Contract Marriage st Chapter 82. What scares you

Chapter 82: 82. What scares you

"What?" Pastor Nathan is asking and even I am staring at Duke in total confusion. Did he really just say that?!

"I think I must have missed sothing you said, so can you repeat what you just said?"

"I said the reason I married Champagne is because I felt she’ll make a very terrible wife and a doting mother."

He really did say that! I thought he was going to make up so sort of lie but what the heck is he saying now?!

"Please, enlighten . I am beyond lost." Pastor Nathan says, and I don’t bla the man. Even I am lost right now.

"Allow

to give you an example sir." Duke says and Pastor Nathan nods agreeably.

Duke uncrosses his hands from his chest and places them on the table before he begins to speak again, he’s being serious right now isn’t he?

"About four days ago, I had a little argunt with my dear wife here,"

"Am I permitted to know the contexts?"

"Since you’re playing the role of her father right now, yes sir, I believe you are. It was about her overworking herself. I an the woman thinks she’s a machine and I know she’s not, she got mad at

for turning off her alarm when all I required of her was that she rested a little bit more. I an she’s the damn CEO—" he pauses, "Forgive my language sir."

"It’s fine."

"Yeah, so, she’s the CEO, and she works more than the average worker in the company. What kind of CEO goes to work on Saturdays?" He asks and Pastor Nathan turns to

with scrutinizing eyes.

Seriously!!!

Is he seriously talking about this with my pastor?! What has gotten into this man?

"So she got mad that I was trying to make her rest and believe

or not, she hasn’t said a word to

since that day... At least not until today, here, in front of your office." He shrugs.

Duke!!!

"Isn’t she a terrible wife?" He asks. "I an she should at least give

a chance to talk with her, to see her, to touch— I an to spend ti with her, but she won’t even let

do that. She wakes up earlier than —"

"That’s because you sleep until late in the afternoon!" I can’t take him painting

black anymore! Although his words are not untrue.

He scoffs and says, "And then she gets back ho late at night and goes off to bed and locks

out."

"Oh my gosh," I exclaim, shifting my gaze between him and pastor Nathan. I had no idea Duke could be so petty! "You make it sound like I lock you out of your bedroom! What’s so wrong with

sleeping in my own room?" I an it really still is my room.

"What do you think about that sir?" He turns his attention back to Pastor Nathan. "Should married couples be staying in separate rooms?" He asks and I can tell even before the pastor opens his mouth to speak that this will be a losing ga for .

Duke ca prepared to battle today.

"W_well I am not really in support of married couples having different rooms." He shrugs.

Duke rests his back on his seat once again and crosses his hand over his chest like before. "Thank you sir!" He says victoriously.

"We literally stay in the sa room, I have just been using the other room for so days now." Why is he trying to make

look like the bad person here?

Pastor Nathan gasps, "Does that an you really intentionally stayed away from him and locked him out for the past four days?"

Wha— why is he putting it like that? And why is he siding with Duke?!

"And you know that all through that ti, she was sohow still spending ti with the kids," Hah! This man really is out to get .

"While she removed

from the equation, she was sweetly spending ti with the twins. even today she ran away from ho with them before I could wake up. She’s such a doting mother, so do you see what I ant by a terrible wife and a doting mother?"

What the—

And why is Pastor Nathan nodding his head in agreent!! Everything Duke just said in no way answers the question Pastor Nathan asked him in the first please, yet my dear Pastor seems to have forgotten the real question and is now staring at

with that scolding gaze!!

Why ?!

"Champagne, why would you get mad at your husband just because he told you to rest?" He’s not even going to hear my side of the story!

Not like there’s much story to tell on my end because Duke literally just said everything that actually happened which makes it even more annoying because he is right!!

"I—"

"That’s his right as a husband." Oh dear God, when did my pastor and my husband beco soul mates?

"He is to worry about you and why would you tornt a man so much by staying away from him for four whole days without saying a word to him?" The man is saying and Duke is raising four fingers up with his head facing the ground like he is seriously hurt.

"You have no idea how heartbreaking the past days have been for

sir." Duke shakes his head dramatically.

Pastor Nathan turns to him and his scolding gaze switches to a fatherly and understanding one "I can imagine."

"Truly unbearable." What the— that’s a fake tear in his eye!! "The long cold nights," Seriously? You have got to be kidding .

"He says the nights were long and cold, Champagne."

"It was just—"

"The loneliness,"

"Can you hear that Champagne, he was lonely." My own pastor is looking at

with displeasure. And they won’t even let

speak!

"The fear of her anger keeping

from going to her." Was Duke always such a good actor?

"Oh Champagne, he was so scared of your anger that he could not even approach you. Why did you behave in such a way?"

"Sir I—"

"No matter what happens in a relationship, communication is key. You both need to communicate to sort things out. Keeping him at arms length—"

"She kept

far beyond arms length sir." Oh my gosh, this dude.

"Exactly, keeping a man far beyond arms length is not right. This is why a lot of marriages end up in divorce today, because the wife or the husband got mad over sothing and would not even give the other person a chance to explain themself. The longer you keep a wound untreated, the more liable it is to get infected my dear."

"Wise words." I throw him a death glare and he turns his head down with a knowing smile on his lips.

"And besides, in this case I think you’re wrong." I know I am. "Your husband obviously cares for your well being. He’s only concerned for you, so why are you mad at him?"

I know in this case I’m wrong. I know getting mad at duke when all I want to do is thank him is wrong but I can’t help feeling pathetic sotis. No matter how many tis he reassures .

"Be_Because I’ve been married before," I finally say with my eyes downcast facing my legs, "and my previous husband didn’t treat

the way Duke does. So sotis it just scares . The love and care he shows , it scares

at tis and other tis it makes

worry and most tis it makes

sorry."

"What are you scared of my dear?" Pastor Nathan asks and I lift my lashes and I see that the playful look that was previously on Duke’s face has disappeared, and now he has this broken look on his face.

"I’m scared of getting used to his love and care," I say and turn my gaze away from him because I’m sure he’s tired of hearing say this sa thing again and again, "because I fear it will all fade away so day."

"What worries you?" Pastor Nathan asks.

"The sa thing." I let out a forced chuckle while blankly staring at my fingers on my thighs. "I’m worried my life will be completely crushed if he ever stops showing

such love."

"What are you sorry about?" Pastor Nathan asks again.

"I’m sorry that he has to settle for soone like . He’s so perfect yet I’m rubbing my imperfect life on him. He’s so whole and I’m like broken glass with bits and pieces scattered all over the place and I’m cutting into his whole life. And even though I know I’m not good enough for him I just can’t help wanting him still because I’m selfishly in love with him and that’s why I’m sorry."

Silence flows between the three of us after my words. Dry, heavy silence. I’m feeling thirsty.