Chapter 21 Rushed

SEAN made three consecutive knocks before he pushed the master's suite door open. He sighed when he saw Thera was on the couch instead of lying on the comfortable bed. She was groping her stomach, and a white face towel covering her face. Sean walked towards and her and

cleared his throat to make Thera aware of his presence.

"Stop starving yourself. The food is getting cold."

Thera answered him with a moan.

"I can pretend I did not hear what you said yesterday. There's no need to be embarrassed." Sean said. "Were you that upset? Wait for your memories to return; you would understand why I chose to reject you," he added when he did not receive a response. "Thera…"

Thera moved at last. But when she did, the face towel that covers his face fell. Sean's eyebrows furrowed. Fear started to attacked his chest. She was sweating too much, and her face was almost colour-drained. Sean knelt down next to the couch.

"Thera…" he called and touch her face.

"I-I'm in pain…"

"I'll take you to the hospital," he said and hurriedly carried her.

Thera bit her lower lip. She wanted to cover her face with a blanket lent by the hospital while the intern checked her vital signs. Sean, who looked tensed, keeps looking at her. He was seated on the couch near her bed.

"Let's just wait for the Doctor. He'll arrive soon," the intern, who was smiling gently, told her and sauntered to the door.

"Sean, can we just go. I am really fine…"

"Cut it out, Thera. You heard the nurse; the Doctor is on his way. Try to get some sleep while we wait."

Thera scratched an eyebrow. How would she tell him the real reason why she was in so much pain in a way that she won't sound embarrassing or disgusting?

Sean rushed her to the nearest private hospital despite her protest. Thera took naproxen sodium a few minutes before Sean entered her room. Before they arrived at the hospital, she could not feel pain anymore.

Thera and Sean's gaze shifted to the door when at last it opened and a tall, good–looking, and a familiar guy wearing a Doctor's gown sauntered inside.

It was Top who smiled at her after giving Sean a quick glance.

Thera was surprised to see him. Her gaze followed him as he approached the side of the bed.

"I've already checked her vital signs, Doc," said the intern who stood up behind Top.

Top studied her chart before shifting his gaze to her. A muscle on Sean's jaw jerked when Top took her hand and examined her pulse. He stood up and went out of the room.

"Aren't you going to tell me what's wrong with her?" Sean greeted Top before the Doctor could take a few steps out of the door.

"Ah. This was a first," Top said, a hint of mockery laced his voice. "You're the first man I know who ran and confined his wife to a hospital because of dysmenorrhea. I did not know you were this worried to her."

Sean's eyebrows creased though he was relieved.

"Lower back pain, cramping in the lower area of the abdomen, severe headache, and nausea are the signs of dysmenorrhea. You've been married for almost ten years, I heard. How come you have no idea?"

"Stop trying to cross the line, Doc," Sean warned, his face and voice serious.

"You should focus on getting your marriage annulled, Mr De Marco. Stick to your plan. If you can't take care of her, someone out there is more than willing to take your place."

"Are you angry?" Thera asked Sean. But Sean did not bother to look back at her. His eyes were focused on the road; he was very silent the entire time - even now, they are walking side by side to the villa.

"You did not listen when I told you I was fine. I said I'll buy my sanitary pads myself tomorrow since I'm not expecting to have my period tonight, but you insisted on doing it yourself. But if that upsets you, I wanted to apologize."

After arranging her discharge papers, Sean returned to her hospital room with six wraps of sanitary napkins. Thera thought that the man might be upset because it was his first time buying a sanitary napkin. But have this feeling that it was not the reason for his silence.

She cleared her throat.

"I have a feeling you aren't angry because of the sanitary pads. Did Top laugh at you for bringing me to the hospital? Ah, don't worry, I'll talk to him for you once I saw him again."

Sean stopped in his tracks. His gaze darted on her face.

"Is there any reason for you to meet him again?"

"Well, he told me to come back." She said. "I have talked to him twice, but I did not know he was a gynecologist. I felt a little awkward talking to him," she said, smiling innocently, scratching her brow.

"Go to bed and rest," Sean said and left before Thera could make a reply.

Thera frowned. Was he back to being cold again?

"Don't worry, Sir, cramps are normal. Usually, dysmenorrhea symptoms start a day or two before her period comes."

Sean nodded though Yumi could not see him. He was still worried, so he ended up calling Laida. When she could not get in touch with her, she dialled Yumi's number to inquire and ask about menstruation – something he did not ask Top because he was very jealous and angry at himself.

"Do you take care of her when she's on her period?"

"Thera rejects any help from us, Sir. She'd get angry when she sees us worrying about her. Laida usually gives her heating pads – that helps to lessen the pain."

Sean could still hear Top's words as he looked for the hot compression bag. He was right. Ten years. He was the bastard who knew nothing about his wife.

The only thing he knew about Thera over the years was the emotional pain he gave her. Her drastic change –

From that sweet, honest, and kind nineteen-year-old girl, she switched into a mean and obnoxious twenty-nine-year-old woman who believed she had no one to lean on to.

Sean entered Thera's bedroom. She found her sitting on the edge of the bed. There was a throw pillow on her lap. She was trying to open the medicine bottle she was holding. Sean walked towards her.

"You did not knock," Thera said quietly, looking at him.

Sean took the bottle from Thera's hand. Perhaps the medicine she took hours ago was starting to wear off, he thought. He placed a capsule in her palm, then handed him the glass of lukewarm water he had brought.

"Thank you," she said, smiling and took the med.

Sean swallowed. Her smile had always been contagious, and her eyes were sparkling. He could not force himself to look away. Sean thought he would never get to see her smile like that again. But since the accident – Thera continued to shower him with her sweet smile.

"If you're hungry, I'll prepare a snack for you. I'll stay here with you for a night, so I can help if you need one. If it is okay to you and you won't feel awkward."

Thera went silent, the smile on her lips faded. "If you keep doing this, It might get harder for me to sign the annulment papers."

He didn't reply. He doesn't know what to do either anymore. He wanted to annul Thera, but he could not stop worrying about her.

"You loved me as much as I did then, don't you? You see, I wanted to believe that once in your life, it scared you thinking you'd lost me."

He was listening, though his eyes were fixed at the floor.

"So, I've been asking myself. Why was it is so easy for us to leave someone we once thought we would die if we lost?"

Thera smiled bitterly as Sean looked up at her. "Isn't she worth it? Was she lacking, or was she overdoing it? Did she hurt you so much that you couldn't forgive her?"

Thera smiled bitterly, looking up at him.

"I know I was mean and savage. I'm an unstoppable witch. It was my fault I messed up; you were a human, and you weren't God. I understand why you had a change of heart."

Sean stared at her, opened his mouth to finally reply to her.

"All the hardest and meanest people I know, they were once as soft as that pillow," he said, now looking at the pillow on her lap. Thera unknowingly touched it. "When a storm comes your way, your heart freezes to the core. Your change was also understandable. The one person that should calm the storm for you suddenly became a disastrous and horrible typhoon. I was that typhoon, Thera. I left you nothing but pain and devastation."

Thera's chest constricted as her eyes started to well up, seeing pain and regrets in her husband's eyes.

"Perhaps you were right. One day you came as a strong and disastrous typhoon. I believe every person at one point meets someone like that in their lifetime. But how could I blame you when being mean and ruthless was my choice?"

Sean did not respond. He just kept staring at her with those dark eyes that say he wanted to reach her badly and pull him into his arms.

But maybe Thera just imagined things. It was the first time they had talked properly since she woke up after the accident.

Thera handed him the glass.

"If you really want to stay with me tonight, you can lie on the couch. I really don't feel well, so I'm occupying the bed. We stayed and sleep together for many years as husband and wife; you won't be a bother."

She crawled her way to the bed and covered her body with the comforter.

Beneath the linen, Thera breathes out sadly. Sean was blaming himself for her change – all along, she thought she was the one who was to blame.

She heard the door opened and closed, he left the room. Thera tightly closed her eyes. Ten years or so ago, she fell in love with him. She lost her memories of him, but she fell in love with him again.

Yes, she fell. She was able to confirm that the moment Sean walked inside the restaurant yesterday.

He was oblivious, but he took all her anxieties away. The mere sight of him calmed her senses down in an instant.

She wanted to be honest with herself, so she bared her heart to him. Thera may sound easy, but as she admits the feelings, it was as if the weight in her chest was lifted. She was married to him.

She must be crazy for thinking she could fix a marriage that was already broken for a time she could not even remember. But nonetheless, she wanted to still give it a try. She could not remember the process, how it happened or when it happened, but Thera knew they both promised to not give up on each other in front of the altar.

How she wished she remembers everything. The part when they were both happy, even the part when they were both in pain. Thera believed it would all be worth it.

FROM Thera's room, Sean went straight to the veranda of his room. He sighed. Up until ten years ago, he never knew how easy it was to feel happiness and sadness simultaneously.

He looked up at the sky. It was a full moon, and the stars scattered in the sky – it was shining brightly it could give light to anyone walking alone on the road. Sadly, even if he adds a few more moons and stars, the road to happiness still looked dark. Destiny will always still lead him away from Thera.

A raw smile crossed Sean's handsome face. He transferred his gaze to the room Thera was occupying.

"It wasn't ten years, Thera. Not even half. It was one night. Five hours and a half to be exact,"