Now Altezza's forehead wrinkled. "How do you know that she still loves me?"
"She said it directly to the three of us. Me, Tessa, and Joanna. We met by chance and she suddenly told us about her love story.
"At that time, I didn't know that she was your ex-wife. And she also seemed unaware that I am now your wife. She sincerely wanted to apologize and get back together with you. She said she would change. Don't you want to give her a chance?"
Altezza's forehead furrowed even more. He looked at Adaline with a puzzled expression. 'What does his wife mean by saying things like that?' The question filled his mind.
"We got married because of a contract," Adaline answered as if understanding the unspoken question from Altezza. "You wanted me to bear your son in exchange for the expenses you incurred to help heal my mother."
Altezza shook his head. "I won't deny that. Because that's indeed the fact.
"But when I said my marriage vows, I meant them sincerely. This marriage is a covenant between us and God. And I don't want to play games with that."
"But..." Adaline looked at her husband with an incomprehensible gaze.
"Listen to me. I asked you to marry me, even without love. And with the addition of a contract asking you to bear my child.
"But I take this marriage seriously. I strive to be a good husband. A husband worthy of you and now trying to be a good father for our child.
"Even though I know I'm far from being 'good' itself. But I'm trying.
"Not because of that contract. Nor because I want a child in exchange for the money I lent for your mother's surgery. Because even if you refuse, I will still help you.
"I admit I was wrong. But I'm not lying that I truly want a child.
"I'm also wrong for forcing you into this marriage without considering your feelings. But I really entered into this marriage sincerely.
"When I made my marriage vows, I also promised myself and to God that you would be the only one to be my wife. The mother of my children, even though I didn't know what would happen in the future.
"I haven't thought about that contract at all, and I have never demanded you to immediately give birth to a child for me."
"But IVF?"
"That was another reason to bind you. I know how a woman, especially a woman like you who is still pure and untouched by any man, desires the touch of a man she loves. And I haven't been able to give that love. Maybe even now, I don't know if love exists or not.
"But I do care for you. I want to take care of you. Because you are my wife.
"Don't see yourself just as a surrogate mother figure. Because you're not a surrogate mother. You're my wife. The future mother of my children."
"Al..."
"I know I was wrong. I apologize for that. I truly apologize." Altezza held his wife's small hands. Squeezing them gently, more to reassure himself that all of this was real. "My intentions from the beginning have caused you misunderstandings. I couldn't explain it because I was afraid.
"And now, when that woman reappears, I feel even more afraid. I'm afraid that you might have other thoughts. Bad thoughts about me. And I swear I have no dealings with that woman anymore." Altezza looked at Adaline with a convincing gaze.
"But you were with her for six years. It's impossible for that feeling to just disappear," Adaline's statement wasn't meant to shake Altezza, but to reassure herself that Altezza was expressing his true feelings.
"Yes, logically, that's true. I can't just make the love of these six years disappear."
"But nothing is impossible if it is God's will to erase all those feelings towards her. And even if those feelings still exist, I will try to push them far away. And I hope you will help me do that. Because what I want now is to rectify our intentions and run this household as best as we can."
"I..."
"Why? Are you doubting what I'm saying? Don't you want to commit to this marriage wholeheartedly?"
"I-I'm not like that." Adaline bowed her head, her face reddened with embarrassment. "From the beginning, I also vowed that I would try to be a good wife. Just like what you're doing. I never took this marriage lightly. That's why I entrusted myself to you." Her answer was stuttered, her hands twisted nervously.
Altezza was happy to hear it, and he immediately reached for his wife's body and hugged her tightly. Altezza kissed the top of her head several times. Feeling touched and grateful at the same time.
He didn't expect that his wife would feel the same way he did.
"Adaline Scott. The only wife of Altezza Quirino. The future mother of the Quirino descendants. The beloved daughter-in-law of Mamma Delila and Padre Benjamin. My wife." Altezza kissed Adaline again. Forehead, cheek, chin, nose, and ending on her lips. It was an intense and lingering kiss. "I truly missed kissing you these past three days."
"Liar." Adaline replied, her small hand lightly hitting Altezza's chest.
"I'm not lying, Mrs. I'm serious," Altezza replied earnestly.
"Then why did you just leave me three days ago like that? You even chose to write a letter instead of waking me up and saying goodbye in person?"
"That's because I didn't want to disturb your sleep. You looked tired as if you'd been up all night, and your eyes seemed swollen from crying."
"How could you possibly know? I slept in my room, and the door was locked from the inside. I didn't even take the key out of the door, so how could you have entered?"
"There are many ways to Rome, Mrs.," Altezza replied mysteriously.
Adaline pinched his waist. "Al..."
"Okay, okay, I'll tell you the secret. After the meeting that night, I accidentally ran into some college friends. They invited me to go clubbing. Initially, I intended to contact you, but it turned out my phone died." Altezza stated the truth except for the fact that he met Jovanka beforehand. "Around one in the morning, I finally returned home. But it turned out the lady of the house wasn't sleeping in her room and chose to hide instead. Eventually, I showered and decided to look for you. And as you said, the door was locked.
"I even brought a spare key, but it wouldn't fit. So your beloved husband finally resorted to taking the key to the secret door."
"Secret door?" Adaline looked at him puzzled. Altezza nodded, grinning mischievously.
"Did you forget that your husband is an architect? I can even create various secret doors without the homeowner knowing." But Adaline was still not satisfied with his answer.
"So where is this secret door?"
"Do you really want to know, or are you just curious?" he teased. Once again, Adaline pinched his waist.
"Al, come on..."
"Later," he promised. "When we get home, I'll show you where the secret door is. For now, it's better for my lady to sleep. It's not good for the baby. And my lady needs to be healthier too. If there's anything, don't hesitate to tell me. Aren't you feeling sorry for me being scolded by Mamma all the time?" Adaline shook her head with a sheepish expression.
"I'm actually happy when Mama scolds you. It means Mama really cares for me."
"You're really heartless. I'm tired from work and getting scolded by that old lady, not to mention tomorrow the old lady's husband will add to the list of people who will scold me. And even earlier today, Sir Antony scolded me."
"Sir Antony?"
"Yeah. You don't believe he scolded me?" Adaline shook her head. "When Antony gets angry, his scolding is longer than a girl's. If you don't believe me, you can ask Claire or Flavia." Adaline smiled and shook her head simultaneously. She couldn't believe that someone like Antony, who had a flat expression, rarely spoke, and hardly smiled, could get angry like a woman.
"Just try to make him annoyed or angry. Your ears will change, no longer as red as ripe tomatoes but will turn as red as rotten tomatoes." They laughed together, imagining how the color of their ears would change to that of rotten tomatoes.
"Let's sleep." Altezza adjusted his sleeping position. "It's going to be a long night at the hospital." He said as he laid down beside his wife.
Adaline lay on her side, facing left, keeping her arm with the IV tube. Altezza pressed Adaline's back against his chest. His right hand wrapped around her stomach and held her free hand tightly, free from the IV tube.
That's how they fell asleep until the early morning. They didn't even wake up when the nurse came to their room. Even when Delila and Violet came to deliver breakfast, they were still in the same position.