CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

"About time they reached here," he casually comments while plating the egg.

I move beside him and pull him out of the kitchen. Instead, with one tug, I'm in his arms. He has his arms secured around my waist.

"Let me go," I squirm under his hold but no use.

Suddenly my body is twisted, and my back is to his chest. The body heat gives me goosebumps. I looked back, and his eyes were looking back at mine.

Every time this happened, it was as if the world around me suspends. Everything around me blurs itself. The only sound I hear is our harsh breathing.

The sound of the door opening ruins that moment. Reality comes back. If Mom and Dad saw Arcadio inside the house and that too half-naked in the shirt, it would be a disaster. I can't let that happen!

Moving away from his hold, I turn back to face him. "Well, if you are going to meet them, then at least be presentable."

He smirks, "Ouch, Tesoro. All of a sudden, I'm not presentable for you? I thought someone was admiring this body just a few moments ago."

I feel embarrassed when he says this. He raises my face to look at him. He pecks my lips slowly, making desire ignite my body again. "Tesoro, you are so cute."

"Elizabeth, we are home," the announcement coming from the living room surprises me. I had forgotten about my parents.

"Hush now. Stay here till the time I don't call you."

He salutes me, "yes, ma'am."

I giggle and move away from his reach. Filling up two glasses with water, I place them on the tray. I look at Arcadio, and he is smiling.

"What are you smiling for?"

"You look domesticated." I don't know how to react to this statement. Should I be offended or take it as a compliment? Shaking my head, I walk out.

Time to face the music.

"Welcome back, lovebirds. How was the date?" Mom and Dad looked exhausted.

"Thank you," they say as I give them water. I settle down beside my parents, on the couch. Thank God for the partition wall that separated the kitchen and living room. So they weren't able to see Arcadio waiting in the kitchen.

"Did you clean the house or something?" You can't hide anything from Mom's eyes.

"Yes, I did."

They both look relaxed now. Maybe this is the right time to tell, "I have something to tell you both."

Before I could say anything, I saw Arcadio strutting out, coming towards us. I panic, and my eyes widen. What the hell is he doing out? He is going to ruin my plans.

I look at my parents, who are busy on their phones. I glare at him. "What are you doing here?" I mouth at him.

He ignores and says, "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Amarel."

I freeze at my spot. Both parents appeared to be in shock. Well, I cannot even describe how they would be feeling. It was the first time there was a man in the house, especially in their absence, and that too a foreign man.

"Who are you?" Dad's voice scared me a little.

Act quick, Ellie! "H-He is my friend, Dad."

"Your friend?" Mom's voice had doubts written all over it.

"Yes, he just landed today. He wanted to meet all of you, so I called him here."

"From New York?" Dad questions.

"Friend?" Arcadio asks at the same time.

"Yes, Dad."

I saw something click in Arcadio's expression because he automatically moved towards my side. "Not friend but her husband."

I gasped at his blunt words and stood up. I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me.

"HUSBAND!" Both Mom and Dad jumped at the new information. They both stood in shock.

To make matters worse, Arcadio moves closer to me while putting his hand over my shoulder as if claiming me in front of my parents.

"What are you doing?" I whisper, but he seems unfazed by the tension in the room.

"When did you get married?" Dad asked. His eyes look scary.

"Why did you not tell us?" Mom looked betrayed.

"Mom...Dad. It is not what it seems. Let me explain."

Dad's voice echoes in the room. "What do you mean it is not what it seems?" He took a step closer, and I flinched.

Arcadio, all of a sudden, came in between us. He looked scary, just like he appeared yesterday. I held his back with my fingers to stop him from doing anything worst than he had already done.

I look at Mom with pleading eyes. "Okay, okay. Everyone calm down," Mom interferes.

"Let the boy speak," She says to Dad and makes his move back.

"Everything happened so fast that we weren't able to inform you. It was my fault, Mr. Amarel. If you want to blame someone, blame me but don't blame Ellie for any of this."

"What do you mean by 'happened so fast'? What was so important that you had to marry instantly without informing your family?" Dad was exasperated. I could see from his face. "Have you done something illegal?"

"N-No, Dad." How can I tell you that illegal is just a little word for Arcadio.

"Mr. Amarel, I love Ellie. I have fallen for your daughter since I saw her with my sister Leona at their graduation. It was because of my responsibility towards my company that I had to convince her to marry so early." Acardio answers. I was surprised by his reply. When was he there at our graduation?

"So you're saying that you married my daughter out of responsibility for a stupid company?" Mom's voices this time. Well, talk about adding gasoline to the fire.

I shake my head and try to think of something. However, Arcadio doesn't back down. Does this man not have a mute button?

"Mrs. Amarel, you have to believe me. Even if I did not take charge of the company, I would still marry her. I have never met a woman like her before. She is strong, independent, empathetic with a pure heart, and kind-hearted. All these qualities made it impossible for my heart to imagine her being with someone else. You can call me selfish, but I am not leaving Ellie for anyone." My heart flutters at his response.

At that moment, my heart jumped up and down with glee. I never thought someone would fight for me the way he was doing right now.

It may seem silly to some people, but when you've heard many times, the line 'don't tell anyone about us.' It makes you question yourself do you make them feel so embarrassed in front of others that they hide you from others.

Yet, there was the overthinking part of me who thought that all these words coming from him were part of his script because, in the end, we were going to go our separate ways when the marriage contract ends.

Suddenly the infuriating gaze coming from both of them was suffocating me. Both Dad and Arcadio weren't ready to back down.

"Do you love her?" Mom's question makes me panic.

"Yes," he says without hesitation. What else can you expect from a mafia leader? He knows how to deceive someone. The words make me feel different emotions, but I keep a blank face.

"Welcome to the family, then." She gives him a light smile.

Dad looks at Mom with a frown but stays quiet. "Stop sulking," Mom says to him. "Did you both eat?"

"Arcadio was cooking breakfast before you came."

Mom and Dad stare at me for a minute. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"How can you let a guest cook? It's his first time here, and you have already given him work. Ellie Amarel, are these the manners that I've taught you?"

Oho! Here comes the speech.

"That's my girl," Dad proudly states. Everyone is shocked for a second.

I smile and move closer to him. "See, even Dad agrees. He also cooked for you when you were newly married."

"Yes, I did." Both Dad and I do a high five while laughing. Arcadio gives me a snide look, but that immediately turns into a sulk in front of Mom. What a drama queen?!

"Aish!" Mom lightly hits her head with the palm of her hand. Then she turns towards Arcadio, "I'm sorry, Beta. These two are idiots, don't listen to them. You sit, and I'll go, get breakfast for you.

"Ellie, go and help your Mom. I need to talk something important with this husband of yours," Dad announces.

"But I..." I am about to protest, but I see, Dad giving me serious looks. "Okay." Before moving out of the kitchen, I slightly give Arcadio's hand a squeeze reassuring him that my Dad won't bite. Well, I hope he doesn't.