"Dig in, boys!" Raquel proclaimed cheerfully, scooping two hearty portions of her homemade pasta onto plates for Gavin and Damian. The noodles were tangled into a steamy, saucy mess, coated in Raquel's famous tomato and basil recipe. "I slaved over the stove all afternoon for my two favorite tenants," she continued, smiling warmly. "I expect those plates to be licked clean when you're finished."
"Seriously, what kind of food are you giving my son?" Gavin fixed at Raquel, one eyebrow raised skeptically. In a concerned tone, he continued, "These junk food seem pretty unhealthy. As his dad, nutrition is important to me. What's in these things anyway?"
Raquel frowned and folded her arms as she stared at the special pasta package across the dinner table.
"These claims that it has enough nutrition for a diet seem questionable. Pasta is mostly carbs and not very filling," she said.
"Special pasta for diet programs?" Gavin questioned, his eyes widening with surprise and curiosity.
Gavin's patience had worn thin. Like a hangry lion stalking its prey, he pounced on the plate of pasta, snatching it from Damian's grasp.
Damian's eyes widened in shock as his dad marched over to the trash can, his movements swift and decisive.
Without hesitation, Gavin dumped the pasta into the bin, the noodles cascading down like a waterfall of disappointment.
Raquel's heart sank as she watched the food she had spent hours preparing go to waste. Her labor of love, now reduced to a pile of soggy noodles and sauce.
"What in bloody hell are you doing now, Gavin?" Raquel shouted, her face reddening.
"Butler!" Gavin bellowed. Moments later, the disheveled butler came scrambling in, tie askew and still gasping to catch his breath.
"Make Damian dinner, and be quick about it," Gavin snapped, his voice sharp as a whip. The butler scurried off without a word, instinctively fearing his master's wrath. "Make sure everything is nutritious. I don't want Damian eating any of that junk."
"If you think my cooking is so bad then you're more than welcome to fend for yourself," she shot back, nostrils flaring. "Lord knows I put in the effort every seconds to make sure you both eat something. A little gratitude would be nice instead of endless complaints."
Raquel drew in a sharp breath, barely containing the frustration bubbling inside her. Gavin just didn't get it - between work and keeping their home running smoothly, dinner was the one thing she could control. But still he found ways to test her limit at every turn with his petulant behavior.
Gavin's voice boomed through the kitchen, echoing off the tile walls. "What do I have to do to make you understand that kids shouldn't overeat pasta? You can't take care of a child!"
Raquel spun around, her eyes flashing with anger. She jabbed a finger at Gavin's chest, her voice laced with venom. "I'm not a babysitter!"
She spat at his feet, then snatched up the plate of pasta she had been carrying. With her head held high, she marched out of the kitchen, leaving Gavin standing there alone.
Raquel's culinary skills were as basic as a caveman's. She knew how to cook the essentials for survival, but she despised cooking with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. It was too tedious, too time-consuming, and frankly, too boring.
So when Gavin casually tossed her pasta in the trash without a second thought, it was the final straw. Raquel's temper flared like a volcano, and she erupted in a torrent of profanity that would have made a sailor blush. She sounded like a toddler who had been denied her favorite toy, her voice laced with rage and disappointment.
***
Raquel tossed and turned in her bed, unable to shake off the memory of Gavin's arrogant sneer. She had tried to forget him by messaging Jonas, but her crush had left her on read.
Her mind replayed the scene like a broken record: Gavin's dismissive tone, his condescending gaze, his patronizing words. Her blood boiled with anger and humiliation.
She got out of bed and walked to the window, gazing out at the moonlit night. The city below was a blur of lights, but Raquel couldn't focus on anything. Her mind was racing, her heart pounding.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed to calm down. She couldn't let Gavin ruin her night.
Heavy boots echoed down the hall, growing louder with each thunderous step. Her pulse racing, Raquel snatched the blankets and burrowed beneath their fleecy folds, leaving only her eyes exposed to watch the door. She strained to hear more, dreading yet desperate to know who approached...
As Gavin entered, the hairs on Raquel's neck stood on end. She watched his lithe form slip inside, backlit by the hall's glare before he clicked off the chandelier, plunging the room to shadows.
Gavin's low timbre cut through the dark. "Do you think I don't know you're still awake?"
While Raquel wished the blankets could swallow her whole, she knew escape meant facing whatever drove such icy calm in Gavin's tone. Slowly, glacially, she unfurled like a morning glory seeking the sun.
"Um...how did you..." Her words faded under his piercing stare.
Gavin started towards the bed, boots scraping. Halting just beyond arms' length, he peered as if to peel back her skull and read her thoughts written there. A predator toying with trapped prey, enjoying each thrash of panic.
"Just go to sleep! You have classes tomorrow. Don't get yourself into trouble by rushing to be intimate with that inexperienced boy," Gavin interrupted.
Reluctantly, Gavin left Raquel's room and slammed the door shut behind him with a loud thud.
***
Raquel's eyes fluttered open like the petals of a morning glory, awakened by the sun's golden kiss. She stretched her arms above her head, her yawn echoing through the room like a gentle melody. Glancing at the clock, her eyes widened in surprise. The hour hand was pointing to eight o'clock already! She had to be on campus in less than an hour.
Raquel rushed to the bathroom, She splashed cold water on her face, wincing as it stung her sleep-swollen eyes. She looked in the mirror and saw a stranger staring back at her. Her skin was pale and her eyes were bloodshot. She looked like she had just crawled out of a grave. Raquel knew she had to freshen up, but she didn't have time for her usual morning routine. She quickly brushed her teeth and hair, then applied a thin layer of concealer to hide her dark circles.
As she looked at herself in the mirror one last time, she took a deep breath. She had to do this. She had to make a good impression on Jonas.
She paused to take one last look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes sparkled like emeralds, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement. She looked alive.
After finishing her shower, Raquel had chosen an elegant outfit from a recent boutique purchase. The soft lilac dress with a cloud pattern draped over her curves like a dream, and the delicate straps fluttered like angel wings as she moved.
As Raquel busied herself with applying makeup, the door swung open abruptly.
Gavin's eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared at Raquel. His jaw clenched and his nostrils flared like a bull ready to charge.
"Should I drag you down and make you have breakfast? Don't be selfish, Damian also needs to go to his play group," he growled, his voice like gravel scraping against metal.
Raquel's voice was laced with venom as she interrupted. "Can't you respect my privacy?" Her eyes flashed with defiance, like a caged tigress. "I know you own this house, but you yourself said that this marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement!"
"I have no appetite for squabbling in the morning. I have more important things to do than bicker with you," Gavin sighed wearily, rubbing his forehead as if nursing a headache. He grabbed Raquel's arm impatiently and led her, though she pulled back annoyed, to the dining room on the ground floor.
Damian, who witnessed Raquel being dragged by Gavin, furrowed his eyebrows. "Dad, why are you pulling Mom Raquel?"
"Damian, finish your breakfast quickly, and let's go to the playground club," Gavin signaled to his son to finish his meal. Damian hurriedly shoveled the last bites of cereal into his mouth as he thought to himself, "Why do Dad and Mom Raquel always seem to be arguing lately?"
"We're not fighting, really," Raquel smiled gently and stroked her stepson's neck. "Your father and I just disagree sometimes."
"But you're so loud," Damian replied. "It scares me when I hear you yelling through the walls. Don't you like each other anymore?"
Raquel sighed and took the boy's hands in hers. "Of course we like each other, darling. All couples argue at times. The most important thing is that we love you and want you to feel safe and happy here."
Raquel stroked Damian's hair, its softness like silk beneath her fingers. "Finish your meal, it's almost 8 o'clock," she said, her voice gentle.
Damian looked up at her, his eyes sparkling like chocolate chips. "Alright. Is Mom going to campus with me?" he asked, his voice eager.
Raquel paused for a moment, her heart sinking. Damian's play club was in the opposite direction of his campus, and she had a meeting at work at the same time.
"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry I can't go with you to the play club today. I have a really important meeting that I can't reschedule."
Damian's shoulders slumped. "That's okay, Mom," he mumbled.
Gavin placed a hand on Damian's shoulder. "Don't worry, buddy. We can go together next time," he said with a reassuring smile.
Damian's eyes sparkled with mischief as he grinned, "That would be fun! I'll finally be able to show off my mom to my naughty friends who think I don't have one."
Gavin's forehead furrowed like a stormy sky as he saw Damian. He held back his anger like a dam about to burst, his muscles tensing as he asked, "What's going on, Damian? Who did that to you?"
Damian's voice was as soft as a whisper, "Steve and Greg. They always say I don't have a mother."
His words were as innocent as a lamb, but the pain in his eyes was as sharp as a knife.
Gavin's heart clenched like a fist. He wanted to wrap Damian in his arms and protect him from the cruel world. But he knew that Damian needed to be strong, so he took a deep breath and said, "Don't listen to them, Damian. You're a brave and strong boy. And you have a mother who loves you very much."
Raquel listened to their conversation, her eyes darting between them like a bird following a tennis match. She spread a thin layer of hazelnut spread on her whole wheat bread, its rich, nutty aroma wafting through the air.
Gavin glanced at her briefly, his eyes lingering on her lips, which were stained with the hazelnut spread.
Raquel shrugged and put the bread in a lunch box, her stomach growling in protest.
"Aren't you having breakfast?" Gavin asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
"I'm on a diet," Raquel replied nonchalantly, her voice as light as a feather. "I'll eat at noon."
"Hey... um... can you just drop me off at the bus stop?" Raquel asked, her voice faltering slightly. She knew Gavin was busy, but she couldn't face the thought of walking in the scorching heat.
Gavin snorted, his eyes flashing with amusement. "No."
Raquel frowned and glanced around at the spacious lawns and mansions lining the street. "I don't see how I'll get there on time. Buses never come down this way and taxis are too pricey. If I have to hoof it the whole way, there's no telling how delayed I'll be."
Gavin gestured to the garage, which was packed with various cars, gleaming like jewels under the artificial lights. "Choose one and take it for a spin."
Raquel sighed. "But I don't have a driver's license."
Gavin raised an eyebrow. "Not having a license doesn't mean you can't drive, does it?"
Raquel folded her arms, her expression mutinous. "But what if I encounter annoying and intimidating police officers?"
Gavin stood up and put on his jacket, his movements smooth and confident. "Ask yourself, Raquel Pavlovna, which one of us can get a ticket?" He approached Damian and placed a kiss on his forehead, his lips lingering briefly.
Damian quickly put on his small backpack, the SpongeBob SquarePants图案(tuàn) printed on the front bright and cheerful. He ran towards Raquel, his arms outstretched.
"Mom Raquel, can you kiss my forehead?" he asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
Raquel leaned down and kissed Damian's forehead, her lips soft as a whisper. She held him close for a moment, her heart swelling with love. The butler came to inform them that Damian's ride had to leave soon.
Gavin's footsteps tapped on the marble floor as he led his son to the terrace. Raquel trailed behind them, her heart pounding in her chest. Her hesitant steps echoed her inner turmoil.
With few palatable choices before her, Raquel reluctantly entered the garage. An immaculate row of expensive automobiles caught her eye, each vehicle spotless and no doubt a prized part of Gavin's luxury collection. Yet which would best suit her dire needs now, as options dwindled to steal her to get campus?
Her phone rang, signaling the arrival of a new message.
Nina sent her a concise message.
Nina: [Are you planning to attend class today? The professors have been inquiring about your absence, and Jonas is concerned for your well-being.]
Me: [Rest assured, I will be attending campus today.]
Nina: [Nice one! Do you need a lift or a cab? I can order you one if you need it.]
Me: [No, thank you. I will be driving my own car. SUS^^]
Without any hesitation, Raquel swiftly retrieved the keys to her Audi Ciaz and drove to campus. Despite multiple failed attempts at the driver's license test, she possessed great skill in operating a vehicle.
Nina arrived at campus at nine o'clock sharp, her car idling in the parking lot. She glanced at her watch and frowned. Raquel was always late, but this was ridiculous.
Finally, she saw a unfamiliar car approaching. It was Raquel, driving herself. Nina's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"You drove?"
Raquel pulled into the spot next to Nina's car and turned off the engine. She sighed. "He asked me to."
"That's... new." Nina said carefully. "But do you even have a driver's license?"
Raquel shook her head. "Not yet."
Nina stared at her in disbelief. "You drove here without a license?"
Raquel shrugged. "He said it would be okay."
Nina shook her head again. "This is crazy."
Raquel opened the door and got out of the car. "Well, it's not like I got pulled over."
Nina sighed.
"Come on." She got out of her car and led Raquel towards the campus buildings.
As they walked, Nina couldn't help but think about Raquel's husband crazy behavior.
"Sweetie!" Jonas's ear-piercing shout made Raquel and Nina whip around.
Raquel squeezed Nina's arm.
"Hey, let's not talk about anything related to Gavin," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the din of the party.
Nina nodded, her eyes darting around the campus lobby. "Got it."