CHAPTER 3

I got home in Tagaytay tonight. I feel really cold even though I'm wearing long sleeves.

I do have warm jackets, but I didn't bother to find them earlier in the condo. It was a hassle coming straight from a meeting.

I frowned when I saw the front door unlocked. I went inside carefully.

"Where's your wife? Why are you alone?" It was Grantt's mom.

I could see them both from where I stood. I wasn't sure if she had just arrived.

"Mom, I told you Yongsann is at work."

From his tone, I knew where this was going. I've known for a while that my mother-in-law doesn't like me.

I get it. I used to date one of her sons who disappeared, and now I'm married to her other son, who always seems to have issues with me.

What kind of situation have I walked into? I never expected it to be like this.

"Work again? I've been here many times, and she's always not here, Grantt. Are you sure your wife isn't with another man?"

I clenched my fists. I didn't understand why she was getting more hostile. I wasn't doing anything wrong.

Is having a stable job a bad thing? Seriously? Some people get kicked out of their homes for being jobless.

When her son's spouse is struggling without a job, she's probably even more stressed. She might even curse me.

"Mom! Here we go again! It's the same thing over and over. Why do you want Yongsann to quit her job? She doesn't want to, right?"

From Grantt's voice, it was clear he was getting annoyed with his mother. I wanted to join their conversation, but for some reason, I couldn't move.

"Why doesn't she want to quit her job then? I told her to stay home, didn't I? That's why you haven't had a child because she's always too busy for you."

"What's the connection, Mom? We both don't want children. You know our marriage isn't that happy, and besides, Dad was the one who insisted we marry each other!"

I bit my lower lip. I wanted to leave to avoid hearing more, but I couldn't. I was still too curious.

"Do you want me to hire some help for your home so that someone can take care of things here? It seems like you don't really have a spouse. If you can't make your marriage work, why not consider divorce?"

"Mom!"

"Did you get married just to make your life miserable, Grantt?"

Hiring help? What's going on?

I couldn't take it anymore and purposely made noise while closing the door. They both turned to look at me.

I locked eyes with Grantt, gave him a blank expression, and then turned my attention to Mommy Gretchen. I put on a forced smile and gave her a polite kiss on the cheek.

"I apologize for being late, Auntie Gretch," I said politely, but I was intentionally trying to annoy her.

"Auntie? Why do you still call me that after being married to Grantt for years? Are you teasing us, Yongsann?"

She raised an eyebrow. What could I do? Calling her that feels more comfortable. Plus, they already know what's really going on between Grantt and me.

"I didn't know you were coming today," I responded. She examined me from head to toe and then burst into laughter.

"Because if you knew, you probably wouldn't have come, right? Don't you know how to do housework, Yongsann? Your kitchen is a mess, and even the living room is chaotic. Is your bedroom the same? My son got married so someone could take care of him, right? And..."

"Mom, I'm the one who..."

"I'm sorry, Mom. This won't happen again. I'll make sure to take care of this house even though I have a job," I interrupted Grantt. They were about to argue again because of me. I'm so tired from work that my mental health might crumble too.

"It's good that you understand me. Maybe you have another man on the side? Come on, Yongsann."

Do I look promiscuous? If anyone is misbehaving here, it's your son, not me!

"I don't have another man. I'm too busy for that. Excuse me, I'll just change my clothes," I quickly excused myself and turned away from them.

"That's good because if you did, I'd understand why Greel left without even saying goodbye to you."

Those words hit me hard, like a hammer to the chest. It was one of the most painful things I've ever heard in my life.

We know we're hurt when we can't find the words to say, but tears well up in our eyes involuntarily.

I felt my hand tremble as it gripped the doorknob of our bedroom. I tried not to show them that my eyes were swelling, and the words from Grantt's mother were affecting me greatly.

Why are there people who don't know how to be considerate of others' feelings?

"Who was it again, Grantt? Your girlfriend, Wendy? Why not just go with her."

See? She doesn't want me to have another man, but it seems like she supports her son having another woman.

Wow, just wow. This family is really something else. What did I do in my past life to have such a miserable life now?

"Don't take what I said personally, Yongsann."

That's how we are, right? After hurting someone else's feelings, we act as if we didn't say anything wrong.

"Mom, let's go. I'll escort you outside," I heard Grantt say, and their footsteps leaving. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I quickly went into the room and changed into casual clothes, an oversized shirt, and shorts. I tied my hair up in a messy bun and went to the kitchen.

I felt like I wanted to lose my mind because of the mess on the table. So, that's what triggered Grantt's mother's anger towards me again.

Aish, that jerk! You should be thankful I'm not in the mood for an argument because I'm tired.

I started picking up the scattered plastic wrappers of frozen goods and put them in the trash. I also rinsed the eggshells in the sink.

Next, I gathered the plates, saucers, bowls, forks, spoons, ladles, glasses, and whatever else was strewn about. I placed them all in the sink and turned on the faucet. I lowered the water pressure to remove the leftover food scraps.

As I turned the faucet, I was almost startled. I almost bumped into Grantt's chest.

"What the hell are you doing? Move over there so I can finish this quickly," I scolded him.

I deliberately let out a small sigh. It seems he's the reason for his mother's scolding. He doesn't really bring anything positive to my life; instead, he just gives me headaches.

I looked up to see what he was doing. When our eyes met, he stayed silent, not budging from his spot. He was staring at me, unmoving.

"What's bothering you?" I asked sharply, rolling my eyes. "What have you done to make such a mess in the kitchen? Are you filming a cooking show all on your own?" I scolded him even more.

"I'm sorry," he said seriously. "For what my Mom said to you," he added.

This might be the first time he's genuinely apologized. Is he feeling guilty for all the difficulties he's caused me in this household, both inside and outside?

"It's okay. Your mom has a point. I don't have the right to blame or be angry with her. Besides, I know she wants me to stop working so she can take care of you and this house."

It appears that what she needs isn't a daughter-in-law but a babysitter for her child. Tsk.

"Let's do it then," he suggested.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"

"Let's have a baby," he added.

I felt momentarily stunned by what I heard. Here he goes, being unpredictable again.

I didn't know why, but I automatically glanced at his reddish lips. I noticed he was also staring at my lips.

Pull yourself together, Yongsann. He's probably saying this because he feels guilty.

I gently moved past him. "If you're here to tease me, not now. I'm not in the mood, Grantt."

"Why don't you want to? I'm your husband, and I have enough money to support both of you."

"Support? I never dreamed of becoming a single mom or divorced mom. Plus, don't give in to your mom's persuasion. We only have one more month," I reminded him.

He didn't say anything. I looked for a cloth to wipe the table. I saw some pot holders lying nearby and grabbed one.

I paused in my cleaning when I remembered that I didn't buy anything like this. I looked at him while holding one pot holder.

"Did you buy this?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah, I was going to clean up, but then Mommy arrived."

"Ah," I replied briefly and continued cleaning while he watched me. It seems like this pot holder is his only contribution to our kitchen.

I briefly stopped when my hand cramped again, trying not to let him notice.

"Aren't you tired?" he inquired.

"I am, but it's alright. This is a wife's duty," I replied playfully.

He remained silent. Even after I finished cleaning the entire kitchen, he didn't leave. Despite feeling uncomfortable, I chose to ignore him.

I exited the kitchen and headed straight to the living room. I quickly sat on the sofa, grabbed the remote, and turned on the TV. I propped my feet up on the sofa and hugged a pillow.

I felt exhaustion all over my body. I closed my eyes briefly to calm down.

After a few minutes, I let out a deep sigh. To be honest, I no longer understood the situation between Grantt and me. I just wanted to sleep and hopefully not wake up.

I slowly opened my eyes when I heard a familiar voice. As I looked at the TV, the beautiful face of Wendy appeared in an exclusive showbiz report.

Well, I must admit that she's pretty.

"Grantt!" I called out to the man still in the kitchen. It seemed like he didn't hear me, so I called him again.

"Oh?"

"Come here! Hurry!" I exclaimed.

He quickly came out of the kitchen, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Why?" he asked.

"Look, it's Wendy," I said, gesturing towards the TV screen.

He glanced at the TV, and I noticed how he smiled while staring at the woman.

"She's quite pretty, isn't she?" I commented.

It was genuine praise because it was true. Besides, I didn't really have any issues with Wendy. Whether she was in a relationship with Grantt or not, I wasn't interested.

After a while, I felt his gaze on me, even though my attention was on the TV.

"Aren't you jealous at all?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. Why? Do you think I'd be jealous of her? Wendy is Wendy, and I am Yongsann. Even if I were to die of jealousy, nothing would change."

He gently tapped my forehead and then left, returning to the kitchen.

"Don't bother cooking; let's just order food! It's on you!" I yelled, but I wasn't sure if he heard me.

After finishing watching the news and as the commercials came on, I stood up and left the TV on. I followed the man absorbed in his own world.

"I told you not to cook," I commented when I saw that he had already prepared the dishes. It seemed like he had also been grocery shopping because our fridge was empty earlier.

"Am I the one who will pay for the food we're going to order?"

"Why? You're wealthy; I don't think it will affect your future with Wendy, right?" I teased. He briefly glanced at me and smirked.

"Are you jealous of Wendy?"

His question took me by surprise, and my mouth and eyes widened. Me? Jealous? Why? She's just his girlfriend, and I'm still his legal wife.

"No, why?"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm 101% sure, Grantt. Wait, I'm a bit curious about this too. Is Wendy really your girlfriend?" I sought confirmation.

Actually, I wasn't entirely sure about their actual relationship status. I assumed they were a couple. I've never been interested in their love team before, but now I am.

"You said so," he casually replied. I stared at him, somewhat dumbfounded. It seemed like my system was getting even more messed up. "Why? It's not like you didn't expect it."

"I thought you'd be loyal for at least one month," I pretended to say dramatically. He sarcastically laughed.

"You really don't know how to lie. It's obvious you're just messing with me."

I didn't say anything else. I simply watched him as he prepared our meal. I didn't know he was actually a good cook. It turns out he has more to contribute to the world than just annoying me.

"Wow," I softly exclaimed as I saw the Bicol Express dish he prepared. It's one of my favorites. I hadn't mentioned it to him, so I'm sure it's also his favorite, which is why he's cooking it.

"Is that Wendy's favorite?" I asked. I wanted to cover my mouth because I might have asked the wrong question. I meant to ask if it's his favorite, not his girlfriend's.

"It's my favorite. It's spicy, so I'm sure you'll enjoy it too. I've noticed that whenever our team eats out, you always order spicy food."

Wow, he's observant too.

I fell silent once more. His cellphone on the table began to ring, and it was just an inch away from my resting elbow.

"Wendy is calling," I informed him. He glanced at his phone.

"Answer it," he instructed.

"Are you crazy?"

"Just press the answer button and stay quiet. I'll handle the conversation." I rolled my eyes and reluctantly followed his instructions.

"Grantt," the voice of the woman greeted. I wasn't sure if I should leave to give them privacy or stay and overhear their talk.

"Wend, how are you feeling now? Is your headache still bothering you?"

Headache? Was that the reason he didn't want her to go to Melendrez's party?

"Yeah, but it's not as bad now. Have you eaten?"

When I sensed that their conversation might become more personal, I stood up and left the kitchen, heading to the living room instead.

I grabbed my guitar and sat on the sofa. I strummed its strings lightly, recalling the lyrics and melody of the chorus of one of my favorite songs. After a minute of improvising, I began to play the correct tune and sang along.

"If I had just one wish, it would be for you to love me," I sang. I paused briefly, realizing that something was amiss with my voice. I wasn't off-key, but there was something missing.

I stopped for a moment and adjusted the guitar strings. Maybe it was because I hadn't used it in a while.

I strummed it again and smiled when it sounded right. "It would be for you to love me," I sang again. Now, I could feel the emotion of the song more deeply.

"And if in this lifetime, you're the one by my side..." I didn't know why tears welled up in my eyes. It was just a song, after all.

You're sentimental, Yongsann.

"No need for anything else." I closed my eyes briefly to hold back my tears, but they flowed even more. "You're the dream, always on my mind. The one and only."

I kept my eyes shut for another moment, and once I had regained my composure, I wiped away the tear stains on my cheeks.

I stood up and returned the guitar to its place. When I turned, I was met with Grantt's somber expression. I chose to ignore him, fearing I might become the target of his anger over whatever disagreement he had with Wendy.

I quietly lay down on the sofa. "Just wake me up when it's time to eat," I said, hoping Grantt would hear me.

I missed you, Greel. I want to see you, not because I want to revive what we had before, but to let you know that I managed to live without you. That I didn't really need you.

I had my eyes closed, but my mind was immersed in deep thoughts. I was thinking about someone I shouldn't be reminiscing about anymore.

Why didn't you appear? Why didn't you return to the Philippines if you were really in another country? I've moved on from you; my love for you has vanished, leaving only pain in my heart. I still can't accept that you simply toyed with my emotions, Greel!

I felt warmth in my body. Perhaps I hadn't been feeling well since this morning.

"Yongsann," I heard Grantt call out to me. I opened my eyes and noticed that he was dressed to go out.

"Where are you going?"

"To Wendy's, just to make sure she's truly okay and at her condo."

Aish, this jerk! It seems he doesn't trust his girlfriend.

"Okay," I replied briefly and attempted to get up.

I felt dizzy, but I tried to ignore it. He turned away from me, so I got to my feet with the intention of heading to the kitchen. However, my knees suddenly gave way, and I fell to the floor.

"Yongsann!" I heard him exclaim. He must have seen me fall. I attempted to stand up immediately.

"I'm fine, Grantt. Carry on, leave because it's getting late. You still have a long journey ahead. Get some medicine and food for Wendy; she probably doesn't have the strength to go out," I weakly suggested to him. He simply stared at me. I tried to act normal and walked into the kitchen.

I grasped the table when another wave of dizziness hit me. I pulled out a chair and sat down hastily. It was only now that I felt this type of dizziness, as if even my own breath made me nauseous.

"Shit! I hate this feeling, damn it!" I muttered while resting my head on the table.

When the dizziness subsided, I stood up. I nearly fell to the floor again, but someone's hands caught me.

"Yongsann," Grantt said firmly. I thought he had already left.

"You should go," I softly said. I didn't want to owe him anything. I didn't want to inconvenience him, and I certainly didn't want him to express any concern for me.

He lifted me and walked towards our bedroom. "Then what? If you die now, will it be my conscience? And if you die here in my house, I'll be the prime suspect in your death, possibly facing the death penalty."

"You're being overdramatic. Last time I checked, you're a singer, not an author plotting stories like that," I weakly retorted with my eyes closed.

I felt my back touch our soft bed.

"I'll just get you some food and medicine," he informed me.

"Does she know you're visiting her?" I inquired. I heard him sigh.

"Yes, but it's okay if I don't go."

"Give her a call; tell her you won't make it, so your girlfriend won't get her hopes up."

"Look who's talking. You're sick and all, but you're still like this? Thinking about someone else? Fine, I'll call her."

I heard his footsteps as he left our room. Now that I was lying in our bed, I felt cold. Even though I was under the blanket, I couldn't stop shivering. It seemed my body had been out of sorts since this morning.

I slowly opened my eyes to check if our air conditioner was on. I tried to get up to turn it off, but the door opened, and Grantt entered, carrying a food tray. He carefully placed it on my working table.

"What are you doing getting up again? Can't you stay put?"

"Turn off the air conditioner, please? I'm feeling cold," I complained. He immediately followed my request.

He opened my drawer and seemed to be searching for something. I massaged my head when I saw him mess up my neatly arranged clothes.

"Hey, Grantt!"

"Just shut up; I'm looking for your jacket, but it seems you don't have one here," he said disappointingly. "I don't have one either; they're all in my condo."

"Never mind."

He approached me and touched my forehead. "Jesus! You're burning up!"

"It's not hot; I'm freezing, Grantt. Hug me, please?" I requested with a pleading tone. I didn't care what he would say. I'd deal with the embarrassment later, but I couldn't stand the cold.

He quickly climbed onto the bed and embraced me, pulling me closer in his arms. I pressed myself against him even tighter because of the chill I felt.

"Better now?" he asked. I nodded. I felt the warmth of his hug enveloping me. "Can't you eat so you can take your medicine?"

I shook my head again. Even if I ate, I would probably just vomit. This kind of pain only struck me occasionally, but it was severe when it did.

I dozed off in his embrace, and this was the first time we were so close on this bed. When we both felt fine, countless pillows would surely serve as barriers between us.

I couldn't tell how many minutes or hours I had slept. When I woke up, I felt fine, and he wasn't by my side.

I got up and went to the table to drink some water. I noticed a post-it note and picked it up to read what was written.

"Drink your medicine and don't go to work tomorrow. Just rest. I'll be home soon. I need to see Wendy."

I scowled for reasons I couldn't quite grasp. I put the post-it back where it was and returned to bed. I would just go back to sleep until he arrived. I'd pretend I hadn't read his note.

This is reality, Yongsann. Don't expect too much because too many expectations can hurt. Wendy still holds more importance than you, and you need to accept that.

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