The following morning, I awoke alone in bed, unsure whether Heather had spent the night here. The neatly arranged side of my bed hinted that she might have chosen her daddy's villa instead. This is currently a concern for me. She has grown accustomed to constantly being with her father. What if Ivan needs to return to Manila for his job? My child would undoubtedly be saddened. Despite Ivan assuring that he'll stay here, I believe there will be a day when he must return for their company. "Good morning, how are you?" Lucinda inquired, having noticed my tears the previous night as she prepared breakfast. I responded with a subdued smile. "Ivan set up a tent last night. He and Heather slept in it," she informed me. That explains why my daughter didn't come up last night. I approached them at the back, the laughter of my husband and daughter filling the air as Ivan playfully tickled our child. Upon noticing my presence, they promptly got up, and Heather exclaimed, "Mommy!" "Hello, b
"You and your girlfriend always seem to be having disagreements."I glanced at my older sister, who had suddenly appeared behind me. I stood on the balcony, trying to regain composure after yet another argument with Maureen. It's always like this. It feels like just a week ago when we last fought.A sigh escaped me as I redirected my attention to the garden. I lifted the beer bottle in my hand to take a sip, deciding to remain silent. No words came to mind. What my sister said was true. It's always like this. Maureen's immaturity remains consistent; it feels as if she hasn't experienced any personal growth since we entered into a relationship years ago.Whenever we argue, I choose to ignore her because I don't want to say anything hurtful. Besides, the next day, she'll apologize to me.We're already adults, but it feels like she's still in high school, not maturing at all. But despite that, I love her. Everyone has flaws."Think about it while it's early. She's not the marrying type,
I was lazily sitting in the office when my friends arrived."If you want to know what she's up to, ask her, or better yet, investigate.""I'm not interested.""Don't deny it, Ivan. You can't hide anything from us. We can see that you're starting to care about your wife.""Your cellphone was also turned off. Was it because you're avoiding Maureen?""Well, good job!"***I got home at six in the evening, but Myla hadn't returned yet. Seated on the sofa, I silently surveyed the entire house. The pervasive quietness left me with a sense of solitude. Could this be the reason she doesn't stay here for long? She left early and was still away at this hour.I stood up, intending to go upstairs when the door opened. She was surprised to see me and mustered a forced smile."Good evening." Without asking if I had eaten, she ascended the stairs.Tsk!Feeling hungry, I decided to have dinner somewhere else. The next day, she arrived home even later."What time is it?" I asked irritably. It was alre
I dried my wet hands before answering my mother-in-law's call."Hello, Mom?""Dear, come to St. John's Hospital right away," she instructed as soon as I answered."Um, why, Mom?""We'll be waiting for you there. We're on our way," she abruptly ended the call providing no details, causing my anxiety to intensify.In my worry and haste, I reached for my wallet, which was resting on top of the refrigerator, without bothering to change my clothes.I felt that my mother-in-law's call held significant importance, and I hoped it wasn't delivering bad news.I hailed a taxi, and in under thirty minutes, I arrived at the hospital."Brother, what happened?" I inquired, addressing my husband's eldest sibling."It's Ivan—""What happened to him? What happened to my husband, brother?" I asked, tears streaming down my face as anxiety went through me and continued, "Where is he?""He's in the operating room; he had an accident after his car collided with a truck.""My God!" I covered my mouth and cou
Despite my desire to monitor Ivan closely, my mother-in-law and the rest of the family were adamant that I should return home to get some rest. They advised me to come back in the afternoon. Nevertheless, I found it difficult to rest at home, so I returned to the hospital before noon.I was surprised not to find Ivan in the ICU. Luckily, his mom called just in time, saying, "He woke up earlier, so we transferred him to a regular room."Thank you, my God!I quickly sought out the private room that my in-laws had prepared for Ivan. As I gently pushed the door open, Ivan's mother warmly welcomed me with an embrace, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.I expressed my gratitude to God for his recovery, relieved that Ivan was no longer on the verge of death. Despite this, I couldn't shake the sense of sorrow, knowing that our paths were drawing nearer to separation.I approached his unconscious form, gently caressing his hand and planting a kiss on his lips, grateful for t
Due to Ivan's condition, my father-in-law sent Maureen back home and advised her not to come here, as it would only worsen the situation. He mentioned that Ivan already had a wife, so she needed to distance herself from my husband. I was genuinely taken aback when she returned to the country. When Ivan and I got married, she was extremely upset and confronted me, pulling my hair forcefully. "You're a promiscuous person! A snake!" she repeatedly yelled in my face while I could do nothing but cry. Ivan embraced her and offered numerous apologies. They left the house, and Ivan returned home late at night. I had no idea what they did or what they discussed, but I had a fear in my heart that their relationship might persist even though we were already married. Especially since I knew we were only married on paper. All I had was a legal document, not his heart. A week after that incident, I received news that Maureen had flown to America with her family. Ivan had never visited that coun
"I'll use the toilet." After waiting for a minute, I slowly opened my eyes. I got up from the sofa and approached Ivan, assisting him as he got out of bed and guiding him to the toilet. I waited for him outside because it seemed like he was still uncomfortable with my presence. "Are you finished?" I asked from outside. "Yeah," he replied, prompting me to open the door. Once he was back in bed, I returned to the sofa, lying down. As I glanced in his direction, our eyes met once more. He was gazing at me. "How did we end up getting married?" he inquired. He seemed quite puzzled, as he had been asking this question repeatedly since waking up. I believed it was better for him to hear the truth from me rather than from Maureen. During their relationship, I had witnessed her rude behavior and often overheard her questioning why I would live with Ivan's family, wondering if I had no other relatives. She mentioned that she was uncomfortable with my presence and didn't trust me.Well, t
I carefully trimmed Ivan's fingernails on his hands and feet. I'm pleased that even though he's not entirely comfortable with me, he allowed me to do it. He remained quiet, only occasionally stealing glances in my direction. "There we go, all finished," I said with a smile. It's his third day in the hospital, and he may be discharged tomorrow. He gazed at me unwaveringly, prompting me to divert my eyes. "Um, are you hungry?" I inquired. He responded by shaking his head. "Do you want me to peel some fruit for you?" I asked, and he nodded slowly as if speech was a challenge for him. I peeled an apple and an orange, placing them in a bowl on the bedside table for him. As I went back to the sofa to organize some mess, he called for my attention. "Aren't you going to feed me?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "Your hands are improving, aren't they?" I replied. "It still hurts!" he complained. I wasn't certain if he was being truthful, but despite that, I approached him. To