Chapter 22 Marites

<Mia>

"You didn't kiss me yet," he demanded.

He opened his eyes and lazily looked at me.

"Where's my goodnight kiss?" He raised his eyebrow at me.

"I don't want to," I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"What if you didn't brush your teeth?" I joked.

"Well, even if you don't brush your teeth, I still kiss you. Even if you have bad breath," he said, but before he could finish his sentence, I quickly kissed him on the lips to silence him.

"Happy?" I smirked sarcastically at him.

"That's too fast," he complained.

"Kiss me again." Once again, he demanded.

"I don't want to anymore. That's enough!" I pouted.

He always wants to have a goodnight kiss, and he won't sleep until he gets one from me.

"Come on, last one," he requested.

"I thought we were going to sleep?" I faced him.

He rolled his eyes.

"One more kiss and we'll sleep." His eyes pleaded with me.

"I don't want to anymore! You're pushing it too much! And one kiss is enough-"

He suddenly kissed me, and it lasted longer. When he pulled away, a sweet smile remained on his lips.

"Goodnight, wife."

The sweet smile didn't leave his lips. For the last time, he kissed my forehead, just as he always does before falling asleep.

Once again, the fool is happy because he got what he wanted. He will sleep content and satisfied.

"Hey! Where are you? Yunnie is still in my house! Come here!"

I read the text from Lorena. I let out a sigh. I woke up early. She sent this text last night, and I'm only reading it now.

I glanced at Ethan, peacefully sleeping, with his head nestled on my neck and his tight embrace around me. He sleeps like a baby, always in this position. I wiped the corner of my mouth as I had drooled in my sleep.

I removed his feet that were resting on mine, as well as his head. I need to get up.

I already brushed my teeth because Ethan always smell my bad breath. What should I do today?

As I finished my morning routine and ended up in the kitchen, my mind was still preoccupied.

"Good morning, madam!" Pina greeted me.

"Good morning, madam! You woke up early!" Rose greeted me. It's the first time I caught them again. Usually, they leave after their chores.

"Shall we prepare breakfast for you?" Pina asked as I sat down.

"Well, where is Sir?" Rose asked.

I furrowed my brow at her question, "Do you have feelings for my husband?" I retorted, trying to sound defiant.

"Oh, no way!" she quickly denied.

Why is she asking me about Ethan?

"You're being too sensitive, ma'am! I was just asking!" she replied.

"Coffee, ma'am? Would you like some?" Pina offered.

"Mia!" I heard Ethan shout.

"Mia Zoey!" Why is he angry? It's early in the morning.

The other household staff with me seemed nervous.

"Mia-" he couldn't finish his sentence when he saw me, "what the heck?!" Anger flashed across his face, "why did you leave me?!" He approached me, only wearing a tank top. He sleeps without an upper garment even if it's cold in the room.

I glared at him, "I'm here in the kitchen!" I shouted at him.

"Why didn't you wake me up?!" he shouted again.

"You were sleeping so peacefully," I replied disinterestedly.

"Still, you should have woken me up!" he burst out.

What is wrong with this man?

"You left me in the room!" he complained, sounding like a child.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you would cry if you were alone in the room," I sarcastically remarked.

His brow furrowed even more, "I wanted us to wake up together," he reasoned and hugged me while the other staff members were still present, silently watching the two of us.

He acts so big, but he behaves like a baby. I gently pushed him away. His hair was a bit messy as he had just woken up.

"Hey! Have some shame, people are watching us," I whispered to him.

"I don't care," he replied hoarsely. His voice was barely audible.

He pressed his face against my neck while holding me tightly.

He groaned before releasing me, "good morning," he greeted me and kissed me on the lips.

"Sir, are you ready to eat?" This time it was Rose who asked the both of us.

"Left us," Ethan ordered them grumpily, his brow still furrowed.

"Do you want to drink milk?" Ethan asked me softly.

He still looked sleepy.

"No," I replied softly. I had no appetite. I didn't even know why I came to the kitchen, maybe I just didn't know where else to go in this house.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Nothing."

"Let's eat outside."

"No."

"Have something to eat."

"I don't want to!"

"I'll feed you."

"No! No!"

"Mia," he groaned. His patience was running thin.

"If this is because of your ex, forget about her!" he snapped.

I felt a pang of fear at his shouting, especially when he clenched his fist.

It's not that easy to forget a decade-long relationship. Yunnie and I had so many plans, and we hadn't even accomplished half of them. We broke up before we could fulfill our dream of getting married in another country and living a simple and peaceful life there.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered it all over again.

"I swear, you won't like what will happen if you don't stop," he threatened me with a dark gaze.

He sat in front of me and let out a deep sigh, "Maids! Prepare the table!"

He ignored me completely.

"I'll go to the hospital and my clinic, don't go anywhere," he instructed me.

I didn't pay him any attention. He didn't acknowledge me earlier, so I won't acknowledge him either.

"Wife," he said sternly. I didn't face him.

"I should be the one who's mad, but you're acting as if I cheated!" he hissed.

"What's your problem?" He approached me, and I caught a whiff of his cologne. His brow furrowed again, and he held his white coat with his name embroidered on it, while wearing a white shirt underneath.

"I'm leaving," he said seriously and firmly. I had no reaction.

"Where's my kiss?"

I sighed subtly. He's demanding a kiss again. He always does this before leaving the house, even if he's just meeting his friends.

"What's your problem, huh? You're distancing yourself," he said, slightly annoyed.

"Just go," I shooed him away.

"Leave, your sister is calling you." I pushed him, but he didn't budge. He was about to go to work.

"Give my kiss then," he demanded.

Without any enthusiasm, I pecked him on the cheek.

But it seemed like he didn't appreciate what I did. This man is so difficult. He's too demanding when it comes to kisses and hugs.

"That's not the proper way to kiss your husband," he said seriously, his brow still furrowed.

He suddenly grabbed me by the waist and kissed me passionately, causing me to hold onto his arm in response. His lips began to move.

"Oh, porn!"

I pushed Ethan away upon hearing one of our household staff members.

"Wait for me here, okay?" he mumbled against my lips. He had to bend down to kiss me since I'm only 4'11" while he's over 6 feet tall.

~

<Third Person>

"Damn! Dr. Ethan is so hot! He's in his thirties but looks like he's in his twenties," one of the nurses exclaimed upon seeing Ethan entering the hallway. The comment was interrupted when another doctor approached them.

"His twin brother is also handsome. He should have been a doctor, but he chose to be a model," one nurse whispered while looking at the two male doctors talking in the hallway.

"If Dr. Ethan didn't have a wife, I would have dated him already," another nurse gushed.

"Are you crazy? They're still together, you know!" one of them chimed in.

"Oh, you can't be so sure! I heard his wife is from a wealthy family, her father is a businessman. Just her social status alone is enough to make her leave. And besides, Dr. Ethan loves his wife dearly."

"So many married couples are breaking up nowadays. If the groom cries at the wedding, it's a sure sign they'll divorce! There are so many married couples who split up, and they might be next!" one of them giggled.

"True! Jason and Moira, the singers, separated after three years of marriage," the one in blue added.

"Dr. Ethan has been married for three years, so they won't separate," the colleague from Ethan's workplace chimed in. "And besides, don't get your hopes up because Dr. Ethan is loyal to me!" she added.

"Well, well!" someone with short hair remarked.

"I'll go for his twin brother, then," the newcomer said.

"Dr. Ethan!" one of Ethan's colleagues called out, and he left his nurse companions.

"Doc, you only came in now? Doc Rejay was looking for you yesterday," Mira informed him.

"Where's my assistant?" Ethan furrowed his brow and began walking towards his office.

"I don't know, Doc. I haven't seen him yet," Mira accompanied the doctor as they walked.

"I need my secretary, call him," Ethan ordered the woman sternly.

"Doc, I'm here," the woman replied playfully.

"You're not my secretary. Find him," Ethan demanded, turning a corner with long strides.

"Well, Doc, I don't know where to find him in this huge hospital, and besides, I'm here," the woman almost ran to keep up with Ethan's pace.

Ethan stopped walking and faced the woman. Irritation was evident on his handsome face. "Stop flirting, Mira, will you?" Ethan asked in annoyance, pinching his nose. "I don't want to give my wife a reason to feel jealous, so please, distance yourself from me," he said harshly, then passed by the woman, who felt embarrassed.

"Bro!" Nathan called out to his twin as he entered his office. He was reading a document.

Ethan glanced up at him.

"You're late," Ethan said seriously and set aside the document he was reading.

"Do we have a meeting? If you see Mark, tell him to join me," Nathan said, taking a seat in the visitor's chair.

"The meeting was held yesterday, and I'm not sure if grandpa is going to call for another meeting. Aside from that, Uncle Joe's son will study abroad for his medical profession."

"Leave it be," Nathan replied nonchalantly.

"By the way, Kaye just finished her check-up, and she doesn't have asthma. Maybe I shouldn't let her get tired. I shouldn't let her go outside in case she has difficulty breathing again," Nathan mentioned about their child.

Ethan furrowed his brow, "stop being harsh and strict with her. Let her go outside and make friends," Ethan suggested.

His twin groaned, "shit, no! She's too young, and she doesn't need a friend. She looks shy and unfriendly."

Ethan just shook his head at his twin's reasoning.

"Let's go to my clinic," Ethan invited, standing up.

His clinic was at the back of his office. There was a connecting door that led from his office to the clinic.

~

<Mia>

I feel so bored and irritated with the household staff. They've been asking me what I want to eat since earlier. They're annoying me, claiming that it's Ethan's instruction to always make sure I'm fed and never go hungry. That guy is so overdramatic. Does he want me to burst or have my stomach explode from being too full?