by Zaydee Rain
'What the hell is wrong with you? I can see again! Aren't you happy? Or do you want a blind husband now?' Luc roared. I paled at that. Luc must have noticed because he suddenly tried to reach for me. 'Lorraine, I'm so sorry. I-'
'Don't bother.' I brushed away his hands and snatched up my dress from the floor. 'The fact that you have to ask me what the hell is wrong shows just how little you understand that I'm mad because you lied to me. Not because you can see again.'
With that, I stormed out of the room.
I found myself walking along the beach. Luc regained his sight.
And he didn't tell me. What does that mean? It's a very big thing to hide from someone he married and professed to love. What motivated him to keep it a secret from me?
Right now, I'm so confused in what to believe in. If Luc lied to me about his blindness all this time maybe he is lying to me about other things too.
Like about Stella Reveron.
I've forgotten about her for the past weeks ever since I got busy with the wedding preparations. Now, thoughts about her are plaguing my mind.
Maybe Luc plans to keep Stella as his mistress. I mean, she is having my husband's baby for crying out loud! Oh my word. Just the thought of that made me double over in pain.
My husband, having a baby with his ex. Or maybe not quite an ex if my suspicions are correct.
I didn't realize I was sobbing so hard until I touched my face and found it wet.
I've never felt this kind of searing pain my chest before. It left me weak. But I can't let anybody see me like this. Especially Luc. So I stood up shakily and went back to the villa. Then I realized that I can't face my husband yet and neither can I sleep with him in the same bed and pretend that everything's okay. So I made my way up to the room I first used when we arrived and lied down on my stomach. I didn't bother cleaning up. I just wanted to sleep so that I can escape the pain even just for a few hours.
I spied on Lorraine from the balcony of our room. When I saw her kneel down and sob near the water's edge, I almost ran down to gather her in my arms. But I didn't. I knew that she needs time alone.
I shouldn't have growled at her a while ago. My only explanation is that I lost control of myself. I thought that when she found out that I can see again, she'll be so ecstatic. I never thought there would be an argument.
I didn't realize that she consider it as lying. I should've have seen that one coming.
But I can't dwell on should haves... I have a wife to win back again.
At that exact moment, Lorraine stood up and walked slowly towards the villa. I stepped back into the bedroom so that she wouldn't see me. Actually, there really was no danger of her seeing me. Her head was bent down the whole time she was walking.
I sat on the bed and waited for her. When five minutes have passed and she still didn't appear, I thought that maybe I should give her another five before I come looking her. Three minutes after that, I couldn't wait any more so I pulled on a robe and strode out of our room. I went downstairs, thinking that maybe she was in the kitchen but found it empty. I went to the salon and it was empty too. I looked in at the entertainment room but still there were no sign of her.
I was starting to panic by the time I reach my dark office. I knew she wouldn't be there.
Where the hell is she?
I ran back upstairs and noticed that the door to one of the rooms was slightly open. I peeked in and there, lying on her stomach, with her arms flung over the bed, was my wife. Her face looked peaceful-though her nose was red.
I sat down at the edge of the bed and brushed the hair from her face. I love Lorraine and I would do anything for her to forgive me.
When I went downstairs for breakfast, Tripp and Aunt Nicole were already at the table beside the pool. Yes, Luc's villa has a pool even if it sits close to the beach already.
I see no signs of the twins so I asked Aunt Nicole where they were. Of course I tried to modulate my voice so that they don't get suspicious and I also covered my eyes with huge sunglasses.
'Jenny and James are with Luc,' Tripp said absently as he wolfed down the food on his plate.
Just then I heard the commotion behind me. When I glanced over my shoulder, I saw Jenny and James holding each of Luc's hand. He was wearing a sunglasses and it seems as if the kids were guiding him.
'What is going on?' I demanded.
'Luc can't shee, Rainie. That'sh why Jamesh and I are 'elping him.' Jenny, ever helpful, replied. 'Did you forget already that he'sh blind?'
Luc pulled down his sunglasses and gave me a sheepish smile. There and then I knew that everyone already knows that he can see again. He just got them to act this way because he's trying to be cute. As if that could make up for what he did. As if his smile could make up for what he did.
It does not make up for what he did. No, it doesn't-no matter how charming he may look.
I saw Lorraine's lips twitch. I know it is still far from the forgiveness I need but it gives me hope.
Lorraine is my hope.
Chapter 16
We were doing everything backwards. Luc and I are married but we're just getting around to the wooing phase. Oh yes, he is wooing me.
For the past three weeks, he wined and dined me all over the world. We left the villa in Corfu two days after the wedding. Tripp and Aunt Nicole are staying there with James and Jenny for the meantime. Luc brought me to Paris, hoping to soften me up in the City of Love.
He brought me to the Eiffel Tower, the expensive designer shops and the "it" clubs. When that failed, he flew us out using his private jet to Spain. We walked around Madrid, partied for a couple of nights in Ibiza and lazed in Barcelona. Luc, with his Spanish roots, was the perfect tour guide. However, since his betrayal was still fresh in my mind, I didn't enjoy that much.
When Luc noticed this, he immediately instructed his team to fix a flight to the Caribbean for us. We boarded his luxury "yacht"-actually, it was more like a ship. All I could see for days was endless water. Luc used this to his advantage to try to talk to me about what he did.
I was pretty much good at evading after five days of confinement. And that was when Luc finally lost it.
I just got out of the shower when Luc walked into the room I was using in the yacht. I raised an eyebrow at the way he banged the door shut after he entered.
'Do you need anything?' I asked him coolly. He glared. 'Well, if you don't have anything important to say-'
'Oh, I have plenty important things to say! You just don't want to listen.' He retorted.
'Because-'
'Because you can't help but act like the child you are!' Luc interjected. 'You avoid problems instead of facing it. That's not how grownups do it for your information. I expected more from you, Lorraine. But what do they say about expectations again? Never expect anything if you don't want to be disappointed. I forgot about that and I also forgot that I am dealing with a girl of twenty!'
I gasped. I suddenly felt as if a thousand warriors stabbed me with their daggers. 'You-you are a real bastard.'
Luc threw up his hands. 'Ah, name calling. How childish!'
'How dare you!' I was in front of him in a second, beating his chest with my fists. He didn't try to stop me. 'What do you expect? That I forgive you just because you've turned on your charm for the last three weeks? Ha, do you really think it's that easy? You lied to me, Lucas dela Vega! You lied to me big time! And I am not a child. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't know anything about the world! Don't treat me like a stupid, little girl who needs you to protect me or guide me. In fact to be honest, you're not doing a good job being a grownup. An adult would set a good example to the ones younger than him or her. And for your information, I am not avoiding the problem because I'm scared or whatever it is that is going on your head! I don't want to talk about it because it hurts. It pretty damn well hurts me! Don't you realize that, you bastard? How much more selfish and conceited can you get?'
I sobbed after the last word. When my knees g
ave out, Luc caught me to him. He held me as I cried. I wanted to push away from him but after my tirade I couldn't find enough strength to do so. Luc swept me up and he sat on the bed with me on his lap. He didn't say anything. He just held me and let me cry.
I don't know how long we stayed that way. When I finally calmed down, I tried to get out of Luc's arms but he wouldn't let me.
'Querida...' he urged me to put my head on his shoulder. 'I'm so sorry. You don't know how much. Please forgive me.'
I sniffled. The fight has taken its toll on me. Also, the fact that Luc said please-which he rarely did-finally got to me. I love this man. No matter what he does, I'll always love him.
'Lorraine?' I felt him go tenser the longer I didn't say anything.
I sat up to face him. 'I love you.'
He sighed with relief. 'I love you too.'
'You have to promise me that you won't lie to me anymore.'
He looked at me solemnly and answered eagerly, 'I promise.'
'And you also have to promise me not to use my age anymore against me.'
He gave me a little satisfied smile. 'Actually, I kind of did that on purpose.' I raised an eyebrow. 'Well, I knew I had to provoke you so that we can talk about this.'
I scoffed. 'You're really a manipulator, aren't you?' When he frowned, I continued. 'But I love you anyway.'
'Good because I can't change my ways.' Luc joked. 'I'll do anything to win you over.'
My heart swelled at the determined look on his face.
That is why at the next moment Luc and I were tumbling on the bed. We were frantically undressing, kissing and caressing each other.
He trailed kisses from my face down my neck. 'I missed touching you,' He said gruffly. 'Three weeks, querida. You made me wait for three weeks.'
I plunged my fingers into his hair as he flicked his tongue over my breast. 'I'm sorry but... but if it's any consolation... I missed you too.' I moaned.
His hands wandered down to my legs and he was soon touching me there. I writhed beneath him. When I let my own hands wander down to his belly and lower, I felt his hard muscles contract.
'Querida...'
'Just let me touch you, Luc.'
'But...'
I put a finger to his lips. 'Shh.' I continued to caress him, my hands moving up and down. He groaned. He let me do this for a while until he caught my wrist and pulled my hands above my head and he entered me in one hard thrust.
'I hope you don't mind,' He grinned at me.
How could I when he was moving like that inside of me?
Chapter 17
From then on, everything went quite perfectly. We went back to New York with the twins and had a very normal marriage. Except for the short period of time when the media went crazy about Luc's announcement that he can see again.
Every tabloid published this story and paparazzi followed us for weeks. I had to beg Luc to avoid taking me out to dinner for a while just so we could have some peace. Of course he agreed. He pretty much gives me everything-even if I'm not asking for it.
He would come home from work with several bags containing toys for James and Jenny and designer clothes and expensive jewelry for me. One time I told him that he got to stop buying me all those stuff since the dressing room we share is already full. He didn't buy me anything for quite a while until he had the room adjacent to ours turned into another dressing-exclusively mine this time.
I don't know what to do with him. He's a wonderful husband and a passionate lover. Sometimes I would wake up in the morning, see him next to me and still wonder how I could have married him. I'm nothing compared to him.
On those rare occasions when I voice these thoughts to him, he would pull me to him and kiss me hard. 'You are not "nothing." You are the woman I love,' he would whisper. 'Don't ever forget that.'
And you know what happens next.
I just got home from the park with the twins when I saw Stella Reveron hanging on the lobby of our apartment.
My heart starting to beat wildly inside my chest and with shaking voice I called out, 'May I help you?'
She turned at the sound of my voice. She looked up at me from head to toe, the expression on her face forced me to take a step back. 'You are Luc's wife, aren't you?' Her emphasis on the wife was not lost on me.
'Yes,' her obvious sarcasm made me lift my chin up a notch. 'And you are Stella Reveron.'
She nodded with a malicious smile. 'Also, the mother of your husband's baby.'
I swallowed hard. 'So may I help you?'
'Actually, I was looking for Luc. Is he around?' When I shook my head, her smile got even bigger. I found out the reason behind it soon enough. 'I realize that I haven't congratulated you yet on your wedding. You've achieve something a lot of women-myself included-tried to do. You got a man like Luc to marry you. I suggest you savor this moment because I'm telling you it won't last long.'
I glared at her and her baby bump. She was wearing a royal blue tube dress with a gray cardigan. Her feet were enclosed in black flats. She looked every inch the fashionista she was even before she got pregnant. 'What do you mean?'
'I meant that Luc-for all his modern ways-is still an old-fashioned Spanish man at heart. He would not let any child of his to be a bastard. Sooner or later, he would divorce you and come to me.'
Stella said with glee.
I paled. 'No, that's not going to happen.'
'Believe what you want, little girl. Just don't forget that I warned you.'
I took a deep breath. Stella Reveron rattled my composure, yes, but I'm not about to let her embarrass me further. 'I want you to leave.'
She frowned at that. When I didn't say anything and just stared her down, she flipped a hand to her hair. 'Fine, but know this: you can make me leave this place but you can never completely remove me from Luc's life.' With that final remark, she walked away.
The episode with Stella left me weak that is why I finally heeded to Luc's advice: that we get a nanny for the twins. He gave me a list of qualified nannies a few weeks ago and I dug that up and arranged for interviews that afternoon even though all I really wanted to do was to lie in bed all day.
I interviewed five women. However, only one really passed my standards. Her name is Aria Wynter and she's only twenty years old like me. Since she was going to be a full time nanny, I asked her to move in immediately.
By nightfall she was settled in and was already keeping the kids occupied. Luc raised an eyebrow when he got back from work.
'Querida, you are not supposed to bring home the twins' playmates.' He said as he kissed me on the mouth. I punched him lightly on the chest when I saw Aria frown.
'Luc, this is Aria. She's James and Jenny's new nanny.' I explained. 'Aria, this is my husband, Luc.'
Aria lifted her chin-a little haughtily. 'Nice to meet you, Mr. De la Vega.'
I elbowed Luc in the stomach. 'You can call me Luc and I'm sorry about my quip about you being James and Jenny's playmate. You just seem so young. '
'I'm twenty,' Aria said. 'Just like your wife.'
I couldn't resist the urge to laugh. I knew for sure that Aria and I would get along just fine. L
Luc had the decency to blush but before he could embarrass himself any further, he excused himself and went to his study. I found him there half an hour later working on his laptop.
I was suddenly gripped by fear. What if Stella was right? Would Luc divorce me once Stella has given birth to their child? I cannot imagine life without him. I don't even want to imagine life without him. I love him so much sometimes it scares me.
Luc noticed me standing on the doorway and stood up. He opened his arms and I ran into his embrace. I don't want to think about what Stella said. I don't want to think about the arriving baby, my husband's past relationship with the glamorous Spanish woman and Stella herself. All I want is in my arms. Luc.
Luc must have felt like something was up because he asked me, 'Is there something wrong?'
I shook my head and kis
sed his jaw. 'So what do you think of Aria?'
He grinned. 'She reminds me of you. Are you sure you don't have a long-lost sister?'
I smiled back at him. 'You're silly. We don't even look like each other. I'm a redhead and she's a brunette. She also has this eastern European look going on and she's got accent, Luc! Do you think she's Italian?'
'Greek, if I am not mistaken,' Luc said.
'Hmm, yes, I think you're right.' I replied. We walked out of the study and into our bedroom hand in hand. 'I have a feeling we're going to be great friends.'
My husband smiled at me and my heart melted again. 'That's good.' He loosened his tie but I brushed his hand away and removed it myself. When I started to work on the buttons of his shirt, he brushed my hands away this time.
