Chapter 3 Be Obedient

Kallie gestured, saying last night was not her fertile days.

A glint of disappointment flickered in Jake's eyes as he responded, "Good to know you've thought it through."

Kallie didn't note his feelings, assuming he wasn't interested in having children. She turned to gaze out the window, her eyes skimming over the cityscape.

"Would you like to go shopping? Or perhaps a spa day? I can arrange for someone to go with you," Jake said, his voice trailing from behind her.

Kallie shook her head, her sign language indicating she had work to attend to.

Jake said gently, "You are not in a crucial position. You don't have to push yourself so hard. You can just stay home and enjoy life as my wife."

To Kallie, though devoid of love, Jake was nearly the ideal husband in every other respect. Apart from making breakfast for him, she had no other household worries, and he provided her with a generous monthly allowance. He even furnished her with a supplementary credit card for unrestricted spending.

However, Kallie yearned for love, not material comforts.

When Kallie first moved in with him, Jake was only seventeen. He had vowed to cherish her and love her forever. While he had kept his first promise, the second had long since been forgotten.

Lost in her thoughts, Kallie barely noticed the car come to a stop. A gentle tapping on the window pulled her from her reverie.

As the window slid down, it revealed a pale face marred by swollen, red eyes. It was a pitiful, heart- wrenching sight, Jake's lover, Sarah Miller.

Tears had already started streaming down Sarah's face before she managed to utter a word. Clinging to the car window pitifully, she spoke in a soft, pleading voice. "I waited and waited for you but never heard anything. I went to your house, and they told me you were at your brother's baby's hundred-day celebration. I had to follow you here, just hoping for a chance to see you. Are you really angry with me? Did you come to her side to find some peace and escape my incessant talking?"

There was an unmistakable tinge of sarcasm in Sarah's words.

Kallie could sense the indirect mockery, almost as if calling her mute.

Watching Sarah's distraught expression, Jake's aloof demeanor softened slightly. "Do you realize what you did wrong?"

Sarah responded with a playful pout, "If you want an apology, you'll have to let me do it face-to-face. How can I apologize properly while standing out in the cold?"

Sarah's gaze then shifted intently toward Kallie's seat.

Jake turned to Kallie and broke the silence after a moment. "Your workplace is right there. Aren't you getting out?"

Actually, there was still some distance away from Kallie's workplace, though not far away. In the past, Jake would always drop her right at the door.

Kallie, obedient as ever, nodded and stepped out of the car, her heart heavy.

Sarah took her time, carefully pulling out disinfectant wipes from her purse and thoroughly cleaning the seat before sitting down. It was as though she thought Kallie had tainted it.

Jake frowned, puzzled. "What's all this about?"

Sarah looked up, her voice tinged with hurt. "Why are you upset with me? Have you forgotten that I'm a germaphobe? You promised that the passenger seat would be exclusively mine when you're driving and when others drive, we would be the only two occupying the backseat. I just want to clean the seat. What's so wrong about that? Why are you angry?"

Pretending to be injured, Sarah threw a defiant glance at Kallie.

Kallie didn't have the courage to confront Sarah. She silently watched Sarah wipe down the seat and then snuggle close to Jake.

Turning away, Kallie walked off toward her workplace.

Jake watched Kallie's retreating figure, a wave of guilt washing over him. He tried to push Sarah away, but she clung to him like a vine, her hug desperate. "Please, don't push me away. I'll behave better. I won't pressure you about the divorce anymore. Just forgive me. I know I made a mistake."

Sarah's eyes were brimming with sorrow as she looked up at Jake.

Jake tenderly squeezed the back of Sarah's neck, his gaze soft yet indulgent. "This is your last chance. As long as you are obedient, I'll give you anything you want, except the role of my wife."