chapter 23: Chocolate Is Shit

Autumn
Just when I felt my whole life completed, something had to ruin it. More like, some people.
"We cannot accept you as our king and queen. You lied to us!" Reece let out. He was the Shadow executive.
"Nor will we," Tanner spoke on the behalf of the entire Silver.
"Well, we are sorry," I said. "We are very sorry that we lied to you. It was for the betterment of the gangs. If you knew that we didn't like each other, none of you would have obeyed us."
"Yes," Steven mumbled. "But now, they like each other. There shouldn't be a problem anymore."
Ian stayed silent this entire time. He just intertwined our hands. We were sitting in the meeting room. Our gangs found the truth of this being a contract marriage.
It was our fault. Our parents told us to pretend to be lovey-dovey at least in front of the gang. But we couldn't complete that simple task. We ended up putting each other on gunpoint.
"If the Leader and L.L. hide things from us, who should we trust?"
"Okay, everyone," Ian made everyone quiet with his tone. "It was our fault. Tell us the punishment and we will obey."
Reece and Tanner were speaking on behalf of the respective gangs. They took a moment to talk.
"What kind of punishment do you think they will give?" I whispered.
Ian shrugged. "Let's just wait and hear."
Steven popped in, "How about shooting both of you?"
Aubree smacked the back of his head. "Y'all shut it out."
"Okay, we have made our decision," said Tanner. We looked at them. He stated, "We are no one to punish our king and queen. However, we will be happy if both of you go to a restaurant as dates right now."
"Yes. And it has to be the Blooming restaurant because you have some nice memories there." Reece smirked.
I rolled my eyes and muttered under my breath, "What kind of creatures are in our gang?"
"Sounds good." Ian got up. "Let's go, wifey."
I stood up and trailed behind him. He opened the car door for me. After we got in, he started driving.
He inquired, "By the way, how did you get here? Your car is in the restaurant."
"I came with Steven, on his bike."
He nodded. "I'll drop you tomorrow in the restaurant then."
With a smile, I let out, "No need. After we eat dinner there, I will return home by driving my car while you drive yours."
"I said I'll drop you tomorrow. No way in hell am I letting you drive alone at night."
As soon as he let those words out, I glared at him. "Ian, I am L.L. I run a mafia. I can beat every freaking person who will try to harm me, okay? Except for Lennox. Because each time I see him, my body freezes."
I shuddered when I mentioned his name. He wasn't caught yet. He would definitely try to attack one of us. Again.
Ian took my hand in his and looked at me. "Don't worry. Aubree is hunting him. Just trust her."
I nodded, feeling a little bit of relief.
Soon, we reached my restaurant. When Mr. Atticus saw us, he chirped, "Oh, my! Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Beckett."
Ian chucked while I tried to hide my embarrassment. "You're too much Mr. Atticus."
"I am reserving a table under the name of the Becketts in the romantic area. Forever," he sang out the last word.
I really had to get used to the title 'Mrs. Beckett'.
Ian pulled out a chair for me. After we sat, we looked at the menu. When my eyes fell on the chocolate pastry, I smirked. "Ian, how about we order for each other? Just the dessert."
He thought for a while. As I waited, he replied, "Sure. Why not?"
I loved all kinds of dessert. So, there was no way in hell he could order something I disliked, right?
Whereas I wanted to order the chocolate pastry for Ian. He couldn't tolerate chocolate.
After we placed our orders for the main course, we didn't utter the name of the dessert. We just pointed it out to Mr. Atticus. He laughed when he saw what we chose for each other.
I wonder what Ian chose for me.
"Did Alana call you after everything?" I asked as a wave of jealousy was visible in my tone. I hated any other woman trying to throw herself on my husband. On my freaking husband. That too, Ian!
He cackled, glancing at his phone. "You don't need to worry about it. I blocked her number after that incident."
"Good." I took a sip of my wine.
"You ordered that damn chocolate pastry, didn't you?" he asked abruptly.
With a big grin on my face, I whispered, "Give me three reasons not to."
Ian rolled his eyes. "Just because you got the three reasons perfectly once, doesn't mean you have to rub it on my face." He kept his glass of wine on the table. "The third reason was, you were the queen, and the queens were meant to stay at home; living a pleasant life."
My breath hitched. "What do you mean?"
I knew what he meant. But I just wanted to confirm it from him. "I had three reasons when you asked me. I just didn't want you to leave. So, I didn't say it at that time," he told me, as he took my hand and kissed my palm.
I instantly got goosebumps. He continued, "And you thought if you stopped giving me time to think, I wouldn't be able to answer properly. Do I look that stupid to you?"
I asked softly, "Then why do you take time to think?"
"I don't take time to think. I remain quiet for a few seconds because I analyze the consequences. And I speak when I think it's my time to interfere."
"That's cool. Teach me that."
"You need brains for that," he retorted, "And you just have a head, nothing inside. Just like a showpiece, always showing outer beauty."
"That's horrible! Just because you're smarter, doesn't mean I am a fool."
"You're a fool to believe whatever I said in the car in the morning."
"Well, the way you said it, even the car thought you would throw me out of it!" I reasoned out.
"Alright. Here's your food." Mr. Atticus came with our dinner. He placed it between us. I was throwing daggers at Ian. "Looks like I may have good or bad timing," he mumbled and went away.
I started eating pizza, while he ate his steak. We were silent for a while, eating and glancing at each other often. I sighed.
"I am sorry," both of us said at the same time before we burst into laughter.
"I am sorry for saying those mean words. You know, how I am," Ian murmured under his breath.
I deadpanned, "Yeah. Emotionally challenged."
"What?" He placed his fork down. "If I am emotionally challenged, you're��forget it. We were supposed to be on a date. I don't think anyone argues on their very first date. Or any other date."
I nodded. "Do you realize it's our first date?" I asked, even not believing it myself.
He answered, "Well, it indeed is."
I was feeling uneasy. It was as if someone was watching me. When I looked at the windows, I found no one.
"What's wrong, Autumn?"
Without a second thought, I blurted out, "I just felt like being watched."
Suddenly, Ian's phone started ringing. He picked it up while I continued eating.
"Yes. That's excellent! Bring him to the base and hand him over to Ev," with that, he cut the call. He told me, "Lennox got caught."
I flashed a smile at him. "Oh my god! Seriously? Finally! Tell Ev to shower him with love from the bottom of her heart."
He chortled. "That's what I already said."
"I was just being paranoid about being watched. Lennox was out and it was just scaring me off. Now he's caught, so there's no reason to be scared."
"Besides, I am here for you. To save you from everything, always," he mumbled. Our eyes pierced each other's, not leaving the intense gaze.
"And here are the desserts!" Mr. Atticus said excitedly. He placed chocolate pastry in front of Ian, while he placed a bowl of��oh shit!
Freaking fruit custard!
Ian cringed when he saw his dessert but after seeing my reaction, he gave a cute innocent smile.
"No way in hell am I eating this!"
Mr. Atticus replied to me, "Well that's what your husband ordered. You know the policy of our restaurant. No wastage of food." He patted my head and walked towards the kitchen.
I wanted to cry seeing the fruit custard.
"Feeling like crying?" my annoying husband asked in a mocking tone. "Well, the feeling is mutual."
"I��we..." I was dumbfounded. My favorite dessert was in front of Ian, while his favorite one was in front of me.
I hated fruit custard. It's small pieces of fruits drowning in the custard. Gross!
"Wanna trade, Wifey?"
"I..." If I trade now, Ian will never eat chocolates. How can one not like chocolates?
I want him to try it. I am sure if he tries it once, he will love it forever. But what about this fruit custard?
"Autumn?"
I looked at his devilish yet handsome face. He did it on purpose. How did he know I hate fruit custard?
None but Dante knows it. I am gonna kill that stupid guy! Ugh.
He ordered something I hate so that he didn't have to eat chocolate pastry.
No worries. I will eat this. It's like fruits drowning in the custard and I just have to save them by taking them on my spoon. Then I have to eat them. That's it. It's very simple, Autumn.
"Hey?" he let out, bringing me out of my trance.
"No," I said confidently. "I will eat my dessert and you will eat yours. No trading."
"You sure?"
"Stop creating doubts. Just eat it." I quickly shoved a spoon filled with fruit custard in my mouth.
Saving the fruits from drowning. Saving them from drowning. I gulped it.
Ian looked at me in amusement.
"Well. It's my time to eat this. I have no other option." He murmured under his breath, "You never fail to amuse me, Autumn."
He hesitantly ate a spoonful of pastry. I eagerly waited for his opinion. He will definitely love it. Of course, he would!
"It's shit."
My smile instantly fell down. I felt like banging my head on a nearby pillar.
How can he not like chocolate pastry? Even after eating it?
"You're insanely crazy," I muttered and continued eating. After we were done eating our dessert, we walked out of the restaurant. "Let's have a race with our respective cars, then. In that way, I will be near you and my car will be with me," I offered.
He thought for a while before answering, "Sounds good."
I was on my way to my car, while Ian was going to his one. It was not far away. I started getting weird instincts. Bad kind of weird.
I felt someone looking at me again. When I turned around, I saw Ian a little bit away from me. He was crossing his arms and leaning on his car, waiting for me to get into mine. Cute.
I turned to open the door of my car.
"Autumn!" I heard Ian screaming my name before I felt something piercing through my body.
I was familiar with that metallic touch. A freaking bullet.