The Contract Marriage (Completed)
Chapter 63

Ryouma went back and Teresa was now back to her routine of wake up, cry and sleep pattern.

“Get the hell up Teresa!” She heard her best friend shout in her ears.

“Are you seriously going to be like this? Then why did you tell him to leave at all?” Rina scolded her.

She cried again.

“No, stupid girl. Stop crying already!Tell me one thing, you love him or not?” She cupped her face wiping her tears.

Teresa nodded hugging her pillow.

“Then just go to him. And if you can’t then stop being damsel in distress, stop crying because I can’t see you like this!Come let’s get you back to your prince charming!” Rina pulls her up from her bed. she blink at her.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Oh wait! I’ll make it clear. I still hate him okay! Hate him from the bottom of my heart because he has taken my sweet, bubbly, best friend along with him. From the very beginning I hated him, he always makes you cry and bullies you, but I’ve also seen that he’s the only one who can make you smile. Just look at you, you’re miserable without him and I don’t want that! I want my Teresa back! So yeah I’ll tolerate him if he’s the only one who can keep you happy.” She rants.

“But Dad....”

“Do hell with your dad! If he’s fine seeing you like this then I’ll go kick his ass for you. Trust me I’ll do that. No one gets away with hurting my best friend, even if it’s your stupid dad. He’s the one who got you into this mess in the first place and truthfully speaking he’s got no right to complain on this! If you hadn’t gotten married to that jerk you wouldn’t be like this. And despite being a jerk, he has one good point, he loves you girl like he really really loves you. He’ll place the entire world at your feet. So yes please go to him and be happy. And if you can’t and if you're going to keep crying like this then I’m sorry to say we’re not best friends anymore.”

“Rina!”

“I’m serious! And don’t worry about your dad, I know he’ll be happy seeing you happy, he’ll also tolerate that jerk for you. I’ll talk to him. And I know that jerk hurt you but he was here Teresa for you, don’t hurt yourself like this, if my old Teresa was here she would have stuck by his side and tortured him to death instead of like this crying and all. That’s not you my dear bff. Just call him.”

“I did…He didn’t pick my call.”

“So? You’re going to sit here and continue crying?” Rina glared at her.

“No. I’m going back by the first flight tomorrow morning.” She wipe her tears and smiled at her best friend.

“That’s my girl!” Rina pulls her into a tight hug.

*******

By the time Teresa landed it was already evening. She quickly grabbed a cab and hurried home. I just can’t wait anymore. She smiled like an idiot, she was finally going home.

She entered the house but her heart sank when she saw doctor and nurse in the hall. “What the hell happened here?”

“Mom?” She approached her mother in law.

“Teresa, thank god you’re here.” She gives her a quick hug. “Please go and see him.”

She ran to the room and froze as she opened the door to see Ryouma lying sick on the bed. what the hell? Who is this person? she'd always seen him as a man who can’t be shaken, the strong and mighty arrogant monster, my monster with his signature smirk plastered on his face, but now he looked so pale, so weak, so small on his large bed with i.v drips on his right hand, he looked like he had lost 10 years of his life. Tears prick her eyes. She slowly walked to him and touched his face. “What has become of you?” She cried clutching his hands.

She then felt someone’s hand on her shoulder and she looked up to replace his mom.

“Mom...”

“He’s okay. He’s just sleeping. Few minutes ago, we even had a fight over the lunch. See, he’s strong enough to put up a fight against me.” She bent down to her and rubbed her back pulling her into a hug.

“How?... Why?” Teresa managed to utter in between her cry.

“We weren’t home when he came back. We didn’t even know until yesterday, Rihito called when he couldn’t replace him anywhere. That’s when the maid told us she saw Ryouma come home, when we came to replace him in the room that’s when we found out he shut himself....” Her voice shook. “...here for two days.” Teresa tightened her arms around her.

“And then we broke inside and called the doctors. He lost consciousness because he skipped his meals more like hadn’t had any food. This idiot! What was he thinking? shutting himself and not eating?”

“I’m sorry! It’s because of me!” Teresa cried holding on to her. “I’m... so sorry...”

“It’s just him acting like a child. Hush... he’s okay now... stop crying please?” She wiped her tears cupping her face.

“I’m sorry.... sorry... I’m so sorry!”

“Hush....hush, my child. He’ll kill me first if he sees you crying like this. Come let’s let him sleep for now. Actually I’ve got a better idea, why not make him some yummy dinner that he won’t be able to resist. He didn’t have anything since morning, he’s just busy scaring away the poor nurse and fighting me. I wonder if he’ll last with just that.” She points at the i.v drip. “But seeing him actually surviving on just that and even having the energy to glare at people may be he’s actually a demon. What say?”

Teresa couldn’t help but laugh.

“See that’s what I was looking for! Now let’s attack the kitchen!” She smiled at her.

****

“I said I don’t want to.” Teresa heard him shout and she ran to the room. As soon as she reached the room, she saw Ryouma shouting at the poor nurse who was standing with the dinner on her hands trying to convince him to eat.

“But...”

“Are you deaf? Or your mind can’t process my words? Don’t you get a simple bloody thing? I don’t want to eat. Now get out of my room and DO.NOT.BOTHER!” He roars at the nurse.

The poor girl starts to run out but stops seeing her at the door. Aww, he made her cry. Tsk. Teresa sighed.

“Why are you still-” He stops as soon as he sees Teresa, widening his eyes in surprise? shock?

Is it that shocking me being here? She thought to herself.

“You... are you real?” He narrows his eyes at her.

“What?” She look at him puzzled.

“Can you see her too?” He ignored her and asked the nurse.

Teresa rolled her eyes at him.“Keep it there. He’ll eat.” She smiled at the nurse and gestured her to leave.

“I won’t.” He replied stubbornly.

Teresa ignored the idiot and smile at the nurse, “thank you and sorry about this troublesome idiot.” The nurse nodded and ran out of the room.

“Why are you here?” He asked glaring at her.

“We’ll talk about that later but what’s this Ryouma? What have you turned my room into?” Teresa looked around the messy room, the clean freak’s room was looking like a garbage. God! She cringed her nose in disgust.

“It’s my room and your ex-room.” He glared at her emphasizing the word ex.

“Oh yeah Mr. ex-husband?” Teresa glared back at him. For a moment they both glared at each other.

Seriously where does he get energy to scare away people from his deadly dangerous glare? But he’s a monster after all. She smiled to herself. “And do you think that powerless glare of yours scares me? Whom are you kidding? Right now you look more like a monkey. So first finish your dinner and then maybe you’ll be back to your normal self Mr. Monster. And mind you, wipe it completely. I made that dinner.”

“Then I’d rather not have it. Your food will kill me before anything.”

“I had mom help me out and I even tasted it, it’s good. So just stop your nonsense and EAT.” She glared at him.

“I’m not hungry.” He muttered sulking like a stubborn child.

“What are you? a kid? I don’t care if you’re hungry or not! Eat!” She walked up to him and scolded him placing her hands on her hips. He turned his head to the other side. This jerk!

“Oh would you rather have this poured on your head?” She threatened him holding the bowl on my hands.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Try me. I would love to do the honor.” she replied with a grin.

“Fine, I’ll eat it. Stop nagging me!” He took the bowl from her hands and started to feast.

“Here, happy?” He handed her the empty bowl. “That too.” She pointed at another bowl.

“Wait, first you made me have the rice and now you want me to have a bowl of soup? Trust me Teresa I’m really not hungry.” He looked at me.

“You haven’t had anything since three days including today!” She shouted at him, fighting back her tears which threatened to spill out of her eyes.

He sighed. “Fine, I’m eating okay? Relax.”

“Here, now please I’m really full.” He handed her the empty bowl and raised his hands in surrender.

“Good, I want my room clean now, and you’ll do the cleaning.” she smiled.

He blinked at her.

“We need to talk and I want my surroundings clean.” She stood crossing her arms and tapping her feet. “Don’t worry, I’ll help too. I don’t want this news tomorrow, Mr. Ryouma Carlton’s ex-wife tortures him to death.”

“Then why make me work at all?” He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Because if I start do it by myself, it’ll take a whole day I mean the whole night. And it’s the mess you’ve created. Look at the room, What’s this? Why are papers scattered all over? Why are there chocolate wrappers here? Look here the amount of dust.” She ran her finger on the table and showed it to him. “Yuck!”

“You should know that I’m a clean freak, I won’t tolerate a speck of dust. And also I don’t want you to touch my things, I need everything in proper place, so if you pick things then keep it back where it was before got it?” She see him smile as she repeated his exact words back at him. His few rules of bedroom he explained to her at the very first night in this room.

“What are you smiling at? I’m serious!” She glared at him and he nodded.

After an hour finally the room was somewhat fit to live in.

“Done. Now is the surrounding eligible for you to talk?” He asked with a sarcastic smile on his face.

“Surrounding is good but I can’t see a human to talk to, as I said before you look like a monkey and I can’t have this talk with a monkey. So, let’s first turn you into a human?”

“Come here.” she dragged him into the bathroom. “sit.” she commanded and he followed. “Look at you, you look so ugly, I want you clean shaved. Start!”

Teresa's P.O.V

He slowly takes the razor, so slowly that even the tortoise would shy away. “Oh god! Will you take the whole night to shave? Or Have you forgotten how to shave at all?” I scold him.

“I guess so.” He nods.

“Give that to me.” I snatch the razor from his hand. ” And don’t move. If it cuts your neck then I’ll be officially labeled as a criminal. Tomorrow’s headline, Ex-wife kills ex-husband with a shaving razor. I don’t want that type of headlines so you better not move. hmm?”

He nods trying to suppress his smile. Oho! my Mr. Monster is cute sometimes. I smile to myself.

After few minutes, “Now you look human.” I smile proudly.

“Now did I complete my tasks? now am I deserving enough to talk to you or there’s something more?”

“Yes now you look THE RYOUMA CARLTON!” I smile.

“And now we can talk.” I glare at him.

“Why’re you looking at me like that all of a sudden?” He gulps.

“Do I need to explain myself?” I grit my teeth.

“Do you even realize how I felt seeing you lying on your bed with i.v drips?!” I yell at him. “How I felt when mom told me you didn’t eat for days? Didn’t you ask for a month? This month hasn’t ended yet. How could you just come here? ” Tears spill out of my eyes soaking my cheeks.

“You were the one who threw me out saying never to show my face again.”

“And you just returned? when did you start listening to me? And I did that because I was angry. You also threw me out of your life in anger didn’t you?? Aren’t we even now? Did you have to punish me like this?” I cry hitting him. “I hate you!”

“But I love you.” He holds my hand which were about to hit him again.

“For god’s sake Ryouma! I am angry!” I shout.

“Sorry!” He showers soft kisses on my eyes and forehead.

“Why do you do things for which you have to say sorry? You always, always do this to me!”

“I’m sorry Teresa.”

“No, You always do this!” I shake my head. “You always hurt me and say sorry. What if something happened to you?” I try to pull my hands from his grip.

“I’m sorry Teresa!” He pulls me close and I break down in his arms.

“I want to protect you from everything, I don’t want to hurt you but I’m the one who always ends up hurting you. I didn’t want to but always did... I’m sorry for everything.” He tightens his arms around me.

“Even I’m sorry. I was rude to you past few weeks.” I hug him back.

“Yes from now on I’ll make sure not to mess with you again, an angry Teresa is scary. You were really cold to me.” He nods.

“And if you even think to do something stupid like this again, putting yourself in danger, I’ll kill you myself and won’t let you be in peace even after your death. I’ll go and get married to your favorite Marcus Drew. Then die with jealousy every minute.” I tighten my arms around him.

“You think I would let you do something like that? I won’t let anyone have you, you’re mine.” He kisses me deeply, wrapping his arms around me, holding me close.

Finally, we break apart and gaze into each other’s eyes for a long second. He smiles down at me. “I love you.” He whispers to me. “I love you, too.” I confess as I wrap my arms around him as he leans down and kiss me again.

He lifts me in his arms and carries me to bed without breaking the kiss. He lays me on the bed gently as if handling something so precious, then he kisses me tenderly on my head, on my forehead, and on my eyes, over and over and I surrender myself as I drown in his love.

The next morning I wake up, wrapped around his arms greeted by his cute angelic sleeping face. Who would think this cute angelic face is actually a dreadful demon when he’s awake? Monster... my monster. How much I missed this! This room, waking up beside him, wrapped up in his arms and most of all him… being next to him… I giggle. I felt the cold air against my naked skin and pulled the blanket to cover up but he stirs and pulls me against his chest.

“I love waking to your smiling face.” He mutters. “You’re awake?” I mutter as I blush Scarlet.

“Your scarlet, Miss Scarlet.” He smiles at me making me blush even more hiding my face against his chest.

“Mind telling me what’s so funny?” His voice vibrates throughout my body.

“Just that you’re sleeping peacefully for someone who couldn’t sleep with anyone next to him.” I smile looking up at his face.

“Yes. But now I can’t sleep without you next to me.” He tightens his arms around me and I blush again.

“Did you turn red again?” He says with a playful tone.

“Bullying me again, are you?”

“I love to bully you. I get to see your face turn into a rainbow. That’s my most favorite thing.”

“You’re really an annoying ex-husband.” I mutter.

“Do something about that ex.” He complains.

No now my turn to bully you. I smile. “But you are my ex-husband.” I tease him.

“That means we’ll just have to hurry up with our marriage. But seriously until then can’t you just call me Ryouma? It’s a nice name you can use once in while you know.” He says sulking.

“But I don’t want to, should I call you Mr. boyfriend instead?”

“That’s the best, Miss girlfriend.” He pins me down and plants a soft kiss on my lips and smiles at me like a child.

I love being back home… forgetting everything wrapped in his arms… back to my rude, stupid, annoying, arrogant, jealous, over possessive yet so lovable boyfriend, my home, my monster.

Argh! I am so in love with this man!

***********************************