Lexus was surprised by himself. That was the first time he cooked a meal for a woman other than his mother. He wondered if he was doing it because he liked Anna much more than he thought or if it was because of his past.
When he was young, he lived alone with his mother and they took care of each other. His mother told him that his father was dead which was why she raised him alone.
He was bullied as a child because he didn't have a father. They gave him names and beat him up, which was why when he had the opportunity, he eagerly learned taekwondo and other martial arts so he could defend himself.
But what he hated the most was not the bullying that he experienced. It was the scorn and unfair treatment that they received from both children and adults of all ages just because he was born out of wedlock and his mom was a single mother.
He didn't understand what sin he had committed just because he was fatherless. Why did he have to be treated unfairly just because he had no father? Was it his fault that his father was dead?
Did his mother commit a sin when she gave birth to him even when she had no husband that people had to gossip about her all the time, make all sorts of rumors about her, and make trouble for her? Was it a sin to work hard and raise your child alone that people had to treat her with contempt and distrust?
He hated the world for being so mean to him and his mother. Sometimes he even blamed his dead father for leaving them so early that he and his mother had to suffer now because of it.
But when he was fourteen, the world suddenly turned for the better. After winning in a taekwondo tournament, someone approached him and asked about his mother. The following day, his mother introduced that person as his father.
Lexus' mother run away from her father when she got pregnant since his parents didn't like her and his father was engaged to someone else. She had lied to Lexus because she did not know what else to say.
But after how many years, his father had long since divorced and wanted him and his mother back. His father had no children with his ex-wife because she didn't want to give birth and secretly took pills.
Lexus wanted to hate his father for not finding them sooner. But he couldn't really blame him since his father did not know about his existence. His father only realized his existence at the tournament because he looked like his mother but also had a mix of his father's looks.
Still, he was happy that he finally had a father. And most importantly, his mother would no longer have to work hard so she could send him to school and pay the bills. His father was affluent so her mother didn't need to work anymore.
He and his mother would no longer have to receive the unfair treatment and unreasonable scorn they have received from society.
His father promised a good life for them both. But the catch was, that Lexus was suddenly the heir of a Mafia Don. His mother apparently knew about it and they had met because of it.
Lexus was trained in various things in order to be able to succeed in his father's businesses and his position in the underworld.
He did not sleep with women or date anyone since he didn't want to accidentally make a woman pregnant while he was not yet ready for the responsibility.
That was until he was nineteen and Anna enlightened him on the pleasures of having a woman. He got hooked to it and slept around with other women to satisfy his cravings when Anna run away from him.
But he had always been careful. He never skipped the rubber or the pill. He didn't know what came to his mind when he met her again that he believed Anna when she said it was a safe day and did her like there was no tomorrow.
She played him for a fool. And yet, here he was preparing a meal for her. Perhaps, he was a fool indeed. But isn't it better than losing her to someone else again because he took his time hesitating?
He gazed at Anna who was enjoying the meal he made.
'I won't let you suffer as my mother did. I won't let our child experience what I did,' he vowed.
"Hey, stop staring at me. It's creeping me out," she said and he laughed. He had the urge to kiss her, but he focused on his meal instead.
. . .
"By the way, we should choose your wedding dress soon. When are you free?" Lexus finally asked what he had been meaning to ask her. She was silent for a few seconds before speaking.
"I don't know. I still have a lot of work to do," she said disinterestedly.
Lexus gulped as she clearly did not get excited by the thought of choosing a wedding dress that most women would have been excited about.
'Does she want a custom-made one? If we had more time, I would have wanted a wedding dress made for her. But I want to have the ceremony as soon as possible. I can't have her running away from me again,' he thought.
"Alright. I'll bring some brochures later for you to choose from," he eyed her nervously as she might get angry again but she just agreed.
He wanted to ask about her parents but didn't want to ruin her good mood. From the conversation her grandparents had with her, he could tell that her relationship with her father was not good. He postponed it for later.
Lexus wanted to stay at Anna's place for the night but she shooed him away. He sighed and took his leave reluctantly. He wasn't sure he would be able to hold back if he stayed longer anyway. But he made sure to steal another kiss and a hug before he left.