The Lotus And The Billionaire

Chapter 25: Drunk Husband

Singapore, at last!

After making incoherent noises under Alvarez for an hour or two, he finally allowed me to sleep. At this point, I can’t even recall whatever the f**k transpired inside the plane the whole time we were there. I just slept and watched movies while Alvarez worked on whatever he had to work on.

We have finally arrived at the hotel we’ll be staying in for the next few days. Apparently, Alvarez had to constantly check on the site for the entire week and personally see through the written reports for the past month. Above all that, he also has to deal with a lot of paperwork. He’s going to be very busy, so I’m certain that he won't have time to go out and have fun.

I think it wouldn’t be fair if I’m the only one who gets to enjoy our time here, though. Perhaps I’ll try to get him to come with me once I decide to go out on my own.

“How many rooms are there?” I asked as I looked around to admire the suite.

“Two, I think.”

Pretty…

High-class, alright. Although, as usual, Alvarez would aim for something plain and small, the room he picked wasn’t that bad. It was spacious and nice to look at without too many designs and wall decorations. Just the way we like it both.

The place was bluish, with several oceanic paintings hanging across the walls. It was simple, yet I feel like I’ll be very comfortable as long as I stay here.

“We have to decide who gets which room,” I told Alvarez as I placed my bag on the couch.

He smirked as he opened the door on the left side. “No. I’m taking this one.”

“Hey!”

“Go pay for your own place to stay if you don’t like my rules.”

“Oh, I can do that,” I replied as I carried my bag, ready to leave him all by himself.

Besides wanting to make sure that his grandfather wouldn’t humiliate him, I also know that he brought me here so he could have someone to take care of him. He never considered bringing his secretary as he said no one would be there to handle the company for the week that he was not present.

If I were to leave him here, I doubt he’d be able to eat proper meals or even wake up on time. He can be quite disorganized when he’s got a pile of workload before him. As his wife by paper, it’s my duty to help him out, even if I don’t want to.

“Hey, hey…” he quickly went out to stop me from leaving.

See?

“What?”

He sighed, scratching the back of his nape. “I was just kidding. You can have that room if you want to.”

“I actually don’t want that room anyway,” I replied as I went to the room across from Alvarez’s, smirking.

“Damned wench…”

I chuckled and laid on the bed to get some rest. My sense of time is currently messed up, so I ought to get a rest before we get to work tomorrow. I had promised to help and work as his secretary for the meantime, so I shall start resting now.

Just as I was removing my shoes, I heard Alvarez knocking, asking if it was okay to enter. I crossed my arms against my chest as I raised a brow at him when he leaned on the doorframe, looking embarrassed.

“Hey, you don’t want to sleep beside me?”

“What? Are you getting nightmares and want your dear wife to be there for you?” I teased, trying to keep a straight face.

“Why did I even ask you...” he muttered as he turned his back on me, obviously annoyed.

“I’m fine sleeping by myself, by the way. You don’t have to crawl into my bed just to cuddle with me!”

I saw him shake his head in dismay as he walked away, as if he was wondering whatever the f**k came to his head for him to ask me such a preposterous question out of nowhere. Well, even I am confused!

But right now, I only wish to have a good rest to prepare for the week. I’ve slept too much inside the plane, but I still feel tired. I’m sure Alvarez is the same, so I’m certain he’d be sound asleep inside his room sooner or later.

Or so I thought.

I have slept for about four hours already, and I think that was enough already. I thought I should go out and eat. Dinner’s just around the corner, after all. We can just have food delivered here, since I don’t think I’d be able to cook.

“Jax, I know that. I asked for your help for that exact reason.”

Oh, was that Alvarez? He sounds troubled. I can also smell alcohol…

“I gave you one job, just that one thing. Finish it and make sure you clean your mess up?”

I saw him hang up on whoever he was talking to, looking agitated. For some reason, he seemed really frustrated. Maybe it’s about business again, but he sure doesn’t seem well.

Alvarez was shirtless and his hair looked very messed up. He was holding a can of beer, smoking. Oh, I thought he quit smoking some time ago. Perhaps the frustration he feels is to that extent…

“Hey,” I called as I stood by the sliding door to the balcony’s frame. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, you’re awake…” he muttered as he faced me.

“I just woke up. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Nothing’s wrong…” he trailed off as he approached me, his hands immediately sliding to my waist. “Someone just messed up, so I told them to do their job properly.”

“I see.”

Alvarez nodded and rested his forehead on my shoulder. I don’t like it when we’re in each other’s personal space if it’s just moments like the way we are now, but he seemed like he badly needed it, so I’ll give him the liberty to release his stress like this.

I’m such a hypocrite. I always say that I loathe Alvarez and that I am not going to let him take control, but when it all boils down to this, I still choose to help him out as if I didn’t curse at him. Putting our marriage aside, the relationship we have could be compared to those so-called friends-with-benefits and f**k buddies type of relationships.

Ah, whatever. I’ll just see how this plays out…

“Wanna go get dinner?” I asked as I caressed his hair.

“Mm-hmm…”

“Alright. Now, get off.”

“Just make a call while we’re like this. I need it.”

“Well, I can’t go if—”

He then started walking, dragging me along with him. I could only let out a sigh as I allowed him to cling onto me as I ordered food for both of us. The i***t didn’t even know what to order and told me to just get what I could!

“What if you were allergic to what I ordered or something?” I lectured him as we both dropped to the couch.

“I’m not allergic to anything.”

“That’s not the point…! You know what, fine. Just eat whatever arrives.”

He nodded as his head fell onto my chest, his arms still all over my waist. Come on, how am I supposed to move if he’s like this?! Is this part of my duty as his wife?!

But anyway, he’s paying for this whole trip and he has quite a lot of things to deal with anyway. Maybe we’ll have a ceasefire for now, as there are more important things to do than argue. I don’t want this trip to go to waste just because we’re frustrated at each other or anything like that.

When my gaze shifted to the table, I noticed the empty bottle of Hennessy with a glass beside it. Oh, but he was already drinking from that can when I found him on the balcony, wasn’t he?

I held his chin to make him look at me. “How long have you been drinking?”

“Since you went to sleep.”

Oh, so that was why he reeked of alcohol when I approached him…

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked, my forehead forming a crease as I looked down at him.

“Yeah. I’m just a bit worried that I might not be able to finish all these on time.”

“It’s fine, I’m here to help.”

“I know.”

I felt awkward with our current position so I turned the television on to make it less awkward for me. Alvarez doesn’t seem to care…or perhaps it’s all because of the liquor. But the way I see it, he seemed to be in a trance as he nuzzled his face on my chest.

Well, he already seemed drunk since I laid eyes on him. He doesn’t walk around shirtless unless he is, after all. And the way he spoke to me was softer than usual. And that concludes my hypothesis that this guy is indeed out of it.

And while he’s like this, I’m unable to move…

“Are you asleep?” I asked when I noticed that his breathing had evened.

Oh, damn…

What if they deliver the food while he’s like this? I doubt I’d be able to stand up! This guy is very, very heavy. I know because he always falls on top of me after we do it.

I couldn’t even understand what was going on with the movie because I was worrying if he would wake up soon or not! And just as I was thinking about how I could wake Alvarez up, someone knocked, saying the food we ordered had arrived.

Oh, f**k it.

“Move it,” I told Alvarez as I shoved him off my body.

That finally woke him up, but he glared at me and sat on the sofa in a daze. I had to suppress a chuckle as I opened the door for the hotel employee to be able to bring everything inside.

After she had left, a man that wore the logo of our company came in to check the food. Alvarez had no qualms and just allowed them to do whatever they needed to do. When they were sure that it had no poison, we started eating.

I thought it would be absurd if they only tasted them because there are slow-acting types of poison. But I was wrong about doubting them because they had a device that could detect poison. Sometimes I wonder how advanced the technology he has is…

Alvarez really is no ordinary man.

“We should eat before it gets cold,” I told Alvarez as I nudged his shoulder.

“I don’t feel like eating.”

“You haven’t eaten anything for the past hours and went straight to alcohol. You have to eat. There’s soup here.”

He smirked as he removed the arm that was covering his eyes. “Feed me, then.”

“No. You have your own pair of hands.”

“Please?” he asked as he rested his chin on my shoulder, teasing.

“Cut it out or I’ll have to force you to.”

“Force me. Let’s see how it’ll turn out…” he whispered right through my ear.

I felt a chill run down my spine with the way he whispered to me, and that triggered my instinct to push him away! He laughed as he took the utensils and began to eat, amused by my reaction.

Oh, he thinks it’s funny? Damn, I really want to get back at him, but I’m not going back on my word. I’m not going to argue with him. At least not now.

“Screw you…” I muttered as I began to eat.

He smiled and held my cheek to make me face him. “Hmm, what? Say it to my face.”

“f**k you—”

I was cut off by a lazy kiss. His lips and tongue tasted like beer, but I didn’t mind as he tasted every corner of my mouth in a slow manner, as if he was taking his sweet time.

Slowly, he pulled away. “Chicken tastes good…” he breathed to my lips as he wiped the oil that was on the side of my lips.

Oh, sweet heavens…