Chapter 42 Kidnap

<Mia>

The smell of the guy's armpits was strong and it was making her sick.

"Unlike you! You have plenty of water at home but you don't take a bath. You stink! And your farts are so foul-smelling! Smells like rotten eggs!" Hermoine retaliated.

Their voices were loud, and people were looking at them.

"For your information, I do take a bath! Just not every day!" Nameywang said, "You have such smelly feet, and you're so sweaty. You take a bath but you don't know how to apply deodorant! You even smell like a fart!" Mia replied.

"Oh, okay, huh! Don't test me because I will expose you! I'll tell your husband everything! I'll even reveal your dirty soul and the foul smells in your crotch!" he threatened. Hermoine seemed angry with him. He went too far with his insults. But is it wrong to speak the truth? She's just stating the facts.

"Wife..."

His heart skipped a beat when he heard his husband's voice.

"E-Ethan," she smiled nervously at him. She looked a bit pale too, "What are you d-d-doing here?"

Mia approached her husband and held his arm tightly, hiding slightly behind Ethan. She was holding him as if someone might hurt her. She was afraid of what Hermoine might do, as it could ruin her image and reputation again. She was trying to be a good child, a good daughter, and a wife, but she chose to side with Ethan to avoid stress. She didn't want to fight anymore.

"Who is he?" Ethan asked with a severe and cold tone, referring to the man talking to his wife.

"Mia, who is he?!" I was taken aback as he suddenly shouted, making the situation more tense. People around us were already staring and whispering, and even some patients seemed disturbed. I wasn't sure if some of the onlookers were fellow patients, but they looked like they were.

"Oh, him? Don't mind him," Mia nervously chuckled, "he's just a friend who borrowed money from me. Sorry for his appearance, he looks like a beggar now, and he doesn't have any money left. Hehe."

Ethan's gaze remained fixed on the man, giving him a hostile look.

"Hey, bro," the man greeted him with a smile.

I glared at him, but he didn't look at me. Both men were busy staring at each other, and their glares were intense.

I tightly held Ethan's clenched fist, trying to calm him down this way.

The situation felt like it was about to escalate into a fight and a scandal again.

This man was always seeking attention from others. He had a habit of creating conflicts. It would have been better if we argued in front of our household staff at home, but not in public where rumours could spread.

"Okay, I'm leaving," said Hermoine, not even bothering to look back, and she left.

"Why are you here? I've been looking for you!" Ethan asked him with a frown.

Mia still glanced back at Hermoine and sighed in relief when she saw that she had left. Hopefully, she wouldn't come back.

"Let's go inside, it's hot here. Let's go back to the clinic," Mia suggested, still nervous. She didn't trust that man and thought he might report her if he got the chance.

She walked beside me, but this time, she didn't hold my hand as she always did.

I looked at her, and she looked back at me, her heart beating fast.

"H-hubby..." I called him nervously.

He wasn't in the mood to respond. Until we reached his clinic, he still had a furrowed brow.

"H-hey, are you angry?" I asked in a low voice, pulling the sleeve of his scrub suit.

"Who the fuck is that Mia?! Are you cheating on me again?!" he blurted out as soon as we entered his clinic. At that moment, his secretary appeared and discreetly greeted me.

He accused me without any evidence.

"Don't forget that I don't have any plans to give you to anyone the moment you agreed to marry me," he said, clenching his jaw, giving me a sharp look.

I couldn't respond. I haven't cheated again. He's just assuming as if I would repeat that mistake.

And it wasn't even cheating what I did. I was already in other relationships before, and I didn't love him.

"You're giving me trust issues! We're not even okay yet, and now this?! You seem to enjoy having arguments between us!" he angrily accused.

"No, that's not true! You're hurting me with your words," I couldn't help but retort, "he's just a friend! You could have asked before assuming things!"

He was infuriating. I easily get irritated nowadays.

I hate him now.

"What do you want me to do?!" I was startled.

I took a step back in fear as he moved closer to me.

"You cheated on me! And I saw you with him. What do you expect, that I'll be happy about it?! I even heard him saying something. Are you hiding something from me again, Mia, huh?!" he shouted.

The veins on his neck were visible from his shouting.

I couldn't help but cry. His words were hurting me.

"He's just a friend! If you don't want to believe me, then don't!"

"Damn!" he cursed, massaging his temples, "I don't know what to do anymore. I'm trying to trust you again, but you keep giving me reasons not to trust you."

He looked hurt by what he learned about me.

I sniffled.

"Then, I'm sorry!" I apologized.

"I don't need your sorry, wife if you're just going to repeat the same mistakes," he said emotionally. He was angry with me.

"What did I lack for you, huh? Tell me!" he raised his voice again.

I couldn't look at him.

"Damn! I don't know what to do anymore. You're giving me a hundred fucking reasons to give up on this marriage! What am I to you, Mia, huh?! Do you value our marriage? I never feel that you care about this marriage! You're always out, and then I find out you're cheating on me again!" he said, frustrated.

"I'm angry with you!" he said, full of resentment, "but I can't bring myself to get angry or annoyed with you." His voice softened.

"I love you... I fucking love you!" he shouted. His eyes were now bloodshot.

Was he crying?

"We haven't even fixed our marriage, and yet, you're already with another man! What do you want me to think about that, huh?! Damn it! I seem to be the only one trying to fix this!"

I tried to hold him, but he avoided my touch.

I've never heard him say those things before. His voice was filled with resentment.

"Three fucking years. We've been married for three long years, and there's still no progress in our marriage. Every day, you make me feel like I'm the only one who wants this to work!"

I felt like I was suffocating. I didn't know how to respond.

I might have become selfish.

"You're hurting me too much!"

"E-Ethan..."

"I just need to calm myself," he said and left.

I heard him sniffle.

I wiped my face and sat on the floor.

What did I do?

He mistook me for Hermoine. He was thinking all the wrong things! Why does he think like that?

Is it wrong to make a mistake once? Do we need to be perfect? I made a mistake, but the judgment I received was too harsh. It's so difficult to love these days.

"Mia! Mia! Mia!"

I looked up to see my sister rushing towards me. How did she know I was here?

"Where's your husband?!" She couldn't seem to calm down, and she looked like she was in a hurry.

"I've been calling you, but you're not answering!" She lectured me.

"Hide from your husband! Pops is looking for you, and he's very angry! He might kill you!" My sister warned me, trying to calm down herself.

"W-what?" I couldn't understand.

I didn't do anything, and yet, I feel a great fear.

I've been staying at home for the past few months, and I barely go outside because I'm constantly being watched.

What did I do that I'm not aware of?

"Hide from him because he's looking for you!" She pulled me, urging me to go with her.

The noise in the hallway was loud.

"Why?" I asked, crying and feeling anxious.

"He received pictures of you and Yunnie! Jeez, Mia,

you won't gain anything from that woman. Besides, didn't you say you already broke up with her?!"

"We're already separated!"

"Let's talk about it later! You need to leave here now, or Pops might catch you! Damn it! He's furious with you now!"

She pulled me, and we hurriedly walked away.

Pictures of me and Yunnie? We broke up a month ago.

And who sent those pictures? Was it Hermoine? I clenched my fist, feeling weaker.

*

"You're a damn disgrace!"

I turned my head to the left as Pops suddenly slapped me. He was extremely angry, and it felt like he could kill me right now.

I'm scared to death, and I can't fight back.

"Dad, that's enough!" Ate tried to intervene, but she couldn't stand up to him.

My mother just stood there on the side.

Ate and I were about to leave the hospital when one of Pops' men grabbed us and forced us into a van. He was waiting at home, seething with anger, for our arrival.

"I thought you were already done with that woman?!"

His veins popped out, and his eyes were filled with rage.

I'm crying in front of him, but no sounds are coming out. My cheek feels numb from the force of his shouting. I'm still not over what happened with Ethan earlier, and here I am facing this again.

Do I have no freedom? Don't I deserve to be happy? I'm already an adult, done with my studies, had a good job, married, and all, but I'm still not free. I still can't feel happiness.

It seems like what they said is true: I won't heal in a place that caused my brokenness.

"Now, explain these pictures to me!" He threw the pictures on the centre table.

We were in the living room, and Ate is crying.

I looked at the pictures, all of them with me and Yunnie.

"We've been separated," I mustered the courage to say, despite being scared.

"You fucking liar! Do you think I'll believe you?! You're a stupid child! What kind of daughter are you?! You don't want to change! Do you want that lesbian woman?! You won't gain anything from her, and you won't be happy!" He pointed at the pictures on my face.

"Dad, we're already breaking up with her." Despite my fear, I managed to say those words.

"You're just playing with me! You're so fucked up! I told you we'd get along as long as you do what I want! But damn it! Don't you want to be straight?!" He yelled in my face.

"Dad!" Ate tried to intervene, but she was crying too.

"Sherlyn, if you don't want to get involved, then stay away! I'll teach this girl a lesson!" He threatened while staring me down with hatred.