Chapter 4

“Why the heck did you fight with John?” 

Ava's voice piqued with curiosity as his head whipped towards her. When he turned to face Ava full on, he met her standing just two feet away with arms crossed firmly below her chest—her eyes gleaming venomously. He narrowed his gaze at her before raising a brow.

She knew the perfect way to cause mischief, and she had already started it the moment he got home. 

Clearly, Alexander knew he wasn't meant to have a peaceful night that day, but at least, not to the extent of getting home and the first thing he made eye contact with was a fierce-looking woman who would devour him if she had the opportunity to.

He blinked back his confusion – searching her face as she had done his before replying, “Whatever it is, we can sought it out tomorrow. I need to take a nap.” 

His response was stern, yet calm – and as he turned his back to take his first step towards the stairs, Ava fired back—her tone dripping with annoyance and irritation. She seems to have gotten even angrier than she was.

“Yeah, right. Even bullies need to take a nap after breaking the jaw of the victim -" she carried on with a high-pitched tone, “you murderer! Are you trying to kill even John now?”

The air stilled as Alexander's thoughts wavered for a moment. He knew she was spewing out outrage nonsense according to the mentality John had made her believe in and as far as he knew Ava, with her venomous demeanor, things could get ugly quickly if they weren't apprehended, but by calling him a murderer when he hasn't thrown a dagger at John or stab him right in his chest despite his annoying ego made him felt congested in his chest.

Calling John the victim was a mistake she couldn't amend once she gets to find out the dark and true side of him. He definitely wouldn't put the blame on her; she has always been kept in the dark, and she will always return in that dark: at least, it was better off that way.

He sighed as he tried to placate his nerves, but the irritation had already begun to creep into his body. His patience was wearing thin, and he tried so hard to adjust to all the emotions that were buzzing in. 

He turned to her at once and asked in earnest. “John told you I fought with him?”

“I'm not dumb, Alexander. I know what you are capable…”

“But you've been dumb ever since you fell in love with him,” Alexander said, cutting Ava mid-sentence as she became dumbstruck for a moment.

Did he just call her… dumb?

Now, he was beginning to throw shades of insults directly at her face. She can't deny it but, this was the first time Alexander had directly said insulting words to her, and she just can't believe how he could confidently and without quilt call her 'dumb.'

As her thoughts wavered for a moment, Alexander spoke up before she could come up with another infuriating word.

“I think there should be no further discussion about this. Just let me have a peaceful night, will you?”

Seeing that he was about to leave, Ava quickly countered. “Of course not. I'm dumb, right?” She hesitated for a while and nodded her head, then added with a thunderous voice, “please remind me why a perfect man like you decides to marry a dumb girl!”

And here goes her usual question – "why did you get married to me?” He knew Ava—she seizes every opportunity to ask this question. To get to know the truth that he couldn't offer to her now. As he said earlier, it was better she remained in the dark – at least, this time, they were comfort staying in the dark.

Since he had no answer and was clearly tired of repeating the same old lies—he continued walking towards the stairs but was caught mid-way by Ava's question. 

“Could that be the reason you decide to flirt with other girls? Probably, they would be not as dumb as I am.”

He froze for a second when he heard her tone lighten for a moment and, sincerely, he thought he had imagined it. This time, there was something softer that encompassed the anger in her tone—as if she was eager to know the answer to this question in particular. Regardless, his thought was disrupted when he put her question into place. What in fuck's name is she talking about now? Flirt with other girls? Just when he thought he was now a responsible man, her question had done nothing else but slap him in the face.

He knew for a fact that she has been home all day. What could possibly give her the impression that he was flirting with other girls during his absence from home? Could it be that… fucking douchebag did something?

“John told you this too?”

“Does that matters?”

He turned and walked leisurely towards her. Ava froze when he left a sliver of space between them. She couldn't help but think that his movements were deliberate, but she quickly amended herself and tried to focus on getting her answers, but the smell of his attractive cologne mixed with his aftershave was enough distraction already.

Staring down at her; he asked. “So he told you I was flirting with other girls, and he tried to stop me, but surprisingly, I punched him in the face, right?”

Ava pulled away the cloak of ignorance as she bats her lashes in astonishment at his correct prediction.

“How did… you know about that?”

Only a dumbass would not get used to John's trick at this point. He knew it, the moment John approached him at the club, he was positive his intention would be rather cunning. Behind the scene, they would be probably around five highly paid professional cameramen who would capture every moment he had with him – and the moment he raised his hands to punch him in the face, he fell for his dirty tricks.

The lame ass got some stupid trick up his sleeves – making up a story even with their little encounter. Smart move. He would commend.

“Did you… flirt with other girls, Alexander?” Again, Ava repeated.

This time he was positive he caught on to the hint of eagerness that flashed in her eyes. She was staring at him eye-on-eye, giving him all the expression she could to make him speak up.

She had come to him a while ago dripping with arrogance and annoyance, but why was she suddenly acting like a two years old who was urgently in need of candy? Although, he couldn't quite put in place what her reaction was all about, but since she was so eager to know this, then he wouldn't give in to what she wanted.

He searched her eyes for a moment, making sure of his suspicion before replying, “Since he told you I flirt with other girls, then just believe I did. You've never really cared about my opinion anyway.”

“I'm asking you, Alexander. Did you flirt with other girls?” This time, she asked rather optimistically.

“Yes, I did flirt with other girls. What has that got to do with you?” 

Thinking back about his response, he realized that he was beginning to sound like her. He was surely giving her a taste of her medicine.

Besides, what's the point of Ava getting to know his opinion? She seems to have been possessed by John and only gets to believe whatever he tells her. 

The realization had dawned on him a long time ago that arguing and making himself clear would be fruitless. But whenever he tries to avoid any form of argument with her, it seems to only get worse. 

This woman is for sure: unavoidable.

“Indeed, you did it. After all, John wasn't lying anyway.” Ava said, but this time, unusually quiet.

Despite her tone sounding so calm, Alexander could still detect the hidden terror in it and if he was trying to put that into a different term, then that would be the tone of jealousy – that's if his mindset is not playing tricks on him.

However, when he was reminded by his subconscious that she was obsessed with John, he sighed and waved away such thoughts.

But instead of arguing and yelling at the top of their lungs all night, he decided to rather give it a twist. 

He leaned in, so she was now facing him chest to chest. A smile curled against his lips when he noticed how tensed and stiff she got. The confusion sweeping into every cell in her body was like an open book to him and so, gently and slowly, he placed a hand on her shoulder and asked.

“Mrs. Georgia, are you jealous?”