The Jealous Husband

"Alright, I was wrong," Alex conceded, sitting down on the edge of the bed. 

Mark, still angry, kicked Alex, his eyes red from crying. 

"But I'm hurt, wife," Alex responded, his voice low and filled with frustration, but there was a note of resignation in it. 

"So what if you're hurt? I'm hurt too!" Mark's tears began to fall again, this time out of sheer frustration. 

Alex opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it, realizing that he was indeed at fault. It was only right that Mark was angry with him. Understanding this, Alex's own anger dissipated, and he simply watched as Mark cried.

When Mark noticed Alex staring at him, he turned away to wipe his tears, refusing to look at him. His eyes were red from crying, and Alex's heart ached as he reached out to wipe Mark's tears away.

"Don't touch me! Can't you see I'm still mad?" Mark swatted Alex's hand away, glaring at him through tear-filled eyes.

Despite himself, Alex couldn't help but smile a little. His wife was cute even when angry, not at all fierce.

"And you're still laughing!" Mark immediately kicked Alex again, his demeanor shifting back to fierce.

"Alright, alright, I won't laugh. It's my fault. I deserve it," Alex said with a smile, raising his hands in surrender. Even though Mark was crying, Alex couldn't help but find him irresistibly adorable, which was why he couldn't stop himself from smiling.

"Is that an apology? You're just laughing at me!" Mark pounded on Alex's chest, still dissatisfied.

Alex let Mark hit him without trying to dodge. Once Mark had tired himself out, Alex gently took his hand, rubbing it soothingly. "Did you hurt your hand?"

"You're as hard as a rock. Of course my hand hurts," Mark snapped, though the anger in his voice had lessened.

Alex, noticing this, grinned even wider. His crying wife was a hundred times more endearing than usual.

"Don't cry anymore, okay?" Alex softly coaxed, entwining his fingers with Mark's and gazing at him with affection.

Mark sniffled, not saying anything at first. After a while, he looked up at Alex and complained, "You just don't care about my feelings at all, do you?"

"It's my fault," Alex said, his voice full of regret as he gently stroked Mark's tear-stained face before leaning in to place a light kiss on his eyelid.

Hearing Alex's apology made Mark's sense of grievance overwhelm him, and he started crying even harder, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably.

Alex panicked immediately, fumbling as he tried to wipe Mark's tears and comfort him. "Please don't cry, wife. What if your eyes get damaged? Then you won't be able to see me anymore."

"Who wants to look at you? You always bully me, and then you don't even admit it. And even if you don't admit it, you still push your luck. I tell you to stop, but you don't listen!" Mark sobbed, listing off Alex's many faults, each complaint making him cry even harder.

"It's all my fault. Next time, I'll definitely listen to you. I swear," Alex said hurriedly, raising his hand as if making an oath.

Mark wiped his tears and glared at Alex skeptically, clearly not believing him. Alex had never really listened to him before.

"Kyle's man is so much better than you. He's gentle and considerate, and he listens to Kyle. But you, you don't listen to me at all and just keep manipulating me. You're not even human," Mark vented his frustration, kicking Alex to release his anger.

At first, Alex had been in a good mood, but as soon as Mark mentioned Richa, his tender expression disappeared, replaced by a cold look.

"So what you're saying is that you prefer that jerk over me?" Alex's voice was laced with anger, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Who wouldn't want a husband who's gentle? I don't like being mistreated," Mark retorted without explaining further, adding fuel to the fire.

Alex's face grew colder, his anger clearly rising. The idea that a competitor had appeared out of nowhere was something he couldn't accept. "From now on, you're not allowed to visit Kyle anymore," Alex said with a firm tone.

"Huh? Why should I listen to you? Besides, Kyle is my cousin. What's wrong with visiting him?" Mark was baffled by Alex's sudden anger. Shouldn't he be the one who was mad?

"Do you like older men?" Alex suddenly blurted out, still fuming.

Mark's mouth twitched in disbelief. How had the conversation turned into a question about his supposed preference for older men?

"Is your brain broken?" Mark asked, genuinely concerned as he reached out to touch Alex's forehead, checking to see if he had a fever.

But there was no fever, so why was Alex acting so strange? Wait, isn't Alex also older than me? Even if he's not that old, he's still older!

Mark was at a loss for words, not sure how to respond.

"What's wrong with you? Did something dirty possess you?" Mark muttered, still puzzled.

Alex continued to glare at him in silence, making Mark feel increasingly uneasy. He had no idea that his earlier anger had completely disappeared, and he was back to his normal self.

"Say something, damn it!" Mark yelled, smacking Alex out of frustration. The silent, brooding look Alex was giving him was starting to creep him out.

But Alex still didn't speak. His brows furrowed as if he were deeply contemplating something, staring at Mark like he was trying to figure out if he was lying.

"What's wrong with you?!" Mark shouted again, feeling more and more unsettled by Alex's intense silence.

"You won't let me touch you because of that guy?" Alex finally spoke, his voice still tense with anger.

"Huh? What does this have to do with him? If you're going to blame someone, at least find a better excuse," Mark snapped, annoyed and confused.

"Are you sure you don't like him?" Alex pressed, his voice tight with barely restrained anger.

"I don't like him," Mark answered firmly, yelling his response before giving Alex a sharp glare.

This is ridiculous. What's gotten into him? Mark thought angrily, but then he paused, realizing something. Wait… is he jealous?

Mark's eyes widened in surprise as he finally understood what was going on. He covered his mouth, shocked, and his face turned red.

Holy crap, he's actually jealous?

Mark was secretly thrilled, his earlier anger and frustration evaporating. Even though he was slightly annoyed by Alex's cold demeanor, the fact that he was jealous made Mark's heart soar.

God, if you're jealous, just say so! Why do you have to act all cold and distant? Mark thought, feeling a mix of exasperation and delight.

Seeing Mark suddenly in a good mood, Alex was confused. Especially since Mark's face was now flushed with a soft pink hue.

What's going on? Alex wondered, but since Mark wasn't angry anymore, maybe he still had a chance?

"Wife," Alex's voice turned husky as he called out to Mark.

Mark's face turned even redder when he heard Alex's tone. He hesitated for a moment, clearly torn, but eventually sighed.

"Just make sure you take care of your wounds afterward," Mark murmured, looking away in embarrassment.

Alex's lips curved into a wide smile. "Of course, I'll do whatever you say."

Whether it was because Alex was being more obedient or because his voice was just too damn seductive, Mark's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of his chest.

Outside the door, Howard leaned against the wall, smoking a cigarette as he gazed out at the night sky. The noises coming from inside the room didn't surprise him in the least, and he remained calm, exhaling a puff of smoke.

He had originally come up to return Mark's phone but had arrived at the wrong time.

Howard's phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. He reached for it, glanced at the screen, and saw that it was his mother calling. She wanted to know why he hadn't come home, mentioning that her friend's son had been waiting for him.

Howard replied that he was busy and would come home when he could, then slipped his phone back into his pocket, turning his attention back to the window as he smoked.

The cool evening breeze tousled his hair, adding a touch of mystery to his already enigmatic presence, making anyone curious enough want to find out more.