3rd Person
As of six in the morning, it wasn't the alarm clock that ended Erza's dreams, but the consistent ringing of the telephone on the nightstand. She could thank the phone for ringing like more than five times which caused her to wake up thirty minutes early than the usual time she wakes up. But she wondered who would call this early, unless it's an emergency.
She lazily kicked the blankets off her without any hardships, unlike before when she could hardly do anything due to her pregnancy. It was the second morning she woke up in Jellal's body and without having her caress her big belly before getting up. She sat on the bed and grabbed the receiver of the phone and answered it.
"Hello?" She says in Jellal's husky voice.
"Thank god you finally answered. My body is about to decompose waiting for you!" A middle aged man sighed in a sarcastic way.
Erza wondered, "Ugh...can I help you, sir? May I know who are you?"
"Oh, Mr. Fernandes! I am just your boss and I'm the one who helps you feed yourself and your family. If you would like to keep your job, you may help me and your co-workers in preparing for out business proposal! Where were you last time? Minerva told me after you talked with a client, you just went home without asking for my permission. May I just remind you Mr. Fernandes that if you don't keep on taking your job seriously, then I suggest you go walking down the streets already and look for a new job with a boss who could tolerate such unprofessionalism of yours." The man yelled angrily. Erza was surprised from the way the man who claims to be her husband's boss talks too harsh. She haven't meet a real professional businessman. She knew that businessmen act professionally, and polite. But from the way her husband's boss talk, she figured out she could be wrong from her own perceptions about business people. That moment she finally get to know for a little bit the kind of 'master' Jellal is working for, she figured out she needs to defend him and of course them who eats from the salary gets from that man.
"I beg your pardon, sir." She scoffed.
"Beg my pardon? I beg for your pardon. I pay you a bundle which is why you're able to feed your family, and you are complaining for telling you the truth?"
"No, sir.." Erza objected, but still trying to act polite for it wasn't her arrogant side could be seen but Jellal's. "You're not just telling the truth. Yes, I am not rich as you, I work for you, but I do have a credibility which is why I do not deserve to be discriminated pr underestimated. Pardon me for being impolite, but the way you speak sir is what's unprofessional. Not me cutting office hours without asking for permission. Yes, I do feed myself and my family from the salary you gave me. But hello?! I work for you hard so I deserve a salary. The money didn't just literally came from you, but from the hard work, stress and sweat I sacrificed. Is this how you really treat your people? How do you intimidate them so they'd keep on working for you? By means of threatening them with the amount of salary they get from you to feed theirselves and family? I am really sorry, sir, but the way you just interact with your-"
"Fernandes! You don't talk to me that way! I won't say another word to explain anymore on this phone. I'll have a word with you at my office later before the presentation. I want to see your cheap ass in my company later or else you're fired!" The man yelled once again, ten hanged up the phone.
Now, what'll she do?
Erza suddenly scratched Jellal's hair in panic. Panicking of how she'll tell Jellal that she got carried away by her emotions and burst out her inner thoughts about the boss all of the sudden. From what she did, the boss demanded to have Jellal at the office early in the morning and do the presentation for the company's business proposal well or else he's going to be fired.
She took a deep breath before tapping her shoulders to wake Jellal. "Jellal..." She whispered. Jellal just mumbled. "Jellal..." She sighed. "I have to go to work."
"You don't have a work, you're just a freakin housewife..." He groaned, still half-asleep.
"Jellal!" Erza couldn't take it anymore. She quickly grabbed the blankets of 'her' body. "Wake up! Your boss wants you in the office this instant or else you'll be fired."
Jellal, hearing about his work, just suddenly made him woke up as if Erza had splashed a bucket of water on him. "What?! What have I done? What did he say? What did you tell him? Oh, god!" Jellal asked, panicking. "He's gonna kill me again!"
"Well, he called and he said that you should get your cheap ass in the office right away. He insulted you like an animal. He said that if it weren't for him, you wouldn't be able to feed yourself and us. That if you won't be able to take your job seriously, you better be walking on the streets already and start looking for a job with a boss who could tolerate your unprofessionalism. I couldn't take those words he is batting at you! I can't believe you're able to stand that kind of boss for eight years."
"You didn't tell him anything, right? You didn't respond whatever insult he said. Please, Erza, tell me you didn't." Jellal said nervously. Erza could just gulp, and say "Uh oh" deep inside her. "Actually, I did..." She answered nervously.
"You did?! What the hell did you tell him? Oh, Erza, you better make sure it's not something offending or, or- some kind of a lecture cause you- neither I are in a position to do so." Jellal freaked out due to his fear of his boss, who happened to be Minerva's stepfather and the president of the company he is working at. Working for the man who arranged his marriage with Minerva ten years ago and Minerva who is his ex-fiancé and 'mistress' is just the worst thing that could ever happen to his life as a breadwinner. Not only his dignity being dragged down because he allowed himself to work for the company his ex-fiancé owns. Before, the reason why they are arranged to marry each other is because it shall serve as the symbol of their companies' unity and their families as well. But his father regretted bringing him to their rest house on his 17th summer. His father's aim was only to keep him away from drinking and hanging out with his friends often and flirting with those 'cheap' girls he meets at night clubs. And his main goal is actually to have Jellal and Minerva spend time together in a provincial place that is very distant from urban areas. But who would have thought that his son whose born with a golden spoon on its mouth would lay its eyes on an ordinary poor farm girl?
"Well, I told him about who's actually being unprofessional between the two of you. I mean, he can't just insult you like that! You've been working for his company for what- seven or eight years already? And after all you've done for his stupid company he'll insult you like you're some kind of animal working for him? He does have to learn how to step on the brakes of his mouth! You know if only I could get a job I wouldn't let you work for that bastard anymore." Erza explained.
Jellal could just put his palm all over 'Erza's' face. "Erza, do you even realized what you'v done?! No employee has ever talk to him that way. Because what you did, I'm good as dead right now."
"I just defended you. You're the one who feeds us like what he says! So he's insulting us that if it weren't for him Wendy and I would have died from starvation already? Damn, he is too much. Sometimes he has to be given a taste of his own medicine."
"I could lose my job because what you do. I am one lucky employee because I was able to stay in that company for more than four years. I can't just lose everything I worked for eight years just because of your uncontrollable emotions and arrogance."
Erza scoffed sarcastically at him, "I am arrogant, yes, but I am just trying to stand for our family's dignity. He can't just insult us just because we're not rich, and our income comes from the salary he gives you. Well, actually, you do deserve it because it all came from your stress and sweat."
"Even so-!" Jellal objected, but was cut off by his wife.
"So I am wrong and it is right to just right to let that boss of yours insult you like that as if you don't have any participation in making his company successful after eight years of your service. Well, maybe it is absolutely fine with you. That's the man and your ex-fiancé aka mistress' company anyway. So you don't care whatever they say. You're telling yourself you could have been the boss of that company if only you didn't keep on insisting before you'd rather be with me than Minerva." She said angrily.
"Erza, will you please stop bringing up about Minerva and I?" Jellal sighed. "Let's forget about her being my ex-fiancé and...what you saw last time. Let's forget about it please. And start over without bringing up Minerva in our lives." He tried approaching her humbly. But his shattered wouldn't just easily do as he says for it is not easy to forget the woman who's absolutely the pest in their lives ever since. "You think it's that easy to do!" She gritted her teeth in anger and didn't let him near her. "Well, why would I care about your job? Wendy and I are leaving this living hell anyway, just after we get back to normal. I won't give a fuck about your job anymore. I don't care if you wasted half of your life because of it and if it was one of the reasons why we fight. Start over a new life on your own." Then, she annoyingly tossed a pillow on him.
Erza walked towards the door to go for Wendy in its bedroom. Jellal quickly stopped her by holding 'his' arm and pinning her on the wall. He forced a direct eye contact on her, showing humbleness despite what he have done to her. "Erza..." He stuttered, not knowing what exactly to tell the woman whom he made a huge damage physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically. What does he expect from a woman whose battered and bruised, underestimated and betrayed by its own husband? "I know I've been a terrible husband to you-"
"I'm glad you knew it yourself." Erza rolled her eyes on him.
"Wait, let me finish first." Jellal sighed once again, still acting humbly. "I know I've underestimated you much before like my own parent did. You, not being able to go to school because you had to work with your parents at our own farm. But Erza...I was wrong, maybe. You are a smart and intelligent girl in your own ways. Y-yes, in your own ways maybe not in books but smart in the way of making good decisions and ways on your own."
There was a long silence between them after his words regarding his flattering words. But after being fooled by his words several times, she finds it hard to believe him even if this time he was motivating her. "Erza, please help me. I need you to pretend as me at work, just for me not to lose my job. I'm begging you."
"I...I would like to help you...but like what you've said I clearly have no idea what it's like to act knowledgable and smart in talking with professional people. I can't just go to your office this morning and present myself as you in whatever that presentation your boss is talking about. I don't have any idea about the business proposal and even everything about your work. I don't even know what you're work really is all about cause you've never told me. You always say you're part of the sales department, but you never told me what were you selling."
"Erza, please just do this not just for me, but for our children too. I am working for their future."
"Yeah, right. Those salary you get recently is mostly from Minerva, right? I mean, the increase and bonus you get came from her own money. I can't believe Wendy and I we're able to eat because of that girl. "
"Alright...I'm a jerk, asshole, bastard, son of a bitch an whatever word bet defines me, just please do this for me. Just this day."
"It's easy to go there, and kick Minerva's booty. Oh, I mean to save your job. What you cannot entrust me is to make the business proposal presentation assigned to you successful."
Jellal started panicking to the highest level inside him. He can't discuss every detail of his work and presentation to Erza in an hour, unless Erza has an experience in working as a part of the Sales Department. But the problem is, she isn't. Erza hasn't experienced to actually work in a office and with professional business people.
Just a few minutes after the boss has called, the telephone started ringing once again. This time, it was Jellal who picked it up already.
"Hello?" He mimicked his own husky voice with Erza's voice.
"Jellal," It was Minerva.
"M-minerva! Yes?" Jellal stuttered, and turned his eyes on Erza.
"Jellal, the presentation is moved tomorrow by Mr. Tanaka. So we all still have time to prepare for it."
"R-really?! Oh god, thank you!" Jellal sighed in relief in the way as if he won a jackpot prize in the lottery. "Why? I thought they said no matter what happens today is the day?" He asked. Before Jellal could even hear Minerva's answer, Erza quickly grabbed the receiver from his hands.
"Erza, what are you-?!" Jellal muttered. Erza gave him a deathly glare, making Jellal stop from hesitating.
"Hey, why was the presentation moved again?" She asked and gave Jellal an evil-like smirk to annoy him.
"Dad accidentally slipped on the staircase while talking with someone on the phone. He got very mad, and there, he didn't notice the puddle on the stairs. We are going to rush him to the hospital right now." Minerva replied.
"Serves him right." Erza muttered.
"And I want you to finalize those papers I gave Ultear before the presentation tomorrow. We have a day to make our preparations better. I'll be at the office after lunch, then I'll gather the whole Sales Department at the conference room by two o'clock."
"Alright, anything else, Madame?" She asked in a sarcastic tone.
"Nothing else, Jelly. Maybe make love in the couch after the meeting or drink out again, and talk about your problems." Minerva answered in a flirtatious and seductive voice.
Erza clenched her fist in annoyance of Jellal's 'mistress'. "Oh, Minerva! I'm sorry but Erza and I already had three rounds this morning. You know, for a healthy pregnancy. I also considered it as an exercise this morning for my preparation for the presentation that was supposed to be later. Maybe we'll make love again with each other at the shower tomorrow, instead of jogging 3km at a work presentation day. Oh god, I just love having a morning sex with her." She said at the highest level of sarcastic tone she has.
"Oh, Jellal! Did you just do it because she found out about us already?"
"No, Minerva. Cause I prefer being with my wife whom may be wore out already, but at least I knew that it was because of me. Sorry Minerva, maybe you should just find another co-worker to make love with you at your couch. I'm pleased and contended enough with Erza."
"Jellal, what are you-?!"
"Alrighty then, Minerva! Gotta go take a warm bubble bath with Erza already before I go to work. It just really feels nice to cuddle with your own real wife early in the morning before work." Erza said for the last time and annoyingly slammed the receiver on the nightstand.
Jellal scratched Erza's long hair hopelessly. "Erza, why are you doing this to me? I am taking care of every word I always say to that two."
"That's putting Minerva in her only position." Erza rolled her eyes at him. Then, she looked back at him. "Alright...I'll do the presentation for you. I'll go to your office today. I'll go home early so we can start discussing everything about it."
"Really? Oh, thank you, Erza!" Jellal attempted to embrace her but Erza lightly pushed him away. "But-! In a condition..."
Jellal wondered, "Condition? O-of course, anything. If it'll be for our own good."
Erza sighed before spilling out her condition. "I want you...to end your affair with Minerva and quit your job after a month. I know you've been working so hard for your job, but for the sake of our marriage do this to permanently end your connection with Minerva. I don't want you taking extra money from Minerva anymore. I want out old life back. Without you being pressured because of that work and because you are having a secret affair with Minerva. I don't care if we can only afford cheap stuffs and foods, I am happier with it. Living a simple life. Just do this for the sake of our children..." Then she went for her belly to feel the unborn infant inside. "...for the sake of our new child. I don't want him to be born without having a father beside him."
Erza, hearing what Jellal said, that whatever it is, he'll do it for the sake of saving their family. She was expecting Jellal to accept her conditions just to save their marriage.
"Erza...I...I don't know what will I tell Minerva. I...I want to bring back our old life, but breaking my connection with Minerva is not that easy. She'll mess with our lives if I stop-"
"You said anything! Anything jut to save our marriage! Why? Do you love Minerva? Do you wish you could have married her instead of me?"
"It's not that, Erza. Y-you don't understand. Minerva is...is..." Jellal stuttered, unable to spill out the secret he's been hiding or years for the sake of his family.
"Is what? She is rich, and she's able to give back the life you used to have? I'm sorry if you feel like you won't be able to bring back the life you had before anymore because of the kind of mentality and perception I have. I'm sorry if I want a simpler life than a luxurious one."
"Erza, you don't understand. I am...just protecting you and Wendy." Jellal kept explaining. "Minerva is powerful. She has the capability to do everything."
"Still, I'll do that presentation for you. Just think of it as the last thing I'll do for you as your wife. If you can't do my conditions...then just do this one condition." Then, she sighed before spilling out her final condition. "...sign those divorce papers I'll file."
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A/N: Finally an update! 😃 i finally recovered from my writer's block. Special thanks to amnak96. I'll dedicate this chapter to her as well. Thank you so much for those who reviewed. I was motivated, so here's an update 😃 it's just one scene but it's 3k+ words. I started writing this chapter when I didn't go with my cousins in swimming at the lake. I'd rather write this chapter than kill myself in overthinking that there might be a crocodile somewhere hehhe xD It's a good thing I found a convenience store with a good internet spot.
Review after reading 😊