Chapter 17 At My Husband's Friends' House 2

• Alice was a cheerful, energetic, and very friendly woman, making it easy for anyone around her to feel comfortable and keep smiling. I stayed silent listening to her as she started telling me about her house. The two of us got up from the sofa, my little one holding my hand as we followed Alice inside the house. She explained the renovations she had done, showing me the bedrooms, the office where she worked when at home, the bathrooms in each bedroom, before returning to the living room. My husband offered me a glass of wine, looking into my eyes intently. Alice and I sat on the sofa, my daughter holding onto my arm. I gave her a kiss on her beautiful cheek, feeling good because Alice and her husband made me feel welcome, and I was proud that my little one didn't want to leave my side. Besides, my husband seemed much more affectionate and warmer towards me, sitting next to me on the sofa, holding my hand and squeezing it with his hand resting on his knee, while talking to Alice's husband.
• After spending several hours in the living room, mostly the men talking, Alice's husband headed to the kitchen, entering the living room and placing the dishes on the table. I immediately got up, and so did his wife, to help them set the table. I felt my husband's arms wrap around my waist from behind, he moved my hair away from my neck, making me shiver with the warm kisses he was planting on my neck. I knew it was just a show for his family, playing the role of a loving husband perfectly, but the excitement I felt was real. I knew I was falling for a cold and calculating man. We enjoyed a delicious baked fish with a good French wine, moving to the porch after cleaning up. Alice and her husband wanted me to experience the pleasant afternoon sitting on the porch in hammocks, enjoying the breeze, a sweet dessert, and a good coffee. Alice asked me about my job as a lawyer, mentioning that Mark was also a lawyer. I tried to avoid the topic, focusing more on my daughter, but Mark answered Alice's questions and comments.
• "I had a small issue with a client who turned out to be Sofia's lawyer. But when I entered her office, ready to argue with this damn client's lawyer, I saw a beautiful woman behind the desk, forgetting for a moment why I was there," Mark said.