My Arranged Marriage Husband Was A Beast In Disguise Chapter 05

My Arranged Marriage Husband Was A Beast In Disguise Chapter 05

After that, I backed off. No more bossing Arthur around. 

No more snapping at him for sport. I hadn’t even explained myself before Arthur started coming apart. 

“Darlin‘, why are you ignorin‘ me? Am I breathin‘ too loud? I can hold my breath for a bit.” 

“Let me handle all that I’m built for it, I won’t get tired. 

Your hands are too soft for dishwater.” 

“You should yell at me a little bit. Or… smack me around a little, that’s fine too. You haven’t said a word all day, and it’s 

killin‘ me. I feel all hollow inside.” 

Sometimes I genuinely worried about how this man was wired. 

He was only four years younger than me. How did he still manage to sound like a lost puppy every time he opened his 

mouth? 

Staying home meant more exposure to… whatever this was, so I started going out to shop. 

I didn’t exactly have friends. Never had. My personality made 

sure of that. 

Arthur used to trail behind me carrying bags. Now that I couldn’t drag him along, I hired three guys to carry my bags 

instead. 

I got ready to head out. Arthur lingered in my doorway like he wanted to say something. 

He waited until I finished my makeup before he worked up the 

nerve. 

“You’re all dressed up to go out?” 

“No I mean, you look great, you should. I just… there’s a lotta weirdos out there, so come home early, okay? I’ll leave the light on. I’ll keep it on all night.” 

I barely took it in. 

Not long after, my phone rang. Arthur. 

“Hey, darlin‘? You havin‘ fun out there? Everything good?” 

“Yeah, that’s fine, long as you’re havin‘ a good time. Don’t 

worry about me.” 

“I’m… I’m doin‘ just fine here. I’ve been talkin‘ to the robot 

vacuum. It spins in circles better than I do.” 

I made a few noncommittal noises and hung up. 

One of the guys carrying my bags grinned. “Valerie, is Arthur checking up on you?” 

Another one leaned in. “Must get pretty suffocating at home, huh? Bet you’re way happier out here with us.” 

I smiled but didn’t bite. I knew a hustle when I saw one. 

Midway through my shopping spree, I ducked into the restroom. When I came back out, there was a familiar figure standing next to the three of them. 

Arthur? 

Again with the stalking? 

I caught their voices as I got closer. 

Arthur had squared up, jaw tight. “Y’all think you’re somethin‘, huh? Walkin‘ around dressed like that, runnin‘ your mouths. Keep it up and I swear I’ll-” 

The three of them stood shoulder to shoulder, clearly unable to make out half of what he was saying. But all that wounded–husband energy made the message pretty clear. 

One of them – the cocky one – smirked. “If you can’t keep 

your own wife happy, don’t blame her for looking somewhere 

else.” 

Another one piled on. “Seriously, look at you. No wonder 

Valerie keeps calling us.” 

Arthur had his back to me. I couldn’t see his face. 

But I could hear his voice – cracked open and small. 

“Please,” he choked out. “Y’all gotta stop flirtin‘ with my 

wife.” 

I stood behind him, completely frozen. What was I even watching?