Chapter 4 - Don't do that again!

Inside the cinema, Pru’s phone suddenly rang. She cancelled it. then it rang again. so she cancelled it again and turned it off. Later, Suzi’s phone pinged with a message. “It’s Shawn, he’s asking where you are. I told him we’re at the mall” While whispering to Pru and she nodded while so engrossed with the film. Suzi chuckled while shaking her head.

After the movie ended Pru turned her phone again. And the moment it opened her phone rang. It was Shawn. She answered the phone and was greeted with an agitated voice “Where are you? Why did you turn off your phone?”

“I was watching a movie and you were noisy! I thought Suzi told you already? Why are you looking for me, aren’t you with Eunice?” Pru responded with the same irritated tone

“Where are you?” Shawn repeated

Pru sighed “In front of Cinema 2”

“Stay there.” Then Shawn hung up

“What’s up with him?” Pru looking to Suzi and the latter just shrugged whilst engrossed with her phone.

In a matter of minutes Shawn appeared in front of Pru and Suzi. Both shivered with the menacing look he had on his face “Don’t do that again! Ever!” Shawn scowled loudly. People began to look at them.

“What?!” Pru confused but at the same time intimidated with Shawn's whole muscular body frame hovering over her and his dark blue eyes glaring at her.

“Don’t turn off your phone and you answer my call no matter what!” Pru was taken aback by Shawn’s temper outburst that she couldn’t answer that she could only lower her head in embarrassment as other people are now really staring.

“Possessive much? Did you and Eunice fight? Even so, don’t take it out on Pru.” Suzi crossed her arms, her eyebrow raised and a disapproving look on her face.

Shawn ignored Suzi and continued to address Pru “Are you done here?” Pru nodded “then let’s go” without waiting for her to respond, Shawn grabbed her wrist and dragged her away from Suzi. Pru could only yell at her “Text you later! Go home safely!” Suzi could only shrug in disbelief at the whole situation.

Once they got in the car, Pru collected herself and cleared her mind so she could muster up the courage to confront him. Shawn was just putting on his seatbelt “What’s up with you? What was that?!” She was obviously Annoyed “Did you and Eunice fight?”

Shawn gripped the steering wheel then inhaled and exhaled. He was calming his nerves before he can respond. Then he looked at Pru’s inquisitive brown eyes. “No. I’m sorry…” he said gently “We didn’t fight. Remember what I told last right? That whatever we go through will have nothing to do with you or our marriage.”

Pru was still looking at him annoyed waiting for more explanation “It’s just that, the fact of the matter is, you are now a Kingsley and my responsibility. Anyone of us can be a target for a kidnapping or something like that to hurt the family. So whether you like it or not, you are now a living asset just like the rest of the Kingsley’s. Apart from that, you are also my good friend. I’m sorry I shouldn’t have exploded like that and raised my voice at you... it’s just that I was worried.” He looked away when he said that last line feeling embarrassed

Pru’s face softened at his confession and explanation. She looked down also embarrassed “Okay. I understand. It won’t happen again. I'm sorry too.”

At that Shawn seemed to be content and started to drive the car. “I guess we’d have to amend the agreement sooner than I thought.” He chuckled.

The drive back to the estate was quiet but there was no tension. however, it was making Pru uneasy.

“Oh by the way” she decided to speak first “What happened to your date with Eunice?”

Shawn curled his lips with a smile “She felt bad after a ride in the roller coaster. She couldn’t even stand up and passed out on the way to her villa.”

“Oh noooo! Poor Eunice!”

“Yeah it was my fault, I forced her to.”

“Tsk. Tsk.” Pru eyed him disapprovingly

“How’d your day go?” Shawn asked back, keeping his eyes on the road

“Oh. It was good. We just ate ice cream and she accompanied me to look for a part time job.”

“Huh? What? Why?” Shawn shot a surprised glance at her

“Hey! Eyes on the road!” Pru explained what she told Suzi. “Also, I’d like to save the money allowance for after the divorce. Who knows what might happen then, at least I’d have something to start with.”

Shawn understood where she’s coming from, but he still looked confused and disappointed. Still his gaze on the road ahead of him so Pru can’t see his reaction “Do you think I won’t care for you even after the divorce and let you be to fend for yourself?”

She looked at him surprised and speechless but managed to gather her thoughts at once “That’s not what I mean. How could I even think of depending on you and spending the Kingsley money after the divorce when you’re not my husband anymore and I’m not a Kingsley any longer? That would be shameless of me!”

Shawn couldn’t understand but everything Pru said didn’t sit well with him. However, he just shrugged the thought away since he couldn’t understand it anyway and he just sighed “Okay. Don’t get upset. I’m just saying. But let’s not discuss that after we’ve crossed that bridge. Anyway, have you found a job yet?”

Pru also composed herself and calmed her emotions “Thank you and yes, at a coffee shop inside the mall. The pay is reasonable enough to buy what I want, and I’d only have to work for 4 hours for 3x a week. I can choose any day as long as it’s 3x a week. So it won’t interfere with my studies or any social occasions the Kingsley’s might have. I was told I can start 2 weeks from now.”

“That’s good then.” Shawn responded seemingly satisfied with the arrangement. “Give me your weekly work schedule so we can work out going home together or if a chauffeur might need to pick you up. Also, I think it’s best if we keep this a secret for now. This might upset grandpa.”

Pru nodded in agreement. The rest of the drive home was silent. When the arrived at the estate, dinner was waiting for them in the smaller dining hall since the rest of the family already had dinner first.

“Where are they, Sam?” Shawn asked the family’s butler while settling down on the dining table.

“Sir, Master had an emergency meeting with Mister and the stakeholders at the main office, so they had to rush dinner. As with Madam, she is at the hospital visiting her high school friend who just gave birth.”

“Thank you, Sam. After this we will retire. You may leave us now” Shawn said with a polite smile

Sam bowed to them “Sir, Mistress” Pru also smiled a thank you to Sam before he walked out.

After dinner they both went to the bedroom to wash up and change. Shawn went in the bathroom first then Pru. He sat on the three-seater sofa to read the business page of the newspaper. Ever since he was young, he was groomed to be the successor of the Kingsley Group of Companies and so his interest and keen for business was honed ever since.

“Ugh why are they all the saaaaaaame!!!!” Pru shouted from the walk-in, obviously exasperated

Shawn put down the newspaper startled “What’s wrong?”

“All my sleeping clothes are the same! Grandpaaaaauuuuugh!”

Shawn was amused at her whining “Come out, let me see.”

Pru came out wearing a big fluffy bathrobe and a towel over her head and holding out the nightwear by her shoulders “This! Everything’s like this! Just in different color!” Pru’s face defeated and annoyed

The nightwear seemed like a short silk dress with spaghetti straps and lace hems on the collar and at the bottom and is paired with short of the same design.

“Try it on, doesn’t look so bad.” Shawn lightheartedly said and continued reading the paper.

“ugh fine.” Pru retreated to the walk-in and tried on the night wear. A few minutes later she came out. “Well?” biting her bottom lip with a nervous look on her face.

Shawn looked up and froze. He felt like he’ll choke on his own breath.