CHAPTER 1
Subtitle: MILO'S WEAKNESS
Loving you wasn't part of the deal
Milo sat in the bedroom, doing nothing as usual. Life has taken a toll on him.
"Am I even worthy to be called a man?" He sighed pathetically.
The door suddenly opened, and Lillian walked into the room.
She halted, when she saw Milo wasn't dressed for the dinner party.
"What is this Milo? Why aren't you ready for the party?" She said,
Milo sighed, then he stood up to face her.
"What party Lillian?"
"Don't tell me you forgot." She sighed.
Milo didn't bother giving her a reply, he could only stare at her.
His eyes which were once lively and used to hold so much spark in them were now looking soulless.
"Dad invited us over for a dinner party. I told you about it before leaving for the office this morning. I expected you to be ready by now, but look at you, you're not ready, and this will delay us," Lillian said.
"Please Lillian, I don't feel like attending the party, I have a migraine and I'm not in the mood to go out right now, you should attend the party alone," Milo said and Lillian scoffed.
"Did you hear yourself?" She asked and didn't wait for him to reply. "Milo, I said dad invited us over, and now you say you don't want to come along, that's not possible Milo, we are definitely attending the party together, whether you like it or not, so get ready immediately." She told him, but the tone she used sounded much like an order.
Milo wanted to yell at her, he didn't like the way she just spoke to him, not a single bit, but what could he do? This is how his life has been ever since he got married to Lillian.
He clenched and unclenched his fist.
"I have a migraine Lillian, I don't want to attend the party," he said, through gritted teeth.
Lillian sighed, she knew it'll be pointless arguing with Milo, the only way is to involve her father in this.
She took out her phone from her purse, then she dialed her father's number, he picked on the first ring.
"Hey dad."
"Hello princess, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine dad, how are you?"
"I'm fine darling, what's wrong?"
"Dad, it's just, Milo said he doesn't want to attend the party, please help me talk to him."
"What? Give the phone to him."
"Okay dad."
"Here, dad wants to talk to you," she said.
Milo was furious, he sees no reason why she involved her father in this issue.
He slowly collected the phone from her.
"Hello."
"Milo, Lillian said you don't want to attend the party, I had specifically told her to come with you."
"I only told her I was having a migraine and I won't be able to attend the party."
"No Milo, it's a must you attend the party, I see your refusal as an insult, so Milo, get ready immediately. You're attending this party with my daughter, is that taken?" Henry said, authoritatively.
Milo clenched his fist in anger.
"Yes sir." He replied, then he hung up.
He gave the phone back to Lillian, then he went into the bathroom to get ready.
"Make it quick Milo." Lillian yelled, then she smiled, she knew Milo would never refuse her father.
★
AT THE PARTY
HENRY'S RESIDENCE
________________________
Milo sat at the dining table together with Lillian and Henry. Lillian's Dad.
They ate silently, only the sound of their cutleries could be heard.
Henry drank some water, then he spoke.
"Milo, I heard you pulled a tantrum earlier today."
Milo kept quiet.
"I'm talking to you Milo, you better speak up now!" Henry yelled.
"I'm so sorry sir, it'll never happen again." Milo pleaded, even if he did nothing wrong.
"Be warned, I won't take it lightly with you when you try such a thing again." Henry stated.
"Yes sir." Milo nodded.
"Dad, forget about him, I know how to handle my husband, he's within my leash." Lillian smiled.
Milo breathed in hard, trying to control himself, the realization suddenly hit him hard, even if he wanted to, he couldn't do anything, his hands were tied. He was more like a living dead to himself.
"Dad, the foreign investors finally accepted our deal." Lillian said happily.
Henry smiled, feeling proud of his daughter.
"I know you'll get the deal, I'm proud of you darling." Henry said.
Lillian's heart almost exploded with happiness, she always loved to be praised by her Dad.
"Congratulations Lillian." Milo said since that was the only thing he knew he could say, he didn't want to offend Lillian in any way.
"Hmph, still as useless as ever." Lillian scoffed. Henry laughed.
Milo pursed his lips, he didn't want to pick an offence in what Lillian said, because truly, he's useless.
He had accepted the fact that life was unfair to him.
'What do you call a man who is a shadow of his own wife?' He mentally thought.
'Wife?' He scoffed, he was literally a dog to Lillian.
"Milo, are you listening to what I am saying?" Lillian banged the table and that brought Milo back from his reverie.
Lillian had been speaking to Milo for quite a minute now, but it seemed he wasn't listening.
"Sorry, what were you saying?" Milo said politely.
"Are you deaf? Seriously? Or you intentionally refuse to reply me?" Lillian barked.
"Umm...I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you." Milo pleaded, just like he always does.
"Looser." Lillian mumbled under her breath, but Milo heard her loud and clear.
"Please, excuse me," Milo said and he stood up.
"Where the heck are you going?" Lillian said and Milo halted.
"To the restroom." Milo gently replied.
"To do what actually?" Henry further asked.
Henry's question felt like an insult to him, couldn't he have his own private life? Was he entitled to give every detail of him going to the restroom?.
"What are you going there to do?" Lillian repeated her Dad's question.
What could he do? Absolutely nothing, he had no choice but to reply to them.
"To ease myself," Milo said. He felt ashamed of himself.
"You can go." Lillian said, finally giving him the permission to leave.
Milo walked out of the dining room with a heavy heart.
An evil smirk appeared on Lillian's lips as she watched him leave.
She picked up her glass of wine, then she made a toast with her father.
TBC....