My Husband Is A Stranger

Chapter Seventeen - Twenty Q's

“So wife, first question, what’s your favorite color?” Tristan grabbed a chair near the kitchen island to watch his wife cook their lunch.

Clara stopped for a moment, they just arrived and were about to just settle down and her husband already bombarded her with questions.

She secretly smiled and shook her head, there’s nothing wrong if she went along with it, right? “Hm, I like every color that is not flashy like neon,” she replied casually while preparing the chopping board gently on her front.

“How about you?” she c****d her head at her husband while grabbing some onions and garlic, she’ll be making chicken curry today.

“I like gold, black, and white,” Tristan gently gazed at the glinting eyes of his wife and grinned, “Maybe even sky blue too,” he mysteriously answered, which made his wife laugh heartily.

“No wonder your house was designed like this,” she cheerfully stated, “Odd, there’s no hint of sky blue in here and it isn’t exactly you,” his wife wondered, so Tristan playfully smirked before he rested his palms on the kitchen island.

“2nd and 3rd question, what’s your favorite hobby and food?” 

“Hm, reading and search for things I’m not quite familiar with and for my favorite food, pudding!” Clara answered while chopping some peeled carrots and potatoes.

“How about you? Is your hobby checking and reading a lot of contracts?” Clara claimed, so Tristan chuckled at her statement.

“No, I like to fire guns at the shooting range, every precise bullseye relaxes me,” Tristan mysteriously said, so Clara tilted her head for a moment, slightly confused because she doesn’t see her husband holding a gun.

But it would be actually cool if he did, like in mission impossible. Clara immediately brushed off her absurd thoughts. She couldn’t believe she's been thinking about silly stuff lately.

“And for the food, I like everything now if it’s your cooking,” Tristan added, which made Clara shrugged, she doesn't believe him on that.

“You’re not the type to hold guns,” Clara claimed, so Tristan almost flinched before smiling at his wife.

“Am I not a gun person?” Tristan curiously asked, there’s a hint of hope in his tone that Clara obviously couldn’t comprehend.

She shook her head, “No, I don’t see you like that,” Clara beamed before she started looking for some pot on the cupboard.

Tristan stared at his wife intently, there was a small smile plastered on his lips because that was the first time someone didn’t see him as a murderer.

“What are you cooking, wife?” Tristan inquired, Clara then casually glanced at him, “Is that your 4th question?” she smirked, making Tristan chuckle.

“Well if you want, we could consider that,” Tristan amusingly gazed at his wife who just giggled while washing the pot that she got on the cupboard.

“Just kidding, it’s chicken curry, have you heard of it?” Clara excitedly asked and her spirits were lifted when Tristan shook his head.

“Great! Then this will be the first time you’ll taste something you just discovered and it was cooked by me,” 

Tristan stared at his wife who looked excited as she started taking out some powder and chicken from the fridge, he bitterly remembered his ex-girlfriend who didn’t want to stay at home with him.

She prefers to spend time with her circle of friends to impress and eat outside, he didn’t want to do that since he doesn’t want to be crowded in public places.

But he does everything for that woman, just to please her with what he could give because he loved her. 

Tristan also finds it odd, Clara’s been his wife for days yet she isn’t asking for anything, “Wife, is there anything you want?” he curiously asked as he stood up and went towards his wife’s side.

Clara stopped before staring at the ceiling for a moment, Tristan secretly laughed at his wife’s expressions, “Hm, aside from people that’s not going to be after my life or hand, there’s nothing I could think of,” she stated.

Tristan tilted his head for a minute, this is the first time a lady hasn't demanded what she wants from him, and he thinks it's unusual.

“Are you sure? I mean if there’s anything, I could give it to you,” Tristan reassured, so Clara snorted while shaking her head.

“I don’t want or need anything, truly,” she paused before continuing, “Plus, I still haven’t forgiven you for buying me this kind of phone,” she took out the phone Tristan gave her.

“This costs much more than my life,” she unbelievably claimed, but Tristan shook his head.

“No money would cost anyone’s life,” Tristan firmly stated with his hands forming into a tight grip, so Clara tilted her head at him for a moment.

Before Clara could ask if there was something wrong, a phone rang, making them both look at the kitchen island.

“Go ahead and answer it, I'll finish here in a minute,” Clara reassured, so Tristan excused himself and answered his phone.

“What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy here?” Tristan rudely greeted the person on the other line.

[B-But boss, I wouldn’t really see it, I’m not physically there to look,] Julian Luke stated a fact, so Tristan almost lost his patience.

“What did you say?” he knew Julian Luke was smart, but the part that he’s dumb sometimes irritates him.

Julian Luke laughed at what he said, but deep inside he was nervous, [Chill out boss, we found something that you might need to check, it’s about Mrs. Clara’s last step relative,] 

He glanced at his wife who was busy humming in the kitchen. She looks like she’s enjoying her time over as she keeps on roaming her eyes everywhere.

Tristan stepped away from the kitchen before resting his hands on his waist, “Speak,” he replied, so heard something before Julian Luke replied again.

He trusts Julian Luke when it comes to finding information because he’s skilled in hacking cameras and every technology including finding specific people.

[She’s now part of an underground business, the business where she had to sell Ms. Clara without her consent, she took advantage of the fact that she was already an orphan,] Julian Luke informed.

[That information came from the one and only handsome me, boss!] Raven Leviticus was to be heard chiming in on the other line.

Tristan almost wanted to glare at his phone because he knew about that already, “What else?” he impatiently asked.

[The Chief Financial officer that you killed is an underling of Klaus Ferdinand, he’s an informant and will probably inform his boss after that day ends, but of course, his life ended before that could even happen,] Julian Luke then explained, so Tristan smirked.

“I already sent a message, informing them that Clara is my wife,” Tristan replied while taking out his cigarette.

[Huh? But boss, you told us to keep it a secret, you even stole from your company to pay that judge right?] Tristan blew the smoke out of his mouth before smirking.

He stole 100 million inside his company for him to pay that judge to keep silent, he wanted to keep his marriage private but it looks like it’s not going to happen.

It won't be long until people start searching for Clara in his place, especially now that he's brought his wife into his company.

[Boss, seriously, what are you planning? At least involve us with the action,] Julian Luke sounded like he’s pleading, but Tristan stubbornly shook his head.

“Just wait for my signal, you’ll be receiving it soon,” Tristan informed before throwing his cigarette at the trash can.

[Um, boss, are you sure you want Ma’am Clara to be involved?] Tristan stopped at Luke’s statements, [It’s only a matter of time that they’ll start investigating or following her,]

“And you’ll let that happen? I’ll not hesitate to raise my gun to you if you let that happen,” Tristan threatened, so Julian Luke was silent on the other line.

[Alright boss, we’ll just wait for your signal,] Tristan ended the call after that, he glanced at the kitchen and saw that his wife was about to finish preparing their lunch.

He paced towards the kitchen and was greeted with the alluring smell of the meal she was cooking, “It smells good,” Tristan beamed before glancing at his wife.

Clara just chuckled, “Oh I hope it tastes good too!” she started placing some plates on the table, Tristan just watched her intently.

He remembered the time he first saw her at the club, it was the time he wanted to kill and curse himself for life.

The woman he loved abandoned him again. He was used to ladies swarming around him, but only a few stayed, like Andrea.

Sure she used him and all, but he still felt like he was important. He even proposed to her, he was happy with what he and Andrea had, but that woman left him to another man.

Tristan doesn’t understand why women are like that despite what he could give to them, he sighed and almost chuckled recalling the moments that Clara asked him to marry her.

It was as if she was an angel that had appeared out of nowhere to prevent him from harming himself, and it was the first time he had been so fascinated by the beauty of another woman. Even when she isn't wearing makeup, she is naturally stunning.

“Wife,” Tristan softly called, so Clara raised her head to glance at her husband, “How many strangers have you asked to marry you?” he curiously asked, so Clara flinched before playing with her fingers.

“I-I don’t remember, but mostly the men that I’ve asked were gay,” Clara sighed, so Tristan playfully smirked at her.

“Are you disappointed that I was the one who became your husband?” He rested his chin on his palms, intrigued by what his wife would answer him.

“No, fate brought us here together, plus I’m already thankful after meeting you,” Clara emotionally said while serving her husband some lunch, “You saved me from my aunt’s clutches,” 

“I couldn’t be more thankful for that,” she beamed before clasping her hands against each other, “Let’s eat?” she invited him, so Tristan just smiled.

“You also saved me, wife,” Tristan brought up, so Clara furrowed her eyebrows at him before chuckling.

“You mean from not getting too drunk?” the laughter of Clara filled the dining room and there’s nothing more Tristan could wish for aside from seeing more of that.

Deep inside he knew, he’s starting to develop something deeper for his wife. He took a mouthful bite of food and moaned in delight after tasting another fine dish.

“This tastes amazing, wife,” he complimented happily while taking a huge bite of the meal that he was eating.

“I’m glad you like it,” Clara blushed while eating, there's nothing more fulfilling than having someone appreciating the dishes she makes.

“Oh, Tristan, by the way, what’s your favorite dessert?” Clara curiously asked. She finally searched up online on how to be a perfect wife.

It’s the least she could do for Tristan to be such a generous husband even if it’s just by paper, she thought.

The list was buried in her mind and it’s impossible for her to forget it: cook for him, be his best friend, have some call signs, be active on your honeymoon, always listen to him, give interest in his interests, be sweet, argue with him if needed, give him a baby, express your love to him.

She secretly smiled, she thought all of those were just easy to follow, except for the baby part. She’s confused about what domestic animal Tristan wants. Is it a cat or dog? It’s too common if she thinks about it.

Clara doesn’t want to ask him either, she wanted it to be a surprise, “Hm, maybe cheesecake? Blueberry cheesecake,” Tristan informed, so Clara just smiled.

“Alright, let’s go finish this lunch since you still have to meet with your board again on how to recover the money your company has lost,” 

Clara sounded disappointed, so Tristan just roughly chuckled as they continued to get to know one another with their twenty questions.

Tristan knew that he finally found someone he would be willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his stranger wife’s life.

He wouldn’t want to see her in danger, no matter what happens, her safety is going to be his top priority.

To be continued…