Contract And Marriage

Sarina

I had just come from the restroom, leaving my husband and son with Chase’s pediatrician and allowing Maximus to listen to what the good doctor had to say about our son’s development. Yes, I’m 100% sure Maximus is indeed the father of my child. I don’t think even the most skilled painter could capture his happiness when Aries handed him the results and the paperwork he needed to complete.

Just as I arrived at the door of Dr. Jerold’s office, where I was supposed to meet up with my husband and son, a man suddenly approached me. “Hi, Bella, right?” I frowned, trying to remember if I knew him. “Oh, you don’t remember me? Well, I have a pretty ordinary face, so I can’t blame you,” he said, scratching his head. “We bumped into each other while I was jogging, and I think you were on your way to work.”

“Oh! Yes, I remember now. What’s your name again?” I asked, embarrassed that I hadn’t remembered his name while he had remembered mine. Although truth be told, Bella isn’t even my real name.

“Jason. My name is Jason Satudez,” he answered. “What brought you here?” he asked.

“My son’s check-up.” He looked shocked, making me wonder why when he had nothing to do with me. Unless he knows me.

“Your son?” he asked, and I nodded. “Where is he?”

“He’s with his father,” I replied briefly before noticing Maximus approaching with Chase in his arms.

“Oh, husband, this is Jason. Jason, this is my husband, Maximus, and our son, Chase.”

“Your husband and son?” I couldn’t understand why he seemed so surprised. What could be the problem?

In an instant, Jason’s gentle face turned to one filled with anger. “You already have a child together, but you still married Sarina?” he angrily asked Maximus.

“Wait, you know me?” I asked, confused. He knew my real name, so it only meant that he was close to me. Especially the kind of face he was wearing now as if my husband had done something wrong.

“My wife, there’s no need to explain to him,” Maximus said, looking at me, clenching his jaw. Jason knows me as Sarina and that I’m married to Maximus, but why does he seem to be angry with him?

“Wait, husband?” Jason asked in confusion.

“I’m Sarina.” I saw the shock and bewilderment on his face.

“You’re Sarina, my love?” he said as if in a daze. Now I was confused-why was he calling me “my love”?

“Let’s go, my wife,” Maximus said, taking my hand and walking away. I couldn’t help but glance back at Jason, who was still watching us. I had felt comfortable around him, even during our first meeting, so I didn’t understand why Maximus seemed so angry with him.

When we got home, Maximus’s expression was still dark, so I couldn’t help but ask him, “What’s wrong? Why do you look like that? Are you and Jason enemies?”

“Can you just not ask?” he replied.

“I don’t understand. Is it because he called me ‘my love’ that you’re acting like this?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he responded, shaking his head before walking. Rocel had already taken Chase to change his clothes because he wanted to play with Jerome, so I followed my husband to our room and kept pestering him about Jason.

“Come on, Maximus!” I said, which made him stop on the way to the walk-in closet and look at me.

“What did you just call me?” I thought for a moment-what did I call him? Maximus, right?

“What now?” I asked in confusion.

“Did you just call me by my name?”

“And what’s wrong with that?”

“You saw that Jason guy, and now the endearment “my husband” you used to call me is gone?”

“Are you jealous? It’s not like Jason is my first love, so why are you acting like this?” I looked up at him and saw his expression change. He glanced around as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t. “Wait, was he my first love?” I exclaimed, which made his expression darken even more. “How-”

“Don’t ask, wifey.” I laughed at his expression-he looked really annoyed. He turned his back on me, but I kept teasing him. He looked so cute and lovable.

“Maximus,” I called him, making him turn back to me with annoyance.

“One more time, if you call me by my name-”

“What? What will you do?” I asked, sliding my hand across his chest, trying to be seductive, but he grabbed my hand and stopped it from moving down. I looked at him questioningly.

“Or I am going to sleep outside.” I didn’t know why, but it felt like this had happened before. I paused, remembering if we had ever had this kind of conversation. I bowed my head and closed my eyes, holding my head. Then I heard Maximus’s voice say,

“Sarina! Scare me with anything but that-I couldn’t bear it!” he said, and then I heard my own laughter.

“My wife, are you in pain?” he asked worriedly. I looked up, meeting his furrowed brows.

“Didn’t you say you couldn’t bear not sleeping next to me? So, are you okay with sleeping outside because you no longer love me?”

I saw the shock in his eyes. “You don’t love me anymore, so it’s okay for you to sleep outside?” I asked again.

“My wife, no, it’s not like that.” He reached out to hold me again, but I moved away, brushed past him, and walked towards the closet. I closed and locked the door, leaning against it.

What is this feeling? Maximus was probably joking, but why does it hurt to think he might not love me as much as he used to? Wait, how much did he love me back then? Who loves who more, me or him?

“Wifey, please open the door…” I heard him calling me out, followed by a soft knock. I quickly changed my clothes before opening the door, where his worried face greeted me.

“I’m sorry, wife. I won’t say it again…”

“Okay,” I said with a nod and a smile.

“Please, my wife, I promise I won’t ever say that again,” he said, pulling me close and embracing me.

“I already said okay.”

“No, you’re still mad.”Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

“I’m not. It’s really okay.” It was okay with me, but I felt a little sad-just a tiny bit. So he wouldn’t worry anymore, I smiled at and kissed him, which he reciprocated.

“I’ll just go and check on Chase,” I said with a smile, turning and leaving our room.