CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

He made me sit inside the bathtub. He saw that I was holding the sheet tightly around me when he spoke, "Tesoro, why are you hiding away from me. I've seen everything already."

I stayed quiet with my head down, not letting him see my blushed cheeks. He lightly pecked my naked shoulder and moved to fill the bathtub. The consciousness of me being naked in daylight started filling me with insecurities. I brought my legs to my chest to cover the nakedness.

"Tesoro, move a little further." He instructs. I gaze at him with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you going to leave?"

He frowns, "why would I leave? We are going to shower together."

"What?! Na-ah, mister. We are not doing that. Please, can you go out?"

The frown turns into a scowl, "why do you want me to leave? I have already seen everything."

"But it-its br-bright here," I am not even sure he heard me with the low voice. However, his reply is instant. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing."

"Tesoro, either you explain that right or I'll get answers on my own."

The threat shuddered my body. "I don't want you to look at me because I'm fat!"

He looks taken aback but doesn't say anything making me angry. "There! I've said it now. Can you leave me alone?" Maybe it was my insecurities or my darkest fear that I was somewhat disappointed in him, yet I realize the reality of everything now.

I immediately add, "sorry for bursting out, I understand. Just go outside so I can shower.

"What do you mean you understand?"

"What I have known my whole life. You don't have to sugar-coat anything. I know how I look. Now please go outside and leave me alone." I reply, turning my head to the other side. I didn't want him to look at my tears.

I felt someone standing behind me. Still, I didn't lookup. I felt tingles on my skin when Arcadio slides me to the front. Without saying anything, he settles behind me. He pulls my back to his chest. My emotions have been running so high the sobbing starts again.

Arcadio lightly kisses the top of my head while rubbing my back. Slowly the weeping stops. "Are you alright, Tesoro?" No words were coming out, so I nodded.

"What happened?" He asked, still slowly rubbing my back. I shook my head and pushed my face further inside his chest. I will not answer him because, honestly, I don't know the answer myself. Maybe coming back to India was the worst decision.

All the negativities from the past came crashing, years of trying to follow the stereotype beauty of becoming slim, then using certain whitening creams to shed off my melanin. I remembered how after every time everyone teased me. I used to come inside here and cry my eyes out. That was also one of the reasons I was so adamant about getting out of this country.

"Tesoro," he softly spoke.

"Hmm," I looked up at him.

"You have to believe me when I say this. You are beautiful. Every inch of you belongs to me, and I won't let you talk bad about something that is mine." He glared at me.

I smiled at him. "I'm being serious." He kissed my forehead. "This is mine." Then he trailed to my cheeks, "this also belongs to me."

"Especially these," he said before kissing my lips. His hands touched every single part of me. He kept on murmuring as if staking his claim. Not just with his words, but also his touch imprinted me as his.

After the soothing bath, we walk outside. My mind was relaxed. "You go and change your clothes. I have to attend to some phone calls." Arcadio kissed my forehead and walked out of the room.

He is doing it a lot after I've told him about the insecurities. The old feelings were igniting again. I changed into an oversized T-shirt and a pair of denim jeans.

As I walked outside, a delicious smell hit my nose. I followed the smell and reached the kitchen. I was surprised to see Arcadio wearing his shirt with buttons open and wearing his jeans hung low.

The kitchen was my dad's present to my mom. It was big and open for her to cook. She always wanted a spacious kitchen to move around and multitask. Yet the cleaning was supposed to be me and my brother's chore. The wooden cabinets and the white marble should be spotless.

Arcadio cooking in the kitchen made the kitchen seem so small. He made it feel so homely. I bit my lip while admiring him.

"Admiring the view, Tesoro?" He smirked with his stare still on the pan.

"Maybe, I am."

"Getting bold, I see. Now that you are here, can you tell me where is the salt container?"

"Fine." I moved inside the kitchen to the cabinet where all the spices were. It was right behind him.

"By the way, where is everyone?" I could see the house was clean. So clean that, if anyone saw it right now they would not imagine something disastrous happened yesterday. My house looked so different. The floors that had blood were shining bright without it. The furniture that got trashed is all aligned like before.

"I had already informed them not to disturb us, and they have left us in peace."

I mock him, "did you by any means threaten them?"

Before I felt his body, I felt his hot breath on my ear. Before I could react, he turned my body to face him. He picked me up and sat me down on the cold marble slab. I trembled from the action and the cold.

"I did because I didn't want them to hear you screaming my name." I blush.

"Mr. Arcadio Concentino, what are you trying to do?" I lightly hit on his chest.

"Mrs. Elizabeth Amarel Concentino, I am trying to take advantage of my wife." He says while kissing my neck. The word wife makes my heart beat faster.

He kisses me. I move my hands over his shoulder, but he takes them one by one and traps it at each side of my head. He pushes himself closer, and I felt his hard member on my stomach. A moan leaves my lips.

The kiss seems endless until a burning smell hits my nose. "Arcadio," I push him away. He immediately turns off the induction. I hit my forehead with my palm.

He looks back at me with a scrunched nose and rubs the back of his head. "Is it burnt?"

"This is all your fault." I get down from the counter.

"My fault! How is it my fault?" I cross my arms in front of my chest.

"You were the one who distracted me with that body of yours. Especially that ass in those tight jeans." He complains.

"What about you, huh? Showing off those abs like a piece of meat?"

He leans on the slab, "am I enticing you, Tesoro?"

At the right time, the doorbell rings. "I'll see who it is."

"Tesoro, make sure to see before you open the door."

"I will." Walking towards the door flashes me yesterday's scenario, my heart start bouncing with fear. I tightened my fist, but I kept walking because I didn't want Arcadio to question me. Although, he has still not asked anything about what happened. Yet the more he delays the question, the more it makes me nervous and anxious about the truth. I have to set my story right to answer him.

My eyes are about to bulge out of the sockets when I see through the peephole, mom and dad standing.

"F*ck," I curse and run back to Arcadio.

He looks worried seeing me, "Tesoro, are you fine? Who is it?"

"Ma....Pa....."