A/N: Hey, guys, it's been a while. Here's an update which some of you have been waiting for months. I'm not just body in school, but I also had writer's block issues these past few weeks. Even if I had so many free time, I didn't want to force myself write an update or else I would have given you all a crappy chapter. But, here's an update for all of you. I hope you all like this chapter. Starting this chapter and so on, there'll be comedy already. Though there are still angsts and drama, but at least those will be lessened by some funny moments of Jerza I'll be including. This whole chapter and the next one is in Erza's point of view while at Jellal's work. The next two chapters will be Jellal's, while he is at home with Wendy. By the way, I hope you all respect what I put in the story. If ever you all think I'm out of my mind, no I will never ever be. As a writer, I know what I am doing. I know what I'm doing with the flashbacks, plot and especially the characters. Some of you may think Jellal is undeserving because he's been an abusive asshole, but there are more things we need to unfold in his character. Minerva may be a bitch, an I hate her too tbh XD But there's also something you need to unfold in her character
I hope you enjoy reading and don't forget to leave a review afterwards :)
Erza
I banged my hand on the button to turn it off the moment it made an echoing noise all over the room. No time for snoozing, I quickly forced myself out of the bed to get ready to officially step in Jellal's shoes outside. No time to prepare for breakfast, as Jellal and I have talked about yesterday. What's important is that I prepare for his presentation and the rest of the day at his work. I guess there's nothing wrong if I leave them without breakfast. Jellal can prepare anyway, like what he did while I was at college. There, I finally stepped inside the shower and clean 'Jellal's' body. After doing so, I took his toothbrush and groomed his teeth with a mouthwash afterwards.
As I go back inside the bedroom, Jellal was still there, laying asleep. I could just groan in annoyance that he's always the same lazy ass every single day that always gives himself five or more minutes after the alarm. "Jellal," I shook his (my) body, "wake up. Help me get ready." But when I did, he just replied the same thing as he always does every single morning. "Five more minutes…" He mumbled and moved a little.
"Ughhh…Jellal this is no time for procrastinating. Help me get ready." I groaned, once again, in annoyance.
Finally, he lazily pushed himself up to sit on the bed. He scratched my messy scarlet hair and allowed his eyes to get used to with the light first. "Is it late already?" He asked.
"Not really, but help me double check the papers and things I need to bring." I said and walked towards the closet. I took one of Jellal's business suit and a plain black tie from the small drawer. I started wiping 'his' body and dress up.
"Hey, Erza..." I heard him spoke in a low voice, as if he wants to bring up something to me.
"Yeah?" I ask, as I start buttoning his white polo shirt.
"N-nothing...I just...dreamed about something last night."
"About what?" I ask, once again, out of curiosity. As I have finished buttoning his tie and tucking it inside his black slacks, I took his plain black tie and started fixing it.
"It's just about you..." He answered.
I scoffed at him, "Were you thinking of me the whole night?".
"Not really, but..." He sighed. "It was weird. It felt like real."
"Since it's about me, it made me curious. Tell me about it."
He started, "Well...I...", with a stuttering voice, as if he finds it hard to speak and tell about his so-called dream about me. "Erza...I dreamed about how we conceived our son and you giving birth to him in pain. It felt so real. It was like being in your own point of view."
"Birth is really painful, what do you expect? So, you better help me find a way get ourselves back to our own asses or else you'll be the one to deliver that child in pain." I told him in a sarcastic way. As I have finished fixing his tie, I finally took his black coat and started wearing it. "About how we conceived our child, I don't think you remember how it happened."
"What I saw in my dream, I think I could remember it already. Erza, did I-"
"Yeah...you were drunk, and you practically 'raped' me." I blurted out. Yes, he did force me to 'make love' with him while he was drowned in alcohol. I know as his wife I have to give his needs, and it's been a long time since we haven't had sex because I was in college. But it is painful that we had to do it because he forced me to. "Not once, not twice, not thrice, but for four consecutive nights that you went home drowned in alcohol. You've been doing the same thing almost every night, until you got me pregnant. One time, you even tied me up with your necktie and hit me with your belt when I kept struggling from you." As I finished dressing up, I took a pair of black socks from his drawer and sat on the end of the bed to wear them along with his black shoes.
"Oh my god...Erza, I'm so sorry. I didn't know what I was doing. Please, forgive me." He quickly went towards beside me and wrapped his (my) arms around me. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." I could tell he is sincere, but, what can he do? Can he undone the pain he caused me? "Erza, please forgive me. I'm sorry."
"It already happened. A child was conceived by your actions already. But don't worry, it's not like I hate our youngest for being conceived that way. I still love him." I told him. "I just hope you love him too."
I saw his hands on 'my' belly. He was caressing it. "Hey, little one...I'm sorry I hurt your mama."
"It's okay, get over it."
Down in the living room, Jellal prepared the car engine before he drives me to work. Yeah, he's gonna drive me to work. I told him that I'll just take a cab, but he wouldn't let me. He insisted that taking a cab would cause me to be looking haggard at the presentation later. While he was getting the car ready, I made sandwiches for us to eat on the drive, since Jellal got up a bit late to make some breakfast.
When the car was ready, we all got in. Wendy on the backseat, Jellal on the driver's seat and I take the passenger's seat. Just like the normal car seating arrangement. The only difference is just that, I am Erza being Jellal in the passenger's seat, and Jellal being me on the driver's seat.
"You're gonna drive, Mama?" Wendy exclaimed.
"Y-yeah, I will." Jellal nodded.
"Cool! I didn't know you can drive too, mama."
"Alright, just buckle up in there, and we're going." I told her. Jellal pressed the remote of the garage door and buckled his seat belt. The garage door slowly slides up open, allowing the sunlight to enter the garage. I buckled the seat belt on my body as well, then Jellal stepped on the accelerator and started driving.
While driving on the busy streets of the city of Magnolia in a morning rush hour, I noticed several traffic enforcers on every road we pass by and remembered something very confidential and risky. "Jellal..." I spoke, and quickly took back the name I stated as I remembered Wendy was with us. "I-i mean, Erza...you don't have a driver's license. You are driving and there are traffic enforcers on every road."
I heard him cuss silently, "Oh shit..."
"Told you I'll just take a cab." I sighed as I opened my ham sandwich to eat while on our way.
"Well, I don't think the traffic enforcers would want my - your license, I mean. Unless, I made a violation on drive." He tried to be positive. "I'm not counter-flowing, changing lanes and over-speeding. We're all wearing seat belts. I'm following the road signs and traffic lights, so I guess the traffic enforcers wouldn't have any reason to have YOUR driver's license checked."
"When did you learn to drive mama?" Wendy asked as she sat on the gap between the driver and passenger's seat. Did daddy taught you?"
"U-ugh, y-yeah, he did. L-last month!" He stuttered.
Wendy took another bite from her sandwich, and asked, "I don't remember mama leaving the house and you absent at work for driving lessons".
Jellal groaned, "Wendy, I'm driving, okay? Just buckle up and eat your sandwich. I don't want the traffic enforcers to notice you don't have a seat belt on." Wendy, then, gets off where she is sitting and went back at her seat. "You sound like daddy."
The car finally stopped in front of the large building company where Jellal works, and where I'll be pretending as him for a day or two. We arrived forty five minutes early before the presentation, not bad to be warming and facing his co-workers. I unbuckled the seat belt and took the briefcase beside me before I step out of the vehicle. "Alright, JELLAL, remember everything I told you. No matter how much my boss or any other men from the other companies piss you off, always act professionally. Don't forget about every detail you need to say in the presentation." He reminded me. "And, please...never ever walk and talk girly."
"I will. Just take care of Wendy. Don't forget to make her a snack in case she gets hungry. Don't forget to give her a glass of milk, her vitamins and a warm bubble bath after lunch. Have a nap beside her. Don't let her play outside for so long." I reminded him.
"I will too." He nodded.
I opened the door of the car, before I step outside I kissed 'my' belly. "Behave little one. You too, Wendy." Then, I gave Wendy a kiss on her cheek, forehead and lips, which I always do.
"Okay, okay, daddy. You'll be late." She struggled a little when I planned to kiss her one more time on her cheek. Then, I step out of the vehicle, starting my whole day as Jellal. I watched the car drive away before I start to walk inside the building.
Lots of employees just arrived the same time as I did. All of them are wearing formal and smart-casual clothes that make them look very presentable and professional. Men are wearing business suits and women are mostly wearing either a formal and descent dress or a blouse with slacks or pencil skirt. I were to represent the company in a very important presentation later, probably with those group of foreign men on the lobby, which is why Jellal has been dying to embarrass 'himself' in front of those kind of people. He didn't have the same problem as I did while training me yesterday, after all he's used to with mingling with people that are on the highest class of the society. Unlike me, who just came from a province and had no idea about surviving a day with these kind of people. I didn't even survive Jellal's parents a decade ago.
I walk along with those employees, visitors and other staffs in the company. I try to walk the way Jellal walks, a combination of a normal man walk with swag and poise that kind of makes him look like smart and professional. After I checked in, I headed to the elevator to go up to the 12th floor where his office can be found. As I got in inside the elevator, more employees and staff came along. I don't recognize some of them. They're probably not from the company or maybe Jellal didn't introduced them to me because they're working for a different branch or department of the company. The moment the elevator reached the 12th floor, three people went out. I just took a deep breath and swallow my doubts before I follow those three people who went out. The moment I walk outside the elevator towards the desks, I recognized almost all of those people Jellal are working with and those whom he introduced to me. I could still remember who are those he told me it is fine to socialize with and those from who should I stay away from.
"Good morning, sir." Karen greeted me.
"Good morning, Karen." I greeted her back with a smile and a cheerful voice.
Another one whom I could recognize, also greeted me. "Good morning, sir."
"Hey, good morning, Jet."
"You too, Droy." I said to the other man walking behind him.
"Good morning, Levy." I greeted the blue-haired girl standing beside a desk, whom Jellal mentioned as the bookworm.
"Uh, good morning, sir." She greeted me back.
I greeted more people I pass by as I make my way towards Jellal's office. As I finally reach door of his office and while looking for the keys, I could hear some of the people probably murmuring about me. "Is he okay?" I heard a woman's voice whispering. I don't know if that should be considered as a whisper because she just lowered the tone of her voice, but still talks a bit loud.
"Did he eat breakfast? What happened to him?"
"He just greeted us."
"Since when did he greet us one by one?"
"Is he a changed man already?"
"I hope so."
I could hear more murmurs behind me as I was unlocking the door. Did I do something wrong? I'm sure I acted the way Jellal is, did I? I walked the way he does, probably the way he interact and talk as well? Or not? Is he not that nice to every one?
I finally had the door unlocked. I stepped inside and closed the door behind and explored Jellal's office. I don't have any ideas or background when it comes to employee's benefits from a company, but I'm having doubts if Jellal being the Sales and Marketing Manager of the company deserves an office larger and spacious than our bedroom. I don't want to judge his performance at work, but could it be just because he is Minerva's favorite employee? Half of his office were surrounded by glass windows that allows me to almost see the whole view of the city. I sat at the couch near the door and enjoyed how soft and comfy it is. Then, I went to his swivel chair which I enjoyed as well by sitting and spinning around with it. How can Jellal be so stressed at his work? I don't know if he really is or he is just exaggerating the way he delivers his complaint at work. If I were to work with a comfortable place as this, my stress would actually lessen. The ambiance is just perfect. A nice place to do my work.
As I sat on the swivel chair, the drawers of his desk made me curious what's inside. I opened the first three drawers on the left side, and all I found were organized papers, folders and envelopes. As expected, Jellal is a very organized person. If I'm correct, he did mention before that he was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. The three drawers on the right side contains his stationery and office items. On the last drawer, I found a picture of us. I took the frame and stared at it. It was a picture of us ten years ago. I believe we took this photo in the middle of their strawberry farm fields. Why doesn't he display this picture of us unlike Wendy's picture on top of his desk? Well, I can't blame him. Maybe it just proves he doesn't really love me anymore. Plus, Minerva is always around and he probably hated seeing a sight of me.
I almost dropped the picture frame when the door was suddenly opened by someone who just barged in inside. I quickly placed the picture frame on the desk and tried to act normally as Jellal. I was expecting it would be someone important, but...
Deja Vu.
"Jellal!" The dark-haired slut who tried to steal my husband walked towards to me. I looked at her from head to foot, examining how did Jellal liked this bitch. Yeah, she always refers to herself as the right woman for Jellal for they are both in the higher class of the society. But that doesn't conclude I'll admire this girl for her sophistication and elegance. For me, she'll always be the dirtiest woman I've ever met. I was shocked when she suddenly sat on top of me while sitting on the swivel chair. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Minerva, get off me!" I tried to stop her face getting closer to mine (Jellal originally), almost panicking.
"Oh, come on, Jelly. I just missed you." She said in a flirtatious and annoying voice, while attempting to have her lips touch Jellal's lips. "It's just been a few days yet it felt like eternity. How are you?"
"Minerva, I-i have to go to the washroom. Get off on top of me." I tried pushing her away.
"What a lame excuse you have. I'd still go with you on the washroom." She laughed in a seductive tone. God, this bitch is so clingy as fuck! "You missed me? I know you do."
"No, I don't. So, get off."
"Jelly, why so cold? What's the matter? Is it Erza? Tell me, what did that cheap wife of yours threaten you this time?" She chuckled. Cheap? She's calling me cheap? Look at her! Isn't she the one whose cheap for being obsessed with a married man? The nerve! "Come on, you can tell me everything. You already told me almost everything about how annoying that red-haired slut."
I quickly stopped her from doing so. "Noo! Please, no! N-n-n-not now, Minerva, just please. Don't do that." I begged her. Jellal, I'm deeply apologizing for I cannot act as you are towards this woman. I can't kiss her back, fondle her butt, touch her breasts or whatever other things you do with her! I'd rather have you whipping my ass than kiss a woman, especially this one! I can't kiss a woman! No, no, no!
"What's with you?" Minerva groaned annoyingly at me with her eyes rolling. "Why are you pushing me away? What's your problem?"
"My problem is...I hope you don't get offended, but Minerva I'm a MARRIED man. I already have a WIFE who does those things you always try to do with me." I told her straightforward.
She scoffed and gets off on top of me, "Oh, Jelly...until now you're still acting to be faithful to Erza. Come on, we both know that you're not. I know you just feel guilty because she already caught us in the act, but who cares? What can she do even if she found out already? She can't separate with you, anyway. She can't afford to lose you. You think she'll be able to feed Wendy and the unborn child inside her all by herself? She needs you, so no worries." She laughed, insulting me as if I could not hear her. Oh, Minerva, if I ain't in Jellal's shoes, I would have done my desires to torture and kill you already. "It's not your fault, neither my, if she's too plain and boring, lacking excitement. I feel bad that most of the time you have to force her to fulfill your needs as a man. It's not your fault if you wanted to find someone who'd make you happy."
"Hey, watch your words, will you?" I hissed at her.
"Jellal, I'll let your coldness pass by this time. But the next time you act cold to me, I won't let you get away with it. You know the rules, Jelly." She bent her body and moved her face closer to Jellal's. "I could mess up with your presentation later, if you piss me off." Then, she gave me an evil chuckle (as if she is threatening me) before she walks away to leave the office. "I'll be in my office, in case your mind clears off this day and realize how important I am to you."
Rules? What is she talking about? But whatever it is, I need to find out. I know that every word that comes out from her mouth could have a double meaning.
It's been ten or eleven years, I never thought Minerva would come back to my life and ruin even those small things I have...
I was working part-time for the Fernandes family when they spent their summer on their rest house at the province I live in. I worked as one of their maids, cook and even as a strawberry farmer. Two weeks after Jellal's parents arrived at the rest house, Jellal followed his parents with Minerva. One night, when they were having a formal dinner, to have Jellal get to know Minerva since they are fixed to marry each other. I accidentally spilled a glass of wine on Minerva's dress.
"What the hell?!" Minerva exclaimed.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-" I apologized, attempted to clean off the wine stain on her plain white dress.
"Do you know how much this dress costs? It costs 25,000 jewels that is five times higher than your family's income! You're such a clumsy idiotic girl!"
"I'm really sorry. Please, let me help you clean up."
"How can you turn it back how it was before you spilled the wine on it while I'm wearing it?!"
"Minerva, stop! It's okay." Jellal tried to stop her from ranting.
"Minerva, we deeply apologize for our servant's recklessness." Jellal's father tried to calm Minerva as well. Then, his eyes turned at me. "You stupid girl! I will deduct this from your salary. A wrong timing to implement such clumsiness. In front of our future daughter-in-law?!"
"Sir, I'm really sorry. Please, don't deduct it from my salary."
Minerva stood up from her chair, grabbed my hands and dragged me towards the backdoor of their mansion. Jellal's parents did not even care what Minerva wanted to do with me. Jellal wanted to stand up, but his father forbade him to do so and ordered him to just finish his food. Minerva opened the back door and pushed me out, practically kicking me out with her pointed high-heels. She made me fall on the land of mud and animal poo. "That's for staining my dress, you clumsy maid."
My body was literally covered with mud and poo. Disgusting, yeah, but it actually happened. I wasn't able to mind how gross and awful the smell was, I just cried. Luckily, that time, just when I was about to stand up, Jellal came for me without any disgust. He wasn't like his parents and Minerva who disgust people like me. I was surprised when he didn't even care that his expensive pants and polo shirt were being stained and almost soaked at the mud and poo. He just carried me and took me in his bedroom secretly where he allowed me to clean my body inside his bathroom and stole one of Minerva's clothes to give it to me.
I think I had enough of those things Minerva did to me to fuck up with my life.
I quickly rummaged at every drawer, cabinet and shelf in Jellal's office to find something useful. I found nothing at most storage areas, but I found something in his medical kit. I quickly took the small white bottle and planted a smirk on my face. I put back the medical kit inside the small cabinet. I almost jumped in shock as I heard a knock from the door. I just hope it's not Minerva. "Come in." I shouted.
A woman with dark purple long hair came inside, and she looks very familiar. It was Ultear, Jellal's assistant and one of the company's secretary. "Good morning, Jellal." She greeted me.
"Hey, Ultear." I greeted her back and went back to sit on the swivel chair.
"You must be preparing for later's presentation. Do you need anything? Have you had breakfast this morning? I could go out and get you something to eat in case you haven't." She told me.
"I just ate a sandwich, but it didn't satisfy me."
"Anything you want, sir? Coffee?" She asked.
"A strawberry cake would do." I answered straightforward. Well, I couldn't think of other satisfying foods than a strawberry cake.
"Oh, for your wife?"
"Oh, no. For me, of course." I corrected her.
"Really?" She raised a brow on me. "Y-you're gonna eat strawberry cake?"
"Yeah, I love strawberry cake." I said, and wondered why does it sound different to her when I said strawberry cake. "What's the matter?"
"That's very...unusual and not like you. Anyways, strawberry cake coming up. Anything you wanna drink?" She asked once again.
Perfect.
"Umm, please, make two cups of brown coffee for Minerva and I. Tell her to come here five minutes after you bring the coffee here." I ordered her.
"I will." She said, and left the office to do as I said.
While waiting for her, I just played with Jellal's stuff and swivel chair. Ten minutes later, she came back with three slices of strawberry cake and two cup of coffee, which she probably bought at the coffee shop in front of the building. She placed the strawberry cake on the desk along with the coffee. "Shall I call Miss Minerva already?" She asked.
"Hmm, five minutes later after you brought these coffee to me." I said.
"Alright, just call me if you need something." Then, she left the office.
I set aside my coffee from Minerva's. I placed mine on the left side and Minerva on the right side, so I'd remember. I opened the cover of her coffee, took out the small bottle that I got from Jellal's medical kit. I opened the bottle and poured the liquid on her coffee with a smirk, and mixed it using the coffee stirrer. "If you're gonna mess up with my husband's presentation, then I'd make sure you won't be there. Let's see you drowning in your own poo this time." I whispered and let out an evil chuckle. I put the coffee stirrer down and took the bottle once again. "Get rid of Minerva." I said as I stare at the bottle label: LAXATIVE.