Ethereal Overall

Chapter 8

It's been a few days since we came back from Paris, and I can safely say my wife is crazy. Ever since I shared a few things with her there and that one time our sex was just A LITTLE intimate where I fucked her into oblivion (quite literally) she got too attached. I guess it's easier for me though to just have kids and then get rid of her. Honestly, she just met me. How can she care so much and feel that way already? I can see in her eyes, she's overly maudlin.

Anyways, today is my birthday. Finally 23, yay. I'm not as enthusiastic as I sound, if I sound it at all. Thankfully, when I left the house in the morning today she was asleep. I doubt she knows it's my birthday anyways and I don't want her to. She texted me an hour ago though asking me to be home by 7:30. Whilst I type an email out to one of the other mafias leaders Amy walks in with a cupcake that has a candle on it. Once she sets it on the table she lights it up and a few of my friends walk in and sing 'happy birthday'.

"I hate you fuckers."

"Wow, he has such manners." Nicolas says with a grin on his face.

"Honestly, he has no idea how to speak to a lady." Amy says with her hands on her hips.

"His poor wife. Maybe she didn't give the reaction he wanted, that's why he's acting like a little bitch." Lucas says and right there his twin Jason starts laughing.

"You guys know I don't celebrate my birthday." I say hoping a hateful expression starts forming on my face. I just don't care about it anymore knowing my mother isn't there to celebrate it with me. As cringe as it sounds she loved my father and I so she put her life into every event we had. It's just not the same without her.

"Just indulge us." Amy says as she brings the cupcake to my face.

"Fine.". Blowing on the candle I see from the corner of my eyes Lucas grabbing my laptop.

"Get your slimy fingers off my laptop."

"Nope!" He says as he gathers my shit and closes it and puts away my papers.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"We are taking you out and Amy has already cleared your schedule." Nicolas says.

"Amy!"

"I'm sorry but this is your birthday and you've just turned 23 you should be out celebrating not working. It's a shame your wife doesn't know." Amy says

"If only she cared. Tsk." Jason sighs. Oh but she does. She cares so much she doesn't realize how obvious she is. No blatant respect for our rules. She truly believes there'll be love between us and every single time I crush her hope.

I think back to two days ago when I came out of the shower and she was drunk.

Flashback: Two days ago

' "You let me in once! Why won't you talk to me? You're my husband!" She says shouting as she clutches her wedding ring.

"I told you the fucking rules. You should never expect anything in this marriage; it's a mere business transaction." I say with the most stern voice I can conjure.

"That's not fair! There's vows to marriage you know? In sickness and health and to the day we die-" I cut her off "It's the basic everyone has to hear." She starts crying.

"Why won't you give me a chance? Is it because I was a stripper? I had to, I had no choice, I'm sorry." She says and a hiccup slips out.

"What do you mean you had no choice."

"Oops. Nothing." Her eyes widened as if she noticed her mistake or secret slipped out and she giggled before she started crying again.

I start to walk away but she opens her mouth and says words that stop me in my tracks.

"What about when we have kids huh? Will you not love them too? When they get married will they think it's good only having sex in a relationship and never being loved?" She says sniffling her red eyes digging lasers in mine.

"Go to sleep, you're not in the right state of mind." She opens her mouth to protest but I beat her to it saying "You're drunk.". '

End of flashback

She was so embarrassed when she woke up. She pretended like it didn't happen and we went back to normal. I'm still wondering what she meant when she said she had no choice. Everyone has a choice, no? Her words about the kids part haunted me too but then I realized it wouldn't be a problem once she's gone.

Two more years, I think.

"Fine." I give in and decide to hang out with them.

☯︎☯︎☯︎

After spending the whole day together I finally got home. It's 9 pm and I realize when Aurora is passed out on the couch with a tight expression on her face that I came home later than expected. Looking up I see all the decorations for my birthday. There's balloons, streamers, confetti, and etc. On the table there's a Polaroid and vintage camera along with a variety of food and my favorites too.

Did she do all this?

I don't want to wake her up but it's as if she senses my presence and shifts. Squinting and then rubbing her hands over her eyes she jumps up when she realizes it's me.

"I'm so sorry I fell asleep, you just came sooner than I expected! I just laid down and I don't know what happened!" She rushes out. She looks adorable like a cat. The realization that I'm probably just staring at her with a blank face enters.

"How'd you know it was my birthday?" I ask

"I have my ways." She said as she smiled shyly.

"You should know I don't celebrate my birthday so it's a waste of all your effort and decorations."

Her face drops and I feel a pinch of regret for being such an ass. Her expression sobers up quickly though as she asks in a collected voice "Why?"

"Because it was the last event I had with my mother." The shock rattles us both. Her probably how sad it is and me the fact that I told her.

"Well I'll make all your future birthdays as good as they can be, hopefully. You'll be looking forward to them from now on!" She says with a bright smile. If the future is the next two years or whenever we have a child I guess I can cope with that. She pecks me on the lips and I sit down. "What're you doing?" She asks, puzzled.

"I may have said all that but I'm not letting the food go to waste.". I say as I grab something.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter! Please vote and comment! Love you all, stay safe!