A PURPLE DESIRE

GAME OF LOVE

"Papa, are you mad at my mom?"

Andrei asked his father, his cute brow frowned, lips pout and Frank looked at him.

"Of course not, why you ask?"

"Because you don't want her to see the Christmas tree with us. I can feel that she wants to see it too.."

"Hmm. Big Santa Clause will stay there in two months. Maybe next time, we will bring your Mom and Nanay there to play.

"Oh yes! I like it!" Andrei raise his hand in excitement. So Frank brought his son down to the floor. Andrei happily ran towards the Christmas tree and Frank followed him.

Back to the room; Lea brought a glass of juice in the living room. She placed the glass and a plate with baked macaroni on the end table next to Anne.

"Do you want anything more to eat?"

"No, this is enough." Anne said. Lea sat down on the sofa facing her sister in law.

"Frank is a good man. He loves you. I can see that." Anne's fingers worked the hook and yarn into a square.

Lea shrugged and tilted her head to one side. "Well, you may think that, but I don't."

"He already marry you, and I can see that he is going to be a good father to Andrei, you wait and see." Anne tried to explain.

"I won't stop him, but I will reserve my judgment." She sipped her juice, and Anne continue.

"You know what he did? after he realized that Andrei was his son. He gave all the good instructions for all the clothing, the toys and even the wedding ceremony."

Anne leaned forward with a shake of her head. "It is not something that a man would do without love for his family. We'll see." Lea pointed.

Only Lea knows everything about Frank. His style, taste and attitude. But she had always kept a dark secret hidden deep within her, a secret that she had never shared with anyone. It was the fact that Frank had provided her with money to undergo an abortion. The mere thought of it made her mind recoil in horror, unable to fully process the implications of such a decision. She grappled with the idea that he could have suggested such a thing, questioning whether his feelings for her had ever been genuine. Back when they were together, she had believed in their love, but now she was forced to confront the harsh reality that their relationship had been built on lust, rather than true affection.

After an hour, Frank and his son Andrei returned to the dorm. When the door opened, Andrei ran inside. Frank strode in after his son.

Andrei held a box of chocolates in his small hands and brought them over to Anne.

"For you, Nanay, I picked them myself." He grinned.

"Oh, thank you." Anne took the box and kissed him on the cheek.

Frank held another box of chocolates, as well as two long boxes with thick red satin bows tied around each one. Andrei brought the box of chocolates to his mother. Lea kissed him and then looked at Frank. He gave one of the long boxes to Anne and the other to Lea.

Anne lifted the lid off hers and exclaimed, "Oh, how sweet. Not since my dear husband died has anyone given me chocolates and roses. Thank you very much!"

Then Lea decided to open her box also.

"Oh."

She glanced up to find Frank staring at her. In the box were two dozen yellow long-stem roses-he'd remembered that they were Lea's favorite color.

Anne said, "I see empty vases in the dining room, I go get the two."

Lea followed her, and they put their roses into crystal vases. Lea brought hers into the bedroom and placed them on the table next to the bed. She rubbed one of the petals and inhaled the aroma of the fresh roses. Later on she remembered that it was now the time for Andrei's nap.

"Honey, it's time for your nap." Lea called her son who is currently playing Spider man toy behind his father.

"Lea, I need to rest also, I felt tired. Let me take Andrei to his room. Don't bother yourself." Anne said.

"Hmm" Lea nodded.

Andrei and Anne left the living room that left Frank and Lea alone. But as soon as the two left, Frank was puzzled by Lea's behavior as she seemed to be playing some kind of game. He noticed that Lea appeared to be genuinely uncomfortable. Earlier she had shown real fear when he simply wanted to take his son to the lobby. Now she was acting distant and her attitude toward him was cold.

"Do you want to say anything?" He asked Lea.

"Nothing." Lea said, and took a deep breath.

But Frank knows how to play her mood. He put his smart phone on the edge of the table, and said, "come here!"

Lea behaves as if she were deaf, completely oblivious to her surroundings. She nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders and muttered discontentedly, as if she were disconnected from the world around her.

So Frank stood and took her hand. "Let's talk for a while now"

But Lea pulled her hand out of his and walked over to the accent chair instead. Frank didn't push the issue. He decided to stand and face her.

"Tonight, you and I will go for dinner at the best restaurant in town, I made a reservation there."

Lea shrugged with indifference.

"Lea, talk to me," he said with mounting frustration.

"Tell me what is going on with you. If we are going to be a family, you need to be open with me." Frank announced.

Lea's lips thinned, and her eyes narrowed before she turned on him.

"Oh really? I'm the one that must be open with you, but you can continue to keep your dirty secrets, by calling me a liar. You pretend that there is nothing happened before." Lea shook her head, her face flushed in red.

"Because I know what kind of slut you are. You spread your legs to any man for money, you're a woman with no dignity, and a little gold digger." Frank explained clearly.

Frank had a copy of the photos he had of her with Brolden Gonzalez. He assigned the man as the manager of the restaurant he owned, and all those other men fed the rage that he hates, and wound his heart. So he planted Lea this time, she would pay for her lies. She will walk down on her knees, begging him to keep her, and not take  Andrei away, that would satisfy him.

The next moment, Frank  grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the chair.

Lea tugged free.  "Don't touch me."

Frank's heart raced as he found himself overwhelmed with emotion while sitting next to her on the sofa. Despite being known for his rational decision-making skills in business and other areas of his life, he couldn't help but let his emotions guide him when he was with her.

"No."  Lea panicking.

Frank couldn't resist holding her close, and feeling the heat of desire between them. He lifted her onto his lap a wave of longing washed over him overpowering his usual rationality. The intensity of his arousal was undeniable, and he knew he couldn't resist her any longer.

"Mmm... mmm." 

Frank kissed her parted lips.

Breathless Lea shifted her gaze from him, her mouth mere centimeters from his. "If you think I'm such a slut-"

Frank immediately grabs her face and kisses her again forcedly. But Lea manages to attack by pushing him away.

"If you think that I am not fit to be with you, why did you marry me? Why didn't you make me sign a prenuptial-"

Frank tightened his hold. Until she stopped talking.