"Mama, is daddy home yet?", asked Wendy who's impatiently waiting for her daddy to come home. "Oh, not yet, sweetie. H-he's probably busy at work", replied Erza who sat beside Wendy in her small bed. The little girl pouted sadly, "He's always busy, he doesn't have time for me anymore", she said. Erza remained silent for a few seconds, realizing that her daughter can already observe the changes in Jellal. "I know," she nodded with a sigh, "you just have to understand your daddy, because if he isn't working hard, you wouldn't be able to go to school, eat and go to the mall".
"I am, Mama, but-" Wendy protested, but was cut off by her mother. "No buts, Wendy...whatever changed in your daddy, you just have to understand. He's working for us, because he loves us." Erza explained while she pulled her daughter closer to her. The little bluenette just nodded, and tried to understand their situation, though it is kind of hard for a nine-year-old girl like her to be open-minded in this kind of situation.
"Come on, let's a take a warm bubble bath before we eat dinner." Erza says, standing up from the bed and walked on her way to Wendy's bathroom. But right before she steps inside the bathroom, she heard Wendy saying "Does daddy still love us, anyway?". The redhead was stopped from what her daughter thinks. She knew that she must scold her for saying it, but inside her, something is whispering to her that her daughter has a point. These past months, maybe a year or two already, a huge changed occurred in Jellal, like ever since she started going to school and her whole attention is not just focused on them. There are times that she wasn't able to be with them because of her busyness in the Culinary school.
After fulfilling her dream in going to a Culinary school, she can now give her full attention to her family again, while she awaits for good opportunities to come in her dream. As time flew, she's starting to notice the changes in her husband. Like, whenever Jellal is angry or drunk, he'll rebuke all of the imperfections and mistakes in her, sometimes if she talked back or say something against him, he'll just slap her several times or punch her wherever his hand will land, just to release his anger.
"Wendy!", she said angrily, giving her daughter a glare. "S-sorry, Mama..." The little girl sighed apologetically.
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"Wendy...I know your daddy was not able to spend time with us anymore, like I said you have to understand that. I know you miss him, and I miss him, too." Erza said calmly to her daughter while scrubbing her arm, covering it with body soap suds. "Your daddy loves us, especially you. He sacrificed a lot for you before, until now. Wendy, don't ever doubt about your father's love for you, okay?"
"Yes, Mama."
Silence hulled between them, her mama continued scrubbing and cleaning her body, while they're both soaked in the warm water in the tub. Then, the little girl broke the silence between her mama, as she said "If daddy still loves me...what about you? Does daddy still love you, Mama?".
The redhead gasped from what came out from her daughter's mouth again. She wondered, does Jellal still love her anyway? Jellal had promised her that she'll be the only girl in his heart, to love her forever, take care of her, protect her and never hurt her. But this time, why is she the one doubting about Jellal? If he still loves her, she wouldn't have those deep bruises on her back and arm.
"Wendy..."
"You told me that if you love someone, you will never hurt them. If daddy still loves you, why is he hurting you?"
The bluenette's hand slowly went up to her arm and caressed the bruise in her arm, caused by Jellal. Erza was just speechless, not knowing what to say and how to explain to her daughter who can now finally understand what was really going on between her parents. Before, she's able to make up some white lies, like denying that Jellal and her are fighting, Jellal is mad. But right now, she can no longer make up some lies to cover up the truth between her and Jellal, now that Wendy is growing up.
"Does it still hurt, Mama?" her daughter asked as she gave her bruise a kiss. It took her a few seconds before answering. "Not anymore, sweetie...not anymore." She gave her sweet daughter a small smile, cupping her face with her bubbly hand. Though she knew Jellal and her committed a mistake for being parents at a young age, she promised herself that she'll never ever regret giving herself to Jellal, because he gave her a very loving daughter, who was the most precious gift ever given to her. And she'll do whatever it takes to raise her well, protect her and raise her with a happy family, though she's almost a bomb that is about to explode from losing its patience.
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Inside a Porsche car, a black-haired woman is sitting on top of a blue-haired man, while kissing its lips hungrily. The bluenette kept on responding on her kisses, while moving his hands in every part of the woman's torso. Pleasure, lust, that's all he can feel with the woman with him, no love or feelings involved. He knew himself that what he is doing with this woman for almost two years and right now is completely wrong. There's something wrong, he knew it.
"I want you now." Then, Minerva started undoing the buttons of his white long sleeved shirt, but when she's almost done, the bluenette had stopped her. "Stop!" He said, shoving her hands away from his body. Minerva's eyes widened, surprised from his reaction. "Sorry, am I that fast?" She asked, chuckling seductively, and attempted to kiss him back in his lips, but she was stopped by him by being pushed away. "Minerva, this isn't part of our deal!"
Minerva gets off from his lap and went back to the driver's seat where she used to sit earlier, annoyingly after not getting what she want easily. "The deal, again? You're still following our deal." She chuckled sarcastically as she banged her hand on the wheel. "O-of course, Minerva! We both agreed on that deal, and here I am following the deal with made."
"I don't care about the deal anymore! I just want you! Why can't you just take our relationship normally? Forget about the deal! I want you to be with me!" She cried in desperation, while she grabbed his collar, forcing him to face her. Jellal has no idea what to say or what to do. He wanted his normal life back. His life before he had met Erza. His life wherein he'll just go to school, hang out or go on a road trip with his friends, eat and sleep all the time during weekends and family bonding. He wanted to be a teenager again, wherein he has no wife and a child to feed and sustain.
"No feelings, no sexual relations, right Minerva? I'm a married man."
"I know, Jellal! But I thought you don't love your wife anymore?!"
"I don't know, I'm not sure."
"What do you mean you're not sure?! So, you still have small feelings left for that bitch!? When are you going to realize that bitch is the one who ruined your life?1"
Jellal felt his blood suddenly boiled when he heard the word 'bitch'. "Don't call my wife a bitch! She's not a bitch! She's a lovely and a descent girl, compared to you! I wouldn't marry a bitch. Now you're wondering why I didn't marry you-"
"Whoa, Jellal Fernandes! Let me remind you that the only reason that lovely wife and daughter of yours was only able to eat because of me! I'm still your boss, Jellal. And Your 25,000 jewels monthly salary is going back to me to pay your debt, and the money going for your wife and daughter came from me. I intentionally give you money every month for you to feed your family, especially now that you have an upcoming child to feed."
He couldn't do anything, but to shut his mouth and glance away from her. He felt so helpless and a useless husband. "Jellal, I was the one besde you during the times when you and Wendy needed Erza, but she's not there beside you, she was there achieving her own dreams, while Wendy is almost dying."
"I know...and I'm thankful for that."
"You should be...that's why all I ask for is this. Us."
Jellal glanced at Minerva and said "There'll never be an us, Minerva. I have a wife...and you're just...my mistress".
"A mistress, huh?" Minerva chuckled sarcastically once again. "We don't have any sexual relations, so that doesn't make me one. But, Jellal...if you can no longer stand your boring wife, I'm here to pleasure you. The pleasure she was only able to give when she's still a virgin." She said, mocking Erza. "I know how much you're bored with her, that's why you looked for an excitement, which is me."
"No, thanks, Minerva. But if still wanna play with me, fine. I'll go with it."
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"Daddy!" Wendy jumped happily the moment she spotted Jellal in the living room already. She ran towards to him and approached him with a tight embrace. Jellal just hugged his daughter in return with a blank expression on his face, still thinking of his conversation with Minerva earlier. "Hey, Wendy", is just what he said to his daughter who's been looking forward to see him.
Then, he spotted Erza, who just came out from the kitchen. "Jellal, why are you late, again?" She asked. "I'm busy." He replied, looking away from him as he headed to the couch and laid down tiredly. "We already ate, we didn't wait for you because Wendy's already hungry. I'll prepare your dinner. Do you want something else? Coffee, milk?"
"I'm not hungry, just coffee."
"Are you sure?"
"I just said so, right?" He said in a cold tone. He's cold as usual, the redhead thought inside her head. She just nodded and made her way back to the kitchen to make him a cup of coffee.
Wendy, who's been excited to see his daddy, sat beside him. "Daddy, I got a lot of high scores in my previous exams and school activities." She said. "Really? That's good, keep it up."
Wendy bowed her head, dismayed from his only reaction from what she expected that it would be proud and happy for her. "Are you forgetting something daddy?" She asked, with a sad tone and expression in her face. "No," he answered. His answer made the little girl sadder. "You promised me that if I get high grades, we'll go out and you'll buy me new toys, right? I worked hard to get high grades."
"Oh, sorry, I'd like to, but we're in short of money right now.
"But Daddy...you promised me." The teary-eyed little girl said sadly. "You said that we'll go out if I get good grades. I mean, we barely spend time with each other al-"
"Wendy!" Her father scratched its head irritatingly. "I'm tired, okay? We're short in money right now, and I don't have any money to buy you new toys or to take you and your mama out. Just - shut up, okay? Toys, malling and going out is not important, just a waste of money."
His daughter who has sensitive feelings just looked away from him to hide its tears that are about to stream down to her cheeks. From the way his daughter remained silent and glanced away from him, he immediately sensed that he must have made her feel bad. "Wendy," he sighed as he lifts himself upwards from laying in the couch. "I'm sorry, it's just that I'm really short in money right now. I still have to save money for your school next year, and remember that you're having a baby brother or sister. And I need more money to sustain your sibling's needs when he or she'll be born."
Wendy remembered what her mama just told her earlier, so she just gave her daddy a nod as a response from what it said. "I bought you a strawberry cake, there on the coffee table." He forced a smile on his daughter and grabs the small box from the coffee table, which contains small slices of strawberry cake.
"Well..thanks, daddy." The little girl forced a smile, forgetting their conversation a moment ago.
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Erza was awaken by the light coming from the lampshade in the bedside table. As she opened her eyes and blink them a few times, until they got used to the light, she saw Jellal beside her, still awake and using his laptop.
Jellal was still busy doing something in his laptop, but he couldn't give his full attention on his work because of his phone, vibrating every minute.
whatever happened between us, just forget about it. tomorrow, lets pretend as if nothing happened
He read the text message in his phone.
can we talk now? is your wife already asleep?
He just stared at the screen of his phone, not knowing what to reply.
Erza noticed his phone kept on vibrating like every second. To whom will he talk over a text message in the middle of the night?, she wondered. He seemed serious, she can tell it from the way it stares at the screen of his phone. Curiosity got her, so she tried peeking on the screen on his phone.
"E-erza!" Jellal jumped shockingly, realizing Erza was awake, who almost read his text conversation with Minerva. Erza looked at him wonderingly. "I-i'm sorry," she says, "you look so serious, I just thought of you having problems in work again". He sighed annoyingly after his wife made him nervous. "Everything's fine! I'm just asking something to my - boss, regarding to a presentation tomorrow." He stammered nervously.
Texting with his boss in the middle of the night and almost jumped out of the bed in shock as she tried peeking at his phone, made her wonder and doubt if ever he's hiding something. "Are you okay? You sound nervous."
"Y-yes," he sighed, "I'm completely fine".
Erza looked away from him and rested her head on the baseboard of their bed. The moment she looked away, he quickly took the chance to read Minerva's five new messages.
what's your wife doin'
is she asleep already?
can we talk over a phone call right now?
He's cheating on his wife, he knew it was the worst sin that any man would commit.
"Baby, please stop kicking every minute. Mama can't sleep well because you're so naughty inside." She said, caressing her big belly.
How could he betray this beautiful woman, who happened to be his wife?
Jellal watched his wife talking to their baby inside her womb. He thought of her being weird because she often talks to her belly as if the baby inside could understand her. "Are you hungry, again? Or do you miss your sister already?"
But he knew that without Minerva, he couldn't support his family anymore. He's too stifled by his problems.
He was awakened by his thoughts when Erza took his hand and placed it on her belly. "I know what you want. You miss your daddy so much, right? Well, here he is." His wife said merrily while rubbing his hand on her belly. "I can't wait for you to come out and see you. I'll take care of you, play with you, cook delicious foods for you. Your daddy and I will take you out and buy you new toys with your sister Wendy. And when you grow up, daddy will teach you how to play basketball, have a father-and-son moment together, you two will are the one who'll protect me and your sister..."
Those small things she desires for her son is just priceless. From the way she speaks she'll be surely a good mother to her second child, the way she'd been a good mother to Wendy. What would her joyful smile look like when her son was already born?
"...Jellal, he's a baby boy. We're already having a little version of you. Are you excited? Jellal, can you feel him inside? Whenever he kicks like this, he's happy because he could feel you."
Honestly, he doesn't really know what he really feels about their upcoming child. He couldn't feel the happiness like what she feels. All he could think about is that their second child will just add up to their budget and expenses.
"W-when is he coming out?" He asked, thinking about if ever Minerva will give money for his family again. "Oh, I'm not yet sure but, probably in 3 or 4 weeks. Are you excited?" She replied, giving him a happy smile. He did not reply, but instead he pulled his hand away from her belly slowly.
Erza leaned her head against his chest, weighing on him, and wrapped her arms around his arm. "It's been a while since we get to talk in bed." She said trying to make an eye contact with him while leaning on his chest. "How are you? You barely talk to me. Am I still your wife? Do you have problems in work? So I could help you."
Jellal could sense how much his wife is concerned for him, even though he's been so cold to her. But he can't tell her what is really going on. "No, just stressed, nothing more nothing else. Nothing is wrong with me, so you don't have to be concerned." He said coldly. The redhead looked down with a sad expression on her face.
Silence hulled between them for a few seconds before Erza decided to open up another topic just to talk to her husband. "Jellal...the doctor told me that it might be a little dangerous for me to have the baby here at home, because he's too big. And something bad might happen to me, if I wouldn't be able to handle the pain without an epidural." She started. "This time, will you allow me to have the baby at the hospital?"
The first thing that came into his mind is about his financial problems. "Erza-!" He scratched his head annoyingly. "We talked about this. You know that we're in short of money right now. Can't you try making sacrifices just once?" He closed his laptop and placed it on the bedside table as he moves his body upwards to sit straightly on the bed.
"Jellal, you witnessed the pain I've been through when I gave birth to Wendy at the age of sixteen without any epidural or medical assistance by a doctor. It was painful, and it was a little traumatizing for me."
"You know doctors are highly exaggerated. They're just saying those to gain more patients. You can do it. It's just childbirth. The pain will only take up to two or more days, and after that no more pain." He said in a sarcastic tone. "'Just childbirth'? Do you have any idea how painful childbirth is?" Erza scoffed at him.
"I know, but like I said, it'll only take up a few days. What about me? You think working to earn money to feed you and your child is easy, and now there's another one coming. I can't imagine working for the rest of life...just to support you and your child." Jellal stood up from the bed, leaving Erza. "Of course, we're your obligation and responsibility. And stop saying as if this child I'm carrying is not your child." She retorted.
Jellal started making his way towards to the bathroom with his feet stomping in annoyance. "Ugh! Erza, just - shut up, okay? I'm tired, just let me take a rest just for a moment." Then, he slammed the door loudly, making Erza gasp.
Tears started falling down to her cheeks from her eyes. Her kept on dripping down to her big belly, creating small wet circles on the fabric of her nightgown. "Don't worry, mama loves you." He sobbed while rubbing her belly.
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"Sir, you have until tomorrow to finish these paperworks and presentation. You still have two meetings to attend this day and one tomorrow." Ultear said, placing mountains of papers on Jellal's desk. "Okay...I'll do it. Anything else?" He asks, haggardly. "As of now, no more new works to do. I'll just inform you immediately if ever Mr. Dreyar will you know." She said, and left the bluenette inside its office.
Jellal, who's full attention is on his work, was distracted when he heard the phone ringing. He picked up the phone to answer.
"Hello?... Who is this?... Yes, this is her father... She what?!"
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By after lunch, Erza fell asleep, tired after doing those household chores. She was awaken by a noise coming from the living room downstairs. A little girl crying and someone yelling. It's none other than her daughter and husband. She quickly jumped out of the bed the moment she realized it was Wendy who's crying like "Daddy! It hurts!".
"How many times do I have to tell you not to pick fight with your schoolmates?!" He said angrily, and hit her daughter's back with his belt. "Daddy! I'm sorry!" She cried out loud.
Erza found Jellal hitting their daughter with a belt, while their daughter looked so helpless. "Jellal!" She quickly ran for her daughter and pulled her away from its father. Wendy quickly locked herself in her mother's arm. "Jellal, what are you doing?! Why are you hurting our daughter?!" Erza asked furiously.
"I'm just trying to discipline her. She fought with a schoolmate again."
"But you don't have to hurt her! You could simply talk to her, right?!"
"Then, why don't you do it?! Why kind of a mother are you? Her teacher has been trying to reach you, but they contacted me instead just be you can't be reached. I'm out there working to feed you two and I have to go to her school just because her principal has to talk to me! All you can do is to be a mother to our child, what's so hard about that?! Why can't you give her a good guidance?"
"Mama..." The little girl kept crying helplessly who buries its head on her mama's back.
"I-i fell asleep because I'm tired from doing the household chores. You think it's easy to do those ton of household chores everyday, especially I'm pregnant?"
"Fell asleep!" Jellal scoffed at her sarcastically. "Then, why don't I just fall asleep in work too? We both have responsibilities in here. You're just gonna clean the house, cook dinner, wash the clothes, help Wendy in her homework, what's so hard in doing those things?! What about me? I'm out there, so stressed of my works just to support you two and for that child's future inside you." He yelled angrily and pointed at her belly.
"Mama! Daddy! Please, stop fighting!" Wendy pleaded, crying out loud.
"Ugh! Fuck this life!" Jellal angrily stormed out of their house, leaving the two dumbfounded.
"Wendy, Wendy, stop crying. I'm sorry." Erza kept on calming down her daughter who was shocked of what her father just did.
Are there still any chances to fix their family? Will Jellal remain being cold to her wife? Until, when Jellal is going to cheat on her wife and hurt her?
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Yay, chapter two is out! :D i was encouraged to update because of the good reviews this story received. I'm sorry if I'm updating my stories slow. Too busy. I'll be updating My other stories by next week.
Thanks for the ones who voted and praised my stories
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