Chapter 24: Chapter 24

They went out to grab a pizza. Jacob was so pleased to see her eating a lot. He'd prefer if she gainee weight a little. Tatiana used ti have chubby cheeks.

They also went to the mall to buy ingredients fot the cupcake she will bake. Jacob was behind her, pushing the trolley. They looked like the normal husband and wife who does grocery together.

It feels so fulfilling. Both of them in a grocery store. You know, just the simple joys in life.

She was bending down to get some flour when she noticed him staring at her. She gave him a weird look. "What?"

He shook his head. "You just look so beautiful, whatever you do. You don't even have to try."

She blushed by that small compliment. She turned her back against him to hide the flush in her cheeks

"You still get that romance excitment when I compliment you." The voice behind her said.

“What, no? What am I, high schooler?”

“Wait. You still haven't met me when you were in highschool. You had a crush on someone else before?” he crossed his arms on his chest.

“Everyone had a crush, Jacob..I'm  pretty sure you even had yours. Maybe a girlfriend."

His lips parted. "You were my first girlfriend, Tatiana.”

She was fighting the urge to laugh. Jacob was really serious about it! He wasn't even playing around. His lips were pressed together and his eyebrows were almost touching.

Her lion was mad, but damn it, he still look so cute.

"That was way back highschool, Jake. What's wrong with you?" She chuckled.

Jacob royally snubbed her. He only talked to her to give his black card then he kept silent the whole time.

He chose a plain white shirt and checkered cotton boxers.  All those times she was just right behind him, following after him.

Wow, they just made up but now he's snubbing her.

When they reached the parking lot, Tatiana hugged him from behind. She felt him stiffened, making her press her body closer to his back even more.

“Are you mad?”

He sighed, “No, I'm sorry. I was just being immature.” he kissed her hair when she hugged him more. "Let's go home and bake.”

JACOB had his eyes wide open when he took the first bite of the cupcake.

"Tati, fuck. It's so good.” He chuckled. "Really, it's so good, baby. I can eat this forever." He mumbled, what happened with don't talk when your mouth is full?

She laughed softly. "Thank you."

“Next time, I want a banana cupcake. How about this, Tati, every weekend we have a sleep over?”

She'd like that idea. But she'd like if it Julian's with them, they'd be a complete family then! But until now she haven't figure out how she'll start telling him about their son.

"Sure. But in work, let's keep it professional and civil. Hands off." She warned him.

Jacob wiggled his eyebrows. "But how about in my office? When we're alone?”

"Hmm. We'll see about that one." She wiped the icing on the corner of his mouth and brought that finger into her mouth. Jacob's eyes turned into dark blue, she have seen that many times. Something that happens when he's turned on. Tatiana giggled,.

Tatiana woke up an hour later, her naked body tangled on Jacob's. They were on the couch, they didn't even make it to her room. “Hey, didn't you sleep?”

Jacob shook his head. "I want to watch you sleep."

She pressed her body closer to his and her face on his chest. “I can't believe I survived years without you.”

“Me too, Tati. That happiness I felt when I was with you way back in palawan is the exact feeling I'm having right now.

She ran her fingers on his broad chest, creating nonsense pattern in there. She loved touching him, she couldn't get enough.

“When are you introducing me to your parents and brother?” he asked gently.

She stopped her fingers. "Jake... Jerome and I, my parents think I'm marrying him."

"You know you can't marry him, right? You should break up with him, then."

"It's not that easy. We're together for years, Jake. He helped me with everything. He was... there. I don't want to surprise him. I don't want to hurt him."

He put on his jeans and stood up "Do you love him, Tatiana?"

She closed her eyes. She does, of course. All those years he stood by her side expecting nothing, taking all that she's willing to give, Jerome was never demanding. She was happy by his side.

"I take that as a yes." he coldly said. It pained him to know that Tatiana learned to love someoke else aside from him. But he couldn't blame her.  Jerome was there when she was so doomed. "This is really fucked up, Tatiana. I'm your husband, but you make it look like I'm the third party.  Does Jerome know you're married?"

He scoffed.

Jacob shook his head and picked up his shirt. She suddenly felt naked.

Why can't they have a day without them fighting?

It's so complicated.

"I'm sorry." She bit her lips and lowered her head.

Jacob sighed, lifting her chin up..

She saw his little smile, he kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry. Sorry I'm ruining this perfect day for us. I told you I'm not rushing this. I can live with what we are now, Tati. I'm gonna wait."

Jacob's worked lessened a bit when Andrew came back from his leave.

H

e noticed he gained some weight. Andrew said Rochelle is urging him to eat together with her and if he doesn't join her, she gets mad.

He's so whipped.

"So you and attorney, huh?" Andrew teased him when he saw the caller ID 'Tatiana baby'.

Jacob shrugged. "It's still so complicated right now. I mean, we're taking it slow and keeping it to ourselves for now. Man, I want to shout it to the moon that she's mine.”

"Then you just have to endure it for awhile, bro.” he pats his bestfriend's shoulder. "You know how my parents didn't like Rochelle and I's relationship, right? I gave up a lot of things for her. There are times I ask myself what if I didn't give up a lot for her, what if  I didn't sacrifice so much. But then when I see her, how happy she is, she carries out daughter I stop questioning it.  It's all I ever want. I'll choose her again and again."

Jacob wants to marry her again. He want to tell the whole world that she's his wife. That they belong together. He wants her to bear his children, he wants them to live in that house he's building. He wants that dream they had years back.

"You look troubled. What's wrong?" Jacob noticed. He brought lunch in her office, it was all her favorite but she ate a little. She seemed silent to.

“It's... my client. He wanted to fight for his land but the bank wants to get it.”

“Is it a hopeless case?”

“No. I can still do something about it but their lawyer's good too.”

Tatiana always have a soft heart. She's emphatic towards others and she's helpful.

He's sure the client is lucky to have her as his lawyer. Tatiana won't give up without putting a fight.

"Come here." He hoisted her unto his lap. She tucked the loose strands of her hair to see her face. There. "I'm sure you can do something about it, babe. I mean, you're one of the best lawyers here.”

"That's my problem. he looks at me like he believes that I can help him no matter how hard it was."

His hands snaked into her waist, “I never doubted your capabilities. I know and you can do it, baby. Please stop being upset now."

He was her happy pill. Being with him really lifted her spirits up . He said he has taken a half day so he stayed there to be with her for the rest of the day. As much as she wanted to stop working, she had a lot of work to do. She signed the papers and read some cases. Jacob fell asleep on the small couch inside her office. He's got a large frame and he's tall he couldn't really fit his whole frame on the couch. She giggled. He looked like a giant on a crib.

She silently took a picture of the sight on her iPhone.

She only woke him up when she was done with her work. He's in a very deep sleep. She also texted her driver not to pick her up from work.

"Sorry, I know you took the rest of the day off to be with me but we never hanged out. I'm just so loaded right now.”

Jacob smiled at her before he focused on driving. “It's okay, baby. I needed to rest too. I've been staying up late these days. There's money missing in Strike.

I habe to study the statements of accounts and review the audit." He clenched his jaw. Once he finds out who the culprit is, the thief is a dead man.

She gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?”"

“You'll be in the meeting tomorrow and we're discussing it. It's not like the money stolen would affect the Strike's asset but still, it is the company's money. I dont want to feel betrayed and lied to. I have to find the culprit.”