Chapter 4 3

CHAPTER 3

While they were inside Marcus's car, he was speechless. Pham felt suffocated inside his sports car, and she didn't like it at all. She needs to get away from this man. He's too much for her peace of mind.

when he stopped the sports car in front of his flower shop, he quickly opened the door, but it was locked.

"Open the door, brother." He said it seriously as he tried to open it. "I'm needed at the shop."

"Have lunch with me later."

Her lips parted as she turned to Marcus. "What did you say?" maybe she misheard him.

"Have lunch with me later." Again while looking at him deeply.

He laughed and shook his head. "You're sleep-deprived." She rolled her eyes. "My answer is no."

"I don't take no for an answer, Fatima. You know that." This unlocked the door. "I'll pick you up later. and call me Marcus."

He tormented her, then hurriedly got out of his car.

He was about to enter his flower shop when he heard her name.

"Fatima."

He stopped walking and looked at the caller. It was Marcus, and his head was sticking out of the car window.

"I'll be staying in the house for two weeks." This information. "Get used to being with me all the time."

His lips parted. "No..."

Before he could argue with her, the young man had left, and he was left staring at the road.

No way! No way! That man is not staying in her house!

Can you stop him? his mind asked You're just stuck in that house.

He wants to adjust to the extreme frustration he feels. Argh! That man will ruin her not-so-peaceful life. He could feel it, and he knew he wasn't wrong. He and his mother will definitely work together.

Unconsciously, he grabbed his wedding ring.

I miss you, Martin.

Her heart clenched in sadness. If only Martin were here, his life wouldn't be peaceful, and his family wouldn't be bothering him. Martin always backed her up against his family. Why did he leave her alone this morning?

"I thought there was nothing left," he whispered into the air. "Why did you leave me?"

His eyes watered and were about to fall out, so he looked up and blinked. Nothing will change, even if she cries. His life has been ruined.

lunch came, and Pham found herself sitting across Marcus at the table for two in Yanzee's Restaurant. He would really take no for an answer. And she's really pissed.

"Why do you stay at home?" He couldn't stop asking when their food was ready to be served.

Marcus sipped his champagne and then stared at her. "Why? Does my presence in the house bother you?"

He looked up at her. "Yes. Didn't I tell you before that I don't want you in the house? And you agreed and promised that you wouldn't stay in the house for more than an hour."

he doesn't want another one to hurt him emotionally. The pain that his parents are making him feel is too much.

The corner of his lips rose. "Then I'm breaking my promise for two weeks."

She gritted her teeth. "Why don't you go to a hotel? I'm sure you can afford even the most expensive ones."

"I dont want to."

"And why?"

"Mom will be surprised."

"He wasn't surprised then." "Then you're used to staying at hotels all the time."

"None of your business."

"It. Is. My. Business."

He smirked. "How so?"

"You're staying in the house, damn it." He said he was annoyed.

His eyebrows rose. "It's also my house, remember? That's the ancestral home of Martin and my parents; you're just a bastard. So you have no right to evict me from that house."

That cut is deep.

His jaw dropped, and his eyes widened. "In that case, I'll take care of the hotel for the two weeks you're home."

Marcus blew a loud breath. "Come on, Fatima, what's the big deal? That's a huge house; you can't see me."

She scoffed. "Are you really fooling me, Marcus?" He didn't call him brother anymore because he was angry. "You are the type of person who lacks attention. and it is your hobby to pester me, so I'm sure I will always see your shitty face, even when I don't want to."

He chuckled and playfully tapped his chin. "You become prettier when you're angry."

She glared at him. "You're beautiful."

He just grinned and winked at her. "I'm still staying in that house, and so are you."

"I'm going to book a hotel."

"Try me, Fatima." His voice had a warning: "You don't want to anger me."

If he had a deadly look, it was gone. "Fuck you."

"Thank you." It grinned. "I'll take that as a yes." he gestured to the food that had cooled due to their argument. "Eat, Fatima. I know you didn't have breakfast."

She didn't budge. She keeps glaring at him.

Marcus sighed, picked up her spoon, and took a spoonful of food from her plate. Then he put the spoon in his mouth.

"Eat up, Fatima. I did promise my brother I'd take care of you." He said it with a silly smile on his lips.

He stood up and left it on the table, then entered the restroom. She needs to calm herself. He might choke Marcus in no time.

Her hand automatically seeks out her wedding ring to calm herself. and it worked right away. When Martin comes to mind, she calms down.

He looked at himself in the mirror and saw a woman who was struggling to fight the loss of her husband and the bad treatment of her family. three years after Martin's death, the time they shared and the pain of losing it are still fresh in his mind.

He calmed himself down and took a deep breath before exiting the restroom. when he was approaching his table with Marcus, he stopped walking when he saw that Marcus was talking to a beautiful woman. And the bodies of the two are very close to each other.

and since he was close to the two, he couldn't help but hear what they were talking about.

"I miss you, Marcus." that girl "I hope you invite me again."

The young man smiled. "I'm sorry, Tina, that's not my call."

The woman frowned. "I want to be with you again. It's been a long time."

He snorted without losing the fake smile on Marcus' lips. Poor girl. Just playing with the blown one.

he was so annoyed that he never returned to their table. He continued to leave the restaurant.

Thirty minutes had not passed since Pham returned to his flower shop when the door of his small office opened and Marcus entered. He thought he would be angry, but his reaction was the opposite.

he placed a paper bag on top of his desk. "You haven't eaten lunch yet." He sat in the visitor's chair, "that was rude of you, by the way."

He didn't say a word and just continued shopping for flowers that he would buy in the next delivery.

"Fatima, I'm talking to you." His voice is emphatic.

he wanted to torture the young man, but he stopped himself.

He looked up at it. "What do you need from me?" He asked bluntly. "I'm pretty sure that you can do whatever business you have to do here without pestering me. Why am I in front of you now?"

"Because you need to eat?" this is a questionable answer.

He gave her a bad look. "Maybe there's poison in it; I'll die. No thanks."

"Eat that." He stood up and walked away. "I'm leaving."

He breathed a sigh of relief when he left his office. and then her eyes fell on the paper bag. he quickly opened it, and his eyes widened when he saw its contents. The food he didn't eat at Yanzee's Restaurant

That man is confusing at times.

After Pham closed the flower shop, he went straight to the Love Cafe, where he and his best friend, Abbygail, would meet.

it was already there, waiting for him.

"Sorry, Pham, I ordered you." Abbygail said to him as he sat down. "It's been a while."

"It's okay." he sat up and looked at the food on their table.

His face crumpled when he saw the container of carbonara inside it. It was placed on a heart-shaped plate.

"Why do you like this cafe so much?" His face cannot be painted.

His hand flipped artfully and parted the hair that was hanging on his arm. "Because they're funny. They're also food containers that are heart-shaped, and nothing lasts forever. Nonsense. It's good to read."

"Don't affect this cafe with your free spirit." He laughed.

Abbygail just rolled her eyes. "I've been a loyal customer of this cafe for two years, and their dishes are still heart-shaped."

Pham chuckled softly. "You really are."

Abbygail just shrugged. "Anyway, why did you meet me today? did something happen?"

Abbygail knew her too well.

He took a deep breath. "Marcus is in the city, and he will stay at home for two weeks."

It was dropped. "Damn. How are you? Are you okay? I'm sure the whole family will work together to get you out of that house."

"That's what I was thinking. except that I don't have a house to move to right away, I don't want to leave that house. Martin said, I made memories in that house, and I'm not yet ready to let go and move on." He took a deep breath.