Chapter 17: The Dark Side
Agatha blinked slowly. The shrill ringing of the phone woke her from her light sleep. She glanced at the digital wall clock on the nightstand which showed nine o'clock at night.
Agatha shifted under the thick blanket. Her hand instinctively touched her stomach. Magical. The high-dose painkiller Xavier gave her this afternoon was truly effective. The excruciating pain caused by the combination of her period and the side effects of her own deadly concoction was completely gone.
Agatha snorted with amusement remembering what happened earlier. She intended to prank Xavier with a stamina-boosting menu, but instead, she was the one who collapsed due to her own weapon backfiring.
She threw off the blanket and looked at her appearance. She was still wearing the dull gray plain cotton dress, the disguise costume she used to play a role when delivering the food earlier. The cheap dress was now terribly wrinkled. Her long, naturally wavy black hair, which she had tied carelessly earlier, was now sticking out messily in all directions.
The door opened suddenly. Xavier entered with wide strides. The man had put his expensive suit back on. He looked neat, smelled masculine, and radiated power. It was a stark contrast to Agatha who looked like a cinder girl who just woke up.
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty." Xavier kicked the foot of the bed lightly.
Agatha yawned widely, not maintaining her image at all. She sat leaning against the headboard while fixing her hair tie that was about to come loose.
"Do I have to wake up just to see your arrogant face?" asked Agatha with a hoarse voice.
"Hearing your words, it seems you have recovered," Xavier chuckled cynically. "You were the one who mixed that poison, Dear. Don't blame me if your stomach is as delicate as silk."
Xavier swept his wife's appearance from top to bottom with a sharp assessing gaze.
"You slept wearing that rice sack?" asked Xavier, pointing at Agatha's dull gray dress with his chin. "And that hair... is there a bird nesting in there?"
"This is a disguise dress suitable for playing a role, Mr. Billionaire. And this is called abstract art style," answered Agatha sarcastically while patting her messy head. "Not everyone sleeps wearing silk like you."
Xavier threw a large black paper bag onto Agatha's lap.
"Throw away those hobo clothes. I don't want my wife to look pathetic when walking beside me. Change quickly. We have business outside."
Agatha opened the bag. Inside was a knee-length black knit dress with a turtleneck design, a thick coat of the same color, and a pair of leather boots. Clothes clearly chosen for intimidation.
"You want me to be a display in a store window?" asked Agatha while lifting the dress.
"I want you to be an equal partner." Xavier leaned against the wardrobe, folding his arms across his chest. "Besides, black will disguise blood stains. Who knows, tonight we might need that."
Agatha smiled crookedly. "How romantic your date invitation is."
Agatha got off the bed. Without hesitation, she pulled the rubber band from her hair roughly until her wavy black hair fell loose. Then she pulled down the zipper of her gray dress. The shabby fabric fell to the floor, piling at her feet like an old skin being shed.
Xavier did not look away. His eyes sharpened instead, tracing the smooth back and curves of his wife's waist who was now only clad in black lingerie.
"Enjoying the view, Mr. Valois?" teased Agatha without turning, while picking up the new black dress.
"I already saw your neck and thigh this afternoon during our activity. The rest is left to imagination," answered Xavier casually, but his voice grew heavy holding back desire.
Agatha put on the dress. When the high-quality knit fabric touched her skin, the dress immediately clung like a second skin. The elastic material molded every curve of Agatha's body perfectly, accentuating her slender waist, her shapely hips, and her swelling chest. It was not just clothing. It was a declaration of war.
Agatha turned around. She combed her long wavy black hair with her fingers. The thick and shiny waves fell beautifully on her back and shoulders, framing her cold face.
"Save your imagination for something else," said Agatha coldly.
Her appearance changed completely. From the shabby village girl with a stomach ache, she transformed into a sexy and deadly queen of darkness.
Xavier stepped closer, picking up the black coat from the bed.
The man draped the thick coat over Agatha's shoulders. He tidied the collar, ensuring Agatha's beautiful body was fully covered from others' view, yet still looking dominant.
"You look like a woman who has the power to order others for yourself."
"I do," Agatha smirked.
Agatha stared at their reflection in the mirror. A matching couple wrapped in black and a dangerous aura.
"You are indeed a bastard with good taste," praised Agatha.
"Thank you, Dear," replied Xavier not wanting to lose.
They walked out of the CEO's room five minutes later.
The main office lights had been turned off, leaving a dimly lit corridor. However, the sound of a brush scrubbing and a bucket clashing against the corridor floor could be heard.
There, Viona was kneeling. The former sexy secretary was now wearing an oversized gray Office Girl uniform, similar to the color of Agatha's dress earlier. She was scrubbing the marble floor with a small brush. Her face was puffy from crying and her thick makeup ran messily.
Hearing footsteps, Viona looked up in shock.
"Mr. Xavier..." squeaked Viona. She hurriedly stood up, hiding her rough wet hands behind her back.
Viona's eyes widened when she saw Agatha.
The woman she insulted as filthy and pushed against the wall this afternoon now stood beside Xavier with a completely different appearance. The black knit dress wrapped Agatha's body perfectly, showing curves far more beautiful than Viona's. The wavy black hair Viona mocked earlier now fell loose and shiny.
"Madam..." Viona stammered. Her tongue was tied. The caste difference between them was now glaringly obvious.
Agatha stopped right in front of Viona. She glanced at the dirty mop bucket, then stared at Viona's face with a condescending look.
"Wow, new uniform?" asked Agatha with a painfully fake tone of admiration. "Suits you perfectly, Viona. Gray and pathetic."
Viona's face turned red with shame. "I... I am carrying out my punishment, Madam."
Agatha laughed a little, a cold laugh. "So funny. This afternoon you insulted my plain clothes and pushed me because you thought I was a beggar. Now look at you. Karma works fast, right Dear?"
Xavier stared at Viona flatly without emotion. "Frans said you were too stupid to be a secretary. So I thought your natural talent might be in sanitation."
Viona clenched her hands. Her pride was shattered, trampled by the couple in front of her.
Agatha took a step forward. Her expensive leather boot deliberately stepped on the part of the floor Viona had just scrubbed clean, leaving a distinct dirty footprint.
"Oops. Dirty again," said Agatha casually. "Scrub it again. Make sure it shines until I can see my reflection on this floor when I come later."
"Yes, Madam..." sobbed Viona quietly, kneeling back down and scrubbing the floor.
Agatha turned to Xavier, linking her arm with her husband's spoiledly but her gaze was sharp.
"Let's go, Dear. The smell of this floor cleaner is very cheap. My nose itches."
Xavier smirked, wrapping his arm around Agatha's slender waist possessively, enjoying the sensation of his wife's curves behind the knit dress. "Let's go. Don't get too close, your coat will smell later."
The two of them walked strolling toward the private elevator, leaving Viona gritting her teeth while scrubbing Agatha's footprint clearly printed there.
The couple entered the elevator. The door closed slowly, hiding the cruel smirks on both their faces.
"You are very cruel, Mrs. Valois," muttered Xavier as the elevator went down, his tone sounding proud.
"I learned from the best, Mr. Valois," replied Agatha calmly while flipping her wavy hair. "She deserved it."
They reached the VIP basement. Frans was waiting beside the armored SUV with the door open.
"Tonight will be long," said Xavier while gesturing for Agatha to enter first. "But at least we started it with fun entertainment."
Agatha sat on the leather seat, crossing her long legs.
"Tormenting arrogant people mentally is always fun," mumbled Agatha softly, her eyes glinting in the darkness of the car.
Xavier got in, sat beside her, and closed the door. The black car sped through the rainy Paris night, carrying a pair of monsters who might love each other in their own crazy way.