Home For My Soul

141|Independence Week

He's correct. Descendants are everything to our family. Therefore, Mama determines who deserves to be my wife. The choice always falls on beautiful women and of course, healthy. He wants us to produce physically perfect offspring.

Amaryllis was not an option, as she was not only poor, but also not physically attractive. Although it seems arrogant, it is a reality in our world. Beautiful is not enough, if not rich. Usually women like this only become a mistress, will never be married.

A woman who can be satisfying in bed, will also only be an affair. The promise of the man in his mouth that they will marry only to facilitate the service of the woman who satisfies him. Because he will never be his wife.

So, I understood why Papa was not angry and allowed me to continue with Amaryllis. People he knew in the business world did the same. Even though Papa isn't. Unlike Mama who will force me home and immediately advance my marriage with Venny.

“Lo non barren.” I kissed her cheek with a pinch. “Do you forget we have checked health together?”

“Including that?” tanyanya did not believe. I'm nodding. “You secretly asked them to check it out?”

“The result is in your hands. You can check it yourself. That's not a tacit request.” I just didn't tell him in detail every single examination he went through.

“Come, Theo. I'm still not sure we can do this without their blessing.” He went back to being pessimistic. “I'm poor, ugly, you must be ashamed to bring me to a party someday.”

“When have I ever been embarrassed to bring you to attend a party?” many offended.

“The fireworks are done. We go home.” He released himself from my arms.

“Do you want to see me with Venny? Are you ready if I marry him? Don't you feel anything imagining me hugging and kissing him affectionately?” Every time I ask a question, his fist gets tighter and tighter.

“Enough!” he yelled in annoyance.

“Where did Amarylis say she won't let anyone separate us again? I don't want to talk to this pessimistic Amarilis. He knows our relationship won't be easy, but he believes we can go through everything. I just want to talk to Amarilis optimistically.” I stood up and walked towards our car.

Our relationship got cold, but it was better than me hearing him speak in a desperate tone. Even so, the apartment remains my favorite place. I'm not trying to persuade him to talk. After all, he always went out of the room to eat even though he was not chatting.

“I pray your marriage with the woman is like in hell,” Clara's curse for the most time. He entered my office without knocking on the door first. “I resigned. My skills are too valuable to waste on a venture that only runs in this place.”

I held back my smile when I saw the envelope he had placed on the table. “You realize what it means to resign, ‘kan? You won't get severance.”

He laughed in surprise. “Do you think I'll demand your money? The rest of my salary you can take. Just a matter of time this restaurant went bankrupt without me here.”

“I don't want any problems later on, so the rest of your salary will be transferred. If there is no more, you can go. My work is still a lot.” I went back to checking the file I read.

“I think Amarylis is a lucky woman. Turns out he's worse than me. You only use him to satisfy your nafs. Once you get married, you dump her. But poor women are so fateful. Just so impingement.” He laughed contentedly.

“If I were him, I wouldn't just be your bedmate. You'll regret choosing another woman over me. Justjust look. You will forever need a mistress because she will never be able to satisfy you like I.” He turned around and finally came out.

Justjust wonderful. Very confident. Did all the men she slept with praise her skills in bed? Why does everyone always think Amarylis is a prostitution? First Papa, then Clara. Is it so hard to believe I'm in love with that ordinary woman?

But this is good news. I don't need to be so hard, he's retreated by himself. The employees must be calm to work peacefully without the presence of the drama queen again. I have to choose my own successor, so that the manager does not mess around anymore.

On Independence Day, we start the day with our own affairs. I prepared breakfast, while he made a video call with his family. Both of her mothers never missed a single Saturday to find out how she was doing.

After breakfast, we prepared to watch the independence parade on the main road. An activity we missed last year, but I wanted to see with him this year. He could see the soldiers in various costumes since the beginning of the nation's independence.

The penthouse that was meant to be was more luxurious than I thought. The loud music greeted us as the doors of the special elevator opened. The face I knew from Daisy's report stood in front of us with a worried expression turned happy.

“Thank God, you came too!” Meghan hugged Amarylis, then took her in.

I followed them to the counter. They sat in the available chairs and the waiter came to bring us snacks and drinks. Luckily we were with the host, too, so we didn't have to bother taking the dish on the table. Everything is delivered to us.

The few guests present were no strangers to me. I met them at some of the invitations I attended. The children of the rich in this city. No wonder Mike was among them. I have to keep a close eye on him.

“Why did you come here?” clara asked me sarcastically. “Don't say you'll persuade me to go back to work at your restaurant.”

“I invited them.” Meghan answered it for us.

“Are you crazy!?” bawdy.

“You invited all these people. There is no one of my invitations?” reply Meghan.

Clara looked at me and Amarylis in turn. “Good. You want them here, please. But don't expect me to serve the best wine to them.”

“Ck, tsk, tsk. I'll serve the best drinks for them.” Meghan moved her hand, driving her brother away. “You better go and don't make my guests uncomfortable.”

Clara glanced sharply at me before joining her esteemed guest. Some people came and talked to me. They took me to the dance floor, but I refused. They seem to start getting drunk.

I can't get away from Amarilis even if her friend seems nice. We've been bullied by fake friends. Even though Nora is not here, I'm worried about Mike's attitude, who might get revenge after losing a bet.

“Amarilis, are you okay?” ask Meghan when I get back to my seat.

Hearing that, I approached. “What's up?”

“I don't know. He started to fumble, I thought because you guys were fighting.” He took the glass from his best friend's hand.

“Wait. I still want to drink.” Amaryllis grabbed the glass back.

“She is drunk.” I took the glass and inhaled it. There is no smell of alcohol. “How much did he drink this?”

“Two glasses. It's just orange juice, it won't make a hangover,” Meghan said. “But you are right. He intoxicated. Is there a brazen waitress to him?”

I followed her gaze to a door. The servants went in and out of the place. It looks like it's the way to the kitchen. Their servants would not do this if no one told them to. Is it possible that Clara told someone to give something to Amarylis?

“We go home.” I'll pick him up soon.

“The-theo, don't get mad. I'm not—” The woman's face paled.

“Please, open the elevator,” my door.

He walked first and pressed the button next to the twin door. “I really don't know what happened. He only drinks orange juice. Really.”

“Meghan. Calm. I don't blame you.”

“But the way you saw me said another.” Eyes glazed. “Amarilis is my only friend. I don't want you to ban us from making friends again.”

“My eyes are from birth like this.” I closed my eyes seeing him misunderstand. My eyes are sharp and cold. The thing I like about myself. So, I don't have to bother threatening, people are already afraid of me.

He offered to drive me home, but I refused. Our bodyguards are always on hand in their cars. The vehicle was already in front of the lobby when we arrived. Daisy helped open the door and I put Amaryllis in.

Meghan was still apologizing before I closed the door. He's not guilty. Even if I didn't know what was going on, he wouldn't do this to his friend. It must have been Clara who told their waiter to put something in the Amarylis drink.

“Heat.” Amaryllis opened one by one the front buttons of her shirt.

“Honey, don't do this now.” I immediately held his hand. “Let the temperature of his AC.”

“It won't do any good, sir,” Daisy said. “Nona Amarylis takes medicine petragsang.”