However, I wasn’t actually sure if that was the case. “Have I really gotten fat?” I asked Anthony suspiciously.
“A little!” he replied seriously.
Sometimes, we girls can feel very insecure about our looks. It felt even more so for me because Anthony had never called me fat before until now. If it had merited a mention from him, perhaps there was some truth in it.
“Alright, I won’t wear short skirts ever again,” I promised. I’d look awful in them being as fat as he said I was.
Anthony gave a satisfied smile.
The waiter brought over the breakfast we ordered. It was mostly what I enjoyed eating, but now that my plumpness had been pointed out, I felt self-conscious and didn’t have much of an appetite. “Here you go,” I said as I pushed the plates toward Asthon.
After that, I helped myself to a glass of milk. “Why aren’t you eating?” Anthony asked with a frown.
“I need to start losing weight,” I said. “With a controlled diet, I should be able to slim down with time.”
We girls prioritize our figures and petite sizes anyway. It was well worth it to be able to fit into our favorite clothes.
Anthony wasn’t pleased. “You should be full in the morning,” he chastised. “How are you going to lose weight if you don’t eat regularly? We can go for a walk tonight to burn off those extra calories if you like.”
He pushed the pastries back in front of me. “Finish all of it.”
“I really don’t want to!” I protested. My appetite was virtually non-existent.
“You must!” he said sternly. “Caloric restriction is the worst way to lose weight. We can go to the gym tonight if you’re serious about it.”
I pouted in defiance, but ultimately relented.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure approaching us. It was Marcus.
Anthony saw him too. “Good morning, Mr. White!” he said pleasantly.
“Good morning, Mr. Featherstone!” Marcus replied with a polite smile.
Marcus’s gaze fell on me, and his smile was radiant. “Good morning, Letty! You’re looking more beautiful today than you ever have!”
I was stunned with flattery. It’s in our nature to enjoy compliments.
“Mr. Featherstone, would you mind if I joined you?” It sounded like a request, but Marcus sat himself down and summoned the waiter before waiting for Anthony’s approval.
Anthony pursed his lips but did not say anything.
I noticed that Anthony had a stain on the corner of his mouth, so I leaned over and wiped it off for him. It wasn’t deliberate but I thought that it was inconvenient for his arm, so I took it upon myself.
He was taken aback by my gesture. “You’re too old to be having food all over your face,” I teased.
Perhaps my sudden action had startled him, but he seemed to enjoy it. His eyes twinkled with mischief, and he looked to be in a great mood.
However, I was suddenly aware that Marcus frowned at both of us and averted his eyes to our interaction, as though he was offended that we were acting like lovers in front of him.
It would be awkward for him to voice his displeasure, so he decided against it and had his breakfast in silence.
After breakfast, Anthony came back to the base with me under the pretense of requiring my care. The majority of his documents and meetings were converted to a video format for his convenience, rendering him to be able to work from the office entirely.
I had my own tasks to do but was occasionally called by him to pour him a glass of water or to send documents as his arm was causing him issues.
In between running around after Anthony’s needs and my own duties, I felt worn out pretty quickly.
As I emerged from his office after helping him dispatch documents, Leedon approached me with a bottle of water. “Looks like Mr. Featherstone is here to keep an eye on his wife!”
“You’ve misunderstood, Leedon,” I said hurriedly as I blushed. “He hurt his hand yesterday and it’s inconvenient for him to do many things, that is why he’s here today.”
“I don’t think so,” he said with a wink. “Or he wouldn’t call you away when Mr. White started a conversation with you!”
I was taken aback for a moment and joined in the laughter as well.
Leedon was right, though. Whenever Marcus started speaking to me, Anthony would interrupt with a call and I would have to attend to him, leaving Marcus in mid-sentence.
“It’s going to be a long day of work for you,” Leedon teased.
Well, I’d say!
As we conversed, Marcus distributed a bag of fruits amongst the employees. “Sienna,” he said as he approached me. “My assistant had brought over some fruits. Take a break and have some!”
Before I could reply, my phone rang shrilly.
Leedon failed to stifle his laughter. “Ms. Stanhope, looks like you’re wanted.” He helped himself to an apple.
I sighed. True enough, it was Anthony who called.
“I want some water,” came Anthony’s low voice on the other end.
I smacked my forehead in exasperation. “Didn’t I leave a glass on your table?”
“I’ve finished it!”
“Alright, I’m coming.”
I hung up and looked at Marcus. “I’m so sorry, I have something to attend to.”
Without waiting for his reply, I turned to head to the office.
Anthony leaned back lazily in his chair with his earpiece; his meeting was still ongoing. I glimpsed at the untouched glass of water on his desk.
I was speechless with indignation. “You haven’t touched it! Why did you summon me for?”
He’s like a child.
Anthony glanced up at me. “Joseph poured me a glass after I called you,” he lied shamelessly. “He’d brought some cakes too. Why don’t you cut me a slice?”
“Why couldn’t he prepare everything for you before leaving?” I grimaced.
“He’s busy!” Anthony said and resumed his meeting.
I was speechless but complied with his request.
“Here you go,” I said, pushing a slice before him.
“You’re not having any?”
“I’m on a diet, aren’t I?” He said that I was fat earlier today, but he still allowed me to have sweet things like cakes?
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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