Chapter 2: I Am His Wife

“I said we have a deal, then.”

He went silent for a moment. The only thing I could hear was the ticking of the clock in the quiet room before he spoke again.

“Okay, Valentina...” he said in a mocking tone. “Oh, I mean Catherine. You’ve got a great brain on you.” I knew he said that just to piss me off.

“I don’t—” I was about to talk back when my phone started vibrating. “My brother is calling. Can hang up.”

“Once you’re ready to start, get back to me immediately. We can’t waste any time.”

“Sure, I will.” The line cut off.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. I reached for the clip in my hair, I pulled the clip from my hair and ran my fingers through it, letting the strands fall messy and loose around my face. I stared at the caller ID before answering.

“Hello, Catherine! How are you doing? You know I miss you so much and I hate it here. Are you doing okay? How is my brother-in-law? Are you at home right now?”

I laughed, my eyes welling up with tears just hearing my brother chattering away.

“I’m fine, silly. How are you?” I loved hearing him talk like this.

“I’m good. I’m about to go in for my last chemo tomorrow.”

I still remembered when he was first diagnosed with low-grade cardiac sarcoma. He had cried, saying how much he hated hospitals, and I couldn’t even be there beside him. I wished I could be with him all the time. Right now, I couldn’t even give him a hug.

“Miles, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there with you. I’m a terrible sister. I could—”

“Catherine, you are the best sister in the world,” he cut me off firmly. “When we had no money, you went out of your way to get everything for my treatment. And who said you weren’t there for me? Being there doesn’t mean you have to be physically present. You were there in every way a person could be.”

I covered my mouth to muffle my sobs, I blinked rapidly as tears spilled over my lashes.

“Catherine? Hey, don’t cry. You’re gonna make me sad.”

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. “I’m not crying, baby. I’ve just... cried enough today.” The words slipped out before I could stop them. I clamped my hand over my mouth, but it was already too late.

“What do you mean, cried enough for today? Who made you cry? Is it my brother-in-law? Don’t worry, Sis when I come home, I’ll make them all pay.”

He was already going through so much, I couldn’t burden him with the truth. “I was just missing Mom.” My voice was cracked, and I sniffled softly.

A small smile formed on Miles’s lips, his eyes sting he reached for his eyes to wipe the tears that haven’t even formed yet. “Don’t worry, Catherine. We’ll find her soon.”

I nodded to myself. Mom had entrusted Miles to me before she disappeared.

“Where is Nurse Kendra?” I asked, remembering the private nurse I had hired for him.

“I think she stepped out to grab something.” He cleared his throat. “So, Catherine... when am I finally gonna meet your husband?”

He had always wanted to meet Kealan, but I kept making up excuses that he was too busy, or away on a business trip.

“Soon, I told you he’s just really busy.” I hated lying to my brother, but I knew it would break his heart if he found out what my life was really like.

“Once I get better, tell him I want to meet the man who’s been taking care of my sister and has been paying for my treatment for three straight years.”

I could hear the sound of his door opening. “Who is there?”

“Nurse Kendra is back,” Miles said.

“You need to eat your dinner and take your meds, and you need to get to sleep early tonight,” I heard the nurse’s voice saying in the background.

“I’m coming right now, I’m on the phone with my sister.” The nurse dropped his food on the bed table and took out his meds from the bedside drawer.

“Go eat your dinner right now, and make sure you finish the entire plate, okay?”

“Sure thing, my lady,” he chuckled. “Okay. I’ll call you later.”

I hung up and pressed the phone tight against my chest. I couldn’t bear the thought of promising my brother something I know won’t happen.

After sitting alone for a long time, my stomach rumbled loudly. “I didn’t even have lunch.” I decided to head downstairs for some food.

When I reached the ground floor, I saw Valentina sitting by herself in the living room, watching a show while sipping red wine. I tried to walk right past her toward the kitchen.

“Hey, wait!” Valentina called out. I stopped and turned around.

“Oh, we really do look alike. No wonder my Kealan used you to fill the void I left.” A cruel smirk played on her lips.

I looked her up and down. For three years, I had been nothing more than a shadow of this woman. She was wearing a light pink and white dress, her hair styled in the exact soft curls I had wore for three years.

He really must love her. A tight, squeezing pain bloomed in my chest.

“Hey! Can’t you speak?” Valentina snapped her fingers right in front of my face.

I reached out and grabbed her hand, forcing it down away from my face. “You have no right to do that.”

Valentina chuckled, stepping closer until the distance between us vanished. “You sure I have no right, you imposter?”

She suddenly grabbed my chin, forcing my face up. “Pack your rags and get the hell out of here.”

I shoved her hand off me, making her stumble backward. “I’m sure you don’t know a single thing about me, Miss Valentina. And I suggest you don’t mess with me either.” I knew everything there was to know about her.

Suddenly, Valentina’s eyes darted toward the staircase. She had spotted Kealan standing at the edge of the steps.

“Kealan!” she gasped. She immediately rushed over and threw herself into his arms.

“Where did you find this girl?” she sobbed, burying her face against him. “She just threatened to kill me just now!” She clung to him even tighter.

“Catherine, Valentina is sensitive try to understand.” He said while patting her head gently.

I looked at Kealan. I wasn't expecting him to take my side anyway.

“I’m hungry. I’m going to the kitchen,” I said quietly, turning on my heel without waiting for either of them to respond.

I ate alone in the kitchen. Once I was finished, I tried to sneak back up to my room to avoid another confrontation with either of them.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” Valentina walked up, blocking my path.

“Miss, can you please just step out of my way?” I sighed, keeping my voice low.

Seeing she was refusing to move I added. “Please. I’m really sleepy.”

“I told you to get out of this house, and here you still are, acting like you’re going up to sleep!” Valentina folded her arms, a triumphant smirk on her face.

I tried to step around her, but she blocked me again. “What right do you even have to stay here?”

I met her gaze dead on. “I’m his wife.”

Valentina gasped, her breathing turning heavy as she lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.

“What did you just say?”

“You disappeared the day before the wedding,” I said, looking down at her grip on my arm. “Which means you never married him. But I did, I am his wife.”