Novel Square
With or without your consent
Letta furrowed her brows as she heard the deep baritone voice not far from her bed. Slowly, she blinked and looked behind her. Marco, who used to embrace her from behind, was no longer there. Instead, he was now standing, gazing out of the apartment window, speaking on the phone. Letta unintentionally sharpened her hearing.
“I’m sorry, I really have to get back as soon as possible,” Letta overheard the sentence. She had no idea who the man behind her was talking to at the moment, and she didn’t care. Glancing at the clock, which read 6 a. m., she realized it was time to get ready for work. Letta got up, prompting Marco to glance at her, but he didn’t end the call. He simply followed Letta’s movements as she walked into the bathroom.
After that, Letta didn’t listen to any conversation between Marco and the person on the other end of the phone. She focused solely on quickly cleaning herself up, not wanting to be late for work. Once she finished her morning routine, Letta opened the door to her room slowly, surveying the room. It was only when she noticed Marco wasn’t there that she muttered to herself, “Has he already left?” Feeling relieved for some reason, she quickly dressed and applied light makeup. Then she began drying her hair, but her movements paused when Marco’s scent suddenly wafted into her senses. Despite having only stayed overnight, his sharp scent had already permeated the room, causing Letta to shake her head and try to think of something else.
After she finished with her hair, Letta stepped out of the room, only to be startled by Marco standing in front of her. “Oh my, what are you doing?” Letta asked, causing Marco to furrow his brow.
“Of course, I’m looking at you. Are you ready or not?” Marco replied, making Letta raise her eyebrow.
“Of course, I’m ready. It’s almost 7, and I don’t want to be late,” Letta answered, to which Marco responded casually.
“You don’t need to rush to the boutique and jewelry store, as they’ll be ready when you are. So, just relax,” Marco said, making Letta look at him with deeper furrows. It seemed like their conversation was about two different topics.
“What I meant was being late for me to go to work, not visiting the boutique and jewelry store, as you implied,” Letta replied, causing Marco to fall silent, folding his arms. It seemed like his dominant aura was reemerging.
“As I’ve mentioned, we will have the wedding soon. So, today, you officially quit your job, and we will go to the boutique and jewelry store. I don’t want anyone else to do it, so it has to be you, and I’ll be the one to see it,” Marco said, causing Letta to raise both her hands and shake her head before walking past him.
“Of course, I won’t agree to that so easily. Even though we’re getting married, I will continue working,” Letta said, making Marco gaze at her sharply, which, of course, Letta could anticipate.
“With the agreement we’ve made,” Letta quickly interjected, making Marco even more displeased, but Letta didn’t care.
“You know, the only one who can guarantee my livelihood is myself. Who knows, if you marry me, you might not provide for me. Then suddenly, we might get divorced. That’s why I have to have my own savings, without a penny from you. I don’t want to make my life difficult in the future,” Letta said, making Marco look at her in disbelief. How could the woman in front of him think so poorly of him?
“Come on, I’m not that mean. At least, I’m still thinking about the child in your womb. So, I wouldn’t just abandon you,” Marco said, but Letta wouldn’t easily believe it.
“Whatever you say now, I will still work,” she said calmly, making Marco shake his head.
“With or without your consent, I still stick to my decision. I won’t let you work. You have to stay at home and take care of your health and the baby in your womb,” Marco said firmly, making Letta feel like she couldn’t do anything more in front of the man facing her.
Eventually, Letta chose to end their argument. She walked out of the apartment, intending to leave the man, but her steps halted when a scent that pierced her nostrils made her stomach growl even more, prompting Letta to gaze towards the pantry. Breakfast was already laid out there, with the lingering smoke still visible, causing Letta to look directly at Marco.
“You did it,” Letta asked, making Marco sigh in annoyance.
“What did I do? I’m just standing here,” Marco said, further frustrating Letta.
“That’s not what I meant. What were you doing in my kitchen earlier?” Letta asked again, making Marco pull the corner of his lips.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
“Oh right, I forgot one thing. Before we engage in any activities, it’s better to have breakfast first. And as luck would have it, I’ve cooked. You should be glad because I rarely showcase my cooking skills to anyone, and you’re one of the lucky ones,” Marco said without waiting for Letta’s protest. He promptly nudged Letta’s shoulder, gesturing for her to sit at the table.
“Eat, I’ve prepared a larger portion for you, as I know pregnant women need a bit more, right?” Marco added, making Letta look at the food in front of her. Of course, she wouldn’t refuse, given her hunger. Letta finally reached out and scooped up the food in front of her. Just with the first bite, Letta found herself unable to say anything, utterly impressed by the deliciousness of the meal. Yet, she couldn’t show it overtly, not wanting to inflate the arrogant man’s ego even more.
“Just admit that my cooking is the most delicious food you’ve ever had in your life, right?” Marco said, already predicting her response.
“Don’t exaggerate. It’s just okay. Even the food on airplanes is considered no less tasty than this,” Letta said, making Marco look at her with a tinge of irritation. Of course, it wouldn’t be Letta if she didn’t agree with what he wanted, thought Marco.