Treating Mr. Billionaire

~ 2 ~

"It's not exactly a promotion." She corrected, letting the excitement die down, and her smile sagged clearly. "Do you think a promotion is the only acceptable way to get a raise, dummy?" She asked, her tone playful now that the initial joy was gone.

"Well, according to the theory of wage and promotion dynamics, it certainly is." He returned, sounding like a professor lecturing his student rather than a chef.

"You think so?" She scoffed, shaking her head. "The world is more complex than that. There are plenty of other ways to get a raise and I've just found mine." She explained, her fingers digging into the table to emphasize her point.

"Hmmm," Ted hummed, taking her statement seriously. His expression became mischievous when a sinister thought crossed his mind. "If that's not it," he paused his words to lower his voice, "then have you become the boss' lady?" He whispered, his lips turning upward to show a naughty grin.

"What??" She sputtered, her blue orbs popping wide open in shock. She didn't think twice before picking up a spoon and throwing it at him. It bounced off his chest, causing him to flinch before chuckling, his hands going up defensively to ward off any more projectiles. "You can be such a pervert sometimes. You know me too well to say that."She retorted, crossing her arms against her chest and glaring at him.

He shrugged, smiling cheekily while rubbing his chest where the cutlery had hit him. "You know that was a joke." He assured, waving away the whole thing with a wave of his hands. "I'm sorry if I offended you. It was a silly one anyway." He said, trying to smooth things over with a smile.

"Creep," she sneered, and he beamed in response as though it was a compliment.

His smile slowly dropped, his expression becoming serious before resting his head against the table, looking pensive. "So, are you serious about the double raise?" He questioned softly, his gaze falling on her hands that were still tightly gripped together across the table.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" She shot back sarcastically, unable to restrain a smile as her happiness restored. "You see. Dessy decided to put me on a special mission. Like a spy from a fringing detective movie." The chairman was nicknamed Dessy by the staff, every patient was aware of it in the hospital, and of course, the only oblivious person was the subject himself.

"Mission? You?" His eyes traveled to her elated pupils with slight mockery.

"It's not what you are thinking. I know you have already swapped my outfits with something similar to superhero outfits and you are imagining me somewhere in the middle of another planet fighting Thanos with the avengers' squad. Nope, that's not it." She huffed, rolling her eyes at his delusion, and shaking her head to dispel his idea.

He chuckled at her antics and was not showing any means to defend himself from her acquisitions. "That's good then because I might get jealous." He stated, knowing well how to play along.

"You know what, Ted? If you'd put more attention on your dating life the same way you do to action movies, you would have been married already. Probably two kids." Her scornful advice passed through lips stretching into a smirk as she poked a finger into his shoulder to punctuate her statement.

He caught her little finger before deciding to turn tables. "Our kids right? What should we name them? Maria, after their mother perhaps?" He suggested, exhibiting the same jeering smile she wore. Hers didn't last for long though. It fell instantly and formed into a grimace.

"Very funny." She mumbled under her breath, her face grumpy with irritation. "At this rate, you will end up as a widow since I am probably the only person you talk to."

"Excuse you?" Another glint of mockery appeared on his face, but this time he was not alone in the joke. She was laughing too.

"Yeah, right. Don't say anything else or I'll never forgive you." She told him although knowing he would do the complete opposite.