How to find your soulmate

Chapter 2

Author's note: so sorry about the confusion yesterday. This update is the longest I have ever edited—took two days just to edit it—and now it is taking two days to upload it. I just hope that it is worth all the delay. Please read and enjoy and don't forget to vote :)

Chapter 2

"What is it?"

Nue jumped so hard at my question, holding her purse to her chest with her eyes darting around really fast. "What?" she said almost breathless.

I gave her a slow look. She couldn't have looked more nervous if she tried. Why was she behaving suspiciously, I wondered but can't decide if I wanted to know or just don't care. "Did you see what you wanted to see?"

"See?" she made a nervous chuckle and shook her head. "Uh, yeah, not a problem. Shall we?" as if afraid I would ask any more questions she hurried into the car.

I let it go and entered too. We were heading to Nue's for dinner with her parents. It was by far the least of my favorite things to do after work, but Winry wanted us to keep good relations. Nue's family was well connected and they owned the largest raw material resources in Thailand. It wouldn't do to not honor their invitation.

But damn, they keep inviting. I was just there last week and now I have to be there again.

"Um, P'Arthit?"

"

"Hm?" I answered but I wasn't paying any attention, one of my hands on the wheel.

"You think you could try to be more sensitive tonight?" she asked. "My mother has been through a rough day so she would like to see us be happy together, normal. I hope it's not too much to ask that you at least touch me or hug me when we are in front of them."

"Sure," I said, my mind on what Winry told me about Nue's family. If we secure their supply to some of the materials we needed for the huge project we were working on, it would make us a lot of money. I should play nice today. Nicer, I was always nice, and then maybe her father would be open to discussion about that.

"Hey, is that okay with you?"

I have no idea what she just said but I nodded. She leaned over, her perfume suddenly all over my space, and then pressed her lips to my cheek. "Thank you." She withdrew quickly.

I looked at her but didn't say anything. Nue and I have a business relationship. We were getting married for our family's sake and to build more wealth. Having a lot of money was currently my life's purpose. Having a lot of money would put me on the same playing field as some of the big businessmen I know and that was important to me. I didn't mind what Nue wanted, what my stepmother, Winry, wanted, I will do anything towards that go, even marry Nue. But I do wish that she wouldn't look at me like that. Expecting, hoping. I am actually... so sick of it.

I wipe my face quietly and said, "Save the romantic display for your parents, Nue."

She didn't say another word to me after that. Perhaps I had been a little too blunt to her, I could tell she was sulking which got really irritating. We were already at her parents' house and she was still swollen around the face. I pull the car into parking and she got out with hard noisy movements, even slamming the door. Sighing, I took off my belt and came out after her. She was marching towards the front door without me.

"Hey," I called to her but she couldn't be bothered to answer, too busy digging her heels into the ground in a show of anger. I caught up with her and said, "Look happy, your parents will ask me what happened."

She flipped around, glaring. "Am I that disgusting? Am I? I thought you wanted this. If you remember P'Arthit, you were the one who asked me to marry you."