To Love and Avenge

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

After dropping by at Xander’s place, we headed back directly to Dauis's place. It was almost morning, despite my lack of sleep, my sleepiness has gone now, and I doubt if I could ever have one later.

I tried to wake him, thinking that after a long rest, he was already sober, but failed, he was way too drunk to recover immediately.

“Hey! Wake up, your dumb wife has already taken you home. Why not stand and go to bed now?” I screamed at his face.

“Hmmm, go ahead and leave me alone.” he muffled under his breath.

“You pester me out of the blue yet it is your way of showing your gratitude to your wife? Wow! Just wow!” then I slammed the door closed before I strode inside the house. He is draining my patience.

I ran directly to the guest room and threw myself on the bed and covered myself with the quilt over my head...

Out of anger, I fell asleep in no time.

Not long after, I was awakened by a soft shaking on my shoulder.

“Hmmm”

“Ale” he called out softly.

“Hmmm, I still want to rest, what is it this time? Will you go away?” I shooed him out.

“Wake up.” hearing him say softly with urgency, I wonder why he was waking me.

“What is it?” I asked sleepily.

“Look, I'm sorry for what has happened a while ago,” he said with a full of regret in his eyes. I know he was sincere by the look on his face. Because this man doesn't know how to put up a pitiful face.

“You wake me just for that?” I asked, knitting my brows at him, showing how disgustful it was.

“Why? I couldn’t sit still knowing that I was being a jerk.”

“So, you finally recognize yourself that you’re a big jerk? That was great, huh? Have you realized how a**hole you were back then too?” I asked arrogantly as I helped myself sit up. He helped me by putting a pillow on my back and he sat next to me.

“Look… I know I was, okay? It’s just that it's my way to get into you.”

“You’re pathetic.” I looked at him in disbelief.

“I hope you will accept my apology and start all over again?” he said, offering his hand to me for a shake.

After pondering, I realize that there is nothing to lose if I accept it. Anyway, we are married and we cannot prevent banging at each other. We might as well settle it now.

“Okay, but our condition still stands, after 5 years, we will have our annulment.” After saying those words, I accepted his hand, but what I wasn’t prepared for was when he pulled me closer for a hug.

It was tight and warm, and surprisingly comforting. He buried his face in the nook of my neck.

“Hey, easy, you are not going to cry are you?” I gently laughed at him.

“Of course not, it's just that, it is very refreshing. And the idea that we would start all over again and forget our discords when we were young was like a weight being lifted.”

“Correction, that’s until we met recently.” He laughed at my words.

While laughing, I found him more gorgeous. I guess a man who knows his mistakes are the most beautiful ones.

“Come, I have something to compensate for everything that I've done to you.” I smiled at him and let him pull me.

In the dining room, he proudly showed me what he was up to. Well, he has just cooked my favorite foods.

“It’s all your favorite.” he smiled and gestured for me to sit down.

“That was so thoughtful of you, but how d’you know?” I curiously asked.

I wanted to ask him about the first time he brought me here, and when he ordered food for me, I was so adamant that I only saw him as my enemy.

“How do you know about all this?”

“Well, I was perfectly good at observing you when we were young and ended up eating at your house. I am very precise in observing the foods that you like to eat the most, so if you can still remember, I will always take a chance to get it all for myself just to piss you.”

Of course, who could forget such a thing? Food for me at that time was a precious moment to have after my mother's death. Because all those were what she always cooks for me, and eating them all more often lessens the chance for me to think that she was long gone. Seeing that my mood had slightly changed, he hurriedly came to me and said apologetically.

"Sorry for that."

“You can’t always be apologetic when I feel despondent,” I said, trying to lighten my mood.

“That is because I was so mean, and I feel responsible. And those vows I told you back there, those are all true,” he said consolingly.

I know, he just told me all those lies so to make me feel better, but that doesn’t change the fact that this marriage was a ploy. We can always be friends, but we cannot be lovers. And we should get to use each other’s company because we will be dealing with each other for five long years, and it wasn’t a joke.

I smiled at him and pushed him to his seat. “Now let's eat, the food is no longer tasty when it’s cold,” I said to him instead to break the drama.

Suddenly, my food hangs midway to my mouth when I remember something.

“You cook all this?” I asked, feeling dumb.

“Of course, who would it be?” he proudly said and smiled at me brightly.

“You were drunk and even unable to walk. How come you cook all this?”

“When we arrive, I have rested a little, and I slept a little again here, even if I am drunk, I can always cook this food, closed-eyed.” then he winked at me.

I laugh at his gesture, “How come that it is my favorite yet I cannot cook them.” we both laugh at it like we were a long-lost acquaintance filling our lost times.

I ate so much with gusto, that everything he prepared was exquisitely delicious.

After having our lunch, we stayed outside for a little before he proposed to go motorbiking.

‘Why not?’ I said to myself.

He showed me his bike in a jiffy.

“Wow. it's a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, right?” I asked with full admiration in my voice.

“Yep, are you familiar with it?” he looked at me in an amusing way.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”

“So you’re fond of bikes then? We can have one for you,” he suggested.

Upon hearing that, I immediately refused his offer. We shouldn’t get to be too attached, it is enough that we get along.

“Oh, no, don’t bother.” I alarmingly refused him.

Hearing me alarmed, he was confused at my reaction.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like it okay, but I already have one at home. It was Daven’s gift.”

“You own one? That's great!” he said in surprise. “You should show it to me once,” he continued.

“Of course, t was my baby.” I said, “It was Ducati's latest edition.”

“Wow, Daven must be very generous to his sister, huh.” He said, admiring Daven for it.

I smirk at him. Of course, that is Daven. I said quietly.

While preparing for our gear, he suddenly stops and asks.

“Do you often go for a ride?” he asked curiously.

“Of course, whenever I have time. The last time was when you were supposed to come with me to dinner, remember?”

“Oh yeah, that I slept in your room?” he asks maliciously, or it is safe to say that he tries to remind me of it.

“p*****t!” with that, I slammed his arm quite hard, making him fall forward.

“Hey, you’re becoming sadistic,” he exclaimed.

“More than you know,” I told him while grinning. I turned my back on him.

“Let’s go, time is running out.”

He can only laugh at my denotation. Today was so light for both of us. We have overcome our constant barging, but that doesn't mean that we will level up our relationship.

Though I was not used to riding from behind someone, I tried to enjoy myself in it. I hugged him tightly from behind, and all honestly, he was quite a good driver. His scent lingers in my nostrils and it intoxicated me.

He drove at a very high speed, maybe because he has undergone training as I do.

Heading to the southern part of Aurora, which he said a while ago was the mountainous part, was at the far end south of Aurora. I found myself enjoying the endless shoreline along the highway. The valley was so long that it seemed to be endless until we turned to face the mountainous part of Aurora. The higher we go, the more the bike speeds up.

The place is quiet with a lot of tall trees around, making it look darker. The scenery was very beautiful so I suggested Dauis slow down a little.

I wanted to feel its surroundings and the mystical aura that it provides. The trunks of the trees are hovering on the highway with lush leaves, making it even darker.

“Wow… very beautiful,” I said in amazement.

“You like it here?” He asked.

“No, I love it. I’ve been trailing mountains but this… this is way more beautiful than those places I’ve been to.” I was so amazed that I hadn’t noticed that we had even stopped.

“I’m glad that you love it.”

I nodded at him in agreement. Now, I realize that we have things in common. The thing that I am interested in.

“We are still halfway there,” he informed.

Upon hearing him, I hurriedly brace myself for another fabulous view that awaits us. I was so engrossed in the scenery that when he announced our arrival I did not pay attention.

“We’re finally here,” he happily announces while looking at me expectantly. But of course, I didn't fail him.

My eyes widened at the scenic view. We were like we were at the top of the world.

It has a 360-degree view. It shows us both the broad area of mountains that extends to the shore, while the other parts are the overview of the cities that surround the entire half of the Aurora province.

I was left speechless while he was looking at me amusingly.

The temperature here was way lower than it has in other mountains.

“Thank you for tugging me along. I appreciate it.” I said to him, tiptoeing myself so I could reach him. Our height was a disadvantage, so I had to tiptoe to be able to plant him a kiss.

He was left speechless at my sudden approach. With wide eyes, he unconsciously touched the lips that I once claimed. Seeing him in such a state, I reached out again, out of my gratefulness, and clung to his neck and said, “Thank you so much, you don't have any idea how grateful I am.” With that, I kissed him again. This time was a little longer.

And being considerate enough at our height disadvantage, he bent down his neck and deepened the kiss even more.

We were hugging each other while talking nonsense things while we waited for the sun to set. I always love the sight of the sun either rising or setting.

It was like a fairytale that Dad and Daven often read to me. But the difference was, I am with a man who I called a husband, but not a lover.

Then, I smiled bitterly when I remember mom, he used to take me places like this. My tears roll down at the memory.

I hurriedly wiped my tears as fast as I could, preventing Dauis from seeing me in such a state. I am in a position-wise where he cannot see me weep as I was sitting with my back to him so he couldn’t see how sad I was.