Chapter 2

Leah's Pov

The following morning, as I sat in the dining room, waiting for Axel to come home, my mind raced with thoughts of reasoning things out with him. Perhaps he would reconsider; after all, I couldn't fathom leaving behind a marriage that I had grown so accustomed to over the years.

My contemplation was suddenly interrupted by the honking of a car outside. I quickly rose and was shocked to see Axel walk in with a lady.

Axel was 199cm tall, towering over the room, and was dressed in a casual white sweater paired with black pants. His eyes, blue as the ocean, gave him an unparalleled allure. The lady standing beside him, despite appearing slightly unwell, radiated a quiet beauty. At 160cm tall, her hair flowed down her waist like a waterfall, and she was wearing a white knee-length gown. As Axel gently guided her into the house, they looked like a match made in heaven.

"Axel," I called out, my eyes brimming with tears. Watching the man I had shared a bed with, caring for another lady was a heart-wrenching experience.

Axel and the lady, whom I guessed was Louisiana due to her pale complexion, looked at me.

Louisiana smiled and said, "Oh, you must be Leah," as she slowly walked towards me. "Axel told me a lot about you." I looked past her and towards Axel, who looked away, fondling with the luggage in his hand, his thoughts unknown.

Louisiana continued, "Thank you so much, Leah, for caring for Axel all these years. Hope you don't mind me staying here for a short period. I had wanted to go back to my condo, but Axel," she paused, looking at Axel playfully, "insisted I come here. He has always been worried about me since we were little."

My ears stung as I continued listening to Louisiana speak about her and Axel's relationship. Axel sighed and held her waist, saying, "You must be tired, Lousi. Let's go upstairs so you can rest." Louisiana playfully hit his shoulders and bid me farewell before ascending the staircase with Axel.

As they went up, I suddenly blurted out the question that had been bothering me, "Axel," I called out. Axel paused in his footsteps but didn't turn back. I continued, "Are you sure you don't love me?"

Axel turned back and said coldly, "I don't" Axel's cold words pierced through me. "What happened between us was merely an agreement, and that agreement has come to an end."

I felt broken. The last ounce of hope I held onto had been shattered. Axel wasn't done yet. He continued, "You can pack your things and leave. Louisiana needs to recuperate properly without disturbance."

My fists tightened around my gown. Was I disturbing Louisiana?

I looked at Axel, tears brimming in my eyes, and slowly nodded my head as I made my way to the door, hoping that Axel would call me back.

1... 2... 3...

"Wait" Axel said.

My heart leaped to my throat as I turned around sharply, thinking excitedly to myself, "See, Axel still loves me."

Axel looked at me calmly and said, "Leah, Louisiana will be staying in the master bedroom. You forgot to pack your things. I don't want memories of you still lingering there, Miss Leah Thompson."

His words felt like a knife through my heart. Memories of me?

I wasn't used to being called by my maiden name by Axel; it hurt so much that my tears threatened to spill.

I looked at Axel and slowly said, "I didn't bring anything with me when I came, so I am not taking anything away with me." I steeled my heart, realizing that Axel had never loved me from the beginning. "Besides, I don't want memories of you with me, Mr.....Axel.....Russo."

Axel's gaze flickered, and it seemed like he was not expecting me to call him by his full name. But he quickly hid it and said harshly, "Then please leave."

Suddenly, Louisiana spoke weakly, "Oh no, Axel. Don't talk to Leah that way." She walked towards me and said, "I am so sorry, Leah. Axel has always been so cold, but he didn't mean it."

She held my hands and moved closer, whispering, "What he actually meant was that a lowlife like you can't be his wife."

She stepped away from me and looked at me smugly,

Anger welled up within me, and I pushed her away, making her land on the floor. "Oh!" Louisiana screamed, Axel was shocked and rushed to her side. "I'm so sorry, Axel," Louisiana said, tears in her eyes. "I'm sure Leah didn't mean it. She was just angry, that's all. Don't be angry, please."

I waited for Axel's judgment. He clenched his fists and said, "Leah, please leave before I call security."

Feeling a mix of emotions, I looked at them and walked away without saying another word.

********

It was already dusk by the time I arrived at City H. I stood in front of the rows of houses in the familiar neighborhood. Standing in front of a house, I pressed the doorbell.

After a few moments, an elderly lady, her white hair parked in a bun and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, opened the door. It was my mother.

"Ma," I said in a trembling voice. Tears threatened to spill as she looked at me. "Leah!" she exclaimed happily, pulling me into a tight hug. I hugged her tightly, taking in the familiar aroma of freshly baked cheesecake emanating from her.

it had been five whole years, seeing my mom again brings an undescribable joy into my heart.

She dragged me inside and exclaimed, "Honey, honey, look who is here!"

I felt my mother encircling me, asking questions excitedly, but I kept my quiet, unable to reply.

"What's all the fuss, woman?" My dad said, holding a garden scissor as he walked into the living room and stared at me. "Pa," I said, silently greeting him.

He dropped the scissors and clapped his hands, "You are back!" he said cheerfully, "See, woman? I told you the marriage wouldn't even last six years. It's just the fifth year and she is already back. I win the bet."

I looked at my parents with sadness. I had married Axel, without my father's consent, and seeing that they had bet on the duration of my marriage, made me sad. I lowered my head and fiddled with the hem of my gown. My mom, sensing my discomfort, said, "Come on, Joseph, it was just a bet. You should welcome Leah home happily."

My dad snorted and sat on his favorite peach sofa in the room. "Should I take drummers and dance around the whole province just because a daughter who got married without my consent came back?" My dad paused and eyed me.

My mom sighed and sat beside me. "Joseph, you know that all she did was for you," she said, gently patting my head.

My dad snorted and said, "Did I ask her to do it for me?"

I felt heartbroken seeing my dad's nonchalant behavior. I had gotten married without his consent, but I had to do it to save my family.

My mom lashed out at him and said angrily," Then she should have let you die and not do anything?!”

My dad snorted again, this time placing his foot above the other, "Who told her to save me? Oh!" My dad rolled his eyes, "she wanted to play a guardian angel, protecting her child."

My tears rolled down my eyes, "Pa," I said in a whisper, "I am sorry I left without bidding you goodbye."

"Thank God you knew you left without bidding me goodbye," my dad snorted.

My mom helped me to wipe my tears, "it's okay, baby," she said.

She looked at my dad and scolded angrily, "Joseph, how can you be ungrateful to Leah? This child has been filial to you all her life. She dropped out of college after you lost your job and had to work so many part-time jobs just to care for the family. She had never been selfish with her money, and this house,"

my mom paused and continued, "Leah bought it after working for two months non-stop at a summer camp downtown. She wanted us to have a home called our own.

And you, Joseph," my mom stopped and pointed at my dad, "when you were diagnosed with heart disease and needed immediate treatment, Leah took the burden. She didn't even mind getting married to a total stranger and acting as a replacement for someone else just because they look alike. After being paid, she didn't even take a dime out of the money and paid for your surgery."

My mom was already crying by now. My dad kept quiet, looking at me.

My mom sat, placed her hands on her face, and sobbed, "she had to get married to a total stranger because of you."

Dad sighed and said, "okay, I am sorry. He looked at me and said in a nonchalant manner. "Welcome home, Leah. May I ask what brought you here?"

I looked at my dad and said in a whisper, "Louisiana is awake."

Mom looked at me and asked, "Who the hell is Louisiana?"

I replied, "She is Axel's childhood sweetheart. She got into an accident five years ago and was in a coma, so Axel had to get married to me so that he could keep his promise to Louisiana that he would wait for her and also get a strong foothold in the company, as the board of directors do not want a bachelor to lead the Russo Empire." i explained quietly.

As my family absorbed this revelation, my dad nodded in understanding. "So your marriage was based on an agreement?" he concluded. I nodded quietly in response, acknowledging the truth of his words.

My parents exchanged a knowing look, and my mom reached out to hold my hand, offering me reassurance. "It's okay, dear," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "That scumbag doesn't know what he lost."

"Well," Mom said, edging closer to me. "Do you remember Michael?"

I looked at them, feeling a sense of unease creeping in. "Who is Michael?" I asked, my concern growing.

Dad replied eagerly, "Michael is your childhood friend. He just came back from America and is now a doctor. He's been asking after you ever since he came back five years ago."

I nodded, recalling Michael from our childhood. Michael and I grew up in the same neighborhood and even attended the same high school. He left for the USA after high school to further his education, and we lost contact."

Dad said dreamily, "Oh, you should see him now. So handsome, well-refined, gentle, and intelligent. Besides, he's good at playing chess."

Mom and Dad continued praising Michael, and I finally understood where they were driving at. Gathering my thoughts, I took a deep breath before speaking, "Dad, Mom," I said.

"Yes, Leah," Mom said, blinking at me. "Will you consider him?" she asked me.

I hesitated for a moment before calmly saying, "I am pregnant."

"What?!!?" Dad and Mom exclaimed, wide-eyed.