Part 84

84

"Now, tell Daddy what's been bothering you? For the past few days, I've seen you looking gloomy and as if you have many thoughts," Carlos said, holding Chelsea in his arms.

Chelsea took a deep breath, closed her eyes tightly, and prepared to share what had been troubling her. Although Carlos had never blamed her for the loss of their unborn child about two months ago.

"They said I should be able to get pregnant after recovering from the miscarriage, but what's the reality? Up until now, I still haven't gained the trust to have another child, even though I've been hoping for it as an apology to you."

"An apology for what? Daddy has never blamed you for the loss of our unborn child. What happened before was purely due to Daddy's carelessness in not being able to protect you. You and Margareth shouldn't have been in the same place at all. Daddy was so forgetful and neglectful that you almost lost your life. To be honest, if asked, Daddy would even be grateful to have lost our unborn child because Daddy can still hold you until now. And for a replacement, Daddy is sure that they will come at the right time." Carlos caressed Chelsea's still-flat stomach.

He knew his wife longed for a child, but unfortunately, fate had not allowed it yet. So, they could only pray and keep hoping that someday Chelsea would be given the chance again to be pregnant.

"But I'm afraid that you might be disappointed in me. Honestly, ever since the miscarriage, I've felt like I'm no longer perfect as a wife."

"Perfect in what way?" Carlos lifted Chelsea's chin, giving her a brief kiss on her lips. "There's no more perfection I want from you because you've already exceeded that word. So, what else do you want to make me happy? Never think that you have any flaws because, honestly, I don't see any flaws in you."

"Dad, but I really..."

"Enough, dear. Someday, God will surely give you the chance to take care of our child again. Whenever that happens, we can only wait and try. While waiting, how about you get active again at the university? I'll take care of everything."

"Then, if I get pregnant, will I take another leave?" Chelsea wanted to confirm Carlos's wish because she couldn't just take leave and study at her own pace as if her husband owned the university.

"It depends. If your pregnancy doesn't interfere too much or you're in good health with no worries, you don't need to take leave. You can take maternity leave when the time comes. Moreover, last time, Daddy asked for leave because no one knew that my wife belonged to me since we held the wedding reception. That means everyone already knows that you have a husband, and whenever you get pregnant, it certainly won't be strange gossip anymore."

Chelsea pulled her lips' corners, hugging Carlos tightly. "I can't find the words anymore to express my love for you, Daddy."

"Likewise, dear. There are no words that can describe how happy I am to have you now. If it weren't for an important meeting this morning, I would have gone to the office a bit later than usual."

"In that case, let me meet you at the office. It's been quite a while since we were alone there."

"Before lunchtime, come to the office."

"Okay, it's a deal, my dear," Chelsea said, tightening her embrace around Carlos. She didn't want to be away from her husband, even if it was just for a few seconds.

In another room, Alexa sat on the edge of the bed, watching Vano get ready to go to campus.

"Can you come home earlier than usual today?"

Vano turned to his wife. "It doesn't seem likely, but if you don't mind, you can come to the office because I have some work to finish this evening, and the reports need to be sent to Daddy tomorrow morning. Instead of bringing work home, it's better to finish it at the office first. How does that sound?" Vano offered a compromise, trying to find a balance for himself and Alexa. He admitted that he spent a lot of time away from home, and their time together was limited.

And it wasn't suitable for a loveless marriage. However, Alexa was willing to fight against time to perfect their marriage. She accepted all the advice given by Chelsea, and now, slowly, Alexa began to fear losing Vano.

She felt a hint of jealousy when Vano interacted too much with Chelsea.

"Alright, then I'll visit you at the office."

"I'll send you the address or share the location, so you can just follow the coordinates."

"Okay, Van," Alexa replied softly. She still wanted to spend more time with her husband, but she couldn't ask for too much because she knew that she was just a replacement wife.

"That's how it is when our husbands go to work. It feels empty, but as a wife, we have to make an effort to understand all of it," Chelsea said before sitting down next to Alexa. Now, both of them were on the house's terrace.

Alexa glanced briefly at Chelsea and offered a smile. "You're right," she replied briefly, seemingly uninterested in discussing anything with Chelsea.

"Do you have an appointment with Vano? If not, why don't you come to Daddy's office with me?"

"I do have an appointment with Vano. He asked me to come to the office later this afternoon."

"Alright, in that case, I'll head to Daddy's office first. And if I may give you some advice, bring a change of clothes to Vano's office. Take him with you to stay there for a while or rest in a hotel. You both need some time to get closer to each other," Chelsea rubbed Alexa's arm. "Let me know where you'll be staying, and I'll send you a special gift. Promise me you'll use it wisely."

Alexa's eyebrows furrowed. She didn't understand the meaning behind Chelsea's words, and she wanted to ask. However, Chelsea had already left without giving her a chance to inquire further.

Vano was tempted to stop right there. After all, he already had a company that could guarantee his future livelihood. However, considering the time and effort he had already invested, he decided to continue working on his thesis. Summarizing his research, proposing a title again, resubmitting until it got approved, and then waiting for the comprehensive examination and graduation. He couldn't wait to hold the title of a bachelor in between his busy schedule as a company leader.

"I'm sure you'll get approved this time," Amber said after reading the final chapter of Vano's thesis. She felt tired too, managing Vano's thesis preparations, especially when she had to suppress her feelings of love every time she was near him.

"I hope so. It's tiring to revise, change the title, and photocopy back and forth. Luckily, I can do it at the office, so I don't have to queue at photocopy shops. Otherwise, I think I'd be stressed, Sis. I feel bad for my wife too. I've been so busy with this thesis, and we hardly talk. We can't even greet each other in the morning," Vano complained, exhaling heavily. His fatigue was evident from his facial expressions as he talked about his ongoing thesis.

Amber chuckled at Vano's grumbling. He complained about the never-ending thesis, even though the schedule had been set. If he didn't complete it, he'd have to wait for a new schedule, and he wanted to spend time with Alexa. Despite his seeming indifference, deep down, Vano truly longed to be alone with her.

"Please submit this to the dean. I'm sure there'll be good news tomorrow." Amber handed over the thesis she had helped Vano with. Vano's lips curled as he noticed no corrections or comments.

"While there's still time, and it's just a submission away, you better not go home tonight with her."

Vano rubbed his neck, feeling a bit awkward due to Amber's remarks. For some reason, he had been talking about Alexa to her in the past few days, receiving lots of advice. This day seemed to be particularly interesting for Vano. He also checked his phone to see Alexa's schedule at the hospital.

Today, his wife had a day off, but he had work at the office. Tomorrow, Alexa would be working the afternoon shift, which meant they had a few hours they could spend together.

"After this, there's nothing else on your schedule, right, Sis?" Vano double-checked his schedule to ensure there were no more campus-related matters to attend to.

"No, there isn't. Just meet the dean tomorrow."

"In that case, I'll take my leave now, Sis. Thank you for all your help."