Misunderstanding

Her brows raised, "Umm... No"

He paused, examining her face from her tight jaw to rigid frame, then turning his attention to the painting. He complimented, "It is magnificent."

"I know that right." Theresa responded in a nonchalant tone as she walked near the table and checked her phone.

The phone displayed 11 missed calls from 'Stupid Boy'.

"Are you serious?" Her brows flinched, she raked a frustrated hand through her hair. "And here I thought the girls called me."

"Girls? Why would they call you eleven times?" Lifting a bore brow, he sauntered towards Theresa and placed a tentative hand on her arm.

"That's none of your business." Theresa yanked away her arm from his touch.

"Everything that concerns my wife is my business." A small devilish smile tugged at his lips. Egan snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her into him with an unyielding strength.

Like this, Theresa was seized into an unbreakable embrace.

She felt the back of his fingers grazed against her jaw. Her heart thumped- in warning or excitement, she wasn't sure. It pounded so hard that Theresa felt it in her throat.

Egan tilted her chin up, his eyes boring into hers. On the other hand, Theresa felt the urge to break the tension arousing between them. The need to say something. Anything.

"Oh, really? If this is the case, then where was this so-called husband of mine when I called him for twenty times in a day? Isn't this your business to make sure that I am not worried about you?" Her voice tight and resentful, she pulled herself away from his embrace.

Worry and guilt washed over him. Heat rose on his face, "I.... I really apologize for that."

"For what, Egan?? What are you apologizing me for?" Theresa snapped, her pulse thundering. She then marched towards the window. Her gaze wandered outside, among the clear blue sky and lush greenery.

Egan too followed her footsteps and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. His voice gentled, "I know it's my fault for not responding to your calls, to make you wait and worry about me."

He made Theresa turn around and cradled her rosy face with his palm," I'm truly sorry about it."

Theresa exhaled a sharp breath. She shook her head, her chest heaving. She'd stopped crying, but her eyes burned with anger and sorrow. She believes she isn't in love with him, but her emotional response says otherwise.

Theresa only knew how much she suffered all these days when Egan was away from her. Maybe she is very much habituated to his presence, love and care which she mistook it for something as love ?

Theresa and Egan were childhood sweethearts, about to turned into a couple. They have been sticking with each other through every thick and thins of life.

Egan has his eyes on Theresa since the day they met each other. And seeing his care, affection and determination towards Theresa, she decided to make him her life companion.

All her life, Theresa had never believed in love because of her childhood trauma. Well, her parents got divorced when she was just thirteen years old.

Theresa's father was disloyal to her mother since the birth of her elder sister, Demi. Growing up and witnessing everything that she had to go through, she is a victim to numerous traumas.

Thalia's abusive marriage to Theresa's father has turned her off from ever putting herself in that position. A deep trace of her cheater father and mother being betrayed has been imprinted in her heart, which has made her to believe that love is the most nuisance thing ever to exist in the whole Universe.

In her life dictionary, the word 'LOVE' doesn't exist. It is a bitter truth of her life which Theresa truly embraces.

The only reason she was going to marry Egan was because he was her best friend and someone adored by her family and friends.

Theresa decided to marry him out of respect, not love. She has always believed in this philosophy, "If we ever come across a situation where we have to choose between two choices, one: the person whom we love and second: the person who loves us the most, then go for the second."

Well, it was easy for her since the first choice wasn't in her option, so she went with the second choice and as a result, they are going to marry soon.

"Do you wish to hear me?" Egan asked in a deceptively calm voice which brought Theresa's drifting thoughts back into reality. But, she greeted him with a silence.

Tension laced the air and his smile tightened. "I guess I got my answer. I won't force you."

Egan flashed a feeble smile. "I will be waiting for you in the 'Garden Of Aida'. Meet me there if you wish to." Egan pressed his lips lightly on her forehead. Then, he left from the window through which he had entered into the room earlier.

Theresa exhaled a shaky sigh, seeing Egan taking his departure. She plopped down on the floor. A shadow of sadness passed through her eyes and she stared blankly at the phoenix painting, her expressions growing pensive.

~~~~~~~

In the living room.

The bell ring outside interrupted Thalia's attention. She sauntered towards the door, opening it only to be greeted by two monsters.

"Surprise!!!" Two cheerful girls screamed at once, their voices filled with joy and excitement.

"Oh!" Thalia was startled.

The girls giggled and Thalia seized them into her arms in an attempt to hug them at once. Agnethe and Tasha were their names, best friends of Theresa.

The girl standing in the left was Agnethe. Deep-complexion with black eyes and an assymmetrical hair, perfectly carved her boyish personality.

Similarly, the girl in the right was Tasha with tight curls and a medium-complexion with super forest green eyes.

"Ahh!! We missed you, Auntie Thalia." The girls stated, squeezing her warmly and tightly.

"I missed you too, my dear girls." Thalia flashed a cheeky smile, withdrawing her embrace. "Let's go inside, I'll prepare chicken soup with oregano for everyone."

"Yayy!!! It's my favourite." Tasha screamed excitedly.

"If you girls aren't my favorite." Thalia smiled at them before the two girls followed her inside the house.

Their footsteps echoed off the marble floors as they walk through the luxurious home. The bright lavender walls matched the light curtains Theresa chose, creating a welcoming space the guests do find hard to leave at times.

"What do you want for refreshment, girls?" Thalia asked, looking for some liquids in the refrigerator. On the other hand, Tasha had taken her seat in the lavish dining.

"Anything you like, Auntie." Tasha responded.

While, Agnethe was already off to meet Theresa.

Before she entered the kitchen, she ascended the stairs and sneaked into Theresa's room only to find her missing.

"If she's not here, then she must be in her Art room." Agnethe headed to the right. And just two rooms away was Theresa's heaven, her art room.

Opening the door, she witnessed Theresa on the floor.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Her brows rose higher. Agnethe dashed towards Theresa and seized her into a tight hug.

"You don't look fine, did something happen?" Agnethe queried, lightly rubbing her back.

Theresa couldn't help, but bury herself into Agnethe's reassuring embrace. The tears dripped down her cheeks and her sniffles echoed in the room.

"Egan... it's Egan. He is back." Sadness blossomed in her stomach, curling around her heart.