"Daddy, stay here. Don't go anywhere else," Farel pleaded with his face still looking pale.
"Honey, it's okay. The nurse wants to put your IV in first. Soon the medicine will be inserted. Listen to mama, son," said Lily who was almost frustrated.
Farel was about to rebel, but the body of the adult man who he thought was his father was getting closer. So he nodded and finally obeyed not to move anymore.
"Pain is bad. So you have to get better quickly," he said in a flat voice. However, it succeeded in making Farel happy because he felt cared for.
"You promise not to stay away from us anymore," Farel murmured with a sad look in his eyes. "Tomorrow is my birthday. My friends will ask me where I am again. So don't go."
"I have-"
These words were interrupted when the doctor who was treating Farel came into the room. "Good morning. Wow! Did you lose the IV?"
"Sorry, Doctor," Farel grinned, showing his horse grin. "I was too happy to see my daddy."
The doctor turned to the man in question. "Mr. Keenan?"
"Don't ask too many questions. This child is sick. You hurry up and finish your work," said the man named Keenan.
"Yes, sir." The doctor quickly reached for a folder containing a collection of patient examination results complete with reports from the laboratory as well. "Thankfully there's nothing alarming. Tomorrow this smart little guy can go home."
"Can't it be now? It's my birthday tomorrow," Farel pleaded, showing his disappointment.
"I'm sorry, Boy. There's medicine that has to be administered through the IV until tomorrow morning. So I have to go home as I said."
The clock struck nine o'clock. The pair of adults who had been silent earlier now turned to each other.
"I have a meeting. So I have to go," Keenan said matter-of-factly.
Lily nodded in understanding. "Thank you. What you did earlier was very helpful."
Keenan did not say anything after that. He got up from where he was sitting and walked quickly out of the room. Before actually leaving, he took a moment to glance at Farel who was sleeping on the gurney. There was a feeling of guilt because he had previously accused the two mothers and children of nothing. So he remained silent and did not protest when the boy invited him to the infirmary.
Meanwhile, Lily was now looking at her son with pity. She did not think that Farel's current illness could be because he missed his father so much. Until a soft knock from outside broke her reverie.
"Auntie?"
"Sorry, Lily. I just finished cleaning up at home. My vegetable customers left a lot for tomorrow so I just came here. Oh yes. Did you have breakfast?" asked her aunt as she took out a package of rice from a plastic bag. "Go to the cafeteria. Eat some hot tea so you don't catch a cold. You haven't slept since last night."
"Yes, aunt. Take care of Farel for a while. If he wakes up, just call me."
Because she was late in filling her stomach, she felt nauseous when she put the rice in her mouth. Lily gulped down the contents of her sweet tea until only half was left. She lost her appetite because she was busy thinking of solutions to her son's unfulfilled wishes.
Her stomach only accepted up to the fourth mouthful. The poor woman's attention quickly shifted to the white-furred cat, which immediately made her wince. Poor thing. That's what Lily thought. So she came up with an idea to give the fish in the rice packet to the animal.
"Hey, come here!" she screeched in a half-whisper.
For some reason, her feet followed the direction of the cat, which was walking to the south wind. After following for a minute, Lily quickly took out the rest of the food.
["Come on, Dad. What era is this? There's no such thing nowadays."]
The faint voice made Lily stop her activities. She wanted to leave, but her feet refused to move at all. It was as if there was a glue that kept the mother of one glued there.
["I don't want to get married yet. I don't plan to have children anyway. Can't you respect my opinion, huh?"]
["..."]
The man, who was in the middle of an emotional outburst, roughly pushed his hair back. He kicked the wind because he was so annoyed with the person on the other side.
["I swear. You guys are really annoying."]
["..."]
["Hello! Daddy! I'm not done talking yet."]
It seemed that the call was cut off just like that. Making the man chuckle in annoyance. Unfortunately, when he turned his head to the right, Lily's face appeared within seconds.
"You?!" he pointed with a flash of anger. "What are you following me for, huh?"
Lily stammered. Fear arose when she saw the man who was none other than Keenan. He turned like a lion about to pounce on its prey. "Sorry. I-I came here by accident. I... ummmm fed the cat. Yes. She was here earlier." Inevitably her finger pointed downwards where there were fish bones that had been scattered.
Before she could hear a response from the man in front of her, Lily's cell phone started vibrating. She quickly pulled out the flat object from her pants pocket.
"Hello, aunt. What's wrong?" she asked in a voice that was still muffled by the horror of staring into Keenan's emotional eyes.
Unfortunately, she didn't hear clearly because at that moment, the sound of the ambulance disguised her aunt's words. So Lily activated another mode on her cell phone.
["Farel is awake. He said he wanted to meet his father. Did Adrian come here earlier?"]
"Ah that." Lily glanced at Keenan who was still in an intimidating position. "I'm going there now."
"Where are you going?" snapped Keenan still with a raised voice. "I don't like people knowing about my life."
I swear. Lily had no intention of eavesdropping or anything. Who did she want to share the information she heard with? After all, she met Keenan only this morning. They obviously didn't know each other.
She sighed softly before finally opening her mouth, "I'm sorry for what I just said. I had no other intention at all. Besides, I still have a lot of problems. Excuse me."
"Wait!" Keenan stretched one stumpy hand in front of Lily who was about to leave. "I hate to say this, but I'm under pressure."
"Sorry. What do you mean?" asked Lily not understanding where this was going.
"From what I saw earlier, it looks like your son is suffering from mild depression."
"Thanks for the heads up," said Lily briefly.
"I need a new status to take over the company. Your son also needs a father. So... let's get married."
Marry? What kind of idea is that? Lily chuckled at the offer. "Are you crazy?"
Keenan said that consciously, but the woman in front of him accused him of being crazy. His jaw hardened with a piercing gaze at Lily. "You will regret your words.""What a strange man," Lily muttered. She quickly turned around and moved quickly away from Keenan. The first thing she saw was her son's dazed face as he looked back and forth. Lily smiled and approached the gurney."Where's Dady, mom?" Farel asked without even acknowledging her presence. "I didn't dream, did I? We met him in the hospital garden. Grandma didn't believe in me." The mother's silence caused the boy to turn to the middle-aged woman who had been guarding him. "It's true, Grandma. Daddy is here with me. Right, Mom?""Really?" asked Lily's aunt who looked doubtful.Lily shook her head weakly. She quickly changed the subject. "How is it, dear? Did the infusion hurt, hmmm?""I haven't answered that one yet," Farel said in a stern voice. "I want daddy. I don't want anything else." As a mother
"We're not going to do battle in bed," Keenan muttered with a lopsided smile. Lily's face, which had been looking tense, now looked flushed. "Why, are you not getting enough petting, hmm?""Watch your language!" snapped Lily then. What he just said offended her pride. Ah. She had almost forgotten that she had lost it since she decided to marry Adrian."So how was it?" Keenan did not care about the change in his interlocutor who looked depressed. "Since you're silent, then I assume you agree. I'll take care of this with my lawyer. So tell your son that I'll be back." Without wanting to hear Lily's reply, the arrogant man just walked away. Now Lily sat on the sofa in her son's luxurious treatment room. On the other side was her aunt who was already fast asleep on the bed beside the patient. While she had still awake since two hours ago. Lamenting the seemingly endless misfortunes of life. She had married Adrian for love. Soon she would do the same, but this time
The reprimand caused the newlyweds to freeze for an instant. Both of them looked at each other with an unknown gaze. Until a few seconds later Keenan extended his right hand to Lily."That's it. Don't forget to take it for documentation," said the marriage officer to Keenan's messenger who was holding a camera. Meanwhile, Lily pressed her forehead against the back of Keenan's hand. Inevitably, the man brought his lips to her ear."I'm willing to be a daddy for your child, but don't ever expect me to treat you like a wife." Words that only Lily could hear because they were so close. Her new husband briefly kissed her forehead. Then, he backed away from Lily. Her suffering did not end. Instead, it only increased because of her new status. As the wife of a man, she didn't even know at all. Fool. Of course. However, her instincts as a mother overcame her sanity. The short marriage ceremony was over. Lily looked up when he
"Sorry, sir," squeaked Lily in her hoarse voice."This time I forgive." Keenan looked at her sharply. "Listen carefully, Lily. I don't like you calling me in such a high tone. Be obedient if you want me to treat you well." The woman nodded silently. Then she walked side by side with Keenan back to the car. The place where his son was now."Dad, where are we going?" asked Farel when the two were on each side of his left and right."You just wait. We'll get there," Keenan replied with his cold and flat face. That made Farel look down and no longer said anything."Hey, what did daddy say earlier, hmm? He wants to give you a surprise. So don't disturb him yet," Lily whispered as she rubbed the top of her son's head. "Daddy's like that because he's afraid he'll say something, honey.""Oh. Yes," Farel said quietly.
The sound just now made Lily's jaw drop. In an instant, her presence had become the focus of everyone in the living room. Meanwhile, Keenan didn't care at all."Keenan, you're not bragging." The woman in the lackluster dress standing in front of him was inflamed. "She's just a new maid in this house, right? You guys... can't be married. You're just lying!"Keenan rolled his eyes back. He quickly grabbed Lily's body. "What's impossible? She is my wife. We just got married. Are you deaf, heh?""So what do you think I am?" the woman snarled. She smiled wryly as she glanced at Keenan's wife. "This is not funny. You know that we are a good match.""That's just what you think." After that, Keenan pulled his wife's arm and left the woman. The two walked to the main room and were followed by the butle
"Awwh!" The woman winced as her hand was grabbed firmly and jerked violently. She growled and then turned to the perpetrator. "Keenan??""This is my house!" Keenan gave the woman a sharp look and then pulled her quickly out of the room."Keenan, come on. What kind of charade are you doing, heh? I know that you're pressured to get married, but why does it have to be with a one-child widow anyway? Look at me!" The silver-haired woman confidently approached. "I can be your wife."Unfortunately, Keenan laughed discordantly. "Lisna, stop making things up. You'd better go home now.""I'm serious. What am I missing? Oh my. You're probably being patted down by that woman."Keenan snorted softly then said. "I'm not in the mood to argue with you. Go away." Meanwhile, inside his room, Farel was listening to Lily's explanation regarding the incident."It's okay, sweetheart. That a
Farel gasped and then froze in an instant. Meanwhile, Lily quickly restrained Keenan's hand which had been clenched tightly."What are you doing?" asked Keenan in a voice that held a hint of anger. He was about to return to the study. However, the noise from Farel's room ruined his plans.The four-year-old boy looked down as he wrung his fingers. "I-I was just playing with the playhouse.""He was just playing. Please don't scold him," Lily whispered. She shook her head softly with eyes that almost stopped blinking as Keenan began to pick up his pace. Just as he was about to approach Farel, her cold husband stopped and took a sidekick position."Is your bed uncomfortable?" he asked later. "You don't like the picture?" Farel shook his head. "Or the color?" Again the boy shook his head softly. Keenan frowned
"Jum?" Lily who had just come out of the room was startled by the presence of the butler who was already standing behind her. "Who are you looking for?""Uh, he." The middle-aged woman lightly rubbed the back of her neck with an exasperated smile. "Mr. Keenan. Are you awake yet?""Probably. The bed is so neat." Lily replied casually. What she had just said made Jum frown as she turned her mouth upside down. Had the newlyweds not spent the night together last night? That was what was on her mind. Just as she was about to ask further questions, the sound of clattering footsteps made them quickly turn their heads."Sir?""What time is it already, Jum? Why are you late bringing me tea?" Keenan's gaze was intimidating. It made Mbok Jum look down in guilt."I'm sorry, sir. I thought last night you and Ma'am Lily were""What?" cut off Keenan quickly. "Don't talk so much. Just do your job here properly." After that, Lily's new husband quickly turned around and walked away to the nort