Marriage In Trouble

"Are you sure you can stay here for now?" Calyx asked. I am in my own room in our own house. Jillian suddenly went out when she received a call so Calyx and I were left alone.

"Yes. We're married. There's nothing wrong staying at our own house, right?"

"But you're not sleeping with me." I let out a laugh because of what he just said.

"Seriously? After confessing that you're still in love with Jillian, you expect me to sleep with you? In one bed? Hell no! I was sleeping here for 3 months right after our marriage, so I can still sleep here." I answered, trying to stop myself from shouting at him for telling me that I'm not sleeping with him. How dare he!

I am not gonna sleep with him not until Jillian will be out of our lives for good!

"Okay then." he said, giving up then left me all alone.

I let out a deep sighed when he's out of my sight. I can't believe what I'm doing right now. This is martyrdom and I am the most martyr person alive! How can I dare to stay here in our house with Jillian in the picture?

I am freaking hurting but what I can do now? I am here trying to figure things out and trying to fix this marriage already in trouble. But where do I start anyway?

When Calyx left me all alone in my room, I start working on to find the problem in my family. I remembered how Jillian said that my family is in debt and I am actually confused about what she said. How is it possible that we're in big debt?

I track everything, from all the contracts we had until now and each transaction. But nothing seems right. I was able to get inside the internal system of Trexler Corporation that includes all the legal business we had but it doesn't show any signs of debt. But in the files that were shared externally, there was a report that we lost almost 75% stocks under our family. Yet, I cannot find anything that proves that it happened.

The thing is, those reports happened when my father was still alive. It happened 4 years ago, a year before I came back here in Australia. A year before my father died.

I was about to close all the folders when I noticed one folder that is entirely different from the rest. I tried to open it but it was encrypted and it cannot be opened by simple hacking.

I cursed in my head. There's no way my father convinced Calyx to marry me. There's no way he would make a false report about having our company or family a big debt. If my father was the reason why this happened, I don't know what I will do anymore.

This folder may be has everything I needed to clarify this. But I cannot open it easily.

*knock knock*

I was startled when I heard a sudden knock. Calyx entered my room instantly without waiting for me to answer.

"Dinner is ready." He said and approached me in my study table. "Let's eat first then you can continue what you're doing later." he continued and he closed my laptop.

"Maybe later." I ignored him and opened my laptop again but he closed it again. I bit my lip to suppress my anger. "I can eat later, Calyx! You can eat with Jillian and you don't need to invite me!" I snapped.

But he ignored my anger and he went closer. I almost cried when he almost lift me up. "Jeez! I can walk! You don't need to do that." I squeaked then I immediately ran my way out to the door.

I heard him chuckled that actually made my heart flutters. Jeez. I miss his small laugh. What the hell happened to us?

True enough, the dinner was served and Calyx prepared a lot. There's a buttered shrimp, soup, chop suey and one whole roasted chicken. Are we having a feast right now? Is there a celebration?

I scan the whole dining room and I didn't see Jillian around. It's just me and Calyx. "Okay. Why there's a lot of foods on the table? And where's your lover Jillian?" I asked curiously.

Because why not? I don't remember that there's something we need to celebrate. I just had a major embarrassing moment last night and my emotions are all tangled up. Then Calyx just announced earlier that he's still in love with Jillian. How can enjoy this feast?

"She won't be here tonight." He answered plainly and he sat down. "Let's eat, Severa."

"No. I'm good. Thank you." I turned down his offer to eat not because I am not hungry enough but because I'm too tired to face him right. "But I want to ask you something."

He stared at me, without emotions at all. He's all cleanup and he already shaved his stubbles. I can say that what I can see in him right now is the old Calyx. The cold one, the serious one. And I can't easily read what he's thinking right now or what he's planning.

"If you want to ask me something, then I suggest you sit." He ordered and started to dig in.

I smirked. He's back. I don't know what happened but he's back to the Calyx I know before.

So I followed him and sat in front of him. I didn't touch my plate and utensils and just stared at him. If I'm going to find out everything that is happening to my life, I know the first step I need to make is to ask Calyx himself.

He's the only one who knows about what my father did to our company and what my father did to him to marry me. Because I don't believe Uncle Brian can do it. From all the files I've read earlier, Uncle Brian doesn't have an idea that we didn't have any debt to pay. The company didn't experience an edge of bankruptcy.

"How did my father convinced you to marry me if you're in love with Jillian?" my straightforward question made Calyx dropped his spoon and fork. He looks at me with his jaw dropped. Like he can't believe that I cracked his first secret.

Instead of waiting for his answer which I don't really need anymore because he already confirmed it by the way he reacts to my question.

"I know that you're fully aware of how I like you, but why are you doing this? Why did you agree to my father?" I shoot him another set of questions. He didn't respond but he let out a deep sighed. "I haven't figured out yet how you'll be able to benefit from doing this even though I know that when you married me, you become richer than before."

"Do you remember how I act when I found out that you're close with Kaiser?" He answered my question with a question that makes me confuse. Because he asked me about a different topic. Too far from what I'm trying to know.

"What are you trying to do right now, Calyx? You can't change the topic right away!" I demanded. "Just answer me." my voice almost sound like I'm begging.

"I didn't ask you questions about your connection with Kaiser, and his friends. I stop myself from being curious about the news of you having brothers." His voice is low but I can feel that he's mad or what. I don't know anymore. But what he is saying right now just made me shut up. Then he continued. "I didn't pry on your life when I am confused as hell why I found you got beaten up! Because I want you to do the same. I want you to stop being curious about why I am doing this!"

"Are you trying to tell me to let you do things on your own? To what? To protect me from all the secrets you are hiding from me?" I snapped back.

"Yes, because I am protecting you! So please stop asking me why because I can't answer you and I won't answer you."

I was disappointed by having this kind of conversation with him. I just wanna follow the vow I made for him but I just can't when I feel that there's more than being married to him. My instinct tells me that I shouldn't let him do his own thing. But I cannot just enter his life that easily when he's not letting me.

I got up from the chair and looked down at Calyx sadly. "How long are you going to stay like this? Do you want me to file a divorce already?"

Calyx quickly stood up when he heard what I was saying. "No, you can't do that." He pleads. My brows creased.

"Why can't I? It seems like this marriage is just a setup. I know we didn't have any debt. My father just claimed that we did but it was a cover-up to something bigger. But I don't know what is it yet. Then now, you're acting like you don't want to let me go even though you don't have any feelings for me. Oh, you feel something for me. But unfortunately, it does not love. It's a pity. But I don't need your pity, Calyx. I simply need your love yet I know I can't force you to love me back."

Calyx came up to me and took me by the hand. I quickly withdraw my hand.

"I already told you I am protecting you! So you can't file a divorce to me easily, Severa. You can't!"

"From whom are you protecting me, Calyx? If someone is threatening my life, then tell me and I'll handle it! I don't need your protection at all." He bowed down like he's having a hard time answering me.

My forehead wrinkled, even more, when he quickly hug me.

"Just don't go, Severa. Just don't." He whispered and he tightens his hug.

I immediately scan the whole place and I just realized why Calyx been acting weirdly and torn as always. I return his hug and let out a deep sigh.

"I won't. I'm sorry." I answered Calyx while I'm cursing inside my head.

Calyx been compromised and I'm dumb enough not to notice it immediately.