Chapter 22 I’ll never divorce her
The closet was huge, understandable because it incorporated both Roger and Karen’s clothes. The size was bigger than the enormous bedroom itself.
Karen had always loved simplicity, but he felt it was the reason no one ever noticed her. He was determined to change that.
“After marriage, I should have invested in her, but I didn’t because I didn’t care,” he said with regret. “They are my collections. I made them specifically for her. These colors would match her skin tone, and those eyeglasses of hers are just too ugly,” he shrugged, a faraway look in his eyes.
He had researched a lot with the images of her from the CCTV footage, finding the things that would give her the kind of presence he always craved in his woman.
The moment he decided to marry her despite not loving her, he should have done all these, but he was bent on winning Tonia’s love or thinking he stood a chance.
Now he realized it too late and also lost the woman he now knew he loved. As to when he fell in love with her, he couldn’t tell but only came to the acceptance that he also felt calm around her. Delanie noticed that these styles were not in line with hers or her mother's, but Roger always said he wanted his woman to be like them. “But these aren’t our style.”
“Exactly. My wife doesn’t have to be like you or mom anymore,” he said, deflating his previous expectation. He was naïve about the things of love by then, admiring the look of his mother and sister.
“She’s unique, so I don’t want to change anything about her. All I want is to enhance what she already has. Those green eyes can become powerful if not covered with those eyeglasses. If she doesn’t like the contact lenses, she could choose from the variety of frames I had specifically made for her,” he revealed, a dreamy smile on his face as they explored the closet.
“She’s petite, smaller than you and mom, so if she dresses in those tight outfits, it would only make her look smaller. These jumpers, special couture dresses, and pants would give her presence, enhance her maturity,” he added.
His demeanor suddenly became distant, and Delanie was disheartened. Roger had always maintained a smile whenever she was around, but right now, it was as if she wasn’t even there in the first place.
Everything about her had been removed. “You removed our pictures. Do you hate us?” She raised her brow, her voice almost a whisper. Roger stiffened before turning to face her.
Instantly, he cupped her face in the palm of his hand and stared intently into her eyes. “I’ve loved you from the moment you were born. I held you in my arms and even named you. Lani, I can never stop loving you, but this house belongs to my wife, and you have to understand that.”
Delanie got the message. Her spectacular big brother would no longer always be at her beck and call because he had his own family to start.
Now everything was all about Karen, and Delanie didn’t know how to feel about that. “So, for the past month, all you ever did was pick up the things you think she’d like?”
Roger led her out of the room as he spoke. “She deserves it, but I didn’t pick. I designed them myself before having them made for her.”
It was fortunate that he was clandestine, so working from home gave him the time to do the things he felt he should have done as soon as he married Karen. “The orchid garden is still in progress. Orchids are her favorites.”
Roger had done extensive research about his wife a little too late.
If he had bought her orchids instead of the random flowers he purchased, then that should have also made a difference, but now, he was giving her a garden full of her favorite flowers.
As they walked through the garden, Delanie was stunned by the new design. Most of the flowers were still at their baby stage, but she could predict the outcome.
“This feels like a dream. It’s so beautiful.” Roger had always bought her and her mother gifts and showered them with love, but he had never done something like this.
No wonder he kept to himself. All this was certainly time-consuming. Roger didn’t regret not giving all this to Karen in the beginning because his disguise was what brought them together in the first place.
If he hadn’t become a bodyguard at the Fletchers' residence, then he would not have met her. “She deserves more, Lani. She suffered because of me. They almost killed her." He still couldn't shake the image of the three men and was certain his father had saved Karen.
As for how he knew she was there, Roger had no idea, which only added to his shame. This was also why he couldn't bypass certain protocols. Going against his father felt like going against himself.
Delanie embraced him, offering the comfort he needed. "It's okay. This shows what you have in your heart."
Roger pulled away, wishing he had been the one to have dealt with those thugs, but they were already dead, meaning his father had cleaned up his mess.
He should be grateful, but he wanted more. A chance to speak to his wife, even if only for a brief moment.
"I hope she'll like it, Lani. I..." His voice was cut off by a strange sound behind them. "I love Karen. I'll never divorce her."