DLD.

Chapter Two.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Believe it or not, but this is the first time I've been caught off guard like this. I knew how my husband operated like clockwork, so this little pop in surprise from him was truly unsettling. It wasn't in Alaric's nature to be spontaneous, so he better not make a habit out of this. Swinging my Dior saddle bag on my shoulder, I folded my arms to match my husband's stance. He wasn't the only one upset about this turn of events.

"Alaric." I expressed patiently. "You do know you aren't the only one with things going on, right? I do run a whole business, or did you conveniently forget? The magazine was having an emergency and I needed to attend to that. My business will always be a top priority. I won't ever jeopardize something I've worked so hard on and I expect you to understand that. Everything can't always be about you, so stop being so fucking selfish. I'm literally doing the best I can baby."

Alaric's facial soften after my final comment and his folded arms were now stuffed in his pockets like a disobedient child. He huffed quietly and shook his head, giving me a sorrowful glance afterwards. 

"Dana my love, you're right. I'm sorry." Alaric replied. "I've just been so stressed out lately, and I want tonight to go off without any disruptions. I didn't mean for my worries to be projected onto you, sweetheart. Forgive me?"

I smirked lightly. "Water under the bridge. But now that you're here I'll give you a sneak peek of what can be expected tonight. Trust me, you're gonna love it."

Alaric smiled and held out his hand for me to grab. "What would I do without you?"

I beamed. "I say the same thing about you every day."

Holding onto my husband's hand, I allowed him to guide me into the massive house we shared. He entwined his fingers in mine ever so lovingly as we passed through our decked-out foyer, it made my swaying heart skip a beat. This small gesture of Alaric's was a gentle reminder that it was possible for him to be wholesome and romantic, but unfortunately this moment lasted almost as long as my husband's performance in bed.

"Show me everything." Alaric announced, dropping my hand from his hold swiftly. "I'll add my input if necessary. Where do we start?"

Rolling my eyes internally, I gave my husband a fake smile and a half-interested gaze while we toured different areas of our home. Our staff was busy hustling and bustling around us, and I couldn't be more appreciative for all their assistance. They were definitely working overtime ensuring that everything was next to perfection, and the contented look on Alaric's face proved that our dedicated staff was truly outdoing themselves.

Alaric clasped his hands happily. "It's everything I could have wanted and more. We have to give our team the nicest bonus! I'm honestly blown away at everything they've done so far. The final results are going to be magnificent!"

Genuine feelings of happiness evoked from within me after hearing Alaric's proclaim. He seemed so full of joy, I loved when he was like this. It didn't happen too often, so I chose to seize this moment before my husband returned to his customary tendencies.

"I gotta head back over to the office." Alaric said once we returned to the entrance of our home. "I just came home to pick up some files. I'll be back in time for the celebration. Love you, I'll see you later."

My husband gave me a soft kiss on my forehead and dispersed from our home in his usual speedy manner. I heard his Lamborghini truck noisily leaving the front of the porch where it was parked, and that's when I huffed exhaustingly, collapsing on the nearest sofa. It was exceedingly draining playing the role of the devoted wife sometimes. However, going forward I had to move more composed and smarter. I almost got caught slipping earlier which would have been a complete nightmare, I guess I've been doing this for so long that I was getting comfortable. But one misdemeanor was all it took to whip me back into shape, for I couldn't allow anything to blow back up in my face.