49: I’m not kind neither I am foolish, Heaven

I’m not kind neither I am foolish, Heaven

A date… what a strange idea.1

Heaven and Dominic's marriage was no different from an arranged marriage. Perhaps, worse. They never dated — not that the idea never crossed him. They simply didn't get a chance. Or rather, Heaven never gave this marriage a chance.

The reason her suggestion sounded utterly strange to him.

"If you really mean that, then let's have a late-night date. I don't think we ever dated before and after marriage."

Dominic stared at Heaven quietly for a moment, repeating her suggestion in his head. "True. We never did." His voice was calm but quiet, keeping his gaze on her.

"Should we give it a try?" she cocked her head to the side, smiling. "What do you say?"

There was a moment of silence that descended in the kitchen. The two of them stared at each other without showing any sign they wanted to look away.

*

*

*

"Do you like the horror genre?" Heaven asked as she scrolled through countless movies. She turned her head to the side, eyes instantly falling on Dominic.

"As long as you like it."

"How would I know what you like if you don't tell me?"

"I don't remember the last time I watched a movie. So, I don't know what I would like and enjoy."

Heaven pressed her lips and sighed. "Do you have hobbies?" she inquired, setting her eyes back on the gigantic screen before them. "Why did you even put a theater room this big when you don't even use it?"

"Everyone comes here once a month to watch together."

"Everyone?"

"Mhm. Everyone here."

"Ohh…" Heaven rocked her head in understanding. She didn't know this information because the original Heaven didn't know about it.

She was quiet for a second, still scrolling through the movies until something would catch her eye.

"I think we should do that." Heaven broke the brief silence, facing him once again. "You, me, and Basti. You know? Family bonding."

Family.

Dominic assessed her bright countenance, unable to detect any awkwardness or reluctance in her suggestion. Her request to watch a movie together was already strange, but even before they could start, she was already thinking of activities for the three of them.

"Don't tell me you can't make time during weekends?" Heaven frowned. "Dominic Zhu, how come everyone in the company has time off while you don't?"

"This weekend?"

"Mhm! Or we can do it next week!"

Dominic didn't answer immediately as he pondered about it. "Sure."

"Sure… what?"

"Let's do that once Basti gets home."

The corner of her lips stretched from ear to ear. "That's a promise. No pressure, though. If you can't, Basti and I can just do it."

When Heaven peeled her eyes from him, her grin slowly faded. Dominic furrowed his brows mildly as he noticed her sudden change of mood.

"Hmm?" he hummed. "What's wrong?"

Heaven breathed out, forcing a smile. "Nothing. I just thought it was easy for me to make plans without even considering his feelings."

"Basti?"

"Hm." She lowered her eyes, thinking things through.

Dominic was easy to coax. Or rather, he was logical and would do anything for his son to the point he willingly gave her a chance. However, Dominic wasn't the only person she hurt in the past five years. Heaven never held her son, nor did she ever look at him properly.

Just thinking about it, Heaven could imagine the pain in that kid's heart. Acting as if nothing happened, like how she was in front of Dominic, might just hurt the child. That was why it was good Basti wasn't home temporarily, because Heaven needed time to prepare herself and make proper plans.

"He'll be elated." Heaven slowly raised her head to look at Dominic when the latter spoke. "Basti is still a child who yearns for his mother's affection. Just do what you do. It'll be fine."

She quietly sighed again. 'I feel like a step-mom worrying that my stepkid will not approve of me.'

"Are you trying to make me feel better?" she humored weakly, shaking her head as she set her eyes ahead. "It's okay. I still have a few days — now that I think about it, I heard you were called to the principal office."

"It's been settled."

'Settled, my ass!' Heaven frowned, almost throwing the remote as she somehow lost her interest in watching a movie. She adjusted her position, so she was facing him, reclining on her side, eyes on Dominic.

"Settled? I'm not the person to talk, but offering the other party a good business deal sounds a bit too much," she pointed out, putting off the movie night to have a serious talk with him.

"How did you know that?"

"I…" Heaven nearly bit her tongue. "... heard about it?"

Dominic arched a brow. As far as he knew, he didn't tell anyone about it in the house. Even though his wife was not interested in his and his son's affairs, he didn't want to let her know that Sebastian got in trouble.

"It's not too much." Still, Dominic threw the question at the back of his head and gave her a satisfactory answer. "For them, they might think they hit the jackpot. However, buying out their company and making it a subsidiary of ZYON Group will have a forever effect. In the future, that kid… will realize he will always be below my son. Once he comes of age, he will realize his life was within my son's grasp."

"..." Heaven's jaw nearly drop to the floor, asking herself if she heard Dominic's explanation correctly.

"If he was smart enough, he and his family will get their act together. In that case, he will never dare run his mouth so carelessly, for his life hangs upon his every word and action," added Dominic calmly, as if he just didn't settle a children's fight.

Heaven already thought that kid's mother was petty, but it seemed Dominic was also one. The only difference was that Dominic's methods were subtle, disguising his real motive as a generous offer.

How scary!

"I'm not kind, neither I am absurd, Heaven…" Dominic trailed off as a glint flickered across his eyes. "... was your perception of me changed because of this?"

"I think…" Heaven blinked, rendered speechless. "... I've fallen in love."

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