MY CONFIDANT

CHAPTER EIGHT - THEIR MARRIED LIFE

CHAPTER EIGHT

Their Married Life

True to his words, Xander went to Paris with his wife. He set up his own home office in one of the vacant rooms of their apartment. Mark had to stay with Gretta for he knew all the details about the hotels. Mark had just to travel back and forth if needed.

Liv went back to her intensive program scheduled 6 to 9 hours daily, 6 days a week. They regularly had breakfast together. Her schedule had permitted Xander to have enough time to work along with Gretta and Mark thru video-conferencing during the day. On evenings, they constantly dined out because Xander didn't want his wife to tire herself more from all the cooking. On Liv's free day, they would rest in their apartment after attending a morning mass. There were also times when they did attend social gatherings or had dinner with business colleagues of friends.

On those occasions, Liv hadn't still adjusted to Xander's way of life. They were oftentimes surrounded by rich and or famous people. The expensive wardrobe Kaylyn had bought had helped her to blend externally but not internally. She couldn't ever get used to the hypocrisy, arrogance and cruelty of most rich and famous people even if there were some who were not.

One time, they attended the private birthday dinner of the Paris politician married to the Paris socialite/ex-bedmate of Xander.

Xander's ex-bedmate, Helene, had a chance to talk to her one-on-one. They talked in French.

Helene asked noticing her baby bump in one of the new gowns Kaylyn had sent for her, "So how far along are you?"

"Twenty weeks," Liv had answered.

Helene seemed just curious but meant no harm, "How did you and Xander meet? I knew he had a fiancée back then when we had our brief affair. What really happened?"

"My father used to work for him until he passed away. His fiancée met someone else and so they called off the wedding. We met again and things just fall into place," Liv had replied with some uneasiness.

Helene noticed it and assured her, "I meant no harm, Liv. What happened between Xander and I is all in the past. I'm happily married as well. And as you can see, we have two wonderful children. So, do you already know if it will be a boy or a girl?"

Liv answered in happy note, "Boy. Xander and the family are very happy when we found out two weeks ago in my ultrasound."

Helene then asked, "Aren't you happy about it?"

Liv replied, "I am very happy as well. I'm just overwhelmed and a bit anxious with the pace of things. Everything is just happening so fast. We just met again a couple of months ago. We got married then in a few more months I'll be a mother."

Helene was so kind to say, "It's just normal to feel that way, Liv. Blame it on the hormones. It's a good thing your sense of smell and taste hasn't changed with the pregnancy. When I was pregnant with our son, I cannot stand the smell of my husband's aftershave cologne so he had to grow his beard. He just shaved when my sense of smell returned to normal."

Liv felt at ease somehow, "We weren't really planning for a baby yet. Xander and I agreed to have a baby after my studies in Le Cordon Bleu but then he didn't use protection the first time we made love during our honeymoon so I got pregnant. At first, I thought I had to drop out but luckily my sense of smell and my sense of taste are both still well so I still continued. I already finished the Cuisine Diploma. I am now in their Pastry Diploma intensive program."

Helene curiously inquired, "Don't get me wrong, Liv. Xander is a very rich man and you don't have to work a day in your life coz he can support you. So why are you still tiring yourself in Le Cordon Bleu?"