8 Careless Mistake

"We both knew each other for so long, you know," Vivian winked.

Danny finally accepted the money. For the others not to hear, he mouthed at her, "Damn you, Vee."

Then he continued loudly, "When did you have the time to look for a man like this? You didn't sell yourself for money did you?"

'Exactly! You got it right, my dear friend,' she wanted to say but didn't. It's not like she became a prostitute or anything. She just married a super-rich guy for his money.

"Ara, that's rude of you, baby. Just go on and enjoy yourself at your favorite spa. He was the one who found me, okay?" She could tell that Danny was envious.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. He's not beating you to death when you're alone does he?" Danny asked as if the person in question wasn't around.

"Of course not. Do you see any bruises on me? You know I won't remain in a relationship like that," Vivian was incredulous. How could her friend think she would endure something like that when she hated pain?

"Hey, do I look like I could hurt my adorable woman? She's already so frail. Why would I hurt her?" her husband also added.

"Fine. Enjoy yourselves then," Danny finally said but he didn't look like he agreed with the word 'frail' to describe Vivian.

"Oh, and at least inform me when you're having an orgy," Danny winked at her.

"What?! You're speaking nonsense. Just go already," Vivian sighed. She knew what Danny meant was she was hogging such a wonderful specimen all by herself. He wanted a part in it.

"Tsk. Stingy," Danny relented.

Vivian kissed two of her fingers and blew them to Danny. He winked at her and did the same. Then he seemed to realize he did something wrong.

"Why you! I told you to stop doing that."

"Don't worry the CCTV didn't get it. You're still in the room," Vivian teased and Danny glared at her one more time before leaving and closing the door behind him.

She recalled the faces of the two who were with him and they were Danny's personal guards so there was no problem.

Vivian just did it out of habit anyway since that was how they said goodbye when no one else who knew Danny was around. Then she froze.

'Shoot. I did it in front of my husband and his cohorts!'

She looked up at her husband slowly and he had a dark expression. He looked terribly pissed off. It was a mistake.

'Wait, is she going to get a beating now? Danny help me!' She yelled in her mind.

"Did the two of you just blow each other a kiss right in front of me?!" her husband growled in disbelief.

"That's out of habit. We've been friends for so long that we tend to forget and do that sometimes," Vivian replied nervously.

"Do what?" he barked even angrier now. He must have misunderstood what she meant. His aura grew darker.

"Blew goodbye kisses when we part. It was supposed to be a kiss on the cheek, like with other female friends. But since he is biologically a male, it would seem inappropriate so we say goodbye like that instead."

"It's still inappropriate," her husband said with finality.

"It's not. He is homosexual. He likes guys. He might even like you more than me," Vivian clarified and everyone was silent for a few seconds.

"He didn't look gay to me. And he's too close to you. And was very protective."

"That's because we're friends. We protect each other. And this is his hotel; I am one of his patrons so I am his responsibility."

"He caressed your face," her husband's eyes looked even darker and his voice was ice cold.

"He is gay. He just checked my face since I look terrible. He noticed that I just cried since my eyes were red."

"What were you whispering with him a while ago?"

"He was just informing me about you intruders," Vivian explained.

"He had a gun on his waist."

"Really? I didn't notice."

"Yes, he had. That includes the two guys with him."

"Ah, those two were his personal guards. They must have brought it since they thought you intruders were dangerous."

"He still doesn't seem gay to me. Are you sure he's just a friend?" her husband asked her with a frown.

"He's just a friend. If he was more than that, I would have married him long before I met you," she said matter-of-factly in exasperation.

Vivian had known Danny for so long that if she had liked him as more than a friend, she would have done what she can so he would marry her.

But since he prefers men, they never liked each other in a romantic way. They were just friends. But her answer seemed to anger her husband even more.

'How long was he going to drag this act? Or, wait. Did I inadvertently insult his pride just now?'

"Ah, so he was someone you're willing to marry," her husband slowly nodded and it looked intimidating to her. Like he was planning on doing terrible things to Danny.

"If he was a man. But he isn't. And I don't like him in a romantic way," Vivian tried to assure her husband that there was nothing to worry about.

She didn't like how the first time she met her husband's cohorts, she was suspected of cheating. Her image was completely broken before she could even build a proper one.

'How could I remain as his wife if his cohorts think I am a slut who goes sleeping with other men while my husband was still missing?'

"He looked like he was into both men and women," her husband continued.

"He is not. Dear husband, you should trust me a bit more. If you couldn't trust me at all, you shouldn't have married me in the first place," Vivian said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"What was that again?" he barked at her.

"Nothing. Shouldn't we talk about more important things?" She was rather getting tired of the topic.

"More important? Heh. Where are the keys for the other rooms?" her husband suddenly asked.

"Why?" She nervously looked up into his eyes.

'Why does he look so angry?' She had a bad feeling about this.

Something was about to happen and Vivian wanted to escape. She mentally complained about how meeting her husband for the first time in three years ended up that way.

They were supposed to be talking peacefully. And she needed more information from her husband regarding what was going on. But it didn't look like she would be getting any information from him when he looked so annoyed.

'Why did I have to say something like that?'

Vivian tried to explain again that she was used to treating Danny like that since when they go out, it was with other gay or female friends.

But even Danny had told them to stop kissing him on the cheek or sending goodbye kisses since he needed to maintain his image in front of his employees.

Since Danny was now the co-owner of five more hotels (thanks to Vivian's help), it was all the more reason to stop acting like they usually do. He had more employees now and who knew if someone was watching.

Danny had preferred to hide his gender affiliation since he feared that society was still biased and other people might look down on him due to it.

Likewise, Danny had said that someday he would marry a willing wife for the sake of having children and for someone to succeed in his business.

Right now though, he was secretly sleeping with his choice of men. And it didn't escape Vivian's eyes that Danny's eyes lingered on the bulkiest one among Zander's cohorts.

Danny was perfectly gay so her husband actually had nothing to worry about. He should be worried for his cohorts instead of her. But it seems her 'dear husband' was not listening. Rather he was listening but refused to believe her.

"Where are the keys?" Zander just repeated his question after Vivian's long explanation.

"It's here," Vivian pouted in a complaint, but obediently went to recover the keys inside the drawer of her bedside table since her husband looked menacing.

'Was he still pretending? At this point, he's going to get the award for best actor.'

"My wife and I need to talk. Go occupy the other rooms. Finish the other tasks that need to be done," her husband ordered his cohorts to vacate Vivian's room.

'Am I in trouble? Wait. He should stop his act once these guys are gone.'

They obeyed Zander and picked up the keys she settled on her bedside table. They were all gone in a few seconds, bringing along the opened snacks and drinks with them. Her husband then locked the door upon their exit.

'No. Wait! Am I really in trouble?'

Vivian's eyes followed her husband's every movement. The look in his eyes as he slowly walked back to her seemed so menacing.

'What's going on? Why is he still angry? Did I really hit his pride? Can't he forgive his wife? I'm his wife after all even if just on paper. He won't possibly hurt me right?'

She gulped nervously. Her husband looked like a carnivorous beast ready to pounce on his prey.

Vivian felt her impending doom with every step that her husband took toward her. She felt like she was about to be eaten up alive and swallowed in one gulp.

'He won't hurt me right?'

She wondered once again and tried to reassure herself that he wouldn't. He had promised not to be violent with her. It was part of their agreement.

But the look in his eyes said otherwise. She was not anyone important to him so hurting her when he was angry was possible.

'I shouldn't have married him after all. Why was I tempted by all that money? If I ended up killed by my own husband then it wouldn't make sense at all. What would I use all that money for if he killed me here because he thought I was having fun while he was escaping assassins? I wish I brought Hotaru with me. Maybe she at least knew how to calm a raging bull like this one. Maybe she could knock him out or something.'

Vivian was panicking now. Her instincts were telling her that she had to run away.

She stood up and looked for an exit. There was none. A person cannot fit in the window rails. The bathroom was close to the door. The wardrobe had no lock inside so it could not be opened if you were inside.

And her husband was now just a few steps away from her. . .