariel thought he will let her be but Alaska keeps looking at her without saying anything. 

When Ariel did not hear him say anything anymore, she closes her eyes believing that he will definitely leave her alone but as she closed her eyes, 

Alaska suddenly picks her up from the sofa and carries her to the bed, Ariel don’t expect him to carry her to the bed. 

“What are you doing?’ she struggles with him. 

“Just sleep on the bed, I want to have a talk with you” he looks gently at her. Ariel knows that it will be useless if she continues to struggle with him. 

“What is it?” 

“Lay down” he knows that she might leave the bed after he said what he wanted to her. 

She looks at his face angrily, she is tired of him but she knows she cannot escape him. It was not the first time they will be sleeping on the same bed, so she reluctantly lay on the bed while Alaska also lay beside her with enough space between them. 

What Ariel don’t know is that Alaska is not really interested in her body, he doesn’t want her to sleep on sofa because it will be inconvenient for her. 

“Do you know you are now becoming fearless, boldly looking at my face” Alaska said to her after the two lay side by side on the bed. Ariel feels scared when Alaska mention that, then she realized it was true she hasn’t taken cognize of it, she has really been looking directly to his face. 

She kept quiet and don’t reply because she feels scared that she had go beyond her boundary. But Alaska seems to like it. 

To him, it means she is seeing him as a different person not the ruthless and brutal Alaska like every other person believes he is. 

When Ariel realizes Alaska was not saying anything after that, she thought he might want to punish her for looking directly to his face, she decides to say something to breaks the silent. 

“I…. Is that what you wanted to talk about?” she stutters. 

“I was thinking if you will be able to attend a press conference with me?” Alaska said softly. Alaska wonders where the soft voice comes from. She is surprises that he is asking for her opinion but she believes he must be trying to find fault with her.

“Do you ever need my opinion to do anything? Do whatever you like, I don’t want to die, did I?” 

Alaska is surprise by her answer, he only wanted to know if she will be able to attend the press conference with him. He could have done it himself, but he knew it will cause more trouble because the people will believe something must be wrong between the two of them. 

“What do you mean?”

“Will you let go of me if I want to leave this marriage?” 

Alaska feels that she was really pushing her luck, asking for her opinion was unreasonable. 

“Alright then, I will what I have to do” he said angrily. 

“And mind you, you cannot leave this marriage!”