Chapter 5 : An Unexpected Text

After putting Hannah to bed in the other room Steven returned to his room. Closing the computer and putting away the files before taking a shower.

He had just laid down when he heard the door open.

Hannah who had just obediently returned to her room ran in. Without hesitation she pulled up his blanket and climbed down the bed.

Steven was expectedly taken aback.

"Hannah!!!"

he sighed...

"If you think this is the way to get me to divorce you... you should know it won't work. Now go back to sleep."

Hannah buried her face in the blanket by his side saying... "Good!!! Steven remember what you just said. In the future no matter what we won't get divorced."

It was as though Steven did not hear her words. He pulled her up by her shoulders wondering if maybe her brain was damaged. Hannah was about to speak but stopped when Steven suddenly pressed his hand against her forehead.

She let him touch her and his warm hands carefully avoided the swollen area on her forehead.

"There's no fever"

he said calmly after a few moments.

Hannah did not speak. Her hands tightly holding on to his blanket.

She was an indisputably stubborn person. No matter what he said next she would not leave his bed.

However her feet poked out of the blanket revealing her nervousness and embarrassment.

Her little toes were crawled up inexplicably adding to her adorableness.

Steven glanced at her before quietly covering her up with a blanket preventing her from catching a cold.

Even though it was just a simple action Hannah's heart warmed up. She pulled her feet into the blanket unintentionally rubbing against his thigh.

"Don't do that!!!"

Steven warned in a low voice.

"I didn't mean to"

Seeing his eyes darken she rushed to pull her leg back but because she moved too hastily she accidently moved up and touched an area she should not have touched. Even through the fabric of his pants she felt a strange burning sensation.

Her body stiffened and the air became suspiciously cold.

Hannah licked her lips, her mouth and throat suddenly felt very dry.

"Steve!!"

Steven quickly flipped over pressing her beneath him and Hannah's voice became stucked in her throat.

"Do you know what it means.. playing with fire!!'

Steven's voice was right in her ear, gruff with desire and lust.

"I didn't mean to'

Hannah protested and in response Steven kissed her. This kiss was different from when he had roughly kissed her before. In an instant she felt as though an electric current had rushed through her body.

She became powerless and laxed from head to toe.

Even though she had been married to Steven for half a year and they'd experience their first time together recently.

Hannah still did not have enough experience. She did not know how to respond to him.

The kiss was deep and heavy. Stealing almost all her breath.

Hannah closed her eyes in dizziness but suddenly felt Steven's lips migrate to her sensitive ears.

His low and hoarse voice whispered...

"It's almost morning if you don't go to sleep right now then you won't sleep at all!!"

She opened her eyes immediately becoming lost in his.

"Mrs Van" he continued...

"If last time was painful to the point of death. Are you sure you can handle it again?"

Hannah initially thought they would only have a good chat in bed.

She did consider the possibility that something more could happen.

However after remembering how he did not let up last time even when she cried to the point of raspyness her confidence instantly shrank.

But she had also noticed that he had addressed her as Mrs Van.

So everything she had fought for today was not completely useless.

Since she was still Mrs Van and planned to remain so for the rest of her life she couldn't put off his or her own physical urges for ever.

"Will the second time hurt as much?"

she asked.

Her tone somewhat ambiguous. Clearly he did not expect that she would ask such a question.

He stared at her for what felt like half a day. His eyes burning with desire looking as though they could eat her up alive.

For an instant his eyes lingered on the love bites that had yet to fade from her neck.

Steven vividly remembered how rough he'd been last time but it wasn't entirely his fault.

It was because of that drug she'd slipped in his drink as well as his residual anger towards her.

Steven sighed!! speaking hoarsely...

"Don't test a man's patience. I'll let you off tonight. If you still dare to come into my bed tomorrow you'll face the consequences. Take this as a warning."

Hannah shrinked in his arms.

"Now sleep"

Steven said as he gently stroked her hair.

Just as he was about to move from the bed she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'll sleep wherever you are."

Steven's eyes darkened, transfixed on Hannah, whose face held both determination and bashfulness.

He stared at her and she became uncomfortable being so close to him.

She hastily pulled away from him. Grabbing the blanket to cover her face and hiding from his sight.

He chuckled!!

"If you're embarrassed then go back to your room.'

"I don't want to. I want to be with you."

Hannah said rather unhappily still hiding under the blanket.

Reluctantly Steven laid back down. His eyes however were fixed on Hannah or rather the lump that was Hannah as she was still hiding under the blanket.

The room became silent. Assuming he had gone to sleep. Hannah carefully lowered the blanket. The moment she lifted her eyes she saw Steven lying on his side, his clear eyes looking directly at her.

Hannah blushed under his stare asking softly..

"You're not asleep?"

"You're here... how can I go to sleep!!"

Hannah glanced at the bed beneath them...

"The bed isn't small. It's the same as the one in our bedroom. I won't take up your space even if I sleep here. Why can't you sleep?"

Hearing her words Steven smiled.

'Why are you smiling?" Hannah asked...

She thought he was still suspicious of her sincerity and moved closer to him under the blanket, nonverbally communicating that she did not want to be apart from him anymore.

"Hannah!!'

He said her name slowly. His voice was low and hoarse.

Hmphh??

"You should have been like this from the start."

Hannah leaned closer to him worried that if he said anything else she would be teased to the point of sleeplessness.

Sensing her willingness Steven caressed her chin pulling her in for a deep kiss.

He only stopped when she pulled away gasping for breath.

If they kissed any longer neither of them would get any sleep.

Hannah's ears had turned bright red. She shifted uncomfortably when Steven suddenly got up. She rushed to set up the blanket still in her arms.

"Where are you going?"

Steven went into the bathroom without glancing back simply saying over his shoulder...

"Shower."

Hannah was momentarily confused.

Didn't he just shower!!

Why did he need to shower again.

It was only after the sound of water went on for a long time in the bathroom that she understood.

With a bright red face she laughed. Lying back she hugged the blanket inhaling the cool clean scent that was unmistakably Steven's.

Early in the morning at six o'clock, the mist began to fade as the morning light arrived.

Hannah jerked awake from a nightmare about her previous life, sitting up too quickly giving herself a head rush.

The space next to her on the bed where Steven should have been was already vacant.

The silence in the room caused her heart to fill empty. She pushed the blanket aside but because she moved too hastily she staggered and had to grab hold of the bookshelf decks to her. As if on cue the door to the bedroom opened.

When Hannah lifted her head she saw Steven already dressed. It seemed like he had not been awake for long as he had clearly just showered... again.

He wore a blue dress shirt and black pants looking as handsome as always.

"Feeling unwell??"

Steven saw that Hannah's skin was white as a ghost and he walked towards her with concern in his eyes.

Hannah blankly watched as he approached. When he placed his hand on her forehead she still could not utter a word.

She was still completely mesmerized by him.

So everything that happened yesterday was not a dream.

Steven retracted his hand.

In the past she had always refused his touch.

Perhaps she was behaving so oddly because of a nightmare.

Had she finally woken up?

Was she going to start pushing for divorce again!!

"Dizzy??'

He did not move to touch her again.

"Maybe it's the head injury acting up. We could take you back to the hospital just to make sure it's okay. I'll have Rose come to help you change clothes."

Steven turned around to walk away and Hannah finally found the courage to speak...

"Steven!!!"

Hannah blurted out without thinking.

He had just turned around when Hannah suddenly flew into his arms.

Startled... Steven gingerly wrapped his arms around her. Hannah continued forcefully pressing herself into his arms tightly gripping his waist.

He frozed because of her sudden embrace. Then looked down at her head, placing a hand on it, he gently patted her.

"If you're not feeling well we'll go to the hospital."

Hannah did not speak. She continued hugging him tightly breathing in his fresh scent.

"Had a nightmare??" he asked.

" yes."

Hannah continued holding him, unwilling to let go.

She went on...

"I dreamed that you didn't want me anymore. Once you left, you left for ten years. After that you married another woman."

She had just woken up and that was also reflected in her voice.

Steven stroked her hair and said

"Don't think about such ridiculous things. I would never marry someone else."

His words soothed her. But once she'd calmed down she realized that she had not yet put on her makeup.

How could she faced Steven looking so unkempt. She quickly ran towards the bathroom all the while covering her face.

Steven for his part, furrowed his brows in confusion.

"This is isn't our first day of marriage you know. It's not like it's the first time I'm seeing you without any makeup on. Why are you hiding?"

Hannah did not explain instead she ran into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

Though she certainly looked worse for wear with puffy eyes and a blotchy complexion.

Steven's bathroom did not have the products she generally used for her beauty routine.

It was still an unanswered question whether Steven would after last night move his things back into their shared bedroom.

Seeing how Steven had already left the room. Hannah took the opportunity to run back to their bedroom and move the thing she frequently used to his bedroom that way regardless of which room he chose to stay in she would be able to stay over.

There was nowhere he could escape her.

Hannah changed her clothes and went downstairs for breakfast. On the table was her new favorite - custard toast.

As she sat down Steven placed a cup of orange juice in front of her. She couldn't take her eyes off him. She couldn't believe she'd once dreamed about divorcing him.

Hannah however decided to play it cool.

She picked up her glass of orange juice and downed a large mouthful. She drank too quickly though and she started violently coughing.

Steven brought over some napkins. She was still coughing loudly so he helped her wipe the custard off her lips.

" You've been acting strange since yesterday.

Why do you keep staring at me? Are you okay??"

Hannah purposely continued coughing to avoid answering his question.

Rose rushed out of the kitchen...

'Madam what's wrong you're coughing so badly"

"Nothing"

Hannah insisted finally able to breathe.

"I'm fine... It just went down the wrong pipe that all!!"

"So long as you're alright. Oh yes!! I meant to tell you. Yesterday Miss Melanie said she wants to come and stay at city park tonight. Should I prepare dinner for her as well?'

Hannah's expression did not change. After coughing twice more she turned to Rose and said...

"Rose please clean up the guest bedroom my sister always uses but from now on don't let her stay at city park as much."

"But Melanie will be coming today!!"

"'I'll speak to her about it. After all city park is not the Oliver Family's home. It's not right for her to come in and out of here all the time.'

Hearing this Rose couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.

In the past she had found it odd that Melanie would always come over and ask all sorts of questions about Steven.

Without missing a beat Rose rushed to clean up the guestroom.

All of a sudden Steven's phone which was on the dining table vibrated.

Hannah initially thought it was one of those annoying text from businesses offering discounts on products you don't want to buy but Steven could not have been less interested.

He was deeply engrossed in whatever Forbes article he was reading.

Hannah unable to resist, peered at his phone. When she saw the number on his screen her eyes flashed with anger and she reached over to take his phone.

The message from none other than Melanie read:

Steven please don't be mad at my sister I didn't think she would actually try and drug you.

She originally wanted to send you to another woman's bed but I told her it was crazy. I tried to reason with her but she wouldn't listen.

With the way things have been between you two. Do you really think you'll ever be happy together?

My heart aches for my sister but I also feel bad for you.

Do you think it's worth it trying to make things work with her.