Chapter 6

When Martin opened his eyes, he felt a splitting headache. He could not even lift his eyelids. They were so heavy that they hurt when he tried to open them.

He felt something moving on his side. Looking over he found the he was hugging something soft in his hand.

Martin was startled. He even forgot about his hurting head as he looked over in an instant.

Lying before him was Susan. Her face was flushed and several hickeys could be seen on her body. She was sleeping peacefully and clutching on his arm tightly.

"What did I do yesterday? Did I sleep with her?" Martin thought as he removed Susan's hand that was clutching his. He was not at all gentle. He used a lot of force which made Susan to wake with a start.

Her gaze was still dazed as she tried to remember what happened yesterday. Seeing that Martin was looking at her coldly,  Susan felt a chill in her heart.

"We have already slept together. What was with that gaze of his. Shouldn't he apologize for taking advantage of her?" Susan thought angrily. 

"What are you doing in my bed. Did I not warn you that you cannot come in here?" Martin asked angrily.

"Don't you remember how we ended up here?" Susan lost her cool.

"You came home drunk. You could not even walk properly the only thing that you did was to call Christine's name. I was kind enough to help you to bed but instead of thanking me, you mistook me for Christine and refused to let go. Do you think I wanted this. I have been waiting for a day when you will reciprocate my feelings, but it is like you were bewitched by that woman and you can't thing of anything else."

"She betrayed you Martin. Gave birth to child for another man and deceived you that it was yours. Maybe she never loved you and you were  just someone to pleasure her. Open your eyes and stop fooling yourself. There is no need to be hung on the past that you cannot change. Somethings are just irreversible." Susan said.

For the first Martin did not flare up. Instead he looked at her sharply without saying anything.

Although he did not like this woman, but Martin could not deny that she was right. Since they did not find Christine's body at the scene where the accident happened, Martin had always carried a glimmer of hope, hoping that Christine was not dead and she will come back to them. But more than fifteen years have passed and there was nothing. Not even a trace of her.

"Do you love me?" Martin looked at the woman before him and asked all of a sudden. 

Susan was shocked and felt that maybe her ears were playing a prunk on her.

"What did you say?" She asked Martin with a shaky voice.

"I asked you if you love me?" Martin repeated his question.

"Is that even a question. Don't you know how I have been feeling about you all these years?" Susan said with a trace of joy in her voice.

"But I have not been treating you well. Why did you not leave." Martin asked.

"I did not leave because I love you. And I think that there is no one better than you out there." Susan said seriously.

"Then we will start our life. You will officially become my wife and you should move your things here." Martin said as he looked around the room. There was not trace of Christine because he had burned everything that belonged to her in a fit of anger.

"Okay." Susan smiled brightly. 

Martin looked on dazed. She smiled just like Christine. When he had met her for the first time, he thought that she had done plastic surgery so as to look like his dead wife. He even forced her to go to the hospital with him. But after confirming that she had not gone under the knife, Marting decided to marry her. And now that smile... Martin shook his head and went to the bathroom to take a shower. He scrubbed himself hard as if he wanted to wash away all the pain that Christine had caused him.

Susan happily went to make breakfast.

...

At Albert's bungalow.

Velma was having breakfast in the dining room. It was a huge house with the European design. Looking at the furniture in the room, they were all custom made. Although Velma's family was not worse off, but compared to this, they were still miles apart.

She was amazed yesterday as she taking a walk around the house. She only toured half way and was already tired. She was planning on continuing her tour today.

"Eat more. Since you have just give birth you need to eat a lot of nutritious food and drink a lot of soup." Albert said as he scooped for Velma some dishes.

"I can take care of myself." Velma said.

She was only used to her father taking care of her. She still did not know the intentions of this man so she had to be vigilant.

They were supposed to talk yesterday but he recieved an emergency call from the company and had to rush over. He came back late when Velma had already slept.

"Are you free today." Velma asked the man who was eating breakfast in a dignified manner. He was so good looking that even eating breakfast felt like a piece of art.

"Yes. The company is not busy so I won't be going today."

"It feels good to be a boss right?" Velma asked.

"Why do you say so?" Albert asked.

"Because you can go to the company whenever you want and no one will fire you." Velma said.

"Haha.. do you want to be a boss too. I can stay at home to take care of Gift while you provide for us." Albert said, trying to test the waters.

After what Velma went through, she decided to name her child Gift.

"I need to talk to you." Velma said with seriousness.

"Okay, finish your breakfast then we will talk." Albert said as he took a bite of sausage.

After breakfast Albert took Velma to his study room. Velma was amazed once more. 

His study room was huge. It had a shelf which was filled with all kinds, from business to novels. His desk was huge and had a desktop on top of it. The documents on the table were arranged neatly and you could tell at a glance that the owner was a clean freak.

The walls were clean without any spot. He pressed a remote on the desk and the curtains opened. The sun penetrated through the window illuminating his handsome face, he looked like a painting as everything else paled in comparison. 

"Don't be polite with me. Have a seat." Albert said as he pointed at the sofa in the room.

Velma did not say anything and sat down.