Part 07 # That Doctor!

Seno—Lara's husband—smiled as he welcomed her threat. What was wrong with him?

"Of course, Dear. Don't divorce me. I don't want to separate from you either," Seno said, caressing Lara's face gently. His reaction seemed strange.

Lara just stared blankly at the hospital ceiling above her. The dazzling light momentarily dispelled the disgusting shadows of her husband's affair with his secretary.

"Don't be conceited. I'm not begging for your love. I just don't want our child to grow up without both parents, like me!" Lara's voice sounded sharp, and Seno was quite surprised by her change. He seemed wide-eyed.

Yes. Lara had never been this angry with him before. She was used to being silent and indifferent. But, this time was different. She had to speak up loudly and let him know that she was no longer the foolish woman craving for love.

"You're so cruel, Dear."

Cruel?

Wasn't Seno the one who had been cruel to her?

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

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

She would endure.

She must endure.

For their child's sake.

"Do you want something to eat?" Seno asked, glancing at his watch. He also seemed to check his phone, but a moment later, the flat object was put back into his pants pocket.

There's someone's name that had been bothering Lara since earlier. Olivia. His mistress.

Could it be that, at this moment, that woman was contacting him?

Ah, forget it. She didn't care.

If she could guess, Olivia must be making excuses to report work to her husband. But of course, that's just an excuse she made up.

Olivia always looked for opportunities to get closer to Seno's life, and if possible, she would immediately replace Lara's position 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 interrupted Lara's reverie.

"I don't want to eat anything. The nurse will bring my meal."

Seno looked at her with a melancholy look. He probably didn't expect her to be so cold to him. This was a fair retaliation because he had wasted 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 reddened as he looked sharp to his wife. Seno felt intrigued by Lara's demeanor.

"What did you say?" Lara blinked. Was he now saying that his dignity as a man was at stake?

"Please. My patience is wearing thin, Lara."

Did he think she couldn't possibly defeat his ego? Was she whining like a baby? No. She really didn't want to talk to him anymore.

"What do you mean?"

"I've been setting aside my ego bit by bit. But you keep being curt with me! Let's cut it off, okay? Forgive me."

"What are you saying?"

"Please don't be like this, Lara! I'm your husband! Respect me like a wise wife!" Seno yelled with a flushed face.

It seemed his patience had indeed run out. Seno might feel embarrassed by her cold attitude, as if she were treating him like trash.

Wasn't he trash anyway?

"Do you have a mirror, huh?"

Lara yelled back. She wasn't the foolish woman who passively accepted her husband's infidelity without feeling disappointed.

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

"Lara Selene Smith!"

Thud.

Her heart felt like it was being stabbed by a sharp knife. Seno's behavior when he was angry, like her father's, wasn't he just another type of scumbag—like her husband?

"Y--you!" Lara started to cry. Her heart felt sore just from hearing Seno's shouts. Although her husband didn't curse, somehow, her soul felt wounded.

She—a child abandoned by her father—hated hearing her full name shouted like that. It reminded her of her hated father's anger pattern.

"La—Lara..."

Perhaps, Seno felt guilty for making her, who was angry just now, suddenly burst into tears.

"I'm sorry," Seno said, kneeling beside her bed. He then stood up and hugged her, who was still shedding tears.

Seno really didn't expect that his words would hurt her. Yes. She was very hurt.

"Excuse me."

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

Her firm and fast steps echoed around, creating a constant bustling rhythm.

"Yes, Nurse?"

Seno glanced at the nurse briefly as he stood up from his seat. He then gently wiped away Lara's tears that had been wetting her face.

"We will examine the patient, can you wait outside?"

"No! I'm her husband. I'll wait here."

"Alright, Sir. As long as you can maintain order," the nurse replied, forcing a smile.

Some time ago, Lara heard there was a commotion caused by Seno, so the nurses felt annoyed. They tried to avoid confrontation as much as possible and maintain a conducive situation for the resting patients.

Seno sometimes couldn't control himself. She didn't know why.

"Alright."

She saw Seno carefully move to the sofa in the corner of the room to give enough space for the medical team who would conduct the examination.

For a moment, Lara felt relieved that he didn't create another disturbance that would surely embarrass her.

She didn't know why he wanted to be around her. After all, he was usually busy with his work at this time of the morning.

Was he trying to make sure that the medical team could work properly in taking care of her? Ah, that's impossible. Why was Seno suddenly so attentive to her? Wasn't that unusual?

"Good."

She heard the nurse mutter after checking the infusion and writing something down in her notes.

"You're improving, Ma'am. Thank goodness," she said with a smile. She said 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 few moments later, a surgeon came to check on her condition.

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

"How are you feeling, Mrs. Lara?"

She turned to the familiar voice.

That voice.

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

"Oh, God!"