Chapter 29

She blinked a few times while he was gazing lovingly at her. He kissed the tip of her nose. She moistened her lips because she didn’t know how to start. She didn’t understand why he wanted to marry her again.
"Babe?" he uttered with a frown as he waited for her answer.
She sat up on the bed. She covered her upper body with the bedshet and leaned on the head board. He did the same and held her hand.
" I asked you if you want to get married again. We can have a church wedding this time. Sorry if you find my proposal unromantic. I will just make it up to you after the wedding,” he promised then kissed her hand.
He wanted to marry her again to make things right. If their first was done in a haste, he wanted their second to be really well-planned and grand. His wife deserved that but her expression didn't look encouraging.
"Babe we don't need to get married again. It's okay. All we need to do is make our marriage work. ”
His eyes hardened and his hold on her tightened, "Why are you against the idea?” he asked in a cold voice.
Isabelle nibbled the inside of her lower lip. She had to pacify him. Her husband had been really good to her and to people she cared about. It would be unfair to him if she would upset him. That thought made her tensed. She sighed then touched the side of his face.
"Babe it’s not that I am against it. What I mean is we are married already so no need to have another wedding ceremony. We should focus on making our marriage stronger. We can get married again but not now. Let’s wait a few more years if you like, " she suggested with a smile.
Luke took a grip of her hand which was on his face. He was eyeing her intensely. He seemed to be wanting to read her mind.
"I hope you are not thinking of leaving me again that’s why you don’t want another wedding ceremony!" he said sounding a little angry.
She gave him a peck on the cheek. "I won't leave you again unless you do something that you shouldn't be doing as a married man, " she told him seriously.
"I haven't done anything wrong when you left me so the more I won’t do anything now that you are back."
She leaned the side of her head on his shoulder, "That's good to hear babe. I did the same thing don’t worry."
"I have been wanting to ask you who helped you escape from me?" he asked out of the blue.
His question caught her off guard. She got up. She wrapped the sheet around her.
"No one. I will take a shower now. I am very hungry,” she announced and she walked to the bathroom in a hurry. She didn't give her husband a chance to say something again or ask more questions. When she closed the bathroom door, she leaned her back on it. She heaved a sigh. She couldn’t tell him. She promised Eunice that she would keep it between them. She owed her a lot. She was there for her her when she needed help.
Luke thought whoever helped his wife ran away surely knew what he was doing. He used all his resources to find out who the person was but he didn’t find anything. But he promised himself that he would make that person pay. Obviously that someone didn't want them together. He balled his hands as he cursed under his breath.
I will not spare that piece of shit! He thought.
***
Almost everything was back to normal for them after Joyce’s wedding. They stayed two more days in her grandmother’s house before they returned to the city. They made love all the time. But since they didn’t want to have a baby yet. after her safe period, Luke either used a rubber or he did the withdrawal method.
Tina and Beth were happy to see her again with Luke. She noticed that the house didn’t change at all. Her stuff in her closet were in the same position before she left. That made her smile again. Luke didn’t remove any trace of her in his house. This was after all the place where he brought her first. They had good and bad memories here but she would still want to live here with him. She was communicating with her dad and step-mom regularly. They also talked to Luke when he was home. But she couldn’t forget the time that they almost argued about her desire to return to the US.
(FLASHBACK)
They were in their bedroom. She just finished showering and Luke was checking his laptop while he was on the bed.
“Babe, I want to visit dad and Martha soon,” she told him.
He raised his eyes and looked angrily at her, "What the f*ck for?!"
"Babe please don’t get mad. I will just be away for a week. I feel guilty that I left my job just like that. I will just help my dad find a replacement for me," she exclaimed in a calm voice.
"Last time we talked he said things are going well. He is not expecting you to be back there since you are with me again so you don’t need to go! You will stay here! There is no way that I will let you go back to the US without me!” he hissed and she just sighed.
She understood that he was afraid that she won’t return if she left the country. At least he allowed her to go out as long as she didn’t leave alone. Mario would drive her wherever she wanted to go and would wait for her. It was fine with her. Since Joyce was still in her honeymoon she mostly just go to malls and do window shopping instead of being bored to death at home. Luke gave her back her credit cards but she hardly used any of them.
***
She was in the kitchen preparing food for him. He came down while she was putting his coffee on the table. She felt her mouth went dry when she saw how hot he looked. He had a leather jacket on and a white shirt under it. He grinned at her before giving her a peck on the lips.
"Do you like what you see Mrs. Contrero?" he joked.
She just pouted before sitting on the chair across from him.
"Are you gonna deal with business or is that monkey business?!" she asked sounding irritated.
He chuckled as he put some bacon on her plate.
"You know I don't do that kind of thing babe. I am going to check a site one of my clients mentioned. " he said dryly.
"Be sure about that! Unless you want me to be violent again," she intended to say it like a joke but there was a hint of seriousness in her voice.
He grinned again, " You sound like me Mrs .Contrero," he chuckled.
She also released a light laugh.
"By the way babe, give me your passport. I will keep it somewhere safe.” he said suddenly.
She just nodded. She was expecting it. Luke had shown her in many ways how precious she was to him so his possessiveness was something she could live with. Anyway she had become like him too that was why she had no complaints.
"Good. So what are your plans today?" he asked.
"I will meet Kara," she replied.
He looked at her. "Where? What time? Aside from her, who else will be there?”
She made a face at him. She knew what he was implying.
"Babe, I am going to see Kara. Just her okay?" she assured him.
His cousin told her that after the incident at her in-laws’ house years ago, Reed resigned as Luke’s assistant. She felt sad thinking that their relationship might be irreparable which was really a waste. They were like brothers before. She decided to talk to Luke about his cousin when the time was ripe.
Her husband’s face became serious. "Mario will drive you as usual! " he said in a clipped tone.
She toyed with her food as she thought of an appropriate way to tell him what she wanted to say.
"Babe, I can drive or just take a taxi. You need Mario more since you have a lot of appointments today, " she reminded him but his face became grimmer.
“I can manage! You aren’t going to drive because it’s dangerous! There are a lot of crazy drivers out there and I don’t want you to take a cab either! " he said coldly.
She just sighed and didn't say anything anymore. She kissed him on the lips before she left but he was still not talking to her. She saw him messaging someone on his phone and she felt it was Kara. Maybe her husband wanted to be sure that it was only her that she would be meeting. She just shook her head before she closed the door.
***
They were in an Italian restaurant eating lunch. She was trustworthy because they kept in touch but she didn’t tell Luke. They chatted once in a while but Kara never asked about her exact location which she was thankful for. She never asked her about Luke too. They just had random topics. She sent her some photos because they didn’t have any video calls.
"Wow! You really have transformed! You are more beautiful in person!” Kara complimented her.
"Is that good or bad?" she joked.
Kara laughed. "Good and bad. I am sure Luke will be more possessive now,” she commented with a smile and she smiled too.
"Not really. But actually I have become territorial too," she revealed.
Kara couldn’t believe what she did at Joyce’s bachelorette party when she told her about it.
"OMG! I didn't know that possessiveness and violent reaction are contagious!" she said with a light laugh.
"I didn't think so too but sadly it is catching,” she agreed.
"Well, I have to admit that women go gaga over my cousin,” she beamed.
What she said reminded her what she wanted to ask.
"Kara do you know Victoria?" she questioned casually.
"Victoria?"
"Luke’s childhood friend.”
"Why are you asking about her?" Kara’s forehead creased.
"Nothing important. It’s just that Luke mentioned that he has a childhood friend who is into surfing.” she lied.
Kara nodded, “Yes. She is Victoria Evans.”
She couldn’t help raising a brow. "Hmm… is she biracial? Evans is a Western surname,” she commented and Kara sighed.
"You want to see her picture? I think I have some. I attended Dianne’s birthday party last year and Victoria was there.”
She nodded. She was very curious about the other woman’s appearance. According to Luke she had normal looks which meant that she was average-looking. She felt heat come up her face when she saw the photo. Seemed like her dear husband lied to her so she would stop asking questions about his childhood friend. She gritted her teeth when obviously Victoria was more than ordinary looking. She was in fact pretty. She had very clear skin. She looked at her own chest and then at the woman's. She felt insecure. Victoria had big boobs which she knew Luke preferred.