Taming My Arrogant Husband
Chapter 42: Strange

Sophia's POV:

I can't help but raise an eyebrow when I saw Daniel inside the kitchen counter the next morning. I checked the time and it's already 9:00 am but he's still in the house.

His back is facing me but I know he's cooking based on the delicious aroma that fills my nostrils.

I put my guitar on top of the table and walked towards the coffee maker pretending he wasn't there.

"Do you want some pancakes?"

I was suddenly stopped when I heard his question. But because I wasn't sure if that question was for me, I didn't turn around and continue what I was doing.

But he spoke again.

"I cooked chocolate pancakes with maple syrup."

I looked around to see if there was anyone else in the kitchen beside us that he was talking to, but it was just the two of us. And then I noticed that he was looking at me. "It's best for your coffee."

-'Is he really talking to me?'- I asked myself while confusedly looking at him.

He removed his apron and placed the pancake plate in front of me over the counter.

"By the way, Mom is inviting us this Sunday to the mansion for their 28th wedding anniversary."

"Hmm... Okay." I nodded before getting another plate.

I can feel his stares but I just pretended I didn't notice them.

"Have you used your car yet?"

My mouth slightly opened as I glanced back at him.

"Yes, we already used it yesterday." I sighed. "Ben said you personally called the manufacturer to customize the color as well as the interior."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you said it's your favorite color."

"But why did you do that? You know I wasn't asking anything from you, especially a customized car."

"I know, just accept it, it's just a car."

I was left shocked and speechless with his words. Is he the same Daniel I married a few months ago?

"Are you just going to stand there and stared at me the whole day, sweetheart?" He smirked. "Huh?" I blinked my eyes and avoided his gaze. "Of course, not!" I said stirring my coffee.

"Be here at six pm, we're going out tonight."

"Where are we going?" I asked confused.

"We're going on a date."

"What?" My eyes widened in shock.

"One of my business colleagues invited me on his oldest son's birthday."

I can't help but chuckle. "I didn't know you were attending a kid's party too."

"Yeah, sometimes when I just want to."

My eyebrow raised at the kind of conversation we have right now. I couldn't believe he wasn't yelling or even raising his voice at me.

Sophia's Dance Studio...after lunch.

"Oh, my God, girl! You have a package!"

Craig squealed peeking on my office door.

"What package?" I asked not looking at him but to the computer screen.

"Tada!"

He showed me the bouquet of red roses in his hands.

"Flowers?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Yup! Beautiful flowers!"

"Are you sure that's for me?"

"Of course, is there any other 'Sophia Yzabelle' in this studio?"

"But who sent that?"

"I don't know, there's no name on the card just an initials." He shrugged and put the flowers on my desk.

I checked the card and he was right, there was no sender's name written on it only two initials. 'T.M.' **Life is short, smile while you have teeth.**

I can't help but laugh at the saying but it was instantly with frown when I read again the two letters

"T.M.? Who's that?" I asked myself loudly.

"Touch Mobile!"

My head snapped at Craig and he gave me shrugged.

"I'm just trying to give you an answer."

"Touch mobile? Haha... funny!"

But after a few seconds we just found ourselves laughing inside my office.

"But seriously, who would send me flowers?"

"Maybe that's from your secret admirer."

"From my secret admirer? What am I, a teenager?"

"Oh, come on, girl, that's just flowers! Don't you think you're lucky that someone gave you flowers, while I've been dreaming almost all my life that someone would also give me something like that, but until now it remains a dream." He said faking his tears.

"You're overreacting, girl! You can take it if you want." I said rolling my eyes.

"Are you sure?" His face lightened.

"Yes, and if you want you can also bring them home."

"Thank you."

I just shook my head when he excitedly took it run towards the door.

Daniel took my hand the moment we came out of the car and towards the venue of the party.

"How old is the birthday celebrant?" I asked when we were just a few meters from the entrance.

"Sixteen years old." He replied looking down at me.

He suddenly released my hand and I gulped when he put his palm on my lower back.

"Smile sweetheart, we don't know if there are paparazzi inside." He whispered and pulled me closer to him.

I was about to speak when someone called his name.

"Daniel."

"Robert, how are you?"

He removed his hand from my back to hug the man he called Robert.

"How's your business young man? I heard your company was recognized as the top-grossing company in California, congratulations!"

"Thank you, Robert." He accepted his hand.

"Anyway, may I know who is this beautiful lady next to you, young man? Is she your girlfriend?"

Daniel pulled me by my waist and to my surprise, he kissed my forehead.

"Robert, I want you to meet my wife, Mrs. Sophia Kelley." He said proudly and winked at me.

"What the fuck! You're kidding, young man!" Robert's eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm not kidding, Robert. She's my wife." He chuckled as he took my hand and showed both our rings to the man in front of us.

"Whoa! But why didn't you invite me?"

"It's a long story, man. But don't worry, I promise to invite you to our second wedding."

My head snapped at him after I heard what he said.

-'Second wedding? What the fuck was he saying?'-

"Oh, man I can see how you were smitten with the beauty of this young lady here, huh?" He patted Daniel's shoulder.

"Sweetheart, this is Robert Peterson, the grandfather of the celebrant."

"Nice to meet you, Sir." I smiled and offered my hand for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you too, lovely Mrs. Kelley who captured the heart of my friend."

He said and was about to kiss my cheek when Daniel put his hand on my face. We're both surprised and turned to him.

"I'm sorry, buddy, but I'm not allowing any man to kiss my wife."

"What the fuck, man! I didn't know you're a possessive type?"

"Oh, yes I am. I'm a very possessive and territorial to what is mine." I gasped when he pulled me to his chest.

I know he was just playing around but why do I feel there's something strange in him lately... first, he bought me a car, but take note ... it's a customized car, second, he cooked for me, third, he's talking to me without raising his voice, and now he mentions about the second wedding. Forgodsake! What's next?

"Let's go, inside?"

"Huh? Ahm... yeah, let's go inside." I sighed inwardly when I felt his hand again on my lower back.

He introduced me to some of the businessmen inside. Almost everyone was shocked when he told them he's already married, but I was more surprised by the number of businessmen in the venue that those o the same age of the celebrant.

"I thought it's a party of a sixteen years old young man, but why does it seem like his parents have more businessman guests than him?" I whispered tugging his sleeves when we were finally seated. He put his arm around my seat and shifted himself closer to me.

"It's because they wanted their son to meet some prominent businessmen while he's still young. They wanted him to get used to their world, so once he starts running their business he will have no difficulty in adjusting."

I chuckled shaking my head.

"Wow! Seriously, at that very young age? Shouldn't they just letting him enjoy first his youth and support him for whatever he wants in life?"

"Well, we can't do anything about that, sweetheart that's what his parents want." He shrugged and because I was too busy thinking about the young man's situation, I didn't notice the endearment he used. "That won't happen to my son, or to any of my children, because I will support them in whatever they want to be when they grow up."

I said smiling while looking at his shoulder. Actually, I was just telling it to myself but I didn't notice I said it out loud.

"Don't worry, we won't let that happen, sweetheart."

"Huh?" I asked him confused.

His lips curled up into smirked but didn't say anything. I raised my eyebrow when he just shook his head.

"Excuse me, Sir, Maam."

We both turned to the man who called our attention.

"I am JV, hired photographer of the venue, can I take a picture you?"

"Ahm---"

"Sure." My head snapped at Daniel who cut me off smiling.

"Okay, Ma'am, Sir, look at the camera and at the count one, two, three... smile!"

"Thank you, Sir---"

"Can we also have a copy?"

"Yes, Sir I'll be back after 15 minutes."

I can't help not to ask him when the photographer was finally out of our sight.

"Why do you want to have a copy of our picture?"

He shrugged. "For souvenir."

I was left confused. "Souvenir?"

"Because this is our------"

"Hi, Daniel."

He didn't finish what he was about to say when a very familiar woman called his name and took a seat in front of us.

"Chloe!"

The woman who has name Chloe glanced at me.

-'Why does she seem familiar to me?'-

I asked myself while staring at the woman who's wearing a see-through metallic blue gown with a deep V neckline that showing almost all her skin and cleavage. I'm not sure if she knows that this is a teenager's party and not a ball.

-'Tsk.tsk.tsk. Wardrobe malfunction.'-

"Hi."

She smirked and took a step closer to me before offering her hand.

"I'm Chloe, Daniel's girlfriend."

My head snapped at Daniel and didn't miss how his expression changed from shock to frown. He stood behind me as I stood to accept the hand of the woman who introduced herself as his girlfriend. Ohh... now I remember where I saw her. She was the woman my husband was kissing in the mall's parking lot back then.

I took a deep a deep breath before giving her my sweetest smile.

"Hmm... So, you're his girlfriend." I repeat confirming what she said.

"Yup, we've been dating for two years."

"Chloe!" Daniel said glaring at her.

I mentally rolled my eyes and tugged his jacket.

"It's okay, sweetheart." He furrowed his eyebrows at me but I just smiled at him. "Don't worry, it's okay." Before he could ask something, I turned to the woman in front of us. "By the way, I'm Sophia Yzabelle

Kelley, Daniel's wife. Nice to meet you, Chloe." I said accepting her hand.

Her mouth hung open when I emphasized the word 'Kelley' and 'wife'.

Then I felt Daniel's hand on my waist.

"Sweetheart, I'll just talk to her." He whispered to my ear but I just shrugged and pulled his neck.

"Okay, I'll just wait for you here, sweetheart."

I don't know what happened to me and I kissed him on the corner of his lips. I felt his hold tightened on my waist as he looked down to my lips.

"Wait for me here, I'll be back." He said almost a whisper before taking 'His' girlfriend's hand and pulled her to I don't know where.

-'Whoa! What was that? Why did I do that, for Christ sake?'-

I sat down again closing my eyes and sighed to shake the effect of my stupidity.

-'Why did I kiss him?'- I mentally slapped myself.

"Why, who did you kiss and you seem bothered about it?"

"Huh?" I opened my eyes and turned to see a man standing in front of me with a glass of wine in his hand.

-'How did he hear that?'-

He smiled at me that shows his pearly white teeth and dimple on his left cheek.

"You seem bothered about the kiss?"

"Ahm... No, actually I was just singing." I gave him an awkward smile.

-'Liar!-'

"Hmm..." He nodded raising his eyebrow. "By the way, I'm Joseph." He said offering his hand.

My smile died when he mentioned his name.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked seriously.

"No, I'm serious, my name is Joseph, Joseph Michael Saavedra."

"Ohh..."

He chuckled at my reaction.

"I'm Sophia." I stood up and accepted his hand.

"Sophia." He repeats looking straight to my eyes. "What a beautiful name."

"Thanks." I immediately withdrew my hand.

"You can call me JM for short."

I just nodded as I wasn't really interested in whatever his name was.

"Sophia, you look familiar to me."

I raised my eyebrow as I waited for his next words.

"Wait, have you ever participated in any auditions or appeared in some TV commercials?"

This time I gave him a real smile. "I actually joined in a competition, a dance competition."

"Oh, I now remember where I saw you!" He said grinning at me. "In the International dance competition!"

But before I could answer, we heard the voice of Mrs. Peterson on the stage. She's the mother of the birthday celebrant.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you very much for attending our son's birthday party. Now let's sing him a happy birthday as he blows his candles."

"Let's join them." JM said offering his hand.

"Sure." I nodded but I didn't take his hand.

My eyes are roaming around while walking towards the cake area.

"Are you looking for someone?" Maybe he noticed my action as he also looked around the venue.

"Yeah, I'm looking for my husband." I simply replied.

His eyes suddenly widened when I showed him my ring.

"You're married?"

"Yes, she's already married to me! Why? Do you have a problem with that, Saavedra?"

We both turned to the source of the voice and I saw the serious face of my husband as he walked towards our direction.

He pulled me by my waist while giving JM a death glare.

"Kelley!"

I immediately noticed the tension between the two based on the way they looked at each other.

"I didn't know she's your wife." JM said while looking at me.

"Now that you know it, back off!" I gasped when Daniel stepped forward and looked deadly at JM.

I don't understand what's the issue between them, but I'm sure it didn't work out well.

"Relax, Kelley I was just talking to your wife." JM said chuckling.

"Really?" He scoffed. "Talking is too different from flirting, Saavedra!"

I winced slightly when Daniel's grip tightened on my waist.

"Sweetheart, he's right we're just talking." I said putting my hand on his chest.

I gulped when he glared at me but he didn't say anything. The next thing I knew, he pulled me outside the venue and only stopped when we were in the hallway near the ladies room.

"Didn't I tell you to wait for me in your seat? Goddammit, Sophia! I was just gone for a few minutes and you're flirting right away?" He whispered yell at me as he brushed his hair with his fingers.

"I wasn't flirting with him, we were just talking!" I tried to explain but he just narrowed his eyes on me.

"Goddammit! Are you dumb?"

My mouth hung open with his question.

"That fucking man was obviously flirting with you!" He paused and sneered at me. "Or maybe you just let him flirt with you because you wanted it too?"

"Excuse me, Mr. Kelley but you're not there when he talked to me, so don't accuse me of flirting with him because I wasn't the one who had left for a few minutes just to talk to his girlfriend!" I said through

gritted teeth.

I swear if I could just swallow him whole, he wouldn't last standing in front of me, I will swallow him including his ego!

But to my surprise, he suddenly chuckled at me.

-'huh!'-

"I didn't know you're jealous, sweetheart." He said stepping closer to me.

My eyes widened... Me? Jealous? No!

"What did you say----" but he cut me off.

"Chloe is not my girlfriend, sweetheart." "Whether she's your----" he cut me off again.

"She's now my ex-girlfriend because we've been separated two years ago."

I laughed at him the moment he finished explaining.

"Oh, sweetheart, I wasn't asking for your explanation because I don't care whether she's your girlfriend, ex-girlfriend or whatever! And another thing, I am not jealous!"

"Really?" He smirked at me.

"Really?" I nodded. "And we're talking about JM here and your accusations that I ----"

"Seriously, that fucking man again?" His smirk died as he narrowed his eyes on me.

What's up with this man and always cutting my sentence?

"Wow! What's your problem with JM and you seem to be mad at him?" I raised my eyebrow. "Oh, and let's talk about jealousy!" I said placing my hands on my hips. "You said I'm jealous? Well, look at me,

sweetheart, then look at you. Now tell me who is jealous of who."

I was about to go back inside the venue when he suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. My mind went blank when he pushed me against the wall and captured my lips into a hungry and demanding kiss. I can't explain how I felt when he nibbled my lips asking for response. I gripped his arms as he angled my face to deepen the kiss.

I wasn't sure if it's my own heartbeat I heard when I kissed him back. But there was one thing I was sure of myself, no one had ever given me those feelings he was giving me that moment.

I was gasping for breath when pulled back.

"I really wanted to kiss you all night, sweetheart, but I was just worried about what the in-house security would say while they're watching us." Then he pointed the CCTV camera right above my head.

My eyes were turned wide like saucers as I felt the blush crept all over my face.

"Forgodsake, Daniel Kelley!"

I whispered-yell while narrowing my eyes on him, but for the very first time he let out a boyish laugh.

I was left speechless even when he pulled me and gave me a lingering kiss on my forehead.

"Let's go back inside."

He took my hand and intertwined with his as we walked back inside the venue.

"Don't you ever try to leave my side, Sophia." I raised my eyebrow but didn't say anything. "And don't talk to that Saavedra boy again?"

I bite my lips to control my laugh when he warned me.

"Now, who's jealous of the two of us?" I asked him smirking.

He returned my smirk and I gulped when he wiped the corner of my lips using his thumb.

"You won't like it when I'm jealous, sweetheart." He said looking at my lips. "So it's better if you're just going to stay by my side because I'm telling you, I can kiss you in front of everyone just to show them that

you're my wife."

"Huh!"

I didn't miss how he clenched his jaws when my lips parted as I heard what he said.

"You better close it if you don't want me to start kissing you right here!" He glared at me.

I immediately closed it and avoided his gaze. If I am now confused with his sudden change of behavior, well I am more confused with what I feel. I couldn't understand him, but I couldn't understand myself

either why I just let him do such things.