Chapter 7 # That Doctor!

Lara no longer cared about Seno’s presence, nor did she long for the affection he once gave her.

For Lara, being with Seno was merely an obligation that had to be fulfilled as his lawful wife.

“Don’t ever think I’ll divorce you, Seno!” she declared firmly.

Seno smiled in response to her threat. What was wrong with him?

“Of course, Darling. Don’t divorce me. I don’t want to part from you either,” Seno said, gently caressing Lara’s face. His reaction felt strange.

Lara only stared blankly at the hospital ceiling above her. The glaring light briefly banished the disgusting images of her husband’s affair with his secretary.

“Don’t feel so great. I’m not asking for your love. I just don’t want our child to grow up without both parents, like I did!” Lara’s voice was sharp, and Seno was visibly surprised by her change. He looked startled.

Yes. Lara had never been this angry with him before. She was usually silent and indifferent. But this time was different. Lara had to speak out and let him know that she was no longer the foolish woman who longed for love.

“You’re so cruel, Darling.”

Cruel?

Wasn’t it Seno who had been cruel to her?

All this time, Lara had resigned herself to this bitter marriage, accepting all the consequences she had to bear.

She would never forget that there was another life waiting for her: their baby.

She would endure.

She had to endure.

For their child.

“Do you want something to eat?” Seno asked, glancing at his watch. He also seemed to check his phone, but moments later, the flat object was back in his pants pocket.

There was a name that had been bothering Lara for a while. Olivia. His mistress.

Was that woman contacting him right now?

Ah, forget it. She didn’t care.

If she could guess, Olivia was probably finding excuses to report work to her husband. But of course, those were just fabricated reasons.

Olivia was always looking for opportunities to get closer to Seno’s life, and if possible, she would soon replace Lara as his lawful wife.

Lara could understand her cunning thoughts.

But that wouldn’t happen.

She wouldn’t let it happen!

***

“Darling?”

Seno’s second call broke her reverie.

“I don’t want to eat anything. The nurse will bring my food.”

Seno looked at her with a melancholic gaze. Maybe he hadn’t expected her to be this cold towards him. This was a fair retribution for wasting her kindness all this time.

“I’ve been patient with you, Lara. Please, don’t test my patience any further,” Seno half-threatened. His face flushed as he stared sharply at his wife. Seno was disturbed by Lara’s attitude.

“What are you saying?” Lara blinked. Was he now saying that his dignity as a man was at stake?

“Please. My patience is running out, Lara.”

Did he think she couldn’t defeat his ego?

Was he whining like a baby? No. She really didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve set aside my ego bit by bit. But you keep being harsh with me! Let’s end this, okay? Forgive me.”

“What are you saying?”

“Please don’t be like this, Lara! I’m your husband! Respect me like a wise wife should!” Seno shouted, his face red.

It seemed his patience had indeed run out. Seno might have felt humiliated by her cold attitude, as if she were treating him like garbage.

Wasn’t he indeed garbage?

“Do you have a mirror, huh?” Lara shouted back. She wasn’t a foolish woman who would accept her husband’s infidelity without feeling hurt.

Her pure love had been betrayed, and now, Seno was talking about being a wise wife?

Was he joking?

“Lara Selene Smith!”

Stab.

Lara’s heart felt like it was pierced by a sharp knife. Seno’s behavior when he was angry was just like her father’s.

Wasn’t he just another kind of scoundrel—like her husband?

“Y—you!” Lara started to cry. Her heart ached just from hearing Seno’s shout. Even though her husband didn’t curse, somehow, her soul felt wounded.

She—a child abandoned by her father—hated hearing her full name called out like that. It reminded her of her father’s anger pattern, which she despised.

“Lar—Lara....”

Seno felt guilty for making Lara—who had been angry—suddenly cry out of the blue.

“Forgive me,” Seno said, kneeling beside her bed. He then stood and embraced her as she continued to cry.

Seno really hadn’t expected his words to hurt her. Yes. She was deeply hurt.

“Excuse me.”

A nurse broke the tension between them. She seemed to enter the room carrying several IV bottles and notes.

Her firm and quick steps echoed, creating a continuous rhythm.

“Yes, Nurse?” Seno glanced at the nurse briefly as he rose from his chair. He then gently wiped Lara’s tears from her face.

“We’re going to check the patient, could you wait outside?”

“No! I’m her husband. I’ll wait here.”

“Alright, Sir. As long as you can maintain order,” the nurse replied with a forced smile.

Some time ago, Lara had heard that Seno had caused a commotion, so the nurses were annoyed. They tried to avoid confrontation as much as possible and maintain a conducive environment for the resting patients.

Seno sometimes couldn’t control himself. He didn’t know why.

“Alright.”

He watched Seno carefully move to the sofa in the corner of the room to give enough space for the medical team to conduct the examination.

For a moment, Lara felt relieved that he didn’t cause another commotion that would surely embarrass her.

She didn’t know why Seno wanted to be around her. After all, Seno was usually busy with his work in the morning.

Was he trying to make sure the medical team could work well in taking care of her?

Ah, that was unlikely. Why would Seno suddenly be so attentive to her? Wasn’t that unusual?

“Good.”

Lara heard the nurse mutter after checking the IV and writing something in her notes.

“You’re improving, Ma’am. Thank goodness,” she said with a smile. She said that her condition seemed to be improving after yesterday’s surgical procedure.

“Thank you,” Lara said humbly. She was also grateful that her condition had improved.

“Doctor.”

A moment later, a surgeon came in to check on her condition.

At first, Lara didn’t pay much attention to who the doctor was treating her. Until, a voice brought back memories from the past.

“How are you feeling, Mrs. Lara?”

She turned to the voice she recognized.

That voice.

The voice of one of the men she didn’t want to meet.

***

“Y-you?”