I Too Had An Unrequited Love Story

43- Tempers Unraveled

Veronica stood in front of the mirror, slipping on her knee-high boots, her pink tweed co-ord jacket and skirt set giving off a chic yet professional vibe. She could see Arek in the reflection, standing beside her, fumbling with two ties—a red one and a dark blue. His expression was tense, and his brow furrowed with indecision. Their mornings had evolved into a quiet routine: sharing the walk-in wardrobe, selecting their clothes in comfortable silence, and moving around each other as though they'd always lived together.

"Pick the red one," Veronica said, still focused on her reflection but watching him out of the corner of her eye. Arek glanced at the mirror, locking eyes with her for a moment before he picked up the red tie. He attempted to tie it, but after a few tries and several poorly formed knots, his irritation was evident.

Veronica watched him for a beat longer before standing up and walking towards him, boots now firmly in place. She noticed the growing frustration on his face.

"Do you even know how to tie it?" Arek asked, his tone half-exasperated, half-amused.

"No," Veronica responded with a sly smile.

"Then why are you here?" he asked, the annoyance deepening in his voice.

"To get my coat, Sugar," she replied, pointing behind him. Arek glanced back to see her coat draped over the couch. He stepped aside, grumbling under his breath, and she picked up the coat, ready to leave the walk-in wardrobe.

But then, she heard him murmur, "Help me."

Veronica paused, turning to see him standing there with the untied tie draped around his neck, his eyes silently pleading for assistance. Amused, she walked back towards him, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "I told you I don't know how to tie a knot."

"Just stand here," he said, clearly not in the mood for her teasing. "I'll put the tie on you and tie it. Easier that way."

Veronica stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious. "So, you can tie it on me but not on yourself?" she asked incredulously.

Arek sighed. "I can't tell if it's straight when I do it on myself."

She couldn't help but smirk. "How have you been tying your ties all this time?"

Instead of answering, Arek slipped the tie around her neck and pulled her closer to him. Veronica gasped in surprise, glaring at him for his sudden action. But he seemed unfazed. "Stay still," he ordered, a note of impatience in his voice.

Veronica stood frozen, feeling the slight brush of his fingers against her neck as he worked the tie. He was surprisingly gentle, and his touch made her slightly uncomfortable in a way she didn't expect. She could feel the warmth from his body, the closeness making her hyper-aware of the space between them—or the lack thereof.

"Genesis used to tie my ties," Arek explained nonchalantly, focused on the knot he was crafting. "But she said I should ask you to do it now since, you know, you're my wife."

Veronica rolled her eyes internally. Genesis never missed a chance to push them together.

"You could just tell her I'm terrible at this," Veronica muttered, trying to keep her composure. "Then she can go back to doing it."

Arek shot her a quick glance but continued his task, clearly ignoring her suggestion.

"I'll pick you up this evening," he said, seemingly changing the subject as he adjusted the tie.

Veronica blinked in surprise. "Sugar, I have a lot of work to do. You know the auction event is being managed by AE News, right? I'll meet you at the venue."