Serena looked at him quietly through the video call. His apologies and reflections threw her back to the night of their phone call. Her voice softened. “Zack, I thought I didn’t have to tell you everything since I could handle it myself, but in a way, your huge reaction is a show of your concern for me.
“We can be a little more patient and understanding toward one another. We got married without knowing or loving each other. I can’t promise that we won’t have another fight after this, but I can guarantee that we can take a few days to cool our heads and calmly have a talk whenever we face a problem.”
The fight had left the couple with mental scars and bruises.
Marriage was forever. The road was long, so the fights, silent treatment, and misunderstanding would often find their way into the journey.
Communication was key.
“Sure.”
Zack’s hanging mind was at ease.
“You’re sick. Don’t take your drinks cold, and get a doctor’s appointment after work. Why don’t you go now instead? Don’t drag on. Do you have a fever?”
Zack lifted his arm to feel his head. It was burning. No wonder he felt light–headed.
Nevertheless, he did not tell Serena the truth. “I don’t have a temperature. Don’t worry. I’m feeling fine. I’ll get some medicine from the pharmacy later. How are you at your aunt’s place?
“Are your uncle and cousins good to you?”
“You look a little red. Are you sure you don’t have a temperature, Zack?”
Serena had a keen observation.
“My uncle and cousins are nice. I don’t need to say much about Elisa. We hit it off fine. Zack, blood relation is an amazing thing. Elisa and I have never met before. We didn’t even know we were cousins, but we got on well from the get–go.”
Zack grinned. “Send my regards to your aunt since I can’t visit her yet. I have time during the New Year’s holidays. I’ll go with you to visit your aunt then.”
He intended to come clean to Serena about his identity before visiting the Stones.
Zack would accept it wholeheartedly no matter the response Serena would have.
As his nana put it, he deserved it.
“My aunt understands. She said that the party tomorrow is to introduce me and my sister to everyone. Zack, it’d be great if you were here too. I don’t really like this sort of thing. I feel better when you’re with me.
“You give me a lot of assurance. You’ll always find a way to help me out of any trouble. You’re a superman to me, Zack.”
Zack chuckled. “I’m just lucky to be able to help you. Let me know if you ever come across a problem you can’t solve.
“Don’t feel too worried about the party. Your aunt has standing in Wiltspoon. Now that she has finally found you, she wants to take you under her wing and introduce you to everybody at the party.
“Everyone will be nice to you out of respect for your aunt. Don’t feel burdened.”
“I want you by my side…”
That was why she put it out there.
“I’m sorry, Seren.”
Apart from an apology, Zack had no idea what else he could say.
“But I feel assured with Elisa and Jasmine there. At least there’d be people I know at the party.
“Zack, you don’t look too good. You better go to the hospital. I’ll let you off now, I’ll video call when I get the time tonight. If you look worse than you already are, you must send me your address so I can drag you to the doctor’s!”
Serena believed Zack was the kind to hold up even when he was sick.
Many believed taking medication could ward off sickness whereas some would not even take it and would hang on. However, that would only make the illness worse.
Serena might sound stern, but Zack took it as her concern and care for him.
Although feeling light–headed, Zack felt his illness washing away through his beloved Serena’s concern for him.
He replied with a smile, “I don’t have time tonight. You’re busy tomorrow too. I’ll have a video chat with you in two days. If I don’t get better in the next two days, then you’re welcome to drag me to the hospital.”
“Alright. I’m on a break like the students now. I’m going there to sort you out and whip you into a henpecked husband if you don’t be good. You can forget your dignity in front of your colleagues.”
The smile across Zack’s face deepened.
“So you’re saying that you’ll come here and keep tabs on me if I deliberately stay away from the doctor?”
“Don’t you dare, Zack!”
Zack cowered on purpose. “I’m scared. I wouldn’t dare.”
“Alright now. I’m going to stop here. Hurry up and get yourself to the hospital. You’re an adult, yet you don’t take good care of yourself.”
Serena grumbled before hanging up. She left Zack to his work.
“Seren.”
“Liberty.”
Serena watched as her sister drew close. “Is Sonny asleep?”
“Yeah. I want to take a walk while he’s sleeping. It’s good exercise. I run three times a day now. I put myself on a diet and cut sugar. I slow down on the protein to keep my weight too.”
Liberty stopped and added, “My takeaway from the three–year marriage is that we women should take care of ourselves and be financially independent. We can’t be overly reliant on men and trust that they’ll take care of us. No one wants to end up like me right now.
“Men turn bad when they have money. Hank changed after he was promoted to manager. See. Money changed him for the worse.”
Supporting her sister’s weight loss program, Serena said, “Are you running three times every day? I think you can do morning and evening runs.”
During lunch, Serena noticed her sister keeping off the meat. Her sister skipped dessert while they were chatting.
In the past, her sister usually went for dessert.
“The weight loss will show if I persevere with running three times a day.”
Liberty was cruel to herself to get back into shape. She wanted her numbers to go down to the ideal weight during her single days before the opening of her breakfast place.
She was young and would be thirty–one years old when New Year came around. She could not give up on herself because of one failed marriage. She had to stand up on her two feet again.
It was time to begin her new life.
“Can you walk with me, Seren?” Liberty invited her.
With a smile, Serena went with her sister to stroll around the yard of the Stones‘ residence. They would jog a little in between.
Behind a room window on the second floor of the main building, a couple was staring at the sisters who were running around the yard.
Alice asked the man beside her. “Clive, what do you think Serena’s response will be when she finds out that she’s somehow the missus of the York family?”
Clive was without a word.
He could not guess Serena’s reaction, but he knew his sister would go mad and turn against Serena once the news broke. Turning around, Clive walked away from the window and sat on the bed. After much thought, he gave Zack a call.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.