Movement
“How was it?”
Garrett received a direct question as he opened the door, and Elice greeted his arrival with a visibly uncomfortable expression.
Not at the Morales residence, Garrett and Elice were in the apartment. It had been Elice’s home before she officially became Garrett’s wife.
Garrett closed the door and motioned for Elice to sit down. He could feel her hands trembling and sweat dampening his palms.
Garrett took a deep breath and looked at Elice. He nodded, anticipating the answer Elice had already guessed.
“Just as we suspected. Aunt Farrah bugged our house.”
Elice had indeed suspected something was up, especially when Garrett came to her office and invited her to lunch. It wasn’t just an ordinary lunch invitation. Instead, Garrett had deliberately arranged a meeting, making sure they would meet at the apartment after she returned home.
While Elice suspected something was up, she didn’t expect her house to be bugged. Elice had never imagined Farrah would go to such lengths.
“So, what are we going to do, Garrett?”
Garrett held Elice’s hand and squeezed it gently. His eyes softened as he promised her unwavering protection.
“Stay calm, Elice. Whatever happens, I will protect you.”
It wasn’t just an empty promise. Garrett knew he had to start planning. Farrah would never stop until she got what she wanted. Farrah would never stop until she and her family were completely out of the picture.
But Garrett knew he couldn’t act rashly. He was certain that Farrah would do everything in her power to achieve her goals.
“For now, let’s not discuss anything about this at home,” Garrett continued. “And I will think of a way to resolve this.”
Elice remained silent, looking at Garrett with quiet confidence. And Garrett reassured her.
“I will protect you.”
So, it made sense for Elice to nod and leave everything to Garrett. That included starting everything her husband had arranged.
When they returned home, Elice felt her body tense up. She felt the tension almost make her reluctant to enter her room.
It was as if Elice had to pretend that she knew nothing, while she clearly knew that there were ears in her room. She was being watched twenty-four hours a day. Elice thought she couldn’t stand days like this. Even now, the thought of Farrah listening to all her conversations with Garrett made her sick.
“Elice.”
The hug Garrett gave her from behind startled Elice reflexively. But the kiss that landed on her neck managed to calm her. The tension that had briefly dominated Elice disappeared quickly.
Of course, this was no charade. With Garrett at her side, Elice felt peace. It was always like that.
“How was your day?”
Garrett’s hand rested on Elice’s stomach, his head resting on her shoulder. The warmth of his breath caressed Elice’s skin, and his fingers played gently with strands of her hair.
“Just fine,” Elice whispered softly. Her hand rose to meet Garrett’s and rested on it. “As you instructed, I haven’t had too busy a day.”
Though she couldn’t see it, Elice could feel Garrett’s smile widen.
“That’s good to hear. I don’t want you to get sick. Your health is my top priority, and I’ve been thinking about something.”
“What is it?”
Instead of answering Elice’s curiosity, Garrett gently lowered her into his arms, carried her to the bed, and laid her down. This action made Elice think for a moment. It seemed that Garrett had been carrying her more often lately.
“You haven’t been feeling well lately, Elice. If you feel like you can’t handle it, you could just rest at home.”
Maybe that was one of the reasons. Garrett didn’t want Elice to tire herself out. And now it seemed that Garrett’s concern for Elice’s health was growing.
“Garrett.”
“I know you’re a career woman. I’ve never stopped you from working. But I just worry about you.”
Garrett adjusted the pillows around Elice, creating a comfortable atmosphere for his wife to rest in. And in that moment, Elice could sense Garrett’s intentions.
This wasn’t about the charade they had to go through at home. Instead, it was Garrett’s sincerity.
“I know you’re a spirited woman, Elice. Work is your passion in life,” Garrett continued, smoothing the hair on Elice’s face. “But you don’t have to work so hard.”
“What do you mean?”
Garrett took a deep breath. It had been almost two weeks since Daphne’s death, which caused Garrett to remind Elice of her role now.
“Nana is no longer with us, and I think it’s inevitable that you will have to take over her role.”
Of course, Daphne wasn’t just a grandmother who enjoyed her old age watching TV. There were many things that Daphne did. She was active in charity work on behalf of the family, attended various banquets, and even participated in various corporate events.
It may sound simple, but Daphne had filled this role for years. And now that Daphne was gone, who else could take over?
The answer, of course, was Elice. And Garrett realized that if Elice was going to take on all of Daphne’s responsibilities, then the smartest thing for her to do would be to leave Metro. But Garrett knew that the decision was entirely up to Elice.
“I’m not going to force you to leave your job. But I hope you can continue to do everything Nana has been doing.”
Elice understood Garrett’s meaning. While accompanying Daphne, Elice had a pretty clear idea of her position. It wasn’t just a question of leaving Metro or staying. It was more than that.
“I’m not sure I can, Garrett.”
“No need to rush. You can take it slow and I’ll make sure Mr. Carolus helps you.”
It was a tremendous responsibility. But Garrett believed that Elice could handle it. So, Elice thought there was nothing more fitting than to accept this responsibility. To accept Garrett’s trust.
“All right then.”
*
“Mmm… is that all?”
The night grew late. Most people would take the opportunity to rest. And that’s what Kurt thought for a moment as he left his study. He thought that Farrah might already be asleep.
However, Kurt found his wife still sitting on the sofa in their bedroom with her laptop and headphones on. There was a hint of disbelief in her sigh as she shut down the laptop and removed the earbuds.
Kurt closed the door and approached Farrah, who seemed indifferent to his arrival.Content © NôvelDrama.Org.
“What’s going on?” Kurt asked as he sat down next to his wife. “What do you mean, is that all?”
Farrah sighed lazily and brushed her hair. She put the barrette on the table and grabbed a comb.
“Elice and Garrett,” she said.
Farrah’s answer made Kurt grab her hand, causing her to look at him in surprise. Kurt stared at Farrah in disbelief.
“Are you spying on them?”
Farrah sighed weakly, pulled her hand away, and rose from her seat. She walked over to the dressing table and replied, “No need to be so surprised. This isn’t the first time I’ve done this.”
Of course. During their marriage, Kurt knew how often Farrah engaged in such activities. But that didn’t mean Kurt thought it was normal. In fact, Kurt wondered.
“How long are we going to keep doing this?”
Farrah removed her hairpin and placed it on the table before grabbing a comb. As she began to comb her hair, she looked at Kurt in the mirror and noticed his unease.
“Don’t bring that up again. We’ve talked about it several times. And I’m not backing down.”
Kurt remained silent as Farrah continued to comb her hair. He could only watch his wife, who seemed so relaxed. As if she didn’t feel burdened by the evil plans she had hatched.
“You are not thinking of stopping me, are you?” Farrah asked, looking at her skin care products. She applied a serum to her face and massaged it gently, believing it would hide aging lines.
At that moment, Kurt didn’t answer Farrah’s question. Even if he wanted to stop Farrah, it seemed impossible. Despite his own interventions, Farrah had already gone too far.
Farrah realized this clearly. So, it was no surprise that a smile spread across her face. She knew that Kurt would not be able to do anything. There was no point in stopping her. And if Kurt thought about reporting Farrah to the authorities, it was clearly impossible.
“Remember, Kurt,” Farrah said as she rose from her seat and walked gracefully to the bed. “If only you were richer than my family and could give me everything I want, I wouldn’t be doing this.”
But what more could Kurt offer? He wasn’t a man without wealth. In fact, he came from a wealthy family. His business was also quite substantial.
“But since you can’t provide all that, don’t ever blame me.”
Farrah slipped under the covers. Before she really lay down, she said, “So let me remind you again. Don’t ever think about backing out of any of this. Whatever happens, you have to help me finish it.”
After that, Farrah lay down completely, closed her eyes and let her consciousness fade away, while Kurt could only sigh with all the useless regrets.
*