Chapter 43

"Hi, Clarie," greeted Daniele waving at Clarie who appeared from the entrance. They smiled at each other. Clarie walked over to the table where her best friend sat.

"Did I take long, Danny? Sorry, I took a taxi here," Clarie said after her buttocks touched the chair.

"No, I've finished a glass of ice cream. What would you like to drink?" she asked. Clarie chuckled, apparently her best friend had been there a while.

"I'm sorry, Danny." Clarie spooned a mouthful of ice cream into her mouth.

"So what's the problem?" Daniele asked softly, she knew for sure that her best friend might have a problem.

"Um... I'll order first, okay?" Clarie got up, she went straight to the cashier, two minutes later she sat back down across from her best friend. She doubts that she will actually tell her best friend about household problems, what if it will add to the problem later? Since her best friend wasn't married either, would she give her the best advice if she had never even been married herself.

"Hey, why are you daydreaming? Are you here to daydream or tell a story? C'mon Clarie..." Daniele patted the back of her best friend's hand, Clarie woke up from her long daydream.

“Eum-actually…”

"What?!" Daniele frowned, waiting anxiously.

"Er... I..."

"Come on, Clarie-" Daniele urged.

"Your order, please enjoy," said the waitress serving a glass of vanilla chocolate ice cream in front of them.

"Thanks," Daniele said, while Clarie looked confused.

"What's wrong with you, Clarie? Did Lucas torture you? Why are you suddenly so dazed?"

"No Danny. I think Lucas is hiding something from me."

"What? A clear story, don't cut it in bits, I don't understand, don't tell me to-"

"Maybe he has another woman, Danny. No Danny, I'm not willing." Clarie looked down wearily, covering her face with her palms.

"Do you have any evidence to say so?"

"Not yet, anyway. But, he's always been busy lately, I'm suspicious," Clarie explained.

"Everything will be fine, Clarie. Lucas is the kind of cold guy who seems loyal, he he he ...

"If he's been faithful maybe I won't be his wife, stupid Danny."

"Hahaha ... maybe you got karma, Clarie."

"You're swearing at me? I want to investigate as soon as possible, I'm so curious why he's always free on weekends."

"Suit yourself Clarie, I'll just have some ice cream, I'll have yours."

"Don't spend it, Danny," Clarie prevented.

Clarie then contacts Rebecca, who has returned to work as Lucas' secretary after Clarie married her boss. Clarie asked if Lucas was that busy that weekend and there was no time to be together, and Rebecca stated that Lucas always came home early, even though his schedule as usual had no meetings on weekends.

Like being struck by lightning, Clarie was shocked and almost cried. She immediately went home hearing that, she was going to find out who was the person who had taken up her husband's time so that he forgot about her.,

Daniele was surprised because Clarie left in a hurry, after calling her goodbye. Daniele was just stunned while watching Clarie getting farther and farther away and disappearing behind the cafe wall.

Lucas and Marion went home together to Marion's residence, they had just gone to check Marion's womb from the doctor.

"Here's your medicine, Mary." Lucas pocketed the prescription for the medicine that he had unknowingly redeemed, while he put the medicine on the nightstand. He was about to leave to go home but Marion always held him back.

"Oh Luke. Can you stay till midnight? I'm so tormented with nausea, can you rub my belly and tell our son not to fuss?" Marion asked pitifully, the woman opened her top clothes, her stomach did look a bit distended.

Lucas took a deep breath. He then sat on the edge of the bed then held Marion's stomach, he looked down and spoke as if he was facing a real baby.

"Kid, you're a smart kid. Don't torture your mother by asking for this, okay, because I'm far away from you. Be a smart kid, okay, because your mother will keep bothering me if you're cranky in there," Lucas said.

Marion patted Lucas on the arm and chuckled. "Luke, what are you talking about? Can you be gentle? You'll just make your baby coward."

Lucas withdrew. "What do you want? Aren't I already good? Leaving my wife just to be with you, even though I'm not sure it's my child?!"

"You are selfish, Luke! If this baby comes I won't let you see it. You hear me?!" Marion threatened to change her position, she snuggled her back against Lucas, and the man knew that Marion was angry with him.

"Sorry, Marry I just feel guilty with my wife."

Marion cursed her ex-husband in her heart. 'You selfish man! Damn it!'

"Marry, if you're feeling better I'll go home now," Lucas said goodbye.

But, Marion suddenly screamed.

"You think I'm not hurt that you cheated on me with the secretary? You think you are the most hurt in this world?! I can already love you and you divorced me, I regret carrying this child, I'd rather just die with my fetus," Marion screamed as she got up and searched for something in her drawer.

Lucas was surprised, then prevented the woman from acting rashly.

"Stop! What are you going to do, take those scissors off, Mary!" Lucas held Marion who pointed the tip of the scissors at her stomach. "Come to your senses! Don't be mad Mary!"

"You're driving me crazy Luke! That bitch killed Terry too!" Marion roared, Lucas tried to remove the scissors from her grip and hugged his ex-wife tightly who was already sobbing and screaming like a madman.

Clarie was restless, pacing the room and waiting for Lucas to return.

"It's already twelve o'clock, what time does he want to come home? He also doesn't answer my calls, I have to make calculations, just try to come home at what time?"

Clarie was so annoyed, she lay on her bed before standing up again, anxiously calling her husband, but there was no response at all. Clarie lay down again, their bed not as warm as it used to be. Was Lucas really having an affair? Clarie pulled the blanket over her head, she was crying inside, shedding the feeling of tightness in her chest.

The next morning, Clarie woke up and Lucas was beside her. Her right hand was on her stomach, Clarie smiled but also felt hurt at the same time, she pushed Lucas' hand away, even though she moved Lucas' hand slowly but her husband would notice the slightest movement. Lucas opened his eyes, smiling his sweet smile.

"Morning, honey. Did you sleep well?"

Clarie sat on the edge of the bed, she hesitated to answer Lucas's question or ignore it, she wanted to chat but Lucas had changed.

'What does all this mean? Doesn't he feel guilty? Oh yeah, I forgot he's selfish!'

Clarie stood up, about to go to the bathroom, but Lucas pulled her body first and sat on her husband's lap.

"Why, honey? Are you mad?" Clarie kept silent, and Lucas launched his action to seduce his wife by kissing her neck.

"Stop!" Clarie shouted, Lucas reflexively stopped and was surprised because his wife looked so angry.

"What's wrong, honey? Are you really mad? Even though I want to enter you now, mine always tenses up close to you."

"Where have you been all this time?"