Chapter 49 Bebang

<Mia>

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We both fell silent, but he couldn't help himself and started again.

"I'll call my sister right now to ask about your condition," he said, reaching for his phone.

"Hey! You might disturb her! She might be busy!" I said angrily.

He gave me a stern look, signaling me to be quiet.

His sister answered the call, "Hello..." Ethan said.

I couldn't hear what his sister said since he didn't put the phone on loudspeaker, so only he could hear her.

He nodded in response to whatever his sister said before ending the call. "She will schedule your check-up," he said, putting his phone on the table.

I didn't know what to say. I'll just tell him it's over after he schedules the check-up.

"We should spend more time together. I'm not getting any younger," he said suggestively. I knew what he meant.

"I hope you won't be offended," I tried my best not to make him angry with what I was about to say, "but I'm not ready to have a child yet."

There, I told him the truth so we can be clear and understand each other. Communication is the best tool in a relationship. If you can't understand each other, speak in the same language or use a translator.

"Are you kidding me?" He let go of the spoon he was holding.

I knew he wouldn't be happy with what I said. At least, I was honest.

"Do you have a fever, wife? We've been married for four years, and I waited for you because you told me you wanted to work and enjoy life. I waited for you and let you do things that you wanted even though I opposed them. Why until now? Do we have a problem here?"

The atmosphere turned serious. We were okay just a while ago.

"I told you, I'll be thirty-three before our next wedding anniversary. Do you want me to see my child when I'm already fifty?"

I let go of the spoon I was holding and bit my lip firmly.

"It's not like that-"

"Then what? You've been rejecting me when I wanted to make love with you. You have lots of reasons," he said, a bit angry.

I felt guilty.

I was considering the things that could still happen.

"Well, I'm just not ready yet," I said in a soft voice, trying to gauge if he would get angry or not.

He took a deep breath and massaged his temple.

"Can you tell me the truth? Are you really having your menstruation?"

I was caught off guard. Even though I was scared, I nodded. He asked, so why shouldn't I tell him the truth?

"When are you going to be honest with me?" He asked in a low voice, "you've never disappointed me in any way," he shook his head, "I'll go outside; I lose my appetite." He said coldly.

He stood up, took his cellphone, and left me here. He didn't even touch his food. He was making me feel even more guilty.

Is it my fault that I'm not ready yet? And why is he in such a hurry to have a child? We'll get there eventually. A child isn't going anywhere. I just want to make sure things are clear and settled between us. Our relationship hasn't made any progress yet, and having a child might make things worse; we might end up divorcing if we have a child now.

I felt a deep sense of guilt. It's the only thing he's been asking of me since then, and I can't give it to him. Is it my fault? It's not my fault. If he's in such a hurry, he should have a stable bank account first. He might even have debts.

I lay sadly on the bed. He's been gone for hours, and he hasn't come back yet. I hope he didn't trip or bump into something while walking.

I couldn't stop overthinking. I hope Hermione is not alive, and I hope she doesn't end up in heaven. She has such an awful personality! She's like Satan's sister!

I thought about the money that went to her. He really didn't want me to leave, and he dreams about me.

He needs to be out of my life, and who knows what crazy thing he'll do next. I need to throw him away in the Bermuda Triangle and let the aliens eat him.

I looked at the door when it opened. Ethan's expression was still cold. We made eye contact, but I didn't feel like my world stopped. Isn't that supposed to happen in situations like this, just like in the movies?

I didn't realize he was getting closer to me. He sighed, as if he had so many problems.

He moved away from me and went into the bathroom. What's with this guy? He approached me without saying anything and then just leaves.

An earthy scent filled the whole small yet spacious room. Ah, he took a shower. He dried his hair when he came out of the room. I avoided looking at him; he was topless.

I smelled myself to see if I smelled good. I smelled like bubble gum.

"Where did you go?" I started the conversation.

"I talked to the manager. We asked everyone to delete the video they took," he gave a lazy reply. He sat on a wooden chair and used the white towel to dry his hair.

There were still water droplets on his body. He didn't have abs, but he loved showing off his body in front of me.

I just watched him dry his hair until it was dry. He stood up after and returned the white towel where he got it from and sat beside me, hugging me from the waist. He gently pressed his head against my neck, inhaling my scent.

I don't smell bad.

"Aren't you angry?" I started the conversation.

"Nope," he replied huskily.

"Good then."

I didn't know what else to say.

My heart raced as he started caressing my tummy.

I looked at him, and he was facing me. He looked deeply into my eyes.

"Sleep now, I'll watch over you," he said in a deep and hoarse voice. I saw disappointment in his eyes.

I leaned into his chest and hugged him back. I looked at him, and he kissed my forehead.

He's so sweet.

"WHERE'S my daughter?!" Pops asked angrily, addressing Ethan.

Ethan's chest clenched. He couldn't forget what Pops did to his wife, and yet here he was, boldly confronting him.

"I know you're hiding her! Bring her out if you don't want this to go to court!" Pops threatened.

Ethan removed his white coat and faced him.

"The last time I checked, we are legally married. I must be the one to say that, Mr. Inarez," Ethan's jaw tightened, "you locked and tortured my wife inside your house. You even lied to me!"

"Huh?! Give my daughter to me! I'm taking her from you! You have no right to her! Zoey turned out like that because of you! You keep consulting her all the time! You let her do whatever she wants! Look at her, she's so stubborn! It's all because you're her husband!" Pops said continuously, with one of his bodyguards beside him.

Ethan heaved a sigh, trying to calm himself down.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! You don't have any rights to take her away from me! I'm her husband, so I take full responsibility for her!" Ethan replied angrily.

They glared at each other, and anger filled the air between them. Neither wanted to back down.

"Give my daughter back to me! I know what she's doing behind your back, but you still let her be! What kind of husband are you, huh?!"

That old man hit below the belt.

Ethan clenched his fist tightly.

"You don't have any right to question me being her husband. We are totally different from each other... if you're stopping her from her wants, well, I'm different. I'll let her experience things that she deserves," Ethan's voice softened, but he was still angry. His blood boiled. He never expected to argue with his father-in-law like this.

"You're making her life miserable! I know her!"

"Stop this shit! Mind your own fucking business!" Ethan shouted again.

"I warned you before! I told you that I'll take her back if she doesn't behave! And then what? I hear that you let her go with her tomboy girlfriend?! I married her to improve her life! To start a family!... and I find out that you're just letting her be? She won't gain anything from that tomboy!" The old man said angrily to him.

"Damn it!" Ethan lost his patience. "That was a fucking mistake! Mia is pregnant with our child! So leave her alone! If I find out that you did something to her again, we'll settle it in court!"

The old man was taken aback by what Ethan said, but he quickly regained his composure. "Are you sure that she's pregnant? She's good at lying, that's her habit, Mr. Mendoza. You really don't know her," a hint of pity in his voice.

"Our business is none of your business. She's my wife, and get out of our way," Ethan replied disrespectfully.

Pops nodded at him, unconvinced. "We'll see. It's obvious that that woman has already fooled you... Wait for my lawyer, I'll get my daughter back," the old man said before leaving the clinic.

Ethan wearily sat on his swivel chair, deeply sighed, and massaged his temple in stress.

He glanced at the old man's bodyguards who were still lingering in his clinic. When he looked at them, they finally left. This is troublesome. This could create trouble between them.

He wouldn't allow anyone to hurt or bully his wife, no matter who it was, they would have to face him if they hurt his wife.

SINCE we got back home from the resort, I felt that Ethan's treatment towards me became cold, and our conversations became casual.

My schedule was already set today, but we had to cancel it and made an excuse to his sister that my menstruation stopped.

"H-Hubby," I called him in a low voice. He was busy doing something.

"Can I work? I want to use what I learned in my studies," I pouted.

He looked at me, giving me the same treatment.

"Where do you want to work?" He asked while still focused on his task.

"I'm not sure yet. I want to try and use what I learned," I said while lying on the bed, while he was on the sofa. He was doing something, his long-sleeve polo shirt was rolled up to his elbows. I couldn't help but get distracted by his muscular arms and the watch that suited him so well. I could also see the veins on his hand from where I was.

"Have you fixed your resume?"

I nodded at him.

"Then just submit it to Dad's referral."

Miraculously, he agreed that I could work.

He just nodded at me. He didn't say anything else and returned his attention to what he was doing.

I lay back on the bed and let out a deep sigh. For two days, I have been anxious, and for two days, he has been distant. We still talk, but I can really feel that he's growing cold.