Chapter 27 Faces

“Sir, the suite is ready,” Yumi stated after talking to the housekeeper on the phone.

Sean decided to spend their night at The Palace Hotel instead of driving Thera home. On top of that, he had some important matters to attend to in his office. Sean left his work in the middle of the day just to tail Thera. He needed to catch up with the remaining things to do before the sunrise. He would head back to the office after making sure she had already fallen asleep. He edged near her to help her stand.

Sean took a deep breath when she lifted her head. She had a mischievous glint in her eyes that toyed with the smile on her lips. He withdrew his eyes from her momentarily.

He continued carrying her towards the bed when she folded her arms around his nape, making him unable to move properly. Finally, they reached the suite. He laid her down on the soft mattress. Her movement was unsteady, attempting to take off her blouse.

Sean wanted to shake his head. Why did he let her drink too much? He let out a deep sigh and sat on the bed. He then brought his hands to help her unbutton her blouse. Once done, he tried to avoid his gaze from her exposed body. Grabbing the face towel, he dipped it into the cold water. He began wiping her face, her neck, and down to her chest. He ceased when she let out a moan. Slowly, she opened her eyes and they held gazes.

“So, that's exactly how it feels, huh,” she began murmuring.

Sean smiled a little. He then tried to avoid his eyes off Thera whose face turned red. “You were a heavy drinker before the accident,” he told her thinking that she was referring to being drunk.

“That's how it feels like when you kiss someone.”

He turned to face her, feeling surprised. Thera rose up. His back straightened up when she leaned closer.

“Kiss me… again…” she asked. Her lips were pouting while staring at his face.

Sean was trying so much to suppress his smile. His wife looked so innocent while asking for it.

He lifted her chin and brushed his lips against her pouting lips. Afterward, he took his face away, breaking the kiss. A smile still lingered on her lips, her eyes shut.

He held her shoulders to lay her down. Much to his surprise, she clung to his nape. He had to lean his hands on the bed to keep his balance.

“Hey. . . ”

She snapped her eyes open. “I'm turning thirty next month. What should a thirty-year-old woman do to deserve lots of kisses?”

Thera’s eyes and lips were smiling, but Sean’s heart was furiously throbbing. He could still vividly remember the first time he felt ecstatic and excited at the thought of kissing. It was December 2010. It happened at Sean and Tan's office.

He was twenty-four and had experienced dating and kissing lots of women before. But at that exact moment back in the day, kissing Thera felt different. The way his heart beating felt kind of odd. The feeling intensified when she bestowed her innocence upon him for the very first time.

The way she was staring at him now is enough to make his heartbeat go erratically.

“If you keep asking for more kisses, I'm afraid I might not be able to control myself,”

Thera gave him her sweetest smile. Sean wanted to close his eyes, but it was rather too late. Arousal started to pound in his veins.

He drew deep, staggered breathing, allowing every fiber of his being to drift. He started to move, he found his hands wrapping around Thera's hips.

Then, he pressed his body against hers and brushed her waiting lips with his. Possessively, intimately, he kissed her. His kisses started to deepen when he felt Thera's body temperature arose. While his hands began to undress her. After that, he pulled his shirt and unzipped his trousers.

Thera’s cheeks flushed when she saw and felt the strength of Sean’s erection. Thera was sure that it was not the first time or would not be the last time she'll give herself to him. The excitement, the beating of her heart against her chest, the delicious shiver down her spine. It felt like it wasn’t the first time. Thera’s eyelids fluttered shut when Sean once again claimed her mouth.

That night, Sean took her again and again. The pending work he was supposed to do back in his office had completely banished from his thoughts.

November 17, 2019

The Palace Hotel

Thera snapped her eyes open. She had a dream. In her dream, she woke up without Sean by her side. She went looking for him, wandering around the villa again and again amidst the heavy rain. But there was no hint of Sean around. For hours she waited for him to come back, but he didn't show up.

Thera was too disheartened, she drove her way out of the garage. She was crying helplessly in her dream. Or was it even a dream? She touched her cheeks, and it felt wet. Tears. It felt so real and not a dream to her. She felt the heaviness it brought to her chest. Pain and bitterness began to stir inside her, too. It was as though someone twisted her heart so harshly that it wants to remind her about something.

“You’re awake,” a groggy voice snapped her back to her thoughts.

She looked to her side when she heard that familiar voice, feeling doubtful. She doubted if she really heard Sean's voice. Her urge to hug the man beside her was so strong she didn't waste any chance to do so. Somehow, relief swept into her once she confirmed that it was Sean.

“Why? What’s the matter?” her husband asked with a worried look on his face.

She shook her head. “I just had a d-dream,”

Sean rolled up from bed, headed to the fridge to get bottled water, and handed it over to her after opening the lid. Thera could not understand herself. The feeling of longing and fear were kicking in. And she was sure as hell that Sean was the reason why she was feeling that way. She was afraid she’d wake up without him. It felt like it happened a lot of times in the past.

“What is the dream about?” Sean asked her, rubbing her back gently.

Thera then realized she was wearing Sean’s long sleeve polo shirt. She could not remember when or how she ended up in that state. Perhaps, she was too exhausted to even tuck herself in.

She wagged her head. “I-in my dream, I was not able to attend Jerry Yan's concert.”

Sean reached her, embracing her warmly. “I'll have Eason checked if he has any scheduled concert here so you could watch. Hmm?”

Thera smiled. Sean lifted her chin to kiss her and led her down on the bed once more. Just like that, she submitted herself to him right away.

What's making her worried anyway? She had proven to herself many times that a dream could mean the opposite or, more so, do not exist in reality.

Thera chose to stay in the suite rather than coming back to her condo. She wanted to spend more time with Sean beside her. The problem is, every time they brush each others' skin, they both get turned on.

It was ten in the morning when Sean decided to head back to the office. He said he would be swamped the whole day, but he would call to check on her every now and then.

According to him, they'll come home together around eight. She took a nap before the sunset. Afterward, she decided to proceed to his office instead of waiting for him in the suite. She felt comfortable walking around the premises now compared to her last visit two weeks ago.

She drew a deep breath, flashing a wide smile when she finally reached his office. She was about to knock on the door when someone pulled it open from the inside. Thera's mouth left agape as soon as she saw this attractive woman appeared right before her. It was the same woman who showed up back in the elevator two weeks ago.

She could not recall who she was, but the moment their eyes met, she felt like someone smashed her hard on the head.

“Thera…” she spoke, breaking the silence. “I’m glad you’re back.”

She gasped. Disbelief crept into her. She was more than sure about how the voice sounded so familiar to her. Could it possibly be Kisses? However, she looked entirely different.

“I met him first! I knew I gave in, but I realized I couldn't bear losing him!”

“No matter how thick the mask you put on your face, it wouldn't cover up all the nasty things you've done in the past!”

Thera let out a groan, taking a few steps backward, unsure where she was going to go. But she found herself running her way out of The Palace. Kisses tried to stop her, but she was able to steer clear of her grip.

She had undergone plastic surgery. She used to be snub-nosed, but now she looked stunning with that aligned and pointed nose. She also had her eyelids and mouth done.

Kisses looked utterly different. If it wasn't because of her voice, Thera would not recognize her at all.

Thera's head began to throb. The flashes early on... Kisses… Does she have feelings for Sean?

Thera hailed a taxi when she reached the street. She immediately hopped in, not being able to see Sean coming after her. Her mind was in total chaos.

The driver suddenly pulled to a stop which took her by surprise. She went black when she heard a minor crash. She clutched her chest feeling her chest tightened. She felt like something clogged in her lungs. The driver took off the cab to face the other driver whose car was bumped into. Now, Thera didn't know what to do. Her vision was blurry. She shut her eyes, trying to get rid of the threatening tears.

But soon as she closed her eyes, it led her to a different setting. She found herself sitting on the driver's seat instead of the backseat. Pieces of fragmented and quick flashes of her memories projected in her mind: she saw Top, Kisses, and Sean. Aside from that, her father's face appeared along with this elderly man, who she hardly recognized.

Thera was snapped back to reality when someone yanked the door open. By the time she turned to her side, she felt a tight hug from someone who smelled familiar. With her eyes blurred with tears, her chest moved up and down as if she was finally able to catch her breath.

“Thera. . . ” called Sean, who has a worried look on his face.