One hour later…
Buzz-Buzz-Buzz…
The phone rang for the third time, and Declan ignored it as if he had not heard it. He ate calmly, not bothering to look up to see who was calling.
Yasmin glanced at the phone, wondering why he was not answering the calls. She chewed the rice, skeptically looking at him.
The phone stopped buzzing, only to ring back again.
"Why are you not answering the phone?" She finally asked, unable to keep quiet anymore.
Declan shot a fleeting glance at her. "Concentrate on your food," he said coldly, stuffing a piece of steak into his mouth.
Yasmin's eyes narrowed as she pondered what had caused him to ignore the calls. Something popped up in her mind. Her eyes grew wide.
'Is it Grace?' She slightly adjusted her specs and craned her neck to check the caller.
'Annoyed caller'… That was what she saw.
'Who is that?' She frowned.
Declan stole a glance at her and found her staring at the phone. "Eat…" he snapped.
"I am eating," she snapped back, stuffing another spoonful of rice into her mouth.
The surroundings suddenly turned quiet since the phone stopped buzzing.
Yasmin breathed a sigh. 'Thank goodness, my ears can finally rest.'
Buzz-Buzz…
Yasmin froze, the spoon still in her mouth. She had not even finished murmuring in her mind when the phone started vibrating again, this time with an incoming message alert.
Buzz-Buzz…
Buzz-Buzz…
Buzz-Buzz…
She became irritated by the buzzing. "Check the phone," she grumbled as she dropped the spoon into the bowl. "There must be an emergency."
"There is no emergency."
"How are you so sure?" She asked.
Declan dropped the fork and knife on the plate and snapped, "Don't you trust me?"
"Alright. I am done." She rose to her feet and strode into her room.
Declan scowled at her retreating form. When he glanced down at her unfinished rice bowl, he felt awful and regretted not answering the phone.
Buzz-Buzz-Buzz…
He couldn't stay calm anymore when the phone rang again. He scrunched up his nose as he picked up the phone.
"Declan, you bastard." Before he could respond, an ear-piercing voice came from the phone. "Why did you block my cards and bank account? I was playing a game. I need to pay. Unblock my cards right now."
Declan winced and pulled the phone away from his ear. He could still hear Derrek scream. His lips quirked after hearing his angry roar.
He put the phone back in his ear and said flatly, "I am not unblocking your cards or account."
"Why? How can you do that?"
Declan enjoyed it the more Derrek cried out. He leaned back on his chair and said, "You should have thought about it before messing up with me."
"W-What are you talking about?" Derrek stuttered.
"Since you want to play, let's play." Declan got to his feet and headed to the study.
"I'm not interested in playing any games with you."
"Think about it again. I blocked your account for a week. It can extend."
"You… Humph… I wonder if you are my brother."
"I am hanging up then."
"Wait…" Derrek yelled. "Alright…" He sounded defeated. "What do you want?"
"I will tell you tomorrow. Now stop whining." Declan ended the call and dropped it on the work table. A wicked grin appeared on his face as he sat in his seat.
Derrek, on the other hand, fumed in anger. His mouth twisted, and his chest swelled. "Declan…" he yelled, clutching the phone. "You, you… How can you treat me like this?" He kicked on the bed but got hurt.
"Ouch…" He winced, holding his foot. "Declan, you jerk… You will pay for it. I swear. You made me irritated. I will drive you insane. Just wait."
While Derrek was out of control in anger, Declan was doing his work in a relaxed mood. He had a faint smile on his face. He successfully annoyed his brother for fooling him around. On top of that, his wife brought him something for the first time.
He held the half-heart pendant and looked at it. "What was she saying? 'Made for each other'." He grinned.
Declan was not the type to wear something like this, but he smiled as he looked at it. Yasmin's entry into his life changed him gradually.
He had no faith in love. He was wary of putting his faith in women. But he started to like her and was willing to put his trust in her.
He turned off the laptop and went out of the study. His smile lingered on his lips as he proceeded to the bedroom. When he saw her sleeping, his smile faded.
'Oh, man…' He groaned, wiping his face. 'Can't she wait for a while?'
He clambered dejectedly onto the bed and lay down on his back, his gaze fixed on the dimly lit ceiling-mounted light. It was the fourth night they were sharing a bed, but he hardly touched her. It was unlikely for a married couple.
He grew restless, his heart rate increasing. His breathing also quickened.
'Enough is enough.'
He turned to her and stretched his hand towards her. He intended to pull her into his arms. But he froze as he stared at her face.
She was sleeping so peacefully that he couldn't wake her up. In the end, he gently ran his knuckles over her cheek.
'Shit, Declan. She is sleeping.'
"Good night," he murmured, drawing his hand back.
Late at night…
Declan was uncomfortable in his sleep. His breathing came in short gasps.
"Mom…" he murmured in a low voice.
He saw his younger self hiding behind a door frame in his nightmare. He fixed a hostile glare at his mother and an unknown man conversing in the hall. He didn't like it whenever that man came to the house. That man was taking his mother away from him.
'Bad man,' small Declan muttered.
"Declan," his mother shouted.
He flinched, terrified by her angry expression.
"What are you doing standing there? Didn't I tell you to go study?"
He was about to shut the door when he heard the man calling, "Hey, buddy. Come here."
His expression turned ugly when he saw the man smiling.
"Come on, come on. I have some sweets for you." The man took candies out of his pocket and showed them to him.
Declan moved his gaze to his mother as he approached them slowly. When he saw his mother's glum expression, he felt compelled to flee to his room and hide. He stood right in front of the man, looking at the candies in his palm.
"Take…" the man urged.
The colorful wraps of the candies enticed him. But he was angry. His mouth was in a tight pout. He grabbed his hand and sank his teeth into it in a flash.
"Ah..." wailed the man.
"Declan..." his mother yelled, twisting his ear.
It was painful.
He immediately let go of the man's hand.
Smack…
He clutched his left cheek, where the slap had landed. He shuddered under his mother's scorching glare.
"Why did you do that?" she snapped. "Say sorry."
"No…" Declan retorted vehemently.
"How could you?" She raised her hand to slap him, but the man stopped her.
"You brat. I will not give you anything to eat today. I'll lock you up in the storeroom."
She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the storeroom in the basement.
"Mom, no… Please… It's dark there… Don't lock me up..."
"Mom, no… sorry…" Declan murmured and frantically opened his eyes. He was still reeling from the horror of the nightmare.
Sweat drenched his body.
He sat up, wiping the sweat away from his brow. His breathing was erratic as if he had just run a marathon.
"Oh, man…" he covered his face.
These nightmares used to haunt him for so many years. After a prolonged consultation, he eventually got rid of them. However, it reappeared.
"Why now?" He ran his fingers through his hair. His gaze was drawn to Yasmin, who was sleeping soundly.
He slowly clambered down from the bed and walked out of the room.