Taming My Arrogant Husband
Chapter 45: Denial

I told Craig and Bryan about Layla, and Bryan had already put his men in the place where I had seen her. But I couldn't help but come back every day hoping to see her again and talk about what happened in

the past.

"Ma'am Sophia, Mr. Kelley wants to talk to you."

I sighed when Ben gave me his phone with Daniel's name and number on the screen.

"Hello."

"Where are you and why aren't you answering your phone?"

-'No hi, no hello... Tsk.tsk.tsk.'- I muttered to myself rolling my eyes. "I didn't notice you were calling. My phone is on silent mode."

I heard him sighed on the other line. "Where are you?" I glanced at Ben before answering his question. "I'm in the studio."

Ben furrowed his eyebrows but I shook my head and put my finger over my lips and he nodded.

"Meet me at the Ciao Bella restaurant at 11:30."

"What?" My eyes widened as I checked the time on my wristwatch, it's five minutes before eleven and it's about 30 minutes to get to that restaurant.

"You have to sign some important documents."

"Again?" I frowned when I heard the word 'sign'.

"Yes, we need your signature for the papers and documents of our new project before we can forward them to Mr. Giovanni's team."

"Hmm... Okay." I said nodding.

I didn't try to ask again even though that's the same thing he told me the last time he asked me to go to his office.

After I gave Ben his phone back, we immediately got in the car to go to the restaurant that Daniel had mentioned.

"Ben, Mark, can ask you guys a favor?" I asked my two bodyguards when we were on our way. "If Daniel ever asked you about me or my whereabouts, could you tell him we were just in the studio and we didn't leave all day?"

"But ma'am---"

"Please, Ben?"

"Ma'am Sophia, why don't you just tell him you're still looking for that woman you saw the last time you came here?"

I sighed then shook my head.

"I can't Ben, it's part of my past that I still feel uncomfortable opening up with him."

They just nodded and didn't ask again.

"Miss, can you please show me the table reservation for Mr. Daniel Kelley?" I asked the waiter at the entrance of the restaurant. "Are your Mrs. Sophia Kelley, ma'am?"

"Yes."

"This way, ma'am."

"Thank you." I followed her inside while my eyes were looking around.

And before she could point his table, I already saw him sitting near the counter.

"Miss, it's okay I saw him already."

"Okay ma'am, do you need anything else, ma'am?"

I shook my head and smiled at her. "Thank you."

Then I slowly walked towards his table. He's frowning while talking to someone on his phone. He ended the call and immediately stood up when he noticed me.

He cupped my cheeks and to my surprise, he kissed me on my lips.

"What took you so long?" He asked right after he let go of me.

I was still gasping for breath when he pulled a chair across his seat.

-'Wow.'- I chuckled inside when he motioned me to sit down.

I looked around to see some teenagers near our table are whispering to each other while looking at him. I followed their gaze and I arched my eyebrow when I saw them pointing something on his pants. I glanced at him but he's oblivious of their stares.

"What?" He frowned.

I smiled and shook my head as I stand again and walked towards the table of the three teenagers.

"Where are you going?"

But I ignored him and continued walking until I reached the table of the three.

"Hi, girls."

I smiled sweetly but as I expected, I just got confused stares from them.

"Do you know him?" I asked pointing Daniel using my mouth.

I smiled widely when they shook their heads. I leaned forward and whispered lowly to the nearest girl in front of me. "You're fantasizing on a wrong man, he's gay."

She gasped and looked at Daniel's direction before whispering what I said to her friends. They all glanced up at me in shock.

"But we saw him kissed you?"

I chuckled waving my hand in the air. "Of course, he did that because he's just acting."

"Oh, my God, I can't believe he's gay!" The first girl mumbled while rolling her eyes.

"Tsk.tsk.tsk. My gosh, I felt disappointed, he's too handsome to be gay!"

"Lily, almost all handsome men these days are gay." I bite my bottom lip to control my laugh.

"Your right, just like him." I shrugged before biting my lips again and turned around to go back to our table.

I winked at the grinning Ben who probably heard our conversation because he stayed right behind me until I walked back to our table. He just shook his head. "What did you tell them? Why they were looking at me?" Daniel asked as I sat back.

"Nah! I just told them how handsome you are." I replied smiling at him.

He looked at me knitting his eyebrows.

"Are you sure that's what you told them?"

"Yeah, you can ask them if you want?"

He's looking at the three girls when he asked me but shrugged his shoulders.

"Anyway, I've already ordered food for us, while I was waiting for you earlier."

"Okay. So, where are the papers that need my signature?"

"I forgot them at the office."

My mouth hung open when I heard his answer.

-'De Ja Vu'-

I'm not sure if I'm going to laugh especially when he avoided my gaze.

"So you just called me for nothing?"

"No, we can have lunch together." He said bringing the glass of water to his mouth.

"Seriously, lunch together?"

"Why? Can't I invite my wife for lunch?"

I gulped when he mentioned the word 'wife'.

But before I could open my mouth, the food he ordered for us had arrived. My stomach growled at the sight of chicken alfredo, chocolate cannoli, and mozzarella pizza. But my throat dried when the waiter me the chicken alfredo in front of him and only vegetable salad with lettuce and lots of cucumber for me.

I blinked my eyes twice... thrice... when he picked up the fork and swirled it on his pasta.

"Why are you not eating?" He asked when he glanced at me.

"Where is my food?"

"Right in front of you."

I chuckled as I glanced down on my plate. "Is this all you ordered for me, a vegetable salad?"

"Yes." He nodded munching his pasta. "Why, isn't it really what vegetarians or dieters mainly order and eat?"

I can't help not to laugh at his answer.

"Where did you get that, past girlfriends?" I asked shaking my head. "Well, let me tell you, sweetheart, I'm not like your past girlfriends who only eat vegetables for fear of fats and calories, and besides I'm not a vegetarian who doesn't eat meat, because I love meat, especially in pasta and meatballs."

I smiled when his fork stopped in mid-air. I called the attention of one of the waiter.

"Buongiorno sigñora, how can I help you?" (good morning ma'am.)

"Buongiorno anche a te, can I have your menu?" (Good morning to you too.)

"Yes, ma'am."

I gladly accepted the menu that he gave me and search for some of my favorite Italian food.

"Ahm... can you give me a Lemon ricotta pasta, Baked Italian turkey meatballs, Toasted ravioli, and two slices of your best Tiramisù." I am about to close the book when I remember I haven't ordered a drink yet. "Oh, don't forget yo give me a glass of masseto red wine."

"Okay ma'am, is there anything else you want to add?"

"No, that's all, thank you."

"Are you sure you can eat all of that?"

Daniel asked as soon as the waiter placed all the food I've ordered in front of us.

"Of course, watch me." I said raising an eyebrow. "Hmm... Oh, my God, I missed this."

My mouth instantly watered when I smelled the ricotta pasta and turkey meatballs.

"Mangiamo!" I clapped my hands excitedly.

"What?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows.

"Let's eat!"

And we started to dig on my delicious pasta while munching my ravioli.

But what I didn't know, there was someone who's watching our every move from one of the corners of the restaurant.

I was eating my dessert when Daniel suddenly received a call. He excused himself to answer his phone so I was left alone in our table.

I tried to look around hoping to see some acquaintance, but my eyes found not just a simple acquaintance but an evil one.

How long has he been sitting there? Has he been watching me since I entered the restaurant?

I accidentally dropped my spoon when he lifted his wine glass and smirked at me.

"Ma'am Sophia, are you okay?" Ben asked as he picked up the spoon on the floor and asked another one from the waiter who served my food earlier.

"Joseph. Joseph De Lucca." I muttered unconsciously, staring at the man who still had a wicked grin on his face.

"Who's Joseph De Lucca?"

I gasped when I heard Daniel's voice from behind.

-'How did he hear that? Did I say it out loud?'-

"Who is that Joseph De Lucca that you mentioned?" He asked sitting back in his chair.

"Huh?" I gulped as I don't know how to answer him.

I tried to look back at where I had seen Joseph sitting before Daniel came back, but I was surprised he was not there anymore and he is nowhere to be seen again.

"You look pale, are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't mind me." I drank the remaining wine in my glass and stood up immediately.

"Are you done eating?" He asked taking his wallet.

I just nodded while getting my wallet inside my bag. He frowned when he noticed my action.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting money to pay for what I ate."

"You don't need to do that, I'll pay for everything we've ordered."

I didn't argue with him and put my wallet back inside my bag.

"You haven't answered my question, Sophia. Who is Joseph De Lucca?"

He asked me when we were inside his car. I don't know why he insisted taking me to the studio. It was his first time doing it.

"He's just a part of my past." I sighed turning my eyes outside the window.

"Is he your ex-boyfriend?"

I leaned on my seat and answered his question without looking at him.

"No."

"Then who is he?" I flinched when he suddenly raised his voice.

"I told you, he's just a part of my past!" I said turning to him.

"Who is he exactly to you?" He asked me clenching his jaws. "If he's not your ex-boyfriend then who is he, your ex-husband?"

"If he's my ex-husband, do you think we can get married?" I looked straight into his eyes. "Why do you seem to be affected by who he is in my life?"

"I'm not affected!" He glared at me. "In fact, I don't care whoever he is in your life, I'm just thinking about my reputation! And isn't it included in our agreement that you can't entertain others while you're still married to me? Unless you've forgotten!"

I chuckled bitterly. I don't understand why he suddenly became mad. What if I mentioned Joseph de Lucca? I didn't do anything, I just mentioned his name.

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten our agreement."

"That's good, and don't worry too because as soon as we finish our project with Mr. Giovanni, I'll file for divorce papers right away." he said seriously with anger mixed in his voice.

I just looked at him but didn't speak as he had turned his attention to his phone.

Sometimes I couldn't understand him. There were times when he seemed to show me that he cared, but sometimes it's even faster than 'flush man' when his mood changed.

I shook my head and turned my eyes back outside the window.

That was our last conversation until we reached the studio. He didn't even bother to say goodbye when I got off the car.

"Fresh flowers for the beautiful lady, from T.M." Craig excitedly run towards me with a bouquet of red roses in his hands.

I pouted and just took the card before walking to my desk. I left him confused while still holding the flowers at the doorway. "What's the meaning of your pout, beautiful lady?" I heard him asked me but I was busy reading the message written on the card. **May you begin this day with a smile on your face... Good morning beautiful...**

"You know what, why don't we open a flower shop outside of the studio since we have a supplier of fresh flowers every day?"

"Is that a joke?" I asked raising my eyebrow, but I also chuckled.

He just rolled his eyes on me.

"Craig, who do you think is sending those flowers?" I asked pointing the rack of flowers near my table.

It's been almost two weeks since I started receiving flowers from an unknown sender with T.M. initials.

"I don't know, I have already asked our students which of them has a name that begins with T and M, but none of them have the same initials."

"You seriously asked even our students?"

"Of course, because I also want to know who is this 'mysterious guy' that sending you flowers every day."

I just read again the message.

"Anyway, what happened on your searching for Layla?"

I took a deep breath before telling him what had happened earlier. The incident inside the restaurant where I saw Joseph and even Daniel's mood swings when he heard Joseph's name.

"Why are you smiling?" I asked him confused the moment I finished telling him what happened.

"Don't you think your husband is just jealous?" He grinned.

"Here we are again." I said rolling my eyes.

"Oh, come on, Sophia! I saw how he looked at you at his parents' party and at the hospital when you were holding Rian's baby."

"Yes, because there were so many people at the party so he had to pretend as if he loves me."

"Don't tell me that when he kissed you in front of his parents he was still pretending?"

"Of course, because I told you there were a lot of people that night and you're there, so you know what I'm talking about."

"Uhuh, and I also witnessed how many times he kissed you that night."

"Haha... what are you talking about? He only kissed me twice!"

"Ahh... really? So how about the way he looked at you while you're holding baby Jona, can you explain it to me?"

I sighed loudly shaking my head.

"Craig, can we just get over with this conversation? It doesn't make sense anymore." I exclaimed avoiding his gaze and open my laptop.

"Ohh... why are you always avoiding this topic, Sophia?" He sat down in front of my desk. "Are you afraid?"

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of admitting that you're starting to have feelings for your husband?"

My head snapped at him and he smirked.

"I'm sorry but you're wrong, I have nothing to admit because I don't have feelings for him."

"Hmm... okay, as you say so." He shrugged still having the grin on his lips.

He stood up and walked towards the door. But when I thought he was going to open the door, he turned to me and then suddenly sang.

"I didn't wanna fall in love with you, I didn't wanna know the things I knew, it wasn't 'till I looked into the mirror... Denial.. ohh..."

('Denial' by Sugarbabes)

I formed my fists and threw him the ballpen that I first picked up on my desk, but it just landed on the floor. He left the room laughing as continued his song.

-'Denial your face! Argh!'-