Chapter 36: Maybe This Is A Date
Unlike usual, he wore something semi-formal: a dark brown blazer over a beige shirt, the top button left undone just enough to soften his image. It was simple, yet it made him look even more striking, almost unreal against the backdrop of the rooftop lights.
Oh my, my, my ... how could a man be this effortlessly handsome?
For a split second, I wanted to slap myself for ever daring to call him "just a friend." Could someone like this really be my husband? The thought made me want to bite the hem of my dress and cry a river, especially when I remembered this was only supposed to be an arranged marriage.
At least Penny stayed quiet. If she had teased me right then, I might have actually tried to shove Lando back into the "friend zone" just to save myself.
"You’re also worth looking at." My throat tightened, and my voice came out rougher than I meant. I quickly corrected myself, cheeks burning. "I mean ... you look really handsome tonight, husband."
The word slipped out so easily, but the heat flooding my face made me feel like I was about to burst into flames. Desperate to hide my embarrassment, I grabbed my glass of wine and emptied it in one gulp.
But then, I regretted it.
Back in my old life, I used to drink without a problem; vodka, whiskey, wine, you name it. But Helcia wasn’t used to drinking at all, and the sharp taste of the wine stung my tongue so badly I almost gagged.
"Why are you drinking so fast?" Lando handed me a handkerchief to wipe my mouth and signaled the waiter to pour water into my glass. "I cleared my schedule tonight, so we can eat for as long as we want."
Oh, how cute.
He probably thought I was rushing through my meal because I didn’t want to take up his time. When the truth was so much messier, I was only afraid that if I spent too much time with him, I would start wanting something completely out of my reach.
I didn’t understand that feeling either, but my former psychiatrist once told me the reason I had such low self-esteem was because I grew up believing I was an unwanted kid.
I wasn’t afraid of gossip or ridicule, but to be honest, I was terrified of being abandoned by the people I considered important.
In my past life, when everyone had abandoned me, I felt as if I were drowning in a dark, freezing sea. No matter how loudly I screamed, no one ever came to rescue me. I was terrified and so, so lonely.
So when my former manager offered me a new contract, I grabbed it right away, thinking at last someone was reaching out a hand to pull me from the depths. But instead of saving me, he pushed me down even further, until I was suffocating and too weak to swim back to the surface.
That was why, I knew I would be devastated if Lando ever left me one day. He might be kind and sweet now, but who knew what the future would hold?
Most rich men eventually abandoned their old wives anyway, trading them for younger supermodels.
[Why are you worrying about something that may never even happen, Host?] Penny’s voice suddenly rang in my mind. [Yes, there’s a possibility it might happen, but there’s also a possibility it won’t.]
[Sometimes, the things you fear most never become reality.]
I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. ’You sound a lot like my therapist.’
[Penny can also be your therapist, Host!]
No matter how humanlike Penny became, she was still just a machine, and a machine would never be able to capture human emotions perfectly.
Still, I couldn’t help but smile a little at her words. Maybe Penny would never fully understand emotions, but sometimes her timing was almost too perfect.
I turned my attention back to Lando just as the waiter placed our appetizers in front of us. The smell was tempting, but I was far more interested in the man sitting across the table.
Once the waiter left, I lifted my head and asked, "What do you think about this restaurant? Is it good enough for you?"
Lando gave a small nod. "The atmosphere is nice. You really do have good taste in choosing a restaurant for a da—" He stopped mid-sentence, nearly choking on air. After grabbing his glass and taking two quick gulps of water, he finished in the shortest way possible. "The restaurant is beautiful."
I had to bite down on my lip to keep from laughing. Was he also trying to convince himself this wasn’t a date? So, I wasn’t the only one struggling here?
For some reason, Penny didn’t reply to any of my silly thoughts this time. Maybe she was kind enough to give me space to enjoy this moment with Lando without her interruption.
"Oh! I almost forgot." I leaned forward, suddenly remembering. Reaching into my handbag, I pulled out a small black velvet box and set it gently on the table between us. "This is for you, it’s your wedding gift."
Lando’s brows lifted slightly as he glanced at the velvet box, then back at me. Slowly, he opened it, and inside lay a sleek black fountain pen with a silver trim.
"It’s a pen," I said quickly, suddenly nervous at his silence. "I know it’s not much, but ... I thought it might suit you."
For a moment, he didn’t say anything, his thumb brushing over the smooth surface of the pen. "A pen?"
I nodded, forcing a smile, though inside my mind was racing. Please appreciate it, Lando. I spent a whole hundred dollars on that pen—Oh, my poor wallet. But if you like it, then it’s worth every cent.
"Do you like it?" I asked nervously.
Lando twirled the pen between his fingers, his eyes catching on the small engraving of an "L" near the tip. His expression softened, and I felt my heart flutter. That tiny detail was also the reason why I had been a little late today.
He was a businessman, always surrounded by contracts and documents. Since I didn’t know much about his personal likes yet, I thought a pen would be the safest choice.
At least it was something he could use, and when the store clerk offered engraving services, I knew I had to add something personal, even if it was just a single letter.
"I like it." Lando finally looked up, his lips curving into a rare, genuine smile. "I like your gift. Thank you, my wife."