Contract And Marriage

Maximus

“Hello,” I answered Aries’ call.

“I saw Ma’am Sarina,” he reported.

“Follow her, and don’t let her out of your sight. I want to know where she’s going,” I instructed.

“Okay, sir.” I ended the call and faced my grandmother and Midori. My blood was boiling out of anger, but they were still family, especially my grandmother.

“Midori, I don’t want to see your face ever again. If you don’t stop approaching, I won’t let your family off the hook either. Remember that,” I warned.

“But babe,”

“And stop calling me your fucking babe because I’m not!” I snapped, startling her with my outburst.

“Maximus,” my friend Jerold, a doctor, interrupted, trying to calm the situation. He had been standing there, watching the drama, and I didn’t even think Sarina noticed him.

“Stay out of this, Jerold,” I looked at him, and he nodded in understanding.

“I’ll leave you for now,” he excused himself, which I agreed to. I didn’t want him to hear what I had to say to these women.

“You no longer respect me, Maximus!” my grandmother said angrily, which was evident.

“I will never forget what you did to my wife, Grandma,” I replied.

“She’s not your wife, she said it. It’s just a contract and about to end,” Midori said again.

“I will never let our contract end, Midori. Sarina will be my wife forever, and you will never have a chance to intrude on our lives. I never liked you, and you know that. So stop pretending that I do. I have been patient with you, but that ends here, after what you did earlier?”

Midori and my grandmother were speechless. I seized the moment to confront my grandmother directly. “And Grandma, never say anything against my wife. I won’t let anyone harm her in any way. If Sarina and I ever part ways, I swear, I don’t know what I will do.”

“Don’t tell me you love her!” she exclaimed, and I never wanted to hide the truth from her or anyone else.

“I love her. To the point that I’ve done more than most people would just to have her, so don’t ruin it and make me regret having you as my grandmother.”

My grandmother gasped at my words. I had always been patient and agreed to everything she wanted because I knew she was old and the only one who cared for her. Not just because I was her only remaining relative but because I was the only one who understood her.

Her behavior had estranged my uncle, aunt, and cousins from her. I couldn’t blame them because of what she did to Sarina earlier; she also did to the spouses of my father’s siblings, whom she didn’t approve of.

“Remember, I am your grandmother, Maximus.”

“And you have to remember that Sarina is my wife. If you think that by siding with you when you argue with her, I was actually on your side, you’re mistaken. My wife is the most important person in my life; there’s no one else after her.”

“Max, why are you talking that way to grandma? She’s old and doesn’t need to be spoken to like that,” Midori said, making me roll my eyes.

“If you don’t leave now and stop sticking to me, especially when my wife is around, I will make sure your whole family suffers for generations,” I threatened.

“Maximus!” my grandma exclaimed, probably not expecting me to say something like that. But she should be used to it because she knew that when it came to business, I could do anything to bring down anyone who intended to harm my company.

“I’m not joking. And as I said, don’t ever do what you did to my wife again. I can live without you but not without my wife.”

“She talks back to me just like that! She was disrespectful and you wanted me to accept her?’

“It’s because you talk ill of her and even include her family!” I angrily replied. She seemed to insist on what she wanted, so I ended our conversation thinking we wouldn’t understand each other anyway. “You know what, Grandma, just leave me here. We would only hurt each other with our words if we continued this conversation, and I didn’t want that to happen. I’ve already told you to leave my wife alone, and this is the last time I’ll say it.” I lay on my bed so they would leave my room already.

More than an hour later, Aries called me again, “Where is she? Did she go back to the condo?”

“No, sir, she went to a hotel.”

“Where?”

“At Luxuria.”

“Okay, you can return to work, and I’ll discharge myself.” We then talked, and I called Jerold and asked for his help.

“You know what, buddy, I don’t know why you must do all this for your wife. Do you love her that much?” He asked in disbelief.

“It’s just different for me; I don’t know why. I’ve never felt this way with any woman.”

“You’re in love. Anyway, good luck with your courtship. Based on what I saw earlier, your wife has other admirers.” Because of what he said, I couldn’t help but tense my muscles while clenching my fists in anger. “And it looks like you know that. Good luck, buddy.”

I nodded at him and said goodbye. I had to go to my wife, who I was sure was still fuming with anger because of my grandmother and Midori.

When I arrived at the hotel, the employees didn’t know what to do. It’s because I was the new owner of Luxuria, so when I asked for Sarina’s room number and a duplicate key, I got it without difficulty. I asked if she had ordered anything, especially food, and they said no. She had left Catanduanes this morning, and I was sure she hadn’t eaten anything on her way to the hospital.

“Fuck!” I muttered when I realized that she had already passed mealtime. I quickly went to the 10th floor, where her room was located. It was just a regular room, but I understood why she chose it; the receptionist said Sarina had asked for the cheapest available room.

Upon entering, I immediately looked for her. It was the type of room without a bedroom, so the living room greeted me first with its expensive couch. On the right was the bed where my wife was lying, seemingly fast asleep. I noticed her suitcase still on the floor, open, and her cell phone ringing beside her.

I picked it up, intending to cancel the call, but I saw the caller’s name and answered, “Love, you finally answered.” Even though I was furious, I managed to restrain myself from shouting and calmed down before speaking.

“I think you dialed the wrong number.” He should not test my patience as well because I don’t care whose family he belonged to; as long as he wanted to take my wife away from me, I would make sure he would suffer.

“What, wait, who are you?” he asked. “I can’t be wrong; this number belongs to Sarina. Who are you?” he asked continuously. I wanted to laugh at him, but I stopped myself.

“Ah, Sarina, right? I’m sorry, but my wife is asleep. Do you have something to tell her?” I asked instead. He’s the one who should be furious and not me. I had to calm myself because I was married to the woman he wanted for himself.

“Wife?” he asked.

“Yes, she’s married to me. Why? Is there a problem?” I want to repeatedly tell him who I am to Sarina so he would understand and eventually forget about his feelings for my wife.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Don’t dream whoever you are. You know your marriage has a limit. Her contract with you will end.” After he said that, I clenched my fist, thinking the contract that was supposed to be between me and Sarina had been common knowledge to everyone. I will never let my grandmother separate me and Sarina; what is this bastard thinking that he believed I would leave my wife?

I looked at my sleeping wife, whom I was deeply in love with despite my anger. Whatever this man dreamed of would remain a dream because “Listen to me carefully. Whatever happens, I will never leave my wife. Wait as long as you want, but I guarantee you one thing: I will never let my wife go, end our contract, or file for a divorce.”

I ended the call and was about to throw the cell phone, but I remembered it wasn’t mine, and I was afraid Sarina would get mad at me if it happened. I just put it down before pretending to sit beside her and watch her sleep as I used to do, along with occasionally brushing her hair and cheek.