Wedding Gift

"Hmm, alright. I'm going back to the hospital. Thank you, Doctor." Grace answered and ended the call, but her gaze was fixed on Noah, who didn't stop smiling.

"The hospital bill has been paid. That's what you did, right?"

Noah only raised his eyebrows and shoulders when asked like that by Grace.

"Noah, answer me. You paid for my mom's hospital bills, right?" Grace asked again.

"Tsk. Call me 'honey, babe, or darling'. I'm already your husband," Noah grumbled instead of answering.

"Is it that important to talk about calling you like that right now? I'm serious, Noah. Please don't joke around!" Grace complained, "Are you still the same man who just moments ago threatened me with a cold face?"

"Yes, it's still me, and I need to hear you call me affectionately. And that's your first obligation because I have every right to ask you to call me that," Noah said casually.

Grace hissed and tapped her forehead. She was always helpless against Noah's silliness when he teased her.

Grace started to try, clearing her throat to clear it.

"D-darling?"

Noah chuckled at Grace's attempt. He also knew that seven years was not a short time to get used to the sweet greeting between them. Moreover, ever since they started dating, Noah was the one who always greeted Grace with affection.

"What? I didn't hear you call me," Noah teased again.

"Noah!" called Grace in annoyance, and she turned around.

Noah was getting excited. Slowly, adorable moments like in the old days were being created bit by bit.

Noah turned Grace around again to face him and asked, "Is it so hard to call me that?"

"This is not the right moment. Please understand, Noah... I'm asking you a serious question," Grace replied, clearly relenting.

"I'm serious too," Noah said again as he brushed the ends of Grace's hair. "Come on, let's get in the car. Let's talk in the car. You want to get to the hospital, right?"

Grace obediently followed Noah's lead: "So, you're the one who paid off all those fees, right?"

Noah just smiled and answered Grace's question once they were in the car.

"You don't want to ask how I feel about being your husband?" Noah asked softly, and it left Grace speechless.

Guilt weighed heavily on her heart when she realized that she had never thought about how Noah felt. Always thinking about her problems and ignoring Noah.

Noah smiled and took Grace's hand again. "Just ignore it if you're still not comfortable with our marriage."

"About Aunt Gina's hospital fees, I paid for everything even before you accepted my proposal," Noah finally answered.

Grace gasped and now sat facing Noah, saying, "You did that? So you deliberately set me up with the option to get married? So what if I refuse to marry you?"

"So what? I have two million percent confidence that you will accept this marriage proposal. Besides, if you refuse, you can't run away from the debt I've already incurred for your mother's hospital fees."

"I'm sure my beloved is still the same woman as before. You never run away from responsibility."

Grace almost cried with annoyance at Noah's answer, as if it were no big deal.

"But don't think about all that anymore. Think of it as a little wedding gift from me since you're already my wife."

Grace burst into tears. She was upset that Noah's affection and trust for her were so great, while she had dimmed her love for Noah and turned it into hatred so that she could survive life after Noah left her.

"I'll always be a foolish man when it comes to you, darling." Noah caressed Grace again and wiped away her tears.

"And your second obligation after becoming my wife. You can't cry sad tears anymore. Even if you still want to cry, those tears should only fall because you can no longer contain my love for you."

Instead of stopping crying, Grace burst into even more tears.

"Can I hug my wife already? Please, honey, I can't take it anymore."

Grace had not yet lost her confusion and sadness. Noah, who had just asked, immediately hugged Grace, even before Grace answered until Grace could only continue crying while occasionally smiling in the arms of the man who had just married her.

"If I hadn't pushed you so hard earlier, I might not have been able to hug you like this. From now on, don't think about anything alone. You already have me, and vice versa. I don't allow you to be sad anymore, so please work together to make our household happy, darling."

In that warm embrace, Grace enjoyed a different feeling. It was as if she were unreal and back in the world of before, where Grace had always felt so happy with Noah by her side.

"Don't think about money anymore. No matter how much money I give you, it's not enough to pay for my happiness to be with you again like before."

Grace, who was beginning to calm her breathing and sobs, began to release Noah's embrace from her. She accepted that Noah's affection was indeed that proud and that he was the man Grace loved.

"Noah, thank you so much. I don't know what or how to tell you. I'm confused by all this." Grace sincerely thanked him.

"You just being born on this earth makes me so grateful. Just be my obedient, cute wife, and don't change a bit from the Grace I know. I only need you by my side. Nothing else."

Noah's words always soothed Grace. If that was the case, how else was she supposed to answer the doubts in her heart?

"Then what about your fiancé? What about your parents if they find out we're married? And my mom? She'll be even more shocked than this," Grace worried again.

"I'll figure it all out later. For now, let me enjoy the victory of having you. Everything else is not more important than you, Grace," Noah replied, kissing his wife's forehead again.