Taming Mr. Cold and Arrogant

Three days have passed since the incident in the restaurant and since then, he started to ignore me as if we had returned to the first few months of our marriage. 

He was taking the other side of the bed while I was on the other side, and when I woke up in the morning, he was no longer at home. 

At night, I tried to go home early to cook something for him like I did in these past few days, but he comes home late every night. Either I was already asleep or he will go directly to the bathroom and he will tell me that he has already eaten his dinner. 

And tonight, I waited for him in the living room as I wanted to talk to him about Layla and Joseph, but he came home late and drunk. 

"Can we talk?"

I asked him when he was about to go upstairs as if he didn't notice that I was waiting for him on the couch. 

"It's already late, Sophia. We can talk about that some other day." He said taking his steps but I followed him immediately. 

"But how can we talk if you keep on ignoring me?"

"I'm not ignoring you, I'm just busy."

"No, you're not." I passed him and blocked his way. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I'm not doing anything, Sophia." I gulped at the coldness in his voice. 

"Yes, you're not doing anything and that's the problem, Daniel. Why don't you talk to me instead of ignoring me?" I tried to take his hand but he immediately put it inside his pocket, so I have no choice but to follow my gaze on his action. 

Then I gazed up when he suddenly chuckled. 

"Why, do you answer my questions whenever I ask you about Joseph and Layla?"

I gulped as I looked into his cold, emotionless eyes. 

"See? You can't even answer that simple question." He said shaking his head as he took a step towards his room. 

"Then ask me now!" I blurted behind him. 

He stopped walking and turned to me with the same expression as earlier. 

My heart is pounding inside my c.h.e.s.t while looking into his eyes and waiting for whatever he will ask me tonight. 

I was shocked as I didn't expect that kind of question. 

"Do you still love him, Sophia?"

And I gasped when he raised his voice. 

"No! Where did you get that question----"

"No?"

"No. I never loved----"

I wanted to say that I never loved that guy, I never loved Joseph De Lucca. How could I be, I don't even know him when Dad announced our engagement. But how could I explain myself when he didn't even give me the chance to speak. 

"Then why did you marry me? Is it because of him?"

I gulped and then nodded. That's the question I never wanted to hear since I realized that I love him. 

"It's not what you think, Daniel---"

"Then what is it? Did you just married me to make him jealous?" He chuckled sarcastically. "Now I know why you keep telling me before that it's not my money why you accepted this deal."

"Can you let me explain first?" Tears are now forming around my eyes. 

"Let you explain! What for, to deny everything that I discovered?" He said taking his steps closer to me. "Don't you know that I hired a private investigator to know everything about you?"

To say that I was shocked was an understatement, but his next words surprised me that I was speechless for a few seconds. 

"Do you want to know what I discovered?"

He held both my shoulders. 

"Layla, Layla Angeles who you told one of your friends before, was your ex-fiance's former maid. And you were looking for her to ask for her help to explain to your ex-fiance what you did before! You cheated on him and he caught you having s.e.x with his best friend inside of his own room!"

What the hell! My hand automatically raised on my c.h.e.s.t as I felt the narrowing of my air passage. 

"Where did I find that information? Well, I talked to your ex-fiance, sweetheart."

"Is that what he told you, and you believed him?"

"Yes! Because he----"

"Well, that's bullshit! He's bullshit, Daniel! He tried to r.a.p.e me, and that's the truth!"

I yelled d at him but the reaction I got from him was something I didn't expect... no, it was the reaction I was actually expecting from him from the beginning, that's why I chose not to tell him. He laughed at me. He (just) laughed at me. 

"Do you think I will believe you? I know the woman of your kind, Sophia! I will not fall easily into your tricks!" He said turning to his room. 

"But how about me?" I screamed behind him. "What if I say that I already fell for you and that I have already learned to love you?"

He sneered before walking back in front of me and held my arms. 

"Don't you dare mention the word love again, Sophia Del Mundo, because you don't know the real meaning of it! I bet that's the same thing you said to your ex-fiance before. But what did you do? You cheated on him!"

"Wow! What a fantastic story, sweetheart, but you can't fool me! It's the same thing you can't fool Joseph and your father before."

I formed my fists when he mentioned my father and couldn't help the rage that suddenly arises in me. 

"He didn't believe you when you told him that f.u.c.k.i.n.g excuse. Why, because he knew the truth. And when they already forgave you, you ran away from your engagement, you ran away from the people who trusted you!"

I don't know how many times I swallowed hard just to suppress the sobs that wanted to escape from my throat. I couldn't believe this is happening. I have already stopped imagining that this day would come since he showed me the other side of him. He was so sweet and caring the other day, but what he now shows in his eyes was the opposite of them. Isn't it funny that I am listening to the exact opposite of the truth? 

"So you already made up your mind. Won't you ask me the side of my story? You will just believe what that f.u.c.k.i.n.g man has told you?"

I asked him with tears running down my face. Pure hurt and disappointment were the only things I feel right now. 

"Can you at least give the chance to explain?"

But he didn't say anything, he just clenched his jaws and avoided my gaze. 

"If so, I think we have to end it this way."

"We have nothing to end, Sophia, because we haven't started anything!"

-'Ouch!'- if only my heart could speak right this moment, I'm sure she will scream that word in front of him. 

"All right!" I sighed loudly as I wiped my face with my hands. "I see that I can never change what you believe, so there's no reason why I should stay here anymore."

Once again, I didn't hear any words from him. He was about to open the door to his room, but he stopped when he heard my next words. 

"You can file now the divorce papers." I said not looking at him but to my hands. I slowly removed the ring and gazed up at him. "Just send them to my old apartment."

He frowned. "I'm not telling you to get out of this house, this is yours too."

The next seconds, I just found myself laughing and crying at the same time. 

"It was you who told me before that we were married only in papers, nothing more and nothing less. And do you remember the day when my lawyer sent you a prenuptial agreement? That means I will never take anything from you."

I paused to wipe my tears again and walked towards him to give him the ring... My wedding ring. 

"It's yours, I don't need it! Keep it or you can throw it away if you want!"

I chuckled bitterly and shook my head. I don't know why I feel hurt by his words right now, this is just the way he treats me before. What's changed? Is it because I learned to love him or is it because I expected more than I should have expected from him? 

"Fine!" I looked straight at him. "Thank you for everything, Mr. Kelley, for the good times we shared. At least now, I know how little you think of me."

I turned around just before the tears fell in front of him. I saw Nanay Emily on the stairs and I just gave her a sad and painful smile even though my face was full of tears. 

"Anak..."

Based on the look she's giving me, I know she heard it all. 

"Thank you, Nanay Emily, but I guess this is it."

"Sophia, why don't you try to explain to him again?"

I shook my head as I covered my mouth when a loud sob escaped my lips. 

"He won't listen, his mind was already closed for any explanation I made." I sighed. "I have to go, Nanay Emily."

"Wait, where are you going, it's already 11 pm." Concern was laced in her voice that made me cry more. 

"Don't worry about me, Nanay Emily. I lived alone for six years, I'm sure I will survive for one night."

"Sophia----"

"Thank you, Nanay." I said kissing her cheek before running down the stairs. 

I knocked on the driver's cabin and Ben's confused figure came to face me when he opened the door. 

"Give the key to my old car."

"Ma'am Sophia, what happened to you?"

"Ben, please, I need my key right now!" I said ignoring his question. 

"Does Mr. Kelley knows about it---"

"Don't worry, because he wouldn't care at all. Just give me my key!"

He was shocked when I raised my voice but immediately turned inside to get my key. 

"Do you want me to come with you, Mam Sophia?"

"No, thanks Ben, but no!"

He followed me until I reached my old car. 

"Thank you, Ben."

I heard him asking something but I just ignored him as I closed the door and immediately started the engine. 

What I didn't know was that Daniel decided to leave his room and followed me. But it's too late. 

Why is it so hard for them to believe me? Why don't they always give me a chance to explain? Why they were so quick to judge me? 

"Whew! Sophia, Sophia, Sophia! Why aren't you used to these things? Your dad did this to you before, you tried to explain yourself but he didn't listen to you and now, you are being judged again for something you didn't do."

I banged my hands on the steering wheel as I screamed on top of my lungs. 

"Forgodsake, Daniel Kelley! Why is it so easy for you to believe him? I was his victim, I thought you hired someone to investigate me, then what happened? Why does the past seem to be repeated?"

I wasn't in myself while driving until I stopped in front of Bryan's house. The guards immediately recognized me and they let me enter the gate even without informing their boss. I checked the time and it's already one in the morning. 

This house has been my second home since I came here in California. Bryan wanted me to live here too, but I chose to rent an apartment with Craig. I have my own room here, the purple one next to Bryan's room. 

I was about to knock on his door when I heard some faint voices inside. Panic instantly arises in me and I push the door without knocking. 

But that was the most shocking scene I have ever seen in my life and I never imagined to see even in my dreams. 

There was a woman in Bryan's bed, completely n.a.k.e.d, and a man was on his knees with his face between the woman's legs. 

They both turned to me as I slammed the door open, and my shock was doubled when I recognized that the man was none other than Bryan. 

"Oh, my God!" Me and the woman said in unison. I immediately covered my eyes and she covered her body with the sheet. 

"What the hell, Yzabelle?" Bryan screamed as he also covered his jewels with his shirt. "Don't you know how to knock?"

"Oh... I'm sorry, I heard muffled voices inside, so I thought there was someone who get inside your room. A thief, you know."

"Seriously, Yzabelle, a thief? I have a lot of guards outside, do you think they can pass my security?"

"I don't know, I mean, who would know." I shrugged. "And excuse me, brother, don't you know how to lock your room? For heaven's sake, next time you will do some magic in your room, please don't forget to lock the door!"

"I don't need to lock the door when you're not here! Remember, you're the only one who's barging into my room without knocking!"

"Whatever! Goodnight, Bryan, and say hello to your girlfriend." I said, emphasizing the word 'girlfriend'. 

I was about to leave when he called me. 

"What happened, Yzabelle? Why did you suddenly come here?"

"Oh, let's just talk about it tomorrow, but for now, continue what you're doing, good night!"

"We will talk tomorrow!"

I just pretended I didn't hear him and closed the door. 

I sighed as I entered the next room. Actually, I'm not sure if I can sleep tonight.