Chapter 78 - Loudmouth

"Argh…"

The couple shifted their attention to the man who mumbled under his breath when the hot coffee fell on his shiny black shoes.

Alvin appeared apathetic. He would have been satisfied if Berwick had thrown the hot coffee on himself instead of his shoe. He watched his wife's overacting. 

"Oops… Vice-captain Thomas, are you alright? Did you burn yourself?" 

Alvin shook his head in his mind hearing the concern in her tone. It was obviously overacting. She will be calm as a Clam if she has to face a stranger in any situation. He couldn't understand why the stupid vice-captain didn't realize yet. 

Well, he didn't know he was one of them who identifies her act and finds her lies easily.

Berwick looked at the unemotional man and at the lady who was so kind and concerned about him. "Mrs. Collins, I am alright. It's just shoes..."

Anya apparently knew the vice-captain wanted to enter the ensuite so he was putting on drama. However, what's the fun in letting him have his way so easily without giving him some trouble?

The readers have forgotten she was mischievous though she doesn't show that side of hers to others.

She cut in before Berwick could ask their permission to use the bathroom, "Would you like to use some paper tissues?" She grabbed the tissue from the trolley and extended her hand towards him. She didn't forget to add, "The paper towels are best to absorb the liquid. Here you go."

Alvin had to purse his lips to avoid laughing out. He is aware of her cute side too, pity that she doesn't show it often. 

'Looks like my wife could read my mind.' He thought when looking at the speechless Berwick. He had just shown his dissatisfaction with coffee falling on the shoe. Now Berwick will have to stain his cloth by spilling the hot coffee on him. 

'Should I help the vice-captain?' He wondered.

Berwick realized he shouldn't wipe his shoe with water. He cursed himself in mind for not thinking it through. He thanked Anya when taking the tissue and dried his shoe. The coffee left no stain on his black shoe and the tissue absorbed all the moisture. The shiny surface looked dull, it could be cleared with shoe polish, not water.

The first plan misfired.

However his eyes glinted, he should wash his hands.

"Sanitizer?" Anya's sweet voice was melodious to the ears but Berwick gritted his teeth. 

'Is she doing it on purpose?' He examined her face and she innocently looked at him. Cursing her and himself, he extended his palm, got a pea size of sanitizer drops, and rubbed his hands.

"Let me serve you. Have a seat." She said reaching the trolley. She just has to dissolve the sugar cubes and hand them the cups.

'Time to help.' Alvin knows Anya won't spill the coffee on Berwick so he stood up and held her arms from behind, "My dear wife, let your husband do the work. You just sit and enjoy." His over-indulgent voice was sweeter than honey.

Anya could bet she just blushed before ignoring his words. This man was driving her crazy instead of the troubles. Seeing him voluntarily choosing to work, she was sure he was up to something.

Alvin made her sit, then he again covered her legs with a comforter. In refined movements, he picked her cup, made sure the sugar was dissolved, and handed her, "Here you go."

Anya forced a gentle smile awkwardly, "Thank you…" Then she quickly looked at the cup. Faking a smile for so long is so difficult.

"Anything for you, my dear wife." He flashed a sexy smirk when their eyes met.

Anya who felt her heart skip a beat: "..."

Why was she craving to kick this man? 'Anya, you can bear with this.' She boosted herself.

Berwick: "..."

'Am I invisible to these two?' He highly doubted that.

Alvin then took Berwick's cup and vaguely stirred the liquid with a spoon. Every cell on his face screamed of his annoyance. He placed the spoon down and extended his hand stiffly. 

Berwick looked at the man who flips his image of doting husband to an overbearing, mannerless man so frequently. What could he do? He could only clench his teeth and bear with him. He had to stand up and take a step to reach the cup.

Suddenly an idea flashed in Berwick's mind. He thought to shake the cup while receiving it from Alvin and let the coffee spill over his skin. He could then use ensuite. However Berwick had just touched the saucer, Alvin pushed to the cup on his hand. 

"Ahhh…"

He, Alvin Matthews served only one person a coffee, Anya Owen. How dare the Vice-captain think he could be lucky? Alvin made sure all the liquid poured on Berwick's hand.

'Thud,' The cup fell on the carpeted floor.

Anya: "..."

She just knew it. Alvin being a gentleman to others could only be in her dream. Even after pouring the whole glass, Alvin stood as if Berwick was in the wrong for not holding the saucer on time.

Berwick groaned feeling his skin burn. The coffee was outside for a long time yet his hand turned all red. He couldn't imagine what would have happened if it was freshly brewed. Though spilling the coffee on himself was the plan, this was too much.

Anya stood up, placing her cup on the coffee table. She hurried the vice-captain, "Please use the ensuite. I will see if there is any medicine." She saw him rush to the ensuite for his hand, rather than thinking of his plan. 

She shifted her focus on Alvin. She grabbed his hand and took the saucer away. She wasn't sure if the hot coffee spilled on his hand. She pulled some tissue, dried the back of his hand where she saw the dots of coffee stains on his skin. Then she grabbed the ice cube from the ice bowl that was in the trolley and rubbed it over backhand.

Alvin silently watched her. He wasn't scalded. Those drops weren't hot enough to burn the skin. He let her be busy with his left hand while he shoved his right hand into his pants pocket.

In the moment of anxiousness, an important task had slipped off her mind. He used the mobile in his pocket without the need to check the screen. 

Her back was facing the camera that was at the table lamp. Alvin was in front of her covering her from another camera. So she spoke in a low voice. "When we don't know the intention of the people for doing some job, we don't have to make it more difficult for them." 

She irritated Berwick but it had a limit. She might hurt him if he dared to hurt them. However, Berwick was trying to find the root cause when he could have made their time on ship miserable.

Alvin heard her. He wasn't like her. He could never be like her. What she learned in her life was in stark contrast to how he grew up. He would rather make such people's life a living hell so that they don't threaten his life. After all, such people could kill somebody for their benefit.

He took the ice cube from her hand and dropped it on a plate. He dried her damp cold palm with a tissue while asking, "Are you being forced to do something?" He seriously asked. If she was trying to understand such people, he doubted if she was in any such difficult situation.

Anya looked at him. She could guess he already knew she was doing something other than working as an assistant general secretary. She wasn't sure how far he might have guessed. Anyway, she promptly responded, "Nope." She had accepted the job like a fool. 

Then she blamed him, "What I am forced to do is, being your wife on the ship." She pitifully pouted trying to guilt-trip him.

Alvin ignored her last words and he didn't feel like she lied to him. Yet he added, "Talk to me if there is anything as such." If her parents and son are in a safe place, nobody could force her to do anything. He was aware of that.

'That loudmouth.' He had forgotten Krystle Lewis who was also important for 'his wife.'

Anya bit her tongue. If she tells him she is an officer, he will have to throw her into the ocean because she was going to summon Alvin, Linus, and Bernard in front of the chief justice to face the law.

Throwing the tissue, Alvin gently pinched her soft cheek and teased, "If you agree to be my wife, I don't have to force you."

Aware that he was countering her words, she pointed to the floor, "Get on knees and propose." Then she half shrugged her shoulders putting on a fake haughty air, "Then I will think whether you fit my standards."

Instead of getting angry, he laughed seeing her act so cute. 

Anya sighed internally. Their first day was already filled with so much drama, she didn't know how they were going to survive two more days. Suddenly her eyes widened, "Oh Damn… Alvin…" She looked around for his mobile.

Alvin expected her to relax around him and forget some of the tasks but this woman was a hard nut. Should he be happy he was able to distract for a few seconds? 

Turning her to face him, he calmly instructed, "Breathe…"

"Oh…" She guessed he had done the job.

Alvin couldn't understand why she holds breath whenever she has to do something quickly or the work is straining or forgets something. "I said breathe." He commanded.

Anya nodded and breathed out the air she was holding. 

'Wait… did I just get scolded for holding my breath?'

Anya: "..."

From the time she was around him, she was feeling like breathing was a tenacious job as he keeps reminding her that she holds breath often.

'Why do I hold my breath? Ugh… I should fix this.' 

"How did you know I was holding my breath?" She couldn't guess whether he was holding his breath or not. So how does he identify hers so easily? 

Alvin explained as he gently pressed his fingers on her eyebrows and slightly lifted them. "You prop your eyebrows…" He was trying to widen her eyes when she pulled her face away. "... Widen your eyes like a cat and stiffen your face." He poked her forehead and sat down. 

Anya: "..."

She will surely go crazy with this man around.

Ignoring the topic, she sat down and engaged them in a heated debate in a low voice, "Do you think he will check our luggage?"

Alvin turned to her, supported his elbow on the headrest of the couch, and leaned his head on his fist. She anticipated his response when that question didn't need an answer. She was smart enough to think through, yet she was trying to make him speak. Unsurprisingly, he doesn't mind speaking nonsense with her.

"Will he be stupid enough to touch our things?"

"He could easily lie to us anyway."

On the screen behind the camera, the duo was looking like a lovey-dovey couple, sitting close to each other and whispering sweet-nothings.