The CEO’S Orphan Wife

“Is it delicious?” I inquired of Ivan, even though it was evident from his reaction that he was enjoying the meal I had prepared. He responded with a smile and a nod, taking another bite and grinning once more. His eagerness to eat was unmistakable, and it brought a sweet smile to my lips.

“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked.

“You go ahead and eat first because I’m not hungry yet,” I replied. It was only six in the afternoon, and he needed to take his medication, so I helped him with his meal.

“Are you on a diet?” This man had many questions.

“Not particularly,” I responded.

“You’re quite slender.”

“What do you mean, slender? I’m sexy, you know,” I retorted with a pout, suppressing a sigh. I was tempted to mention Maureen’s slim figure, but I decided against it as I didn’t want to bring up his mistress’s name.

He pouted.

“Am I not sexy?”

I raised an eyebrow. He simply smiled.

Ah, whatever!

“One last thing,” I told him. The ‘baby bull’ had completed the meal I had cooked and prepared for him. After that, I gave him his medication, and a nurse arrived to help him with his personal hygiene in the bathroom.

Meanwhile, I set his dishes aside and had my meal. Ivan has a low tolerance for noise, so when he’s about to sleep, I lie down as well, even if it’s still early. He was seated on the bed, leaning against the headboard when I entered the room. He was watching TV, but he briefly shifted his gaze to me.

This man continues to give me intense looks, and I can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking. Does he find me attractive?

Well, I can only hope. I found myself daydreaming again while fully awake.

I retrieved some clothes from the cabinet and then entered the bathroom. I showered and changed in there before returning to the room. The TV was already turned off, but Ivan remained seated on the bed.

I took a pillow and a blanket from the cabinet before heading over to the sofa.

“Why are you planning to sleep on the sofa?” Ivan asked me.

“Where else should I sleep?” I replied. “I usually sleep on the sofa, even at your parent’s place.”

“Are we not supposed to sleep together in bed?” I almost forgot he had amnesia.

“No,” I forced a smile. He paused, but his gaze remained fixed on me.

“So, I’m…” He took a deep breath. “The… b-bed is quite spacious. W-we can both fit. If you’re not comfortable being close to me, you can stay by my side.”

He pouted and averted his gaze.

Can you believe this? Am I the one uncomfortable being close to him? Our situation is genuinely perplexing.

What am I doing in this scenario? It seems like I’m only making things more complicated.

Why am I staying? Do I genuinely want to stay for another month, pretending to be a spouse, only to end up hurt in the end?

He cleared his throat while I remained motionless.

“I thought…”

“Yeah, alright, go ahead and move to the end,” I said.

Being beside him felt strange, even though he was my husband; it wasn’t our usual arrangement.

He shifted, but just slightly. I settled at the edge of the bed, lying flat, and it made me feel like a corpse because I could hardly breathe while lying down.

I turned to my side, facing away from him, but as I felt tense, I turned back.

I gasped when I realized he was facing my way, his eyes wide open, staring at me without blinking.

My throat went dry, and anxiety welled up within me. I lay flat again, adjusting the blanket over my body.

“Do you love me?” I froze at his question, torn between answering truthfully or lying. In the end, I chose the latter.

“N-No.”

“Liar.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why did you even ask, then?”

“I may have amnesia, but I’m not blind. I have feelings too.”

I chuckled. “What a fresh perspective!”

He became different. “You have eyes, yet you’re blind to certain aspects of me. You have feelings, but you don’t seem to care about mine.”

“M-Myla…”

“Sorry,” I apologized, attempting to force a laugh. I knew I shouldn’t be creating drama or holding a grudge, but I couldn’t help it.

“Go to sleep. You need plenty of rest to recover.”

“Okay. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Ivan.”

I turned away, pulling the blanket over me. The air conditioner was on full blast, his body was warm, while I felt quite the opposite.

***

I was still drowsy, but my mind awoke when I sensed that my pillow had grown firm. My eyes widened as I realized it wasn’t a pillow but Ivan’s body.

We faced each other, with our arms wrapped around each other’s bodies.

A flush of warmth colored my cheeks as I shut my eyes firmly and attempted to suppress my breath while I gently disentangled his hand that enveloped me. Yet, without delay, he returned his arm to rest on my stomach.

How annoying! I attempted to break free once more, but he clung to me even tighter.

I couldn’t be sure if this man was actually asleep or simply feigning it. However, in that posture, I found it relaxing, and I didn’t notice that drowsiness took over me once again. When I woke up once more, I found myself alone in bed this time.

I swiftly got out of bed in search of my husband. I headed to the bathroom, but he was nowhere to be found. Given that it was already past eight in the morning, I suspected that his nurse had taken him outside to enjoy the morning sun. I took a shower before leaving the room.

“Good morning, Ma’am,” one maid greeted me. “They mentioned that you’d be having breakfast in the garden.”

“Good morning,” I replied, following them to the garden where my in-laws were already seated at a small metal table.

“Good morning,” I greeted them. All eyes were on me, including Ivan’s.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

It appeared he had also taken an early shower, as his hair was still slightly damp.

Once again, he fixed an intense gaze on me, and I couldn’t help but reminisce about our earlier encounter in the morning. Warmth flushed through my cheeks.

I noticed his sly grin, prompting me to shift my gaze away. My father-in-law coughed softly, and his wife arched an eyebrow, her gaze shifting between Ivan and me.