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50:  What if she wants to leave?

Author: Erhaneya
last update Last Updated: 2024-08-24 15:59:53

Hearing the demise of the priest was like a bomb. She couldn't have imagined there was no longer a chance to reconcile with him.  The priest was the last connection to her past, a piece of the life she once envisioned. She had hoped for reconciliation, some closure, or at least the chance to make peace. Now, that hope was gone, extinguished with the news of his passing.

She gasped for breath, her eyes blurring as the room spun wildly about her. "H-Honey!" Richard's voice cracked with panic.

The world seemed to slow as Khana’s body gave in to the overwhelming surge of emotions. She felt herself slipping away, and everything went dark.

Shortly after, the family doctor came to check Khana's condition. Richard kept such news to their friends and family to avoid trouble. His mind was in complete chaos, not just for Khana’s physical state but for their marriage. He knew that this news was more than just a shock to her—it was evident that she still harbored feelings that had always made him feel like he was competing with a ghost.

The doctor was about to explain his finding when a loud noise came from Kharl's room. 

The nanny who recently returned from a day off was told to tend to the young master's room. The nanny, who had just returned from her day off, quickly excused herself to tend to the young master’s room. Richard gave her a nod of acknowledgment as she hurried off.

"Is she okay?"  Richard asked, nervously sitting on the edge of the bed, and gently caressing his wife's hand.

The doctor offered a reassuring smile. “She just fainted due to shock and stress. Physically, she’s fine, but she needs rest. A change of scenery might help her recover mentally and emotionally.”

Richard sighed with relief, though his mind was far from at ease. He watched the doctor leave, then turned back to Khana. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow but steady. As he sat beside her, frustration and insecurity washed over him.

Richard watched his wife and mouthed, "I can't believe I still have to compete over a dead guy. What does he have that I don't? What am I lacking?"

The bitterness in his voice surprised even him. He felt like a fool, angry and hurt. Such feelings feast on him, making him question everything he had built with Khana.

He walked out of the room and went to Kharl's room. He saw the nanny playing with the baby, her soft laughter filling the room. Kharl’s giggles echoed back, a sound that usually brought joy to Richard, but today it only deepened his turmoil. His hands clenched into fists as he watched them for a moment, then he turned away. The walls of the house felt suffocating, and he needed air, a distraction, anything to clear his mind.

Without thinking, Richard grabbed his car keys and drove to a nearby nightclub. The flashing neon lights and pulsing music offered a temporary escape from the chaos inside his head. As he entered, a petite woman in a red beaded backless dress spotted him. She moved quickly, her hand reaching for his arm, her smile flirtatious.

Richard pulled away immediately, his expression stern. “I’m married. Stop clinging.”

The woman walked away feeling ashamed and humiliated. He found a seat at the bar and ordered a glass of Johnnie Walker. The alcohol burned as it slid down his throat, but it wasn’t enough to numb the ache in his chest.

He dialed a familiar number, and after a few rings, Bettina answered. She arrived at the club within minutes, her face etched with worry as she approached him.

"In terms of looks, Am I  less desirable compared to that man?" Richard asked after drinking a glass of alcohol.

Bettina was puzzled. She thought everything sailed well, especially when a child was born.

"What are you talking about? Who? I-I don't understand why you are acting this way," says Bettina.

Richard sighed and rubbed his temples. “She knew everything, Bettina. I forgot about the safe. I haven’t disposed of it yet, and she discovered it.”

"She fainted upon hearing the priest died without her knowing. But, I had to hide that news from her, I was trying to protect her… or maybe protect myself, I don’t know anymore,” Richard admitted, his voice trailing off.

"Did she ask for divorce already?" Bettina asked, tone serious.

"Not yet. But, she might do that once she woke up," Richard replied. 

Bettina sighed out of her frustration. She replied, "That woman.. Why does he want to waste this good cousin of mine? why is she so willing to throw away what she has? You’re a good man, Richard. I’ve been rooting for you two ever since.” 

Richard didn’t respond immediately. He stared into his glass, swirling the amber liquid as if it held the answers to his problems. Bettina leaned closer, her voice firm and determined.

Richard looked at her, his eyes filled with doubt. “But what if she wants to leave? What if she asks for divorce?" 

"Be a man. Show her you are the one who has a say in your marriage. Don't let her scare you," Bettina advised.

"Should I just give up, I'd be lost without her," says Richard, flowing with tears and much heartbreak.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he quickly blinked them away, ashamed of his vulnerability. Bettina placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Even if she asked you to divorce her, you can corner her by scaring her about the custody of the child. She won't leave you because she'll be afraid to lose custody," Bettina uttered.

"I know her. She's not that wicked enough to abandon her child. Besides, didn't she marry you out of pity? When we told her you are terminally ill, she agreed," Bettina added.

Richard fell into deep thinking and agreed. He had almost forgotten the lie that had sealed their fate together. Khana had married him under the belief that he was dying, a manipulation that still haunted him. He had hoped their love had grown beyond that initial deception, but now he wasn’t so sure. He thought that Bettina had a point, as long as he had Kharl, his wife would stay. 

Nevertheless, what worries him the most is if she ever discovered that he wasn't terminally ill... 

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