Contract And Marriage

Maximus

“Sir, Mr. Jason Satudez is here and wants to talk to you.” I frowned when I heard Aries say that. I looked at him to make sure I heard correctly. “He’s outside and waiting.”

I glanced at my wristwatch to check the time. I wanted to go home by lunchtime with my wife and son. But I agreed since it was still early, and I felt talking was important. Aries left after I nodded, and a few moments later, he returned with Jason.

“Sit down, Mr. Satudez.” He didn’t speak but sat in the empty chair across my office table. “What can I do for you?”

“You know why I’m here, Mr. Lardizabal.” He spoke calmly, not looking for a fight.

“I have no idea, Mr. Satudez. And please, make it quick. I want to go home for lunch,” I replied. Although I knew it was because of Sarina, I didn’t want him to think I was open to any conversation regarding my wife.

“It’s about Sarina.”

“What about my wife?”

“I’ll pay you whatever amount you gave her, and after that, you leave her.” He said it without hesitation as if we were just talking about a toy bought from a market. How dare he say that to me?

“My wife isn’t something simple, Mr. Satudez. I’m sorry, but that will never happen.”

“She loves me.” I chuckled after he said that.

“That was before, but now it’s different.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because she told me she loves me, and I believe everything she says and will say,” I told him, looking straight in his eyes with a firm voice.

“Mr. Lardizabal, I know she’s only staying with you because of the money you gave her. Admit it or not, the reason she married you was because of money, not love.” I wanted to punch him when he said that. He was smirking, hitting right where it hurt.

“I know it was because of the money and her needs, Mr. Satudez. I won’t deny that. But what can I do if her need led her to love me?”

“She doesn’t love you, Mr. Lardizabal. She’s just grateful that you fulfilled her family’s needs.”

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“Because she didn’t want me to.”

“Because she didn’t want you, or you were already done?”

“We didn’t have a formal breakup; we just stopped seeing each other,” he quickly replied.

“Because you’re guilty!” I accused him outright.

“I never cheated on her. She’s the only woman in my heart, and I’d do anything for her. And if you knew her, you’d know that even when we were together, she wouldn’t come to me if she needed money.”

“Because she was ashamed to. Because what she felt for you wasn’t enough to let you in on her family problems.”

“That’s not true!” he shouted. I grinned because I finally got under his skin. Earlier, he seemed so calm, like he couldn’t hurt a fly, but not until I told him something that angered him.

“Sarina loves me, so she can tell me anything. She hides nothing from me, not even something as simple as passing gas. We’re happy now, Mr. Satudez. Let her be happy if you truly love her, even if she’s with someone else.”

“I can’t accept that and let all the time I spent loving her will be wasted.”

“Then you shouldn’t have let someone else come between you.”

“You know nothing about what happened to us,” he said, still angry. I could see his jaw clenching. But no matter how angry he was, it didn’t matter anymore because I knew my wife loved me now.

***

“Even if I don’t know, Mr. Satudez. I don’t care anymore about that. I’m even thankful that you two didn’t talk after your misunderstanding. That is if you can even call it a misunderstanding. Your loss, my gain,” I teased him.

“I never talked to her because I wanted to solve the issue first. I wanted to face her, knowing I wasn’t guilty of anything against her or our relationship. She would have come to me when we met again if you hadn’t given her that ridiculous offer.”

“You may have solved it, but it’s too late. She’s already my wife.”

“You know you two just have a contract. And you said she loves you? She wouldn’t have told me about your arrangement if she loved you. She wouldn’t have told me that it was just for money that she married you.” What he said was true. That was the number one reason why I was so jealous of him back then. Because it was so easy for Sarina to tell anyone about our contract.

But I know things are different now. They have been different since we were in Las Vegas when she told me she loved me. I know she was talking about me because she said my name.

“Do you think that now, even though Sarina doesn’t remember anything, she still feels the same?” he said with a grin.

“I’m sure about my wife’s feelings, Mr. Satudez. Even if she doesn’t remember or doesn’t remember me, her heart still chooses me. You don’t know how she returned to me after so many years apart.”

I noticed him reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cell phone. He scrolled through it as if looking for something, and when he was done, suddenly someone spoke:

“Look into my eyes and answer my question.” It was Jason’s voice.

“Jason,” I heard Sarina respond.

“Do you still love me?” Jason asked, but Sarina didn’t reply. “I love you, Sarina.”

“I still love you, Jason.” My heart felt crushed because of that. I didn’t know when they talked or how that man recorded it, but it was clear that it happened when we were already married.

“You didn’t know that we met in Las Vegas?” Jason asked, looking confident, probably because of my reaction after hearing that recording. But he was wrong; I knew they were together, and in that same place, my wife told me she loved me.

“I love my wife, and I know that recording is from the past, so it means nothing to me,” I replied bravely.

“You let her slip away from you, and now you’re saying you love her? Where’s the love you’re talking about?” His tone was mocking, and I must admit that what he said was true. Sarina and I were together, but she was easily taken away by whoever that animal was.

“That’s why I promised myself that it would never happen again. I’ll do everything to protect her and our child. So don’t expect you’ll ever get my wife from me because even if she wants to return to you, I’ll never let her go. I’ll even give her a bunch of kids just to give her a reason to stay with me.”

I don’t care about him anymore as long as I clarify that what he wants will never happen. Even if he tripled or increased ten times the money I gave my wife, which I worked hard for and dared to offer her just so she would be mine.

“I will take her back from you, Maximus Lardizabal. Do everything you want to keep her with you, but I will ensure I won’t stop until she’s mine again.”