"Here," Adam said as he placed a deviled egg on Yesha's plate. They were at the restaurant where they had reservations celebrating their anniversary as well as her pregnancy.
Yesha frowned at the food but ate it anyway.
"Adam, I'm already full. Stop feeding me," she whined softly and Adam smiled as he forked a piece of steak from his own plate and held it in front of her.
"Okay, eat this one last bite," he said and her frown deepened but she ate it again anyway.
"No more," the wife complained as she chewed and the husband condescended.
"They have dessert here. What do you want?" Adam asked as he pointed at the menu where assorted sweets and desserts were listed. "Their shortcake looks promising," he added and Yesha glared at him.
"No more food," she said and her husband laughed.
In the end Adam ordered a bottle of wine for him and strawberry sorbet for her despite her protests.
"If I get fat after this Adam Kingsley, I won't forgive you," she threatened as she scooped her ice cream and ate.
Adam then smiled at her fondly as he reached out and took one of her hands and held it tight.
"I don't care. Even if you get fat or whatever happens to you. I'll still love you," he whispered making her blush. "Do you love me, Yesha?"
Yesha lifted her head and smiled at her husband. "You already heard my cheesy declaration earlier right?" she said and Adam pouted.
"That's different. Say it to my face," the latter insisted and she chuckled as she leaned forward so she could whisper to her husband's ear. "I love you, Adam Kingsley…"
They continued to talk after that. Adam felt so good that he finished the bottle of wine and ordered another one.
"Adam, shouldn't you be drinking much?" Yesha asked but he shook his head.
"It's okay, baby. We'll just get a cab," he answered.
"No, I'll just drive us home," Yesha answered as she held out her hand. "Give me the keys," she said and her husband hesitated.
"Are you sure?" he asked and Yesha nodded just as a couple stopped by their table.
"President Kingsley?"
Adam and Yesha looked up and their eyes widened upon seeing Hiro with his socialite wife. "This is a nice surprise," the man said as he hovered over them as if planning to stay.
"Honey, you remember Mr. Kingsley, right?" Hiro asked his wife who beamed and nodded as she extended her hand towards Adam for a shake.
"Of course. How can I forget Adam? I met you through him after all," she said and Adam's jaw clenched as he heard Yesha's audible gasp as she turned her questioning eyes from him to her ex.
"What's this?" Yesha asked looking confused. "You know each other?" she asked again and Hiro turned to her.
"Of course. He's my former boss," he said with an annoying smile as he looked maliciously at Yesha. "I wasn't expecting to see you together, though."
"Yesha is my wife," Adam said sternly which obviously surprised the couple. "We are actually celebrating our third anniversary and we are about to leave," he continued as he stood up.
"Ah, Mr. Kingsley, I'd like to propose something," Hiro said in his friendliest tone but Adam ignored him.
"Set up an appointment," he ground out as he pulled Yesha from her seat and walked away.
"Adam, wait," Yesha said as he pulled at her arm.
They were in front of the restaurant where the valet delivered their car. Yesha took the keys from the man and handed him a tip.
"Let's just take a cab," Adam said but Yesha already walked towards the driver's side and her husband wasn't able to do anything but follow. "Yesha," Adam called as his wife started the engine.
"Yesha, about earlier, about your ex," Adam started but Yesha interrupted him as she drove out into the streets.
"So, you really do know who he was in my life," Yesha bit out as she maneuvered the car.
It took Adam several seconds before he answered.
"Yes…" he said and he felt the car speed up. "Yesha, you're going too fast," he warned but she ignored him.
"She said you're the one who introduced the two of them," she said and Adam bit his lip but decided to be truthful.
"Yes, but baby, let's talk about this out of the car," he added as he touched her by the shoulder.
"I don't want to get out of the car. I want to go home," Yesha said as she continued to drive. "I take it you arranged for him to leave me because you wanted to have me for yourself?" she asked casually and Adam sighed as he nodded.
"Yes…"
"I see…" Yesha murmured, and the car slowed down. The two of them were silent once more.
"Are you angry?" Adam asked and he laughed pathetically. "Of course you're angry," he said and Yesha shook her head.
"I'm not. I'm just shocked," she said and Adam studied her.
"You're not?" he asked disbelievingly and Yesha nodded.
"I'm not. I'm over him a long time ago, even before we got married – and it's not like I really loved him," Yesha answered and she bit her lip.
"Just promise me something Adam," she continued and her husband nodded.
He would promise his wife anything.
"Don't ever hide anything from me again. Don't lie to me either. And, don't leave me ever again," she said and Adam smiled at his wife, finally feeling at peace once more.
"I promise," he said and Yesha leaned over for a kiss which he happily gave.
The honking of another car ahead startled them and when they looked they were horrified by the blinding lights.
"Look out! " Adam yelled as he tried to grab the wheel so the impact would be on his side and the last thing he remembered was the sound of crunching metal, the intense pain, and his wife's screams.
========
Present
The fax machine lit as it printed out a document. I straightened up from my bent position to glance at it but my wife whimpered as she reached out to touch my hand. When I turned to her, her eyes were wide with panic that I had to soothe her again.
"It's okay baby, it's just a message. I'm not going anywhere," I murmured as I gave her butterfly kisses on her face until her grip loosened and she relaxed again.
The two of us were in my study, the room I had been using as my office since a year ago.
Every morning, I carried my angel to this room so I could work while looking after her. I would place her on the recliner seat next to my swivel chair so she could take a nap whenever she wanted or watch me when she's awake. Since she got sick, this was the best set up we were able to come up with.
After the accident, my wife and I were brought to the hospital together. Yesha lost our child and suffered from severe concussion. Since the impact was on my side, I was critical too for a while.
Yesha woke up and found out that our baby didn't make it which shocked her. But what made her slip away from sanity was when I flat-lined and she overheard the doctors and nurses saying that I had died.
The depression Dr. Lin warned us three years ago showed up with a vengeance and it was so much worse than before. She began screaming and screaming, wanting to see me. But when they couldn't let her go to my room, the light died from my wife's eyes as she slipped into her own little world. We were not able to get her out of it since.
A knock on the door sounded and I looked up to see Jane peeking in with James and my own child Ashton.
"You kids go and say hi," she ordered them softly as she let the children down on the floor who hurriedly ran towards us.
James gave me a peck on the cheek and I carried him so he could kiss Yesha too.
"Daddy, Ash too," my cute son said and I smiled as I put James down who hurriedly ran out of the room to play and lifted my son up and hugged him tightly.
He gave me a sloppy kiss on the nose and I kissed his forehead before I shifted him in my arms so he could go to his mother.
Yesha's usually vacant eyes came alive as she watched us and she lifted the corner of her mouth in a small shy smile. I was thinking that she was beginning to recognize Ashton and I felt raw emotions clogging my throat.
"Baby, Ash wants to go to you. Is it okay?" I asked softly but my son already leaned forward, his arm stretched and I was surprised when Yesha raised her hand and shyly touched our son's small ones.
Gently, I placed Ashton on her lap where our son happily settled, wrapping his small arms around his mother's neck and giving her a kiss. Yesha, on the other hand, continued to watch our child curiously as Ash started talking to her. I felt moisture in my eyes and realized I was already crying. Yesha hadn't shown such reactions before and I was happy.
"She's getting better," I heard Jane say as I felt her touch my shoulder.
I turned to her and saw that she too was crying in happiness.
"I guess so," I answered as I swallowed hard, wiping my tears as I did.
The past year had been hard on all of us with my own recovery, Yesha's sickness and the company. We were really lucky that Matt and Jane were always there to give us a hand.
"She will," Jane said with conviction. "My sister's a fighter. She will come back to us," she continued and I nodded.
All this time, I had been living with remorse. If only I could undo a lot of things I would, but I knew it was impossible. I prayed and prayed that my punishment would soon end and I vowed that when that happened, I would make things right.
That night, as we lay on the bed, I held Yesha as she had another nightmare.
"Don't leave…don't go…don't leave me…I love you…I love you…" she sobbed and I tightened my protective arms around her, vowing to stay with her forever.
"I won't. I won't go anywhere…" I whispered my eternal promise in answer to her which made her settle down. Once again, hearing her deep, even breathing as she clung onto me, my own demons were driven away, making my own turbulent, twisted heart at peace.