Married But Single

Chapter 4

"Oh, now I know why."
Annabelle murmured.

"What?"

She shrugged. "I was wondering why you were acting all loving towards me few minutes ago. So you mean we have to act like the happiest married couple while in public?"

"Exactly." He nodded. "Otherwise, people will wonder why we married when we are not in love with each other. They'll begin to look for possible reasons why we undertook matrimony and I don't want my family name making headlines on an arranged marriage."

"I understand."
She replied drily.

He smirked. "Good."

She took a deep breath. "So since we are going into acting in public from now on, I presume we are to have lunch together as well, from now onwards?"

He nodded. "Yes. Unless a good reason why we shouldn't, arises."

"This is going to be hard." She muttered. "We can't even stand each other, talk more of acting like a couple in love in public!"

"Oh I can stand you." He teased. "And as you said, it will only be acting. Just think of yourself as an actress from now on, who is to be ready at all times when the need for action arises."

"Noted."

"Good."

"Can we go now? I'm hungry."

                              ***

In the evening, they drove back home together, having only achieved a near success at lunch.

They had had lunch with Derek in an exclusive restaurant and the three of them had enjoyed each other's company apart from David being grumpy sometimes.

Derek was a cool guy as Annabelle noticed, nothing like her husband. She only met him that day but she already liked him a lot. They laughed and agreed together on certain things, ganging up on David who wasn't pleased at all, with their cooperation and closeness.
But Annabelle didn't mind. She wanted to annoy him as he had annoyed her the previous day. Jeez! He was even lucky that she wasn't the type to have extramarital affairs.

David was still in his grumpy mood when they entered the house. But he ignored her and went upstairs.

She stuck her tongue 😝 out at his retreating back then marched over to the sitting room and sat down, flipping through the tv channels absent mindedly.

Her phone rang and she glanced at the unknown number before picking up.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Is someone there? I'm actually not too strong for pranks now."

Silence. Then a heavy sigh.

"Anna."

Annabelle stilled.
"D-Dominic. Uh hi"

"How are you?"

She looked around like a child about to steal meat. "I'm okay. You?"

"I'm good too, just missing you." He sighed. "I saw you at the restaurant today with Maxwell and his friend."

"Oh, you were there?"
She asked, not knowing how to talk to him.

"Yes, I came in before you guys." He chuckled drily. "You two looked good together. And you...you looked really happy with him."

"Dominic..."

"No Ann," he interrupted. "I'm not asking you to explain or anything. I know it isn't your fault that everything ended the way they did."

She sighed. "Dominic can you..."