Chapter 9

My eyes were swelling from crying last night. I wanted to go down but I was afraid to see him. Dra. Sanchez also said that I should not talk to him for the meantime.

A knock from the door caught my attention.

"Come in" I said.

"Ma'am, will I just bring your food here or are you just going to go down?" Hilda asked.

"Just bring my food here." I said while I was still in bed.

I heard footsteps leaving so I finally can breathe in relief.

As usual, I'm staying here in my room and I want to be alone.

I feel weak because even when I'm just reading a book, I can hardly do it.

There's a knock from the door again, maybe it's just Hilda.

"Come in, Hilda. Put the food here on the table." I said but no one answered and just knocked again.

"Hilda, just come in" I said again maybe because she didn't hear what I said.

Still no one entered and knocked again. I frowned looking at the door before going to open it.

I touched the doorknob and was about to open it when someone spoke.

"Don't ..."

I heard a man's voice and I knew it was him because I already memorized his voice.

There's a small space leaving the door but it was enough to hear everything he had to say.

"I know you're afraid of me right now but I just want to know if you are okay" he said softly but I could still hear what he was saying.

I immediately grabbed my chest when I felt pain again.

We were just talking but why did I feel the pain? I thought I was about to get better, why did it get worse?

Even if something hurts me, I forced not to stutter so that he won't notice.

"I'm okay, why are you here?"

"I just delivered this food to you"

"I asked Hilda to bring my food here, not you" I said coldly.

"I'm sorry. I just really wanted to talk to you for a moment"

There are tears formed in my eyes and I prevented it from falling.

"I'm not in the mood to talk right now, you can leave. Just put the food there. I'll take it when you're gone" I told him.

He let out a deep sigh before speaking.

"Okay, if you need help. I'm just here."

"I don't need you, Hilda and other maids are here if I needed help" I said seriously.

"Just in case--"

What he was going to say was cut short when I spoke.

"I don't need your help" I insisted.

He sighed deeply again.

"Okay I'll just leave the food outside the door then."

I didn't answer and waited to hear his footsteps leaving.

My tears are still flowing. I covered my mouth so I wouldn't make a noise.

"Leave, please. I don't want you to see me like this" I said while crying.

Moments later, I heard footsteps leaving. I immediately leaned against the door and silently cried.

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

It is now the second day of my confinement in my room. I did nothing else but read a book and use my phone.

There was a knock on the door and I immediately got nervous. Yesterday and a while ago, Logan brought me food, so it's unlikely that he will do it again.

"Come in"

"Ma'am, please eat" Hilda said while carrying a tray of food.

I immediately took a deep breath but there was a part of me that regretted and I don't know why I felt that way.

I took the food he was holding and put it on the table.

"If you want to ask what Sir Logan is doing, I will answer, ma'am" Hilda said.

I frowned at what she said.

"Why would I ask about him?"

"It's obvious that you want to ask where he is, ma'am." Hilda was teasing me.

"Hilda, stop it. I already have a lot of problems, stop adding to it."

I heard his weak laugh so I looked at her.

"Admit it,ma'am, you like sir Logan." Hilda teased me again.

"What do you want? I don't even feel a thrill. It didn't even turn me on even though he was alert, kind and smart. I am actually more scared of him." I said and Hilda's smile widened even more.

"The length of what you said ma'am is obviously defensive" Hilda laughed so I reached for the pillow and threw it at her.

She just laughed so I just ignored her and continued eating.

"Is it delicious, ma'am?" Hilda asked so I nodded.

"Sir Logan cooked that"

I got choked because of what she said. I immediately reached for the water and drank it.

"It doesn't taste good. It's too salty"

"Really? Why did you eat so much, ma'am?"

I glared at her but she smiled widely at me.

"I've lost my appetite" I said and drank some water. Put this food down I'm full"

"Eat it, ma'am. I know that you enjoyed sir Logan's cooking" she teased me again.

"You should cook tomorrow. Don't let that man do what you're supposed to do." I said.

"Okay, Ma'am" there was still teasing in her tone.

She stood up and left my room. Before she could go away I immediately closed the room.

"Hilda, after you deliver that, come here again and help me clean my room." I told her and she nodded.

While waiting for Hilda, I first started arranging my things.

Soon, Hilda came in so we started arranging, wiping and sweeping.

Hilda and I had a hard time cleaning because there were heavy things so I called our other maids to help us.

"Where will we put this, ma'am?" Josephine asked while holding my Louis Vuitton bag.

"There! At the black cabinet" I replied while pointing at the black cabinet.

I look at the maids who are busy arranging my stuffs.

I smiled while looking at them because I remembered the years we were together. They were my support when I was depressed.

FLASHBACK

It was 9:30 am, when I woke up. I yawned while walking downstairs. My eyes were half-opened because I was still sleepy.

I got a glass and opened the fridge to get some water but I got starled and I accidentally dropped the glass when someone sang a "Birthday Song".

"Marrisse! Take the broom and remove the tiny pieces of a broken glass!" Esther said confusingly to the maid.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Hilda asked worriedly as she looked at my body to see if there was a wound from the broken glass.

When she saw that I had no wounds, he immediately confronted the maids who were wearing paty hats and carrying cakes.

"I told you to wait until she finishes getting water before you sing. How stubborn are you?" mad Hilda said.

"Marrisse is stubborn" said Esther. They regretted as I frowned while looking at them because they were wearing nice clothes.

"Wait ..." I said softly but they seemed to hear because they all stopped.

"Why are you wearing that?" I asked them as I looked at them one by one.

They all looked at each other and then suddenly sang a "Birthday Song"

"Happy birthday!"

I quickly covered by ears when I heard them popped the confetti.

"Happy Birthday, Ma'am!" They immediately approached me while carrying the cake.

Quickly, tears forming up in my eyes.

"I didn't expect that you'll remember my birthday" I said and this time my tears were already dripping with joy.

"Of course, Ma'am! We will never forget your birthday especially now that you're 18-your debut, Ma'am" Hilda cried.

I spread my arms, told them to hug me. They immediately put what they were holding on the table and approached me. I immediately noticed that they were crying so I cried even more.

We hugged for a while before deciding to separate from each other.

"Make a wish, ma'am" Josephine said while holding the cake. I immediately closed my eyes.

"I wish to feel better"

I immediately blew the cake after wishing.

They applauded and at the same time released roses.

"May I have this dance, ma'am?" Hilda asked as she held out her hand.

I immediately laughed because of what she did but I still accepted her hand.

Someone played music so we started dancing.

Hilda and I laughed while dancing. After a while, Hilda passed me to Esther so we could dance, too.

I just smiled all day as they danced with me. They became my 18 roses. There are only ten maids here so the others danced with me again to make the 18 roses. The guards were not included because they are men. Mom and dad just sent gifts and said they couldn't come. I was sad when I read their text but I felt happy because Hilda was teasing me.

Even if the birthday didn't happen, I would still be happy because they're there to take care of me and they always makes me happy.

END OF FLASHBACK

I went to bed immediately after I did my routine.

It's 8:00 in the evening, I just woke up from my nap because I got very tired after we finished cleaning my room earlier.

There was a knock on the door and I immediately saw Hilda carrying food.

"Please eat, Ma'am"

"Okay. Thanks, Hilda!"

Hilda came out immediately after she delivered my food.

When I finished eating, Hilda came back to get the plates I used.

I've been busy on my cellphone watching funny videos. I didn't realize it was 10:00 pm, so I decided to go to bed but someone knocked.

I immediately approached to open it but I remembered that Hilda goes to bed as early as 9pm. I immediately got nervous and I had a hunch that it was Logan who were knocking.

"Why are you here?" I asked as I left the door slightly open. I haven't seen his face since we last ate together.

"I just wanted to say goodbye"

I clenched my chest as I heard his voice. this time I'm catching my breath but I tried not to make it obvious.

"Say goodbye where?"

"I will be back tomorrow. We have a lot of patients in the hospital tonight. My presence is what needed there" he explained.

"You can leave whenever you want. Don't say goodbye to me. We have different world. You should focus on your own world."

"I know. I just wanted to say that to you" he said calmly.

I didn't talk back so the surroundings became quiet for a while.

"I want to see your face ..." he suddenly said pleadingly in the tone of his voice.

"Get out of here! You're done letting go right?"

I heard his deep sigh.

"I don't want to be just your husband, I also want to be your friend so you can open up to me about your problems. I want to help you, Vianne, at least let me, please."

"You can't help me anymore because it looks like you're the one who scares me"

"I don't want your help, Logan. Just give your help to your patients."

"I'll help them but I'll put you first because you're my wife. I don't want you to be sad. I want you to be happy."

"We are not married yet and even if we were married, we would still have a limit. We still have a world of our own. We're just married on paper so please, don't interfere with my private life and I'll be doing the same with you, too." there were emphasis in every line that I've said.

"Get out of here! I'm going to sleep now." I said and I didn't wait for him to say anything and I closed the door.

I immediately laid down on my bed. Tears falling from my eyes.

Annoyed, I wiped away my tears.

"Such a fool! Why am I always crying now because of him?!"

Whatever smear of my tears still won't stop. I was just crying and I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep.

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

I was stunned by the noise at the terrace of my room. I looked at the wall clock to see what time it was.

It was 12:40 in the midnight. I slowly walked over.

I could feel my heart beating fast because of the nervousness. I picked up the scissors that were on my desk. I wore the watch under my pillow

I was close to the terrace and I saw the window opened.

Even though I was nervous, I went to the terrace to see if anyone was there, but I didn't see anything. I looked around for a few minutes before deciding to walk in but when I turned around, someone came. I turned around but it was too late because I felt something injected in my neck. I immediately felt dizzy and my eyes seemed to close, but I tried to see the person in front of me. I could only see his eyes, those eyes I wasn't stared for a while and suddenly the surroundings became dark.