Shikera broke into a splutter of coughs, unable to believe what she was hearing.
"Ethan, you aren’t thinking of doing...that to now. I literally just ca back from death’s door—"
"Why should you worry about that?" Ethan scoffed, a mischievous smirk playing at the sides of his lips, "I’m the one who has to take you to heaven gates and bring you back. Want to try it out?"
"Big no!" Shikera exclaid. Feeling his grip loosen around her waist, she took the opportunity to slip out imdiately, hurriedly climbing her bed. "I’ll go to sleep now. Be the good husband that you are and go. Go take care of other things."
Without waiting for a reaction from Ethan, she slipped under the duvet and pulled it over her head to hide her face. As confident as he had sounded to her, she knew Ethan wouldn’t have attempted anything even if she challenged him more. It would be pure evil of her to taunt and tease him when she could see the guilt he was trying to hide from his face...
"I’ll be back soon," she heard his voice resound right in front of her. The duvet as pulled down before she could think, and a kiss was pressed onto her forehead.
★
"What are you doing?" Ethan’s voice resounded through the room, sharp with a mix of curiosity and mild exasperation. He was standing by the doorway, eyes narrowed as they took in the unexpected scene before him.
Shikera stood by the closet, slipping into a pair of black pumps, her blue shirt tucked neatly into black slacks. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, giving her a determined, almost unyielding look, despite the exhaustion he knew laid beneath her bright face.
He had only left her an hour ago to escort Esther down to the lobby, where Enoch was waiting to take her back to the Deloach mansion. The little girl had been with them since earlier that morning when Shikera had requested to see her, until few minutes ago when Enoch arrived to pick her up.
Shikera had been half-asleep when he left, her body clearly craving the rest her mind refused to grant. Yet, here she was fifteen minutes later, dressed and ready to leave. To where? He had no idea.
"Did Esther leave already?" Shikera returned his question with one of hers, ignoring his.
"She did," Ethan replied, "Now, where are you going?"
"I have to get to work," ca the calm reply,, her tone matter-of-fact as she adjusted her shirt, her eyes briefly eting his when she cast a quick glance up.
Ethan sighed, but didn’t press her with the questions swirling in his mind. He simply closed the door behind him, and folded his arms across his chest. "You’ve only rested for four days," he said, his voice low but firm. "It’s not healthy for you to leave now."
Shikera paused, her hands falling to her sides as she turned to face him. "I asked Doctor Kohath," she replied. "He said I could leave for the day, as long as I call if I feel pain anywhere. Anyti."
Ethan studied her for the next few seconds, the concern in his gaze clear. "I’m only letting you go if you let drive you," he finally said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "And this ti, I’m not stopping by at a station to let you take a public bus."
A smile tugged at Shikera’s lips at his serious tone, but it faded just as quickly, a result of the thought that burrowed in her mind, "About the accident, just rembered I never asked... Was it planned or just a coincidence?"
The room seed to still at her question. Ethan’s eyes darkened slightly, the concern in his eyes disappearing slowly. Taking slow steps to walk further into the room, he replied, "I did so research. It was drunk driving. Aleady took care of it though."
Shikera opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, he interjected, "Don’t ask how I handled it. Just know it’s done."
A tense silence filled the air, lingering between them like an unspoken warning. Shikera’s fingers fidgeted at her side, her mind racing, but she let the matter drop—for now.
"Do you want anything prepared before you leave for work?" Ethan broke the silence, his voice softening slightly, as if to ease the tension his previous statent had created.
"No," she replied quietly, shaking her head. "I’m good."
He nodded and turned to leave the room, his footsteps steady, his posture rigid. "I’ll tell one of the guards to get the car ready."
"Ethan?" Shikera called after him, her voice halting him just as his hand touched the doorknob. "Why aren’t you stopping from going to work?"
There was a long pause. When Ethan finally spoke, his voice was solemn but firm, his gaze piercing as he turned back to her. "Would it have worked if I tried? No, I already know the answer to that. Asides that, I know you talked to Jordan. Secretly."
The weight of his words hung in the air, leaving Shikera montarily speechless. She had talked with Jordan the other day, imdiately after Ethan left her to take care of sothing she had no idea about.
And though she had felt guilty talking to him behind Ethan’s back, she was glad she had done that.
Not anymore though; with that look in Ethan’s eyes.
"I’m sorry," she whispered. "It’s just..."
"It’s alright," Ethan interrupted, "It’s your... how do I put this? Definitely not your job, but it’s expected that you have difficulties getting rid of the doubts you have. That both you and the babies can survive, after what Jordan said. And it’s my own job, to make sure it happens, whether your believe or not."
"You are totally okay with requesting that he save the babies first if things go wrong on that day?" She blinked.
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