Chapter 2
The next day, Sophia and I got back home after a shopping spree.
As soon as I opened the door, I caught sight of a bare-chested figure in the living room.
Alexander was doing push-ups, his back facing me.
He'd ditched his shirt, showing off those defined muscles on his back. Sweat was running down his spine and disappearing into the waistband of his loose sweatpants.
I swallowed hard, my mind totally blank.
Alexander seemed to notice me, paused for a moment, then kept going like nothing was up.
His arms flexed as he pushed up, shoulder blades standing out and making him look stupidly sexy. When he lowered himself, you could feel the heavy, raw strength in every move.
I stood there, staring like an idiot for way too long.
Long enough for him to finish a whole set.
Alexander stood up, his face flushed from the workout.
"You're back?" His voice was low and husky, still a bit out of breath.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
He grabbed a towel and wiped his face.
"I'm gonna hit the shower."
Watching him leave, my legs felt a little weak.
I opened the forum and saw the OP had posted an update.
[She caught me doing push-ups and gave me a weird look.]
Comments: [Dude, you're toast. She couldn't even stand to look at you and just bolted.]
[Bro, just give it up. She's obviously not into you anymore.]
I quickly switched accounts and replied: [No way! She was just shy! Girls always take off when they're embarrassed!]
OP skipped everyone else and just replied to me: [Really?]
Me: [For real! Just keep going! Persistence is key!]
OP: [Okay.]
So for the next few days, Alexander was showing off in all kinds of ways.
Sometimes it was bench presses, sometimes pull-ups, and sometimes squats.
That angle, that tension. I was hiding behind the bedroom door, sneaking a peek, and nearly had a nosebleed.
But on the outside, I had to act like nothing was up.
"Morning," I yawned as I walked out of the bedroom. "Why are you suddenly working out so much lately?"
Alexander wiped the sweat off and said coolly, "Just keeping fit."
I scoffed to myself.
Yeah right, keep pretending.
That night, I got a DM from Alexander.
[Guru, besides working out, what else should I do?]
He even tipped me 30,000 dollars.
After cashing out, acting all serious, I replied: [If you want to win a woman's heart, you gotta win her stomach first. You should practice cooking more, so she can't live without your food.]
Alexander replied instantly: [Okay.]
[I checked, she likes spicy food, but her stomach isn't great. Should I make it spicy or not?]
Me: [Try something mildly spicy, like tomato beef stew or yam and pork rib soup.]
Alexander: [Okay.]
[System: The user has tipped you 200,000 dollars.]
I was clutching my phone, rolling around on the bed, couldn't stop laughing.
Who would've thought Alexander was such a stone-faced sweetheart?
*****
When I got home from work, I caught a whiff of something burnt.
There was a whole racket coming from the kitchen.
I peeked in and saw Alexander Shaw in a pink Hello Kitty apron, frowning at a pot belching black smoke.
His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off those well-defined forearms. His bangs were damp with sweat, and his gold-rimmed glasses were all fogged up.
"Need a hand?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe, trying not to laugh.
He stiffened for a second, then turned off the stove like nothing was wrong. "No, just wait outside."
"But the pot's burnt."
"It's caramelized."
"Caramelized is brown, not black."
Alexander went quiet for a couple of seconds, then dumped the mystery contents of the pot into the trash.
"First time I messed up.
"The next dish will be better."
I watched him chop up the veggies, light the stove, and start stir-frying. He was a bit clumsy, but totally focused.
Ten minutes later, the tomato beef stew was done.
It actually looked pretty good, with shiny red sauce clinging to tender beef and a mouthwatering smell filling the air.
I took a bite, my eyes lighting up. "This is delicious!"
Alexander Shaw's lips curled into a tiny smile. "Yeah, have some more."
"When did you learn to cook?"
"Last night."
I was shocked. "Weren't you working late last night?"
"I watched a few cooking tutorials during my video call."
I was speechless.
So he was in a meeting, listening to his team's reports, and secretly learning to cook at the same time?
Just picturing that scene made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy.
*****
From that day on, I started dishing out all sorts of crazy advice to Alexander, still rocking my "Relationship Guru" disguise.
Alexander was honestly the most obedient student ever. No matter what I said, he'd just hit me with an "Okay" and then carry it out like it was gospel.
That gave me a massive sense of achievement, and made me even more daring.
I was sprawled out in bed, mindlessly scrolling, when a shopping app flashed a wolf ear headband at me. Instantly, a mischievous idea popped into my head.
I switched back to my alt and shot Alexander a message: [Wanna try something a bit spicier?]
Alexander replied in a heartbeat: [What?]
Me: [Girls love it when you go from all serious to a little wild. You're always so buttoned-up. Sometimes you gotta let loose.]
Alexander: [Like what?]
I typed, biting my lip, my ears burning: [Like, maybe wear wolf ears in bed.]
As soon as I sent it, regret hit me like a truck.
This is way over the top. No way Alexander would actually agree to this.
The guy who buttons his shirt all the way to the top. Asking him to wear wolf ears is basically asking him to run naked down the street.
But Alexander just shot back with one word: [Okay.]
I stared at that reply, totally stunned for three seconds.
Did he just say yes?
He really said yes!
That night, after I finished my shower, I walked out to find the bedroom lit up with warm, sexy lighting.
Alexander was sitting on the edge of the bed, rocking a black tank top that showed off his toned body.
Then I looked at his head and covered my mouth, almost letting out a scream. A pair of fluffy black wolf ears was sitting quietly in his hair.
Alexander looked up at me, his eyes dark and bottomless.
His voice was even huskier than usual.
"Do I look good?"
My legs went weak, and I almost couldn't stand.
"Y-Yeah, you look good."
He stood up and walked toward me, step by step.
The wolf ears swayed gently with his movements, and paired with that cold, abstinent face of his, the contrast was absolutely killer.
My mind went completely blank.
Is this really my cold, aloof husband?
That night, I finally understood what "inviting the wolf into the house" really meant.
Alexander was like a whole new person, wild and rough, with those wolf ears on. They made me feel embarrassed and excited at the same time.