“Sofia, can we have dinner together today?”

“I’m not feeling like going outside, so I can’t.”

“Sofia, how about lunch in your favorite restaurant tomorrow?”

“I have some important work, no.”

“Sofia, do you hate me? Why do you avoid eating with me?”

“I don’t hate you, Carlos. Why would I hate you, my husband? I know I hit you sometimes, but that’s because I care for you. You meant the world to me.”

“Then, let’s have dinner together tonight.”

“That’s… I’m afraid I have a party to attend.”

“Then, take me along.”

“It’s a women only party, so…”

Charles kept thinking back on the times he had asked his wife to spare some time for him only to get refused time and again.

Now that he was wearing a new suit, tie, and face, she suddenly had the time to not only call and ask him for dinner but to also pick the dinner spot. And he didn’t find it funny.

“I was ignorant back then. She looked beautiful, and I took the bait. I had no idea she had a long list of ex-lovers, and she even met them after we tied the knot.” He gripped the steering wheel even more tightly. “Marrying her was the biggest mistake of my life, but I’m dying to see how she’s going to try and manipulate me this time.

“Will she use me for a weekend?

“Or will she take some time?

“Either way, I have to do well tonight.”

He frowned a little.

“It hurts my heart that I have to please someone like her, but for the sake of bringing her and her family down to their knees, I must do whatever it takes!”

His eyes burned with determination.

“She has the habit of playing with men. Treating their emotions like some character attributes in a game. She’s as sadistic as they come.”

He reached the restaurant exactly at the time she texted him, and she didn’t arrive yet, which was within his expectations. She liked making men wait at least for a second, probably to make herself feel superior.

As he expected, she arrived the very next minute, wearing a teal dress that made her look stunning. He was mesmerized for a second, but then slapped himself quickly. “Don’t let her crystal eyes and cherry lips fool you, you idiot. Don’t forget your goal and your whole purpose of seeing this witch’s face again!” he told himself loudly in his thoughts. “She’s a thorn dressed like a rose. A very poisonous thorn that no man or woman should ever touch.”

Sofia saw Charles standing in a stylish outfit different from the last time. Everything he wore was of Myers brand from his suit and boots to his watch and even hair-gel. She very much liked what she was seeing. He had to maintain himself at least that much if he were to sit at the same table alongside her, she thought.

She greeted him with a smile that slightly accentuated the sparkling powder she had put on her cheeks. Neither said a word to each other. She gestured to him, and he followed. By the time they reached their table, all the items were already arranged for them, surprising Charles.

She noticed the subtle change in his expression.

“Not just everyone gets to have dinner with Sofia,” she said, her eyebrows flirting with him.

“I feel honored,” he replied in a mix of an honest and joking tone.

There were eight different items to choose from and eight more waiting on the side. Chicken salad, salmon filets, kobe beef, crab cakes, shrimp ceviche, fried oysters, baked stuffed lobsters, poached pears in red wine, champagne cocktail and more.

Before they even began to feast themselves with all these mouth-watering items, they realized that they were receiving quite many stares for more than one reason. This was nothing new for her, especially at a restaurant, but Charles felt a little uneasy.

The menu intimidated him, to say the least. He had never eaten oysters or lobsters before. Could he eat them in a way that wouldn’t form a frown on her face? He wasn’t sure, so he waited until she picked those items. He mimicked her eating style and took things slow.

While he was eating, he didn’t even wonder why she wasn’t talking because he knew that she didn’t like to talk much while eating, so he guessed she would start talking after finishing the meal.

A few minutes later, after washing her hands, she began talking even though he hadn't finished eating yet. “So, what meal is your favorite?”

“Rice meatballs,” Charles replied rather quickly.

One of Sofia’s brows raised. “Isn’t that a middle class’ dish? Why is it your favorite?”

“My foster mom used to make meatballs with rice,” he said, sounding a little excited. “Her tomato soup is also the best. She could make it both sweet and sour. I used to lick it off the bowl—” he suddenly stopped midway, realizing he had crossed the line.

Sofia’s expression had already warped visibly.

“Haha, I was joking,” Charles backed his own words as fast as he could. “My favorite dish was turtle roast. I used to eat that a lot. Do you know that turtle meat helps ease your cold? It worked wonders every time I had a cold.”

Sofia’s expression became better once again. He breathed better and realized that he had to be extra careful. He just couldn’t play the guitar and guitalele the same way, after all. Depending on the person sitting before him, he had to act correspondingly, he thought.

“My favorite dish is…” she was saying.

“Pizza chicken roll-ups,” he casually said, pleasantly surprising her. “I’ve seen a couple of your interviews on my way here.” As he said, he could see the brightness in her eyes upping bit by bit. “You order from Rye’s Pizzas every other day. You don’t like eating them often as they affect your health and physique, but you can’t help it.”

“So you’ve done your homework,” she saucily smiled. “I’m impressed.”

“How could I not?” Charles put a piece of fish meat in his mouth and spoke in between bites. “You are undeniably gorgeous. If there was a beauty tax, your family wouldn’t have been half as rich as it is now.”

Sofia chuckled, and her cheeks grew red as beef. She genuinely fell for his words, but she had no idea how hard it was getting for Charles to please her.

Charles’ phone rang, but he didn’t answer it. Again, he gave a good impression as he knew Sofia didn’t like it when others talked in mobile in front of her.

“How cold-blooded you are, Mr. Charles,” Laurel entered the scene and pulled a chair and sat down without even asking their permission. “You’re not lifting my call. Have I done anything wrong?”

“Nothing like that, Ms. Laurel,” Charles forced out a smile. “I thought it would be rude to talk on mobile when I’m on a date with a woman as wonderful as Sofia Myers.”

“I guess I can understand your point of view,” Laurel said and glanced at Sofia, “but it’s really funny how your name is the same as Sofia Becic, the model who got famous with a sex scandal.”

Sofia, however, didn’t find her words funny at all. In fact, her face turned as ugly as a rose whipped by a dirty buffalo’s tail.

While Charles resisted himself from laughing, Laurel covered her mouth with her fingers and mildly sniggered, sending waves of wrath washing up Sofia’s spine. Nobody had ever insulted her like this and got away with it!