His Lips

Zella retrieved a handkerchief by the table and gave it to the maid. She got suspicious upon why she's crying with a simple interruption. Zella helped the stylist out of the room, assuring her nothing will happen, and that she shouldn't apologize to a simple disruption.

She's shaking very bad. Something in her action made Zella wonder what kind of boss Leo is inside the mansion. Is he a villain?

"Go. I'll talk to him." Leo didn't even cut off Zella's words right after the stylist left. He sighed, thinking about the kiss earlier, and how he got bewitched right with her lips. Zella closed the door, hesitating to turn around just yet, and held the doorknob.

She pursed her lips, asking, "Why did she have to kneel down like that just because she barged in the room and interrupted our moment?"

Zella wondered what kind of wife she was. She also wanted to know what kind of boss Leo is. Zella must have come far earlier, upon kissing him unknowingly, just because her body wanted it, and she wanted to know if Leo felt the same thing.

Maybe they're hiding on each other's masks? Zella doesn't want to probe it further.

Leo shook his head. "It was a trait Randall Cross planted to the guest stylists, maids or other people we don't know inside for them not to commit a mistake. It's not my fault he's the second-in-command, and he wanted peace inside the mansion."

Zella didn't understand what he meant. Why would Randall threaten them like that?

"Just a simple moment ruined and she begged for her life? Isn't that a bit too cruel, Leo?" Zella raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest. Leo didn't know how to retaliate the situation back to their dinner. They're coming late, and the restaurant would notify him any minute now.

"You're the boss of this mansion, and as you claimed, as I don't remember anything, you're my husband. I mean… how can you allow Randall to spew such nonsense and act like it's a threat?" Zella doesn't like how the stylist begged for her life. Something hideous is going on. She knew from the start something's off, and she'll never let that moment come by without getting ready.

"Laina, I know it's wrong…"

"But you let Randall use it against them." She tilted an eyebrow.

Leo sighed, turning to the wall from where they kissed, and didn't say a word. Silence ensued, and she kept on planting those glares on him. Now he knew why Vincent had to complain in his office for an hour about how Zella lose the wits out of him.

The silence broke off when his watch suddenly beeped.

Leo looked back at her, nodding at the door. "It's time to go."

Zella didn't say anything and just went to the chair to retrieve her coat. Leo watched her every move, felt it became skeptical, like they didn't have a moment earlier by the wall. He swallowed, and didn't know how to make up with that. Zella retrieved her purse, check if her hair is intact.

Surprisingly, the burgundy shade of her lips didn't wear off even if Leo kissed her hard.

"Maybe the kiss felt wrong, after all." She didn't even stutter. Leo got astonished by her remark. Zella planted a fleeting look on him, walked past ahead, securing the black coat in her bare shoulders, and went out of the room, leaving him hanging.

Leo's jaw dropped on the floor. How dare she say the kiss was wrong? When she's the first one to lean in? When she's the first one to initiate the move and let the moment become intimate?

Leo balled his fists, getting frustrated with how Zella dared to play with his feelings. The Cassanos were right. She's too feisty to deal with. Leo stormed out of the room, followed Zella through the staircase, and didn't even dare to catch up.

…

Right at the sedan, Zella just look out of the window, watching the cars going past the highway. She thought of the moments to come, to gather up her strength to ask that question, and Zella knew she'd find an answer.

On the other hand, Leo found a path with no television screens at the buildings, and it's safe to say Zella wouldn't know anything until the dinner's over. Leo wouldn't be that tensed to answer her questions, if she ever got one.

"You decided to take me out after a month of my memory lapses?" Zella figured out the day she woke up in the bed with nothing inside her memory. The thoughts rambled around, and the only thing she could remember was how she woken up.

"I won't do it if you're not taking your medicines." She did, actually. Zella didn't even dare to ask what kind of medicine it is. Maybe he's trying to kill her, but she wouldn't know, and how could she do it?

"I don't even know if the medicines can take care of my memory lapses," Zella pointed out.

"Why? Don't you want to believe the doctors I hired?"

"Not that, Leo. I just wish you're not killing me." It made him step on the gas pedal, lunging them both forward. The car screeched at the right moment, when the red light suddenly activated. Zella closed her eyes, knowing every word that comes out of her lips were stupid.

Leo turned to her, horrified. "What?"

"How would I know the medicines are real and that it'll help to my memory lapses? You're not even switching it? Or you're just making me fall in love with you just so I can believe you?" It's the effect of having a fake marriage to a Telamur woman who just ended up bumping towards Randall car on a very, fine, summer day. Leo doesn't know how to deal with her indefiniteness anymore.

She's a bewildering woman Leo's afraid of.

"Why are you questioning the love I give to you?" Leo didn't know why he felt that. Earlier, when he saved Cassanos from getting killed because of Zella's reckless swipe, he dared to come up with a plan she couldn't resist. The car was on a halt, but the drive of their stares will end up on hell.

Zella's fiery gaze ignited with sparks.

"Why… are you questioning our marriage?"

"You wanted to know the reason why?" Zella answered back.

"Yeah, of course!" Leo doesn't seem to be that enraged upon something that can trigger his anxiety, but when Zella asked that question, he couldn't help himself to feel worried. That one day, Zella would soon find out he's not her husband, but a Calvorite citizen who had a job to kill rebels in her homeland.

"You seemed… unreal, Leo. Everything about you seemed unreal." The moment she finished those words, she turned back to the front window, pretending that Leo is a ghost. He blew up his opportunity to say something back when the cars behind them honked.

Leo hitched the clutch, and let the car moved once again.