Chapter 11

NANA Talia, standing in the foyer, rushed to her as soon as she got out of the car. She hugged her tightly and cried.

“I was so worried about you. Thank God, you’re home now.” Her nanny sniffled as she caressed her back.

Kate heaved a sigh and hugged her nanny back. Now she really felt bad about what happened, and she promised herself not to make the same mistake… ever again.

“I-I’m so sorry, Nana.”

Her nanny moved away a bit and cupped her face.

“This isn’t you, Kate. Tell me, what happened?”

She scratched the side of her neck and glanced at Jan, who was just standing a few steps away from them, silent.

“Remember my friend Natalie?” she said afterward. “I met her again… at my new school. She happened to transfer there as well. And you know her, right? She’s a party girl, and… uhm… she brought me to this resto-bar to celebrate our mini-reunion,” Kate explained a little louder so Jan could hear what she said.

Nana Talia caressed her arms and sighed.

“Dear, I understand how you felt to be reunited with your friend again. But you could have given yourself a minute to inform Jan or me why you’re still out late.” Her nanny glanced at Jan. “Your husband is so worried about you.”

“I-I’m really sorry, Nana.” Kate bit her lower lip to suppress her cry, but it still escaped from her lips.

“Oh, dear….” Her nanny hugged her again.

At the corner of her eye, she saw Jan walk past them and head to the stairs.

“Nana, I think I’m starving. Can you cook me my favorite?”

Her nanny chuckled. “Which one? You have a lot of favorites, you know.”

“Macaroni soup. I guess I need comfort tonight.” She pulled her nanny to the kitchen.

“You two quarreled, don’t you?” Kate sat on a stool at the kitchen counter as Nana Talia strode to the cupboard. “Have you apologized to your husband?”

“He…” She propped a hand on her chin. “He won’t listen to my explanations.”

“Oh, dear…” Nana Talia turned to face her with a pack of macaroni in her hand. “I know I never had a chance to marry… or even have a romantic relationship with someone. But I know pretty well that if no one will try to rectify this conflict… soon this little problem would be big, and it might ruin you and Jan.”

Why was her nanny talking that way when she knew the real score between her and Jan?

What is there to ruin when we have nothing but a deal?

“Kate….” Nana Talia strode toward the kitchen counter. “Apologize to Jan, okay? I don’t want you to lose such a great man just because you couldn’t swallow your pride.”

She heaved a sigh.

“Maybe I’ll just apologize to him tomorrow. For sure, he’ll work again inside his study tonight.” Nana Talia shook her head. “Do you need a hand?”

“No, I can manage. Just sit there and wait.”

“All right.” Kate shrugged and did what she was told.

KATE prowled to the second floor after eating the macaroni soup that she requested from her nanny. She really thought Jan would work overnight again, but then, he was inside the master’s bedroom. He was lying on the right side of the bed with his laptop above his lap.

“O-oh… you’re… here.”

“Why? Do you expect me to sleep somewhere else?” Jan said without raising his head.

She scratched her brow. “No. No. I was just… uhm… expecting that you’ll work overnight inside the study room.”

Kate put her bag down on the couch and sauntered toward the bathroom door. Before entering, she glanced at Jan and found him still enthralled with whatever he was doing on his laptop. For sure, he was still mad at her; that was why he was treating her cold.

She opened the faucet and watched the tub as it was being filled with water.

“Katherine.”

She flinched upon hearing his voice just behind her.

“W-what is it?” She rose to her feet and turned to face Jan.

He was looking at her now straight in the eyes, perhaps trying to comprehend what was on her mind.

“Let’s talk,” Jan said afterward.

“Talk?” She folded her arms over her chest. “And then, what? You won’t listen to my explanations—”

“Katherine…” He grasped her arms. “I… I was worried about you. Maybe you thought I overreacted, but—”

“Why are you so worried about me?” Her forehead creased.

Jan tilted his head upward and sighed.

“Look, Katherine.” He looked at her again. “I don’t know how many times I’ve told you this… You are my wife. Your welfare is in my hands—”

“N-not because you’re falling for me?”

Kate did not know why, but she suddenly felt hopeful that he was slowly falling for her. Because if truth be told, that was the case for her. Her hopes were getting ambitious that their marriage would soon become… normal.

“I told you that—”

“Yes, of course. This is purely business.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Leave. I’m going to take a bath.”

He stared at her for a couple of seconds before leaving the bathroom. Kate immediately locked the door when he left. She was not in the mood for a talk. Not now when her heart seemed to be bruised.

Kate undressed and dipped herself in the tub.

“What was I thinking?” she asked herself as she washed her face with water. “Am I nuts?”

Why did she ever waste her time hoping she and Jan could fall in love? She was falling for him, yes. But she was the only one. It hurts to think of it, but that was the reality.

Kate let herself sink in the water. She was torn between letting herself fall for him more or stopping her foolishness. Yes, that was how she calls that. She was a fool out of love. And if she ever tells that to her friend, Natalie will laugh out loud.

Who would fall in love with someone just like that in a short period and few interactions?

Well, it was Kate.

She stayed inside the bathroom for almost an hour before retiring to bed. Jan was already sleeping when she slipped herself under the duvet.

It was one of those few times that she could go to sleep with him lying next to her. Perhaps their argument was that powerful; it did that.

Kate’s hand itched to caress his face, but then she also thought that it might wake him up. So, she just kept her hands under her cheek and stared at him until she fell asleep.

KATE woke up the next day with Jan still sleeping beside her, which she found very unusual. When her gaze turned on the alarm clock on the bedside table, she found out it was already eight in the morning. Jan does not wake up as late as that. But of course, one could oversleep, and maybe that was it.

“Jan… wake up, it’s already eight. Don’t you have schedules today?” She grasped his arm to shake him, but she did not proceed with that when she felt his skin hot. Her hand went up to his forehead and cupped it. “Oh, shit!”

He was burning with fever.

She eased herself from the bed and got the thermometer from the medicine cabinet inside the bathroom. Kate took his temperature and found out that it was over thirty-nine degrees Celsius. Cupping her forehead, she sat on the edge of the bed and stared at him. Perhaps he was overworking himself, and now the fatigue and stress made him sick.

“Poor, Jan…” she muttered.

Kate went back to the bathroom and washed. Then, she donned her robe and went down to the kitchen.

“Kate, dear,” said Nana Talia when she saw her. “I was just about to bring your breakfast in bed—”

“Nana, I need something warm in the stomach, perhaps a soup. And I also need paracetamol—”

“Are you sick?” her nanny asked worriedly.

“Nope. I’m okay. It’s Jan.”

“O-oh. I see.”

“I guess his overwork—”

“Sir Jan is as strong as a bull,” Luisa, the head of the house helpers, chimed in upon arriving at the kitchen. “He seldom gets sick, and when he did, there is only one reason.”

“What is it?”

“He must’ve been worried too much… about someone or something.”

“As in worried sick, literally?” Her forehead creased.

“Hm.” Luisa nodded. “His emotional stress makes him sick.”

If Luisa was right, then it only meant that she was the reason why Jan was sick.

Kate heaved a deep sigh.

“Why don’t you eat your breakfast first while I cook?” Nana Talia pulled her in the table’s direction.

IT KIND of felt like his head would burst any minute now. And not only that, his body felt heavy too; it ached in all places.

“Damn it,” Jan muttered as he tried to get out of the bed.

The door swung open, and Katherine came in with a tray of food in her hands.

“Oh, you’re up.” She laid the tray down on the bedside table. “Eat this and take your medicine—”

“I don’t have the appetite, and I’ll going to be late—”

“You’re not going anywhere. You have a fever.”

His brow arched. The tone of her voice sounded like his mother.

“It’s just fever. I’m not even a baby, Katherine.” He stood up and wobbled.

Katherine was fast enough to hold him and pushed him back to the bed.

“See? You can’t even stand properly.” She pushed him so he could lean his back on the headboard. “I already called Rose and informed her that you’re sick and you can’t go to the office today. She said it’s okay and have rest.”

Jan’s forehead creased. He doubted Rose would say that. His office would crumble without him.

“You’re lying,” he muttered. Katherine turned to him, biting her lower lip. “I knew it.”

“Fine. I just told Rose that you’re sick. She didn’t say anything.” She grabbed the bowl of soup and the spoon.

He watched her as she cooled it down a little.

“About last night….” Katherine said afterward. “I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

“It took you overnight to realize it.” He scoffed.

She met his gaze, and he found guilt written in her eyes. He thought she would argue with him about that, but she just sighed and started feeding him the soup.

“What’s gotten into you?” Jan smiled like an idiot, and he did not know why.

“Nothing. I just… realized that I was wrong.”

Jan grabbed the bowl from her and put it back on the tray. He then grabbed her hands.

“Just so you know, I don’t hate you, Katherine. I was mad at you last night because—”

“I know. You’re worried about me.”

“Yes. And I’m hoping that you won’t repeat what you did last night. Well… you can still hang out with friends, but please tell us about it, so we know where you are.”

Katherine just nodded in response.

His hand reached for her cheek and caressed it.

When he first met Katherine, it was chaotic, but after he learned about her story, a spot inside his chest ached for her. Jan found it strange, and he did not know why he immediately said yes to her request as if he was under her spell. And right at that moment, he told himself he would protect her.

Katherine cupped his hand on her cheek and closed her eyes. She was a beauty, indeed. But then… he had to hold himself back. It was not as if he did not want her but because he was scared. Jan was afraid that fate would take her away from him if he loved her, just like what happened before.

Yes, he had been in love. It was beautiful at first, and then it turned sad and tragic.

Jan withdrew his hand and reached for the paracetamol on the tray.

“I must not keep you here. You have classes to attend, Katherine,” he said.

“I don’t have classes today.”

“Oh.”