Contract And Marriage

Bella

Maximus and I were both lying down-I mean, Sir and I. Damn it, I don’t even know what to call him now. Maybe I’ll just call him Maximus. I don’t know why I called him my husband. It just slipped out of my mouth, so I couldn’t confront him when he also called me his wife. What was that about? Am I the only one allowed to say someone else’s name while he isn’t?

Although that wasn’t really a name, it was just that we both have our own spouses, except that mine is still alive while he’s mourning and can’t move on from his deceased wife. I shook my head and closed my eyes, unable to think properly.

“What are you thinking?” he suddenly asked, making me turn my gaze to him, only to be met by his eyes. There was something different about how he looked at me-happiness, confusion, and hope all mixed together.

“Nothing.”

“Why did you scream like that?”

“Huh?” I didn’t take my eyes off him, and he didn’t take him off me either, so I probably looked like a fool to him. He turned to his side, fully facing me, and pulled me to face him too. Now we were lying down, face to face.

“Please, tell me the truth, Bella.” His voice sounded pleading, making me feel a little uneasy. A part of me didn’t want him to sound or do that. My heart ached knowing he was in pain.

“I don’t know either, Maximus. Earlier, when you were pounding on me, the voice I always hear in my dream suddenly had a face,” I said when I remembered his face flashed in my head earlier when we were about to reach our climax.

“What do you mean?” he asked in confusion.

“After my interview with you, I also started having that dream. I hear a man’s voice saying ‘my wife’ over and over. I don’t know who that voice is calling, and since I was the one who was hearing it, it made me think that it was me who was called out; sometimes, it sounds tender and almost sensual.”

“Sensual?” he asked, and I nodded.

“Like the way we screamed earlier,” I replied, feeling shy.

“Then why did you say ‘my husband’?” he asked, more confused.

“I really don’t know, it just came out. I’ve never called my husband that way, and he never called me that because he’s not Filipino.” I quickly explained. “Besides, as I said, your face suddenly appeared in my mind earlier as the owner of the voice I only hear in my dream.”

“And?” Does he really need to ask that?

“And your face was sweaty as if you were-”

“As if I was what?”

“As if you were, you know…” His brow furrowed, not getting what I meant.

“Can you be clearer?” This idiot…

“As if you were also having sex!” I shouted at him in frustration. “Did you really need to make me say it? Didn’t you get it?”

He suddenly laughed, annoyed me, so I rolled my eyes at him. I was about to get up, but he grabbed my hand and said, “My wife.”

“What now?” I replied in annoyance, but I quickly covered my mouth. Why was I responding to him whenever he called me that? I didn’t even notice him holding me, nor did I realize I was still naked, and I abruptly stood up, staring at him.

“My wife, it’s really you, isn’t it? Tell me it’s really you,” he pleaded as he sat in bed. We were facing each other, and I could see the torment in his eyes that was starting to water, and sadness overwhelmed his face.

I quickly held my head as it suddenly started to ache, and tears began to fall from my eyes, though I didn’t know why. “No, why am I here? My child, my child needs me…” I said, looking around to find my clothes, but I couldn’t see them. I frantically spun in front of him before feeling his arms wrap around me from behind.

“Shhh… relax, my wife.” I tried to break free from him, but I couldn’t. I liked the feeling of him holding me, but…

“Don’t call me that…”

“You don’t like it? Don’t you feel anything strange? I do; it feels like my heart is telling me you’re my wife.”

“No, your wife is dead. Don’t use me to ease the sadness you feel.” My tears kept flowing as my chest tightened. I was in pain, and I didn’t understand why.

He buried his face between my neck and shoulder, and I felt comforted as if it was natural for us to be like this. I felt the moisture on my skin where his face was pressed. Was he crying?

“I waited so long for you to return, my wife…”

“No, please, sir… Don’t do this to me,” I said, my voice hoarse, as it was hard to say those words. “I’m not your wife.”

He tightened his embrace as if he didn’t want to let me go, but I kept trying to break free because I didn’t want him to use me, even though I loved the feeling of our bodies being together. It hurt me to think that he was acting like this because of his wife.

“Let’s stay like this for a while.” I took a deep breath and just followed his wishes. No matter how much I wanted to get away, I didn’t push it because it felt good to feel the warmth of his embrace.

“Are you feeling okay now?” I asked after a while when I felt his breathing calm down. I should be the one he’s comforting because of my confusion, but here I am, asking if he’s okay.

“Yes,” he answered, lifting his face before turning me to face him. “Let’s talk, I want to know more about you. That’s the only way I’ll have peace; otherwise, I’ll keep thinking you are my wife.”Material © NôvelDrama.Org.