Marrying my high school bully

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Fortunately, doctor Luca came a few minutes after I called him. Melissa had already slumped on the bed and I was doing everything possible to keep myself from freaking out.

I stood still, hands propped against my waist as I watched him place the stethoscope on her chest. He jotted down something I couldn’t read on his little pad, then proceeded to check her blood pressure.

“How’s she doing, Doc?” I approached him, unable to stay in one place anymore.

“She’ll be fine. Her temperature is normal, the same goes for her blood pressure. She’s just stressed.” He said flatly and I pinched my forehead in regret.

How could I have allowed my emotions to get ahead of me, knowing that she was pregnant?

“It’s my fault. I asked her some questions that riled her up.” Doctor Luca folded his arms, squinting his eyes at me in confusion. “She’s carrying a set of twins,” I announced and his eyes lit up for the first time I knew him.

He stretched his hand for a handshake and I accepted it even though my attention was fixed on the sleeping Melissa.

“Congratulations, Dexter. Please take care of her. This is her first trimester and she needs to avoid anything that will trigger emotional unrest. She also needs to take a break from work for the next few weeks.” He advised me.

I sighed as I spared a glance at her. Melissa would never listen to me as long as it concerned her job. She was a workaholic, and staying at home without doing anything was like taking away the essence of her being.

I wished she was awake to listen to Doctor Luca’s advice. I could only pray that I’d be able to convince her to come and live in my house.

“Thank you for coming over, Doctor. I don’t know what I’d have done without your help.” I said as he packed his instruments into his suitcase.

“You don’t have to thank me. I’ve been working for the family for a long time.”

I walked with him to the door and when he left, I carried Lilly to Melissa’s room as she fell into a deep slumber. The house was unusually quiet, causing the argument from before to haunt me afresh.

Though I was trying to be calm, the urge to wake her up so that she could tell me the truth gnawed in my chest. I shook it off and headed to the kitchen to prepare our dinner.

Her fridge was filled with groceries so I went ahead to prepare chicken soup.

********

Thirty minutes later, I was done preparing the chicken soup. I served it on a plate and returned to her room.

The tray nearly slipped off my hands when I saw her sitting up. She wiped her face and tried to stand up.

I quickly rushed to her and dropped the tray on the bed stand. “Where are you going?” I held her.

“I was coming to look for you.” She replied calmly. “When I woke up, you weren’t here. It was just Lilly and I. You also didn’t respond when I called out your name.”

Her hair was tousled over her face, accentuating her wild beauty. I tucked the straying strands behind her ears, then helped her relax on the bed.

“I was preparing dinner for the three of us. I’m sorry for not noticing that you called.” I apologised and she nodded. “Do you want to eat now?”

“I’m not so hungry. I just want us to talk. My heart is heavy.” She admitted.

Her bright gray eyes took a duller shade as she peered at me. I was supposed to be giddy with excitement at her willingness to trash the issue, but I wasn’t happy. Her health mattered and till I got a full assurance of that, we wouldn’t have the conversation.

“No, Melissa. Have your dinner then we can talk.” I said, my voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

She shook her head, her stubborn streak coming into play. “I don’t think I’ll be able to enjoy what you prepared if we don’t talk about this.”

I had to be gentle with her, at least it worked with Lorraine. “I’ll feed you.” I wriggled my brows with a playful smirk on my lips.

She retracted her hands from mine and palmed her face, sniffing continuously. Her body shuddered as the sound of her sobs filled the room.

“I’m so sorry, Dexter.” She croaked, lifting her tear-stained face.

My hands covered her cheeks as I pulled her closer to me. “You don’t have to apologize to me. I’m not offended.” I explained to her.

Then she rose to her feet abruptly and heaved a sigh. She pinched her lips, pacing to and fro while I watched her with heightened curiosity. Her expression was so sullen but her eyes remained unreadable.

But nothing prepared me for the bombshell she dropped. “I have something to tell you.” She uttered with the lightest tone I’ve ever heard her speak to me.

I stood up as well and placed my hands on her shoulder. “You don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with.”

She drew in a deep breath and then released it.

“You were right all along. I’m Lorraine Hills, your contracted wife. I ran away because you were after my-”

I didn’t allow her to finish as I crashed my lips on hers, wrapping my arms around her fragile waist and bringing her close as if she would disappear if she wasn’t held so closely.

She responded to my kiss with the same intensity, her fingers gripping my arms strongly. The chemistry between us became aroused like it never left, and the only thing that restricted me from making love to her was that I wanted to hear the complete truth from her.

She broke the kiss and buried her face on my neck while I kept my arms on her, vowing to never let her go.

My eyes burned with tears as the realization that Lorraine had always been here with me, and I couldn’t recognize her caused my heart to plummet.

She had returned and made her presence felt, but I still didn’t get the memo. I noticed the similarities, but I didn’t take it seriously because of my misdirected resentment toward her.

I remembered how she kept trying to convince me that she wasn’t the murderer, but I didn’t want to listen to her just because I wanted to be with another woman who ended up still being her.

Life had played me, and I fell for its tricky game.

“Can you forgive me, Lorraine? I messed up.” I choked on my words as uncontrollable tears slid down my cheeks. “I was so stupid. I know that I promised to love you no matter what, but I failed you. I let you down and I’m too ashamed to even ask for your forgiveness.”

Though I was taller, she still reached for my hair and ruffled it. I watched her scan my face with her eyes glazing with nothing but love.

“Don’t beat yourself up, love, I forgave you a long time ago.” We sat down on the bed, our attention simultaneously diverted to Lilly who mumbled some words inaudibly in her sleep.

“How could you forgive me so easily? I didn’t even trust you.”

She shrugged. “I let go of my resentment when I realized that you weren’t the enemy. Emilia and her wicked father wanted to use you against me, and they almost succeeded.” She relaxed on the backrest and placed her legs on mine. “Tell me, how did you know that I’m Lorraine?”

It was the same question I kept asking myself. Melissa was so good at masking her identity and I guess the only reason I found out was because she allowed me to.

“I can say that you dropped a lot of pointers, but that’s not it.” I caught her chin and tilted it up. “From the first day, you stepped into my office for the modeling contract and stared at me confidently with those gray eyes of yours, I instantly recognized them. But the face and names were different, so I discarded that clue and held onto my anger until your father made me realize that you were innocent.”

My stomach made some noise, but I ignored it as the appetite to eat was lacking. Reuniting with my wife was far more satisfying than the delicious chicken soup I’d prepared.

“I don’t know what I’d have done without my father. He’s the reason I’m still alive.”

Remembering the argument I had with her father earlier this afternoon sparked some guilt within me, and I hoped that I’d be able to prove to him that I was worthy of having his daughter.

“Why is your face different though? Did you have a huge scar?” I questioned, but I didn’t care about her response.

She’d always be beautiful to me.

“It was a protective measure. Leonardo and Emilia are still after my life, and if I’m to exact my revenge on them, then I have to keep up this cover.”

Cover?

“What are you talking about?” I rasped.

She smirked then patted her cheeks.

“I’ll show you.”