"What are you doing here?" Christian asked Rhence as they sat in front of the bartender counter. "You are not supposed to be here."
"I know, but I have to."
"Good evening beautiful lady... ehh?"
He saw the surprise in Ronnie's eyes as he approached them, he immediately warned him to pretend that he didn't know him, or at least pretend that he was just a regular customer. If he was with someone else he wouldn't hesitate to let them know that he was the owner of such a bar, but there was something strange stopping him that he shouldn't let this young woman know who he was at that bar.
"Boss, give us one whiskey and one orange, ah no, one apple juice."
"Apple juice?!" she exclaimed with frowned.
"Why, do you expect milk in the bar?"
He saw the blush on her face and looked like she was sulking. He couldn't stop himself from smiling because of her reaction, he also noticed that she seemed to be whispering as if she were casting a spell while pouting.
"So, what are you doing here? It's late, aren't your parents looking for you?"
"They allow me to go home late today."
"But it doesn't mean they allowed you to drink and go to the bar."
"I didn't drink--." he saw her stunned because of what she said.
He chuckled.
"I mean... ehem, I came here because I wanted to talk to the owner of this bar."
He raised his eyebrow, why does he need to talk to him when he doesn't know what he did to her.
"What are you going to tell him?" he wonder.
"Do you know the owner of this bar?"
"I know him."
"Okay, let me meet him then."
"Hmm, let's just make a deal." he said to her. "We don't know when we'll see the owner here at the bar, but you can tell me what you're going to tell him so you don't have to come here. It's not good for you to enter these kinds of place at your age, what will other people, who see you here, say to you."
"Okay."
He was amazed by how fast she replied.
"In return, do me a favor for your sister"
"To my sister... Neli?"
"Yep."
"Okay, deal."
-----
Neli fixed Grandma and Grandpa's blanket when she saw that they were already sleeping in the other bed, they were thankful that Grandma woke up earlier after they had lunch.
She went to her husband's side then held his hand, she still waiting for him to wake up. Fortunately, the doctor who looked at him earlier said that his life is not in danger and he could wake up at any time, the nurse also taught her how to clean his wound properly.
"Honey, Grandma is awake." she said to him. "We're all waiting for you to wake up."
She kissed her husband's hand, her eyes widened when she suddenly felt his hand moved.
"Caleb, Honey..." she said worriedly.
Her heart pound when she saw the slow opening of his eyes, which made her happy because her husband was finally woken up.
"N-Neli?" her husband called her, his voice sounded groggy.
"I'm here, I'm here." she answered happily while stroking his cheek in tears. "Are you okay, do you feel any pain? I will wake up Grandpa, no wait, I'll just call the doctor--."
"No, y-you don't have to." he answered while holding her hand tightly.
He tried to get up but she immediately stopped him, like Grandma, he also needs a lot of rest and according to the doctor they need to stay in the hospital for three more days before they can go home, especially Caleb, to make sure there will be no complications.
"You have to take a rest."
"Come lay down next to me then."
She immediately did what he said and lay down next to him, he spread his right arm under her head to make it her a pillow and hugged her.
"Are you crying?" he asked when he turned his head in her direction.
"Tears of joy."
He chuckled.
She caressed his cheek and gave him a quick kiss on his lips, she missed the sweetness of her husband's lips. She felt like almost a year had passed since the incident, she missed him so much. She couldn't imagine how Caleb felt when he waited for her to wake up for four days.
"I... missed you, I missed you so much." she said while staring at his eyes.
He slowly turned his body on her side then he caressed her cheek, the warmth from his hand makes her feel alive again and not hearing his voice for the whole day makes her go insane.
"I love you, Caleb." she whispered.
Caleb slowly brought his face closer to her until their lips touched, she immediately responded to his kiss. She kisses him passionately, with full of care and longing, she wants to make her husband know how much she loves him through her kisses. Their kisses gradually deepened, as if they were both wanting to express their longing for each other.
"Ugh!"
She immediately pulled her lips away when she heard him in pain.
"Are you alright, my God, I'm so sorry."
"I'm alright." Caleb smiles and hugs her. "You don't have to say sorry, it's my fault because I wanted to kiss you."
She shook her head and hugged him back but she made sure that her body would not touch his wound on his chest, she also wanted to kiss him so it was not only his fault and she was the one who needed to apologize to him, because of her his life was put in danger. She wanted to get mad at him because he caught the bullet that was supposed to be for her, but she didn't have the courage to get mad at him for what he did.
But she would make sure that it will never happen to her husband again, he will never be in danger again.
"Thank you for protecting me." she said to him.
She wanted to hug him tightly but she stopped herself from doing it, she doesn't want him to feel any more pain.
"It's my job to protect you because I'm your husband." he answered.
She raised her head and looked at his handsome face.
"Thank you." she gave him a quick kiss on his lips. "Okay, go back to sleep, you need a lot of rest so you can recover quickly."
She was about to leave the bed when he tightened his hug on her.
"You should sleep by my side."
"You might not feel comfortable when I sleep next to you."
"What are you talking about, the most comfortable place in the world for me was sleeping next to you."
She couldn't help but to smile because of what her husband said, well he was right, the most comfortable place in the world for her was on his side as well.
"Okay, let's sleep."
Caleb closed his eyes again after he gave her a quick kiss on her forehead.
Caleb risked his life to protect her and now that he's finally awake, it's time for her to settle things between Hazel. She looked at her husband's face when she felt that his breathing became peaceful, all she wanted now was to live happily and peacefully beside Caleb. She will put aside her revenge and let Hazel suffer and pay for all her sins in jail, she won't let her do whatever she wants, she will put an end to all her madness before she could harm those people she loves.
-----
Neli was shocked when she woke up the next day and noticed that her husband was no longer by her side.
"What's wrong, Neli?" she heard Grandma ask her.
"Where's my husband, Grandma?"
"He's in--."
"Where did they bring my husband?"
She's starting to feel anxious, how did she sleep soundly?
"Honey, relax." she turned to the bathroom when she heard her husband's voice. "I'm here."
She immediately stood up and ran toward him to give him a hug. Her heart is pounding so much, like it's going to explode because of the fear that something bad might have happened to him while she was sleeping.
"H-honey, I want it when you hug me, but-- ugh!"
Her eyes widened when she heard Caleb in pain, only then did she remember the wound on his chest. She immediately moved away from him, but Caleb pulled her arm so that she couldn't move away from him, then he put his arm around her waist.
"I'm s-sorry." she apologized to him and vow.
She couldn't even look at her husband because of what she did, she's so stupid because she let her emotion drive her sanity.
"If you really feel sorry, say that again."
She raised and turned her head at her husband and saw a sweet smile on his lips, she felt that it's been a long time since she last saw the teasing smiles on Caleb's lips.
"Say what?"
"You call me what?"
"My husband."
Neli felt her husband was stunned, she then realized after a few seconds that he, perhaps, wanted to tease her but he failed.
"Honey?"
Caleb's ears immediately turned red which she found cute.
"My love? My everything?"
"Stop." Caleb said while covering his face.
She removed his hand on his face and saw his blush face, she burst out laughing at her husband's cuteness.
Caleb can walk properly, he said that he could at least handle the pain and just don't put pressure on his wound so it won't hurt much.
"Do you want to eat?"
"Will you feed me?"
She saw the sparkle in her husband's eyes that pleased her.
"Of course."
Neli was happily feeding Caleb when she suddenly received a message, it was from her stepsister. She frowned when she saw that she sent her a voice recording.
"What happened?" Caleb asked him.
"Rhence sent a recording."
"Play it."
Neli's eyes widened by a voice recording she received from her stepsister Rhence, she couldn't believe it when she heard the conversation between Hazel and Christian. But she was more surprised than furious, how did that recording end up with her stepsister?
"How did that recording get to your sister?" Grandma asked.
"That is my exact thought." Caleb answered.
"Why don't you call her and ask her." Grandma said.
She immediately called her stepsister to ask where and how she got that recording.
"Brother Christian sent it to me." Rhence answered, she couldn't help wondering what their relationship was and why the two seemed to have communication with each other. "He didn't know your number so he asked me to send it to you."
"Rhence, please be careful." she said worriedly.
"Sister relax, I know what I'm doing and we're not close to begin with." she answered. "We just happened to bump into each other and he couldn't go to the hospital so he asked me to send it to you."
She sighed.
"I think he's not a bad person Sis, he also said that's the only way he knows how to help you and Brother Caleb so he wants you to hear that recording."
"I'm just worried about you, he's with Hazel and I don't want you--."
"I know." she heard her soft answer. "Thank you."
After she ended the call, she heard Grandpa speak. He said that Christian is the one who donated blood for Caleb when he needed it when he was still in the emergency room, he also mentioned that he knows that he's not related to the Valdez family which shocked both Caleb and her.
"And I heard from Sedrick that they had reconciled and said that Christian doesn't have any grudge with our family." Grandpa said. "I think he just really wants to help both of you because he all knows that woman's plan."
But she still couldn't help but be suspicious about the voice recording that her stepsister sent to her, she couldn't believe that Christian would help them. Did he really want to help or did they have another plan?
That's her chance to get Hazel in jail, she can also make her lie known to the public.
But can she trust Christian, did he really wanted to betray Hazel this time and help them.