To Love and Avenge

Chapter 73

After depositing me comfortably on the nearest sofa, she left me and instructed me to stay as she would go to get me a glass of water.

Nodding at her like the obedient child I am, I heave a sigh the moment she walks out of the living room.

I never thought that married life was more complicated than planning my revenge. It takes a lot of rundowns and turnouts as it implicates the situation far more worst than before. what worsen my situation is the growing unexplainable feeling that I started feeling plus my pregnancy.

only if I was firm enough...

My thoughts halted the moment I heard Nurse Tilly as she walked to my side offering the glass of water that she had been holding.

“Here, Miss Ale, drink this,” she said as she was ogling at me observantly.

I thanked her and drank it all at once.

A flash of satisfaction crossed her eyes upon looking at me like a helpless puppy as I took the glass from her.

She then sat beside me as she timidly smiled.

Looking back at her, I know she had something in mind, something she wanted to say but was holding herself to speak.

“What is it?” I asked curiously.

“Uhh... I'm just wondering, I saw a woman in the kitchen just now, I mean is she a new cook?” She asked coyly as she rubbed her nape, showing awkwardness at her question.

“No, she's not. She’s my friend and wanted to help with my pregnancy, so I took her with me. She's a visitor actually, but she offers to cook me a soup.”

“Okay…” she said as she glanced back at the kitchen absentmindedly. Frowning at what she heard.

I was just looking closely at her reaction. I don't see any malice in it other than frowning, but I still have to be cautious. I still have to watch out for her.

“Will she take care of you too?” She asked again without leaving her sight in Maria's direction.

“Yeah,” I responded shortly.

We were in this state when Maria turned her head to us as she beamed with a smile.

I smiled back at her and watched her as she gracefully poured the soup into the bowl. After that, she turned to us as she slowly approached us with a tray in her hands.

“Hey Maria, what is that?” I excitedly greeted her. Acted as if I didn't know what she had been holding, while still silently observing Nurse Tilly’s reaction.

“I made you a soup. This is my new recipe just for you.” She said as she carefully placed the tray on the center table.

“Ohh, how thoughtful of you. Thank you for this,” I said. Taking the soup spoon to try and taste it.

“It's healthy for you and the baby. Be careful, it's still hot.” She reminded me, to which I only nodded in response.

Nurse Tilly, who was sitting just beside me, only stared at Maria vividly. So I wonder what she had been thinking.

She stayed and never asked further questions, but she never left her post.

“Hi, sorry, my bad…” Maria started shyly as soon as she turned her gaze in Nurse Tilly’s direction.

The latter smiled back at her but never responded.

“I’m Maria, Ale’s friend,” she said softly, offering her hand for a shake.

Nurse Tilly looked at her hand hesitantly, but after a few seconds of staring at it, she beamed a broad smile and accepted her hand anyway.

Both smiled at each other, but those smiles and constant staring contained some constraints.

Hearing another pair of footsteps, we all looked up to meet the gloomy face of a man. Who was seriously looking at his phone with knitted brows? Obviously, he never noticed us right away.

What happened to him? Surely, something might have happened… I thought inwardly.

“Dauis?” I called out to get his attention.

He even looked furious as he came nearer to us.

“Oh, hi ladies…” He said the moment he raised his eyes to us and faked a smile. Fake. Yes, because no one will just beam a smile after having a gloomy feeling.

“Something went wrong?” I asked with knitted brows.

“Oh, nothing, It was a call from the other branch, they've got some problem there and they need me now.” He said while he was making his way to me and kissed me on my forehead before glancing at Maria.

“So you must be my wife’s friend?” He asked, directing the latter.

“Hi, sir. I'm pleased to finally meet you,” she said, extending her hands to him.

“Same here," he said as he accepted her hand.

"But how come to my wife never got the chance to mention you until earlier today?” he continued with a questioning look.

“Oh, never knew she didn’t. Maybe she was just too caught up to mention me to you. We are very far away, so we barely talked, and just now that I found out that she was pregnant, I offered help and wanted to personally take care of her.” She explained patiently without batting an eye. This makes her look like she genuinely cared for me. Which I think she is.

“Oh, okay,” he said, then once again smiled at the three of us.

And I know that behind those smiles, there hides something.

Or was I just being malicious here since I hid a lot? Or was it possibly because I was so adept at trusting everyone around me? That makes me always feel in doubt.

But whatever it was, there is still no harm in being cautious.

“I need to go now sweetheart, and I'm not sure if I could make it in time for dinner.” I later heard him say to me as he kissed me once again before he walked out.

I was in awe at the oddness I felt.

Feeling the atmosphere, Maria coughed softly to break the deafening silence which got my attention back. And I am pretty sure that I caught Nurse Tilly beside me smirking at the moment Dauis was outside the door.

She stood up and excused herself too, saying that she had something to do. Leaving me and Maria in the living room while exchanging stares.

I nodded in response and continued to consume the remaining soup.

It was very delicious and there was no doubt that my mood improved a little.

She sure has magic in her cooking skills.

After consuming everything, I dismissed her and advised her to rest and settle herself first, since Nurse Tilly was out there to look for me. And besides, I am strong enough that I wasn't supposed to need their help, as per the doctor’s words, but since I am still in this finding something out about her, I can't just make her go for the time being.

I went back to our room. Take a short shower, and afterward, sit on the bed with my laptop in front of me in the hope of receiving an email for any updates.

But, I lost interest in it when my eyes rested on my bag. Remembering the photos that I took from Maria’s apartment.

I took it out and looked at it again absentmindedly.

Her children all look very familiar to me, but I can't quite point out exactly where I saw them.

Maybe I forgot them from somewhere but I am very certain that I have already seen them.

The familiarity is bothering me pretty well. Even though I tried to scan my memories, nothing came in.

In spite of that, the urge is so strong that I cannot ignore the searing curiosity that got into me. I could have just ignored it and let go, yet I can't. Something must be about them that I can't just settle in.

Who are they? There is something that I am sure I am missing somewhere, but, apart from this odd feeling of familiarity, there is nothing.

And, could there be any possibility that Maria had already regained her memories? Had she remembered her past and chosen to hide it from me? But why? Why hadn’t she looked for her children's whereabouts? Why was it that these photos were of no importance to her? She could have just asked and I would surely love to help her.

I was so engrossed in analyzing my thoughts, not leaving anything behind, that the sudden buzzing of my phone made me jolt.

Astounded, I blinked a couple of times while staring at the number registered on the screen. After regaining my composure, I forcefully diverted my thoughts from the caller and picked up the phone, slowly pressing the green button anticipating the news that the caller might bring.