Never Underestimate The Good Husband

The First Kiss

Maya stayed.

Not for ten minutes.

Not for an hour.

She stayed long enough for the awkwardness in the room to disappear and for Chiara to regret opening the door in the first place.

“So,” Maya said, dropping onto the sofa. “You two are actually getting married?”

Chiara folded her arms.

“Yes.”

“Actually?”

“Yes, Maya.”

“You’re serious?”

“Yes.”

Maya looked at Victor.

He nodded.

“Very serious.”

Maya’s eyes widened.

“Oh, this is good.”

Chiara groaned.

“Don’t start.”

“I’m not starting anything.”

“You’re already starting something.”

Maya laughed.

Then she looked at Victor again.

“Okay. I have questions.”

“Go ahead.”

Chiara immediately looked at him.

“Victor.”

“What?”

“You don’t have to answer everything.”

“I don’t mind.”

Maya grinned.

“First question. How did this happen?”

Victor glanced at Chiara.

“She proposed.”

Maya’s mouth dropped open.

“She did what?”

Chiara’s eyes widened.

“Victor!”

“What? It’s true.”

Maya burst out laughing.

“You proposed to him?”

Chiara sighed.

“It wasn’t exactly romantic.”

“Obviously.”

Maya turned to Victor.

“And you said yes?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Victor thought about it.

“Because it made sense.”

Maya stared at him.

“That is possibly the least romantic answer I’ve ever heard.”

Chiara laughed despite herself.

Maya leaned forward.

“Okay. Second question. What does he know about you?”

Victor answered before Chiara could.

“She’s extremely independent. She hates being controlled. She works too much. She likes everything organized. She pretends she doesn’t care what people think, but she absolutely does when it comes to her family.”

Chiara slowly looked at him.

Maya’s smile faded.

“Oh.”

Victor continued.

“She also doesn’t like asking for help, even when she needs it.”

Maya’s eyebrows rose.

Chiara stared at him.

“How do you know that?”

“You told me.”

“I did?”

“Yesterday.”

Maya looked between them.

“Okay.”

She leaned back.

“This is getting interesting.”

She continued asking questions.

Favorite food.

Favorite vacation.

Biggest annoyance.

What made Chiara angry.

What made her laugh.

What she wanted from life.

Victor answered some.

Chiara answered others.

Sometimes they disagreed.

Sometimes one corrected the other.

And sometimes Victor answered before Chiara could.

Each time, Maya’s expression changed.

Surprise.

Amusement.

Then something dangerously close to approval.

At one point, Maya asked, “What’s the one thing you admire most about her?”

Victor looked at Chiara.

Chiara suddenly became very interested in the glass in her hand.

“Her strength,” he said.

Chiara looked up.

“She doesn’t need people to rescue her. But that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t have someone willing to stand beside her.”

Maya went quiet.

Chiara didn’t say anything either.

Maya slowly smiled.

“Okay.”

“What?”

She shook her head.

“Nothing.”

But her eyes said plenty.

She was impressed.

Maybe even relieved.

When Maya finally stood to leave, she hugged Chiara tightly.

Then she hugged Victor.

“Take care of her.”

“I will.”

Maya looked at Chiara.

“And don’t ruin this.”

Chiara rolled her eyes.

“Get out.”

Maya laughed as she walked toward the door.

“I’ll see you both at the event.”

The door closed.

Silence settled over the house.

Chiara turned around.

“You handled her.”

“I survived.”

“She likes you.”

“That’s good.”

“She doesn’t like anyone.”

“I’m beginning to notice that.”

Chiara smiled.

Then, without warning, she stepped forward and hugged him.

I froze for half a second before wrapping my arms around her.

The hug was supposed to be brief.

It wasn’t.

Neither of us moved.

Her cheek rested against my chest.

My hand settled gently against her back.

For a few seconds, there was no pretending.

Then she pulled away.

“So.”

“So.”

“There’s a business event tomorrow.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“And?”

“We’re going together.”

“Of course.”

She nodded.

“My parents and their friends will be there.”

“Even better.”

“And I need everyone to believe we’re serious.”

I smiled.

“Then we should probably look serious.”

“Exactly.”

She hesitated.

“Which means…”

“We have to act like a couple.”

“Very convincing.”

“I can do convincing.”

She gave me a look.

“That’s what worries me.”

…….

The next day passed quickly.

Chiara went to work.

I stayed home and worked on my business plan.

By the time she returned, I had finalized everything.

She looked over the documents.

“This is the final version?”

“Yes.”

She nodded.

“I’ll transfer the capital tomorrow.”

I looked at her.

“You’re serious?”

“I said I would.”

She picked up her phone.

“I’ve calculated what you need to get started properly.”

“I’ll pay you back.”

“I know.”

“And I’ll give you equity.”

“We’ll discuss that later.”

I smiled.

“Deal.”

She walked toward the stairs.

“Get some rest.”

“You too.”

She stopped.

Then turned.

“Victor?”

“Yeah?”

“Tomorrow matters.”

“I know.”

She nodded.

“Good.”

⸻

The next evening, Chiara emerged from her room looking completely different.

Her hair was braided neatly, framing her face perfectly.

Her dress was elegant without being excessive.

I looked up from my phone.

And forgot what I was about to say.

She noticed.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re staring.”

“I know.”

She smiled.

“Is that a problem?”

“No.”

She walked toward me.

“You should get ready.”

“I already am.”

She looked me over.

“Not bad.”

“That’s all?”

“Do you want a compliment?”

“Yes.”

She sighed dramatically.

“You look good.”

“Thank you.”

She shook her head.

“Come on.”

The event was exactly what she’d warned me about.

Executives.

Investors.

Journalists.

People who smiled while calculating what you were worth.

The moment we entered, Chiara’s hand slipped into mine.

I looked down.

She whispered,

“Remember.”

“Remember what?”

“We’re in love.”

I smiled.

“Right.”

She looked up at me.

“And don’t embarrass me.”

“No promises.”

We moved through the crowd.

People greeted her.

Some looked at me with curiosity.

Others with skepticism.

Then one man approached.

“Chiara.”

She smiled politely.

“Daniel.”

His eyes shifted toward me.

“And you are?”

Chiara squeezed my hand.

“My fiancé.”

The man’s eyebrows rose.

“Fiancé?”

“Yes.”

He looked genuinely shocked.

“I wasn’t aware.”

“That’s because I hadn’t told anyone.”

He laughed awkwardly.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

As he walked away, I leaned closer.

“You’re enjoying this.”

“A little.”

“You’re evil.”

“You knew that.”

We continued through the room.

At one point, an older woman approached.

“So this is the mysterious man.”

Chiara smiled.

“Victor.”

The woman studied me.

“Interesting.”

I smiled.

“I’ve been called worse.”

Chiara covered a laugh.

The woman smiled.

“You’re funny.”

“Only occasionally.”

Chiara’s fingers tightened around mine.

The evening continued.

And somehow, we were good at this.

Too good.

She laughed at my jokes.

I pulled her closer when someone approached.

She leaned against me naturally.

At one point, she whispered something into my ear, and I laughed.

Everyone around us saw exactly what they needed to see.

A couple.

A happy one.

Then I noticed someone watching us from across the room.

A business associate of Chiara’s.

His eyes moved between us.

Then toward Chiara.

I leaned closer.

“We need to sell this.”

“I know.”

“More.”

She looked at me.

“How much more?”

I smiled.

“Enough.”

She glared at me.

I glared back.

Neither of us looked away.

Then she whispered,

“Don’t push it.”

“Then stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you want to kill me.”

“Maybe I do.”

“Smile.”

“I hate you.”

“Perfect.”

She smiled.

I laughed.

The man across the room looked away.

“Deal saved,” I whispered.

Chiara exhaled.

“Good.”

The event eventually began winding down.

We stood near the entrance.

Chiara looked at me.

“We should go.”

“Yeah.”

We walked toward the doors.

Then stopped.

She looked at me.

I looked at her.

There was a strange silence between us.

“Victor…”

“We need to make this believable.”

“I know.”

“So…”

I stepped closer.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Then I kissed her.

It was supposed to be quick.

Just enough for anyone watching to believe the story.

But the moment our lips met, neither of us moved away.

It lasted longer than planned.

Long enough for the noise around us to disappear.

Long enough for the arrangement to feel dangerously real.

When we finally pulled apart, Chiara stared at me.

I stared back.

Neither of us spoke.

Because suddenly, neither of us knew whether that kiss had been for the audience…

…Or for us.