Money, Love, and Secret

Beep ... Beep ... Beep ...

The sound of the electrocardiogram machine continued to ring in the ears of a young woman. For six months, she had spent half of her time in the room of someone she loved. The other half was spent elsewhere, specifically at the house of a man who was now walking towards her.

"Hi, honey," the man said as he opened the door to the room. The woman responded with a forced sweet smile, her tired face betraying her true feelings. "How was your husband's surgery? Did it go well?" he asked.

"The surgery went well, although it took longer than the doctor had estimated," she replied.

"You look exhausted, honey," the man said, gently caressing the woman's delicate face. She responded by stroking his strong hand and taking a deep breath. "Have you eaten? How about having dinner with me? How about we go to a Japanese restaurant?"

She glanced at her husband, who was lying there connected to numerous machines, as if seeking his permission. She hadn't eaten anything since morning.

"Your husband would surely allow his sweet wife to eat," the man said, turning her head to face him. He gazed at her deeply, a hint of displeasure evident on his face.

"I'm going to grab a bite to eat, honey," she said, caressing her husband's hand instead of kissing him. The man pulled her out of the room. They walked towards the elevator. By chance, the elevator was empty, just the two of them. The man took advantage of the quiet moment to get cozy, but the beautiful woman rejected his advances, citing that they were in a public place.

The man complied, though he was frustrated. He planned to exact his revenge for the rejection when the opportunity arose. As the elevator doors opened, a crowd was already waiting. They naturally became the center of attention, but the woman acted indifferent. She walked behind the man who had been her financial support all this time.

"Wait for me in the front lobby. I'll get the car," he instructed. She nodded in understanding. She walked straight ahead, avoiding any distractions. Her long legs enabled her to quickly reach the exit. Soon, the man's luxurious white car arrived.

The car door was already open from the inside, so she only had to enter and sit gracefully. The car then sped away from the expensive hospital. The man continued trying to flirt with her, from holding her hand to forcing her to look at him.

"What's with you? Do you want to eat or get into an accident?" the woman snapped, annoyed by his inappropriate behavior.

"What's wrong with you, honey? You've been rejecting me all day," he responded, suddenly stopping the car by the roadside. He stared at her, demanding an explanation. The woman, already in a bad mood, exhausted, hungry, and irritated by his actions, reluctantly complied.

She brought her face close to his, almost touching. She smiled wryly as she saw his eyes, which had been open, now closed, anticipating a kiss from her.

"I'm hungry, and you're hungry too. If we continue this here, when will we reach the restaurant, Boss Dallas?" she said, gently patting his cheek. He pouted but resumed driving in silence. For now, he could handle the situation.

The expensive black car pulled into a famous Japanese restaurant, renowned for its delicious food, quality ingredients, and exorbitant prices. For a moment, she admired the restaurant's exterior design, feeling grateful to dine in such a place.

Boss Dallas, as she called him, walked ahead. Unlike usual, he didn't hold her hand, still upset from earlier.

"Here we go, sulking like a child again," she murmured, following him inside. Once inside, she scanned the restaurant's meticulously designed interior. It felt like a little piece of Japan.

She approached him, trying to ease his anger by kissing his cheek. "So sorry, honey," she said. He didn't respond. "If you want, we can continue this after dinner," she added. Their conversation was interrupted by a waiter bringing the menu. He ordered dishes she didn't recognize, trusting his good taste.

While waiting for their food, she tried to act affectionate, ignoring the strange looks from others. The most important thing was to keep her Boss happy and ensure a steady flow of money. She still needed a lot for her husband's treatment.

Slowly, he began responding to her again. They engaged in light conversation about a project he was working on. Dallas asked for her input. She knew a bit about the project and did her best to help him succeed, ensuring she could benefit from it too. Anything involving his money, she was willing to support.

Finally, their food arrived. They ate heartily. She continued her sweet behavior, feeding him bites of her food. They joked and laughed, appearing like a happy couple.

"Do you want more or anything else?" Dallas offered. She shook her head, feeling full. Her hunger had vanished. After settling the bill, they prepared to leave. Suddenly, Dallas needed to use the restroom.

He had told her to wait inside, but she preferred waiting in the car. She walked to the parking lot. His car stood out as the only brightly colored one among the dark vehicles.

She chose not to sit inside, standing by the car instead. A minute, two minutes, then five minutes passed, but Dallas hadn't returned. Her eyes spotted a socialite group. She recognized one of them. The woman she was observing then greeted her.

"Mira? What are you doing here?"

"Sorry, I'm not Mira. You must have mistaken me for someone else," she denied.

"Oh, I see. You look a lot like a high school friend of mine. Sorry about that," the woman replied, then walked away. The name she mentioned was indeed hers, but she didn't want to admit it. She kept her identity hidden, not wanting anyone to see her there, especially with Dallas. Mira got into the car.

Not long after, Dallas arrived, got in, and sat behind the wheel. "Don't forget your promise earlier, honey," he reminded Mira. She nodded and smiled. Dallas now drove his car with a feeling of joy, anticipating the earthly paradise he would soon enjoy with the woman he loved. A pleasure he never got from his wife.

The old-money heiress could only work, work, and work, not understanding that her husband needed other things too. Like these past few days, the woman had been busy on a business trip abroad. Her husband was left alone at home. It was fortunate that Mira, who was lonely, was willing to keep him company.

Dallas increased his speed, eager to unite with Mira on this cold night. Luckily, he was gifted with excellent driving skills, adept at finding gaps in the increasingly crowded city streets. Mira seemed to enjoy the evening, the city lights briefly entertaining her before she was confined in Dallas's gilded cage until morning.

The car entered an elite complex, where grand houses lined up like hills. Owning a big and luxurious house had been her childhood dream. She felt like the queen of the world. She thought her husband could provide it, but fate had other plans. She got it through other means. Whatever it took, the important thing was that it was officially in her name.

The house was officially hers, but the man caressing her in the driveway was not. Their status was merely a dating relationship, not legally or religiously formalized. No woman has two husbands. Men with two wives, however, are common. Like Dallas, who now carried her into the house. They paused their activities until they reached the bedroom.

Thud.

The bedroom door closed, and Dallas didn't give Mira time to undress. He immediately unleashed his frustration. Mira couldn't refuse under Dallas's muscular frame. Tonight would be long and intense for Mira.

Mira woke up to the ringing of Dallas's phone. Her head still ached, her whole body sore as if she had done heavy labor. Indeed, pleasing Dallas was a strenuous task for her. It took some time to regain her energy. She reached for her phone on the nightstand.

"It's already seven o'clock," she croaked, her voice hoarse from sleep. Suddenly, she remembered what she had told her husband. She had promised to be gone for just a while, but it had been 12 hours. Mira had spent the night with another man.

Mira was again disturbed by the sound of Dallas's phone. She tried to wake him, thinking it was an important call from the office. But Dallas continued to sleep soundly, his eyes tightly shut.

Mira tried to free herself from Dallas's embrace. Slowly, she moved his muscular arm wrapped around her waist to the side. She got out of bed and walked to the other side of the king-size bed. She touched Dallas's phone.

"I thought it was an important call from the office, but it's his wife. I'll just leave it," she said, placing the phone back. Mira then headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Her long legs stepped into the bathtub filled with warm water and her favorite soap bubbles.

She performed the ritual to rejuvenate her body, pampering herself before returning to reality. As she was enjoying her bath, the bathroom door suddenly opened. Dallas's head poked in. Without warning, he joined her in the bathtub. They shared the same tub.

"I forgot tomorrow is my wedding anniversary with Aline. I'm planning to join her in Germany," Dallas said.

"And then?"

"I want to spend today with you, just the two of us, before I leave for the airport tonight," Dallas said, staring intently at Mira.

"And what about my husband? What if the doctor looks for me? What if there are updates-"

"Well, it doesn't matter. My word is final," Dallas said, pressing his body against Mira's. They reunited, repeating last night's moments. Mira had to entertain him again, setting aside, even discarding, her husband's needs whenever she was with Dallas.

They stayed in the bathroom for quite a while. If Mira didn't end it, Dallas would continue his advances. Whatever charm she had, it kept Dallas coming back to her. He never looked at another woman while with Mira. They exited together after cleaning up and dressing.

It was now late morning. Mira complained of hunger. Dallas immediately offered several dining options, all upscale restaurants. He was very generous with food, often taking Mira to grade-A restaurants. But Mira didn't want to go out.

"Just order food online," she requested. Dallas complied. He was not fond of the online menu, but what could he do? His woman had asked.

"Do you want to see your husband, honey?" Dallas asked after noticing Mira staring at her phone.

"Can I go home now?" Mira asked, hoping Dallas's answer would change. But it didn't. He didn't allow her to leave his side, even though he knew Mira had responsibilities to her husband.

Dallas mentioned that after lunch, he would return home to pack. He invited Mira to stop by his house, but she refused. For some reason, she didn't want to step foot there.

"Why don't you want to come to my house?" Dallas asked enthusiastically. He had long wanted to know why Mira never wanted to visit.

"What do you think the reason is?" Mira asked back. Dallas shook his head, truly clueless. "I'm jealous, love. I get upset seeing every corner of your house, imagining all the moments you shared with your wife before you met me."

"You're wrong, honey. What moments? I have many joys with you. Elmira Tabitta, will you officially be mine?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just kidding, sweetheart," said Dallas, laughing as he saw the panicked expression on his girlfriend's face. Mira didn't find Dallas's comment amusing. From his face, it was clear he was serious. "Come on, sweetheart, I was just joking. I'm not that crazy. I know you still have a husband and I also have a wife," added Dallas.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the food delivery driver calling out from below. Dallas stopped Mira from getting the order and took over the task of setting the table. Dallas arrived at the dining table with his hands full of food. Mira felt happy because Dallas had gotten all the food she wanted.

"Try this, it's really good. The fried rice with beef tripe is delicious. Come on, just a bite," said Mira, trying to feed Dallas. But Dallas refused. He didn't like fried rice with soy sauce, especially since it looked greasy. He couldn't stand it.

No matter how hard Mira tried to persuade him, Dallas still wouldn't eat it. He chose something else instead. Suddenly, he stopped eating, making Mira confused and worried.

"What's wrong? Is the food not good?" Mira asked as she approached Dallas.

"No, the food is great. I just forgot the last time I had lunch so cheerfully. Thank you, Mira," he said, smiling widely. Mira responded with a quick kiss on his lips. They continued their lunch, chatting casually.

Dallas helped Mira carry the dirty dishes to the kitchen. Mira was used to washing the dishes right after eating. Dallas took on the task of cleaning the dining table. As Mira was washing the dishes, Dallas suddenly hugged her from behind.

"It tickles, sweetheart," she said when Dallas kissed her long, white neck. Hearing Mira's words, Dallas became more persistent. He turned Mira around so they were facing each other. Dallas wanted to repeat his actions, but Mira pushed him away.

"Why, sweetheart? I'll be lonely over there without you," he said. "So let me-"

"You won't be lonely there if you treat your wife the way you treat me. What woman would refuse to be treated so sweetly by her partner?" said Mira softly.

"I can't. I can't if it's not-"

"You can, you're so sweet to me. You just don't want to," Mira continued. "You'll be celebrating your wedding anniversary. Make it a moment to remember."

"Why did I meet a woman like you so late, Mira? Why do you have to have a husband, hmm?" Dallas said. He pressed his lips against Mira's. Mira's hands now moved to Dallas's neck. Their quick kiss turned into something more passionate.

"Make your wife as happy as you've made me," said Mira between their kisses. Dallas felt lucky to have a woman like Mira who wasn't manipulative and didn't monopolize him. Mira still thought about his wife.

Mira said that to take responsibility for her sin of cheating on her husband with a married man. It was also a way to win Dallas's heart, so he would love her more. The more Dallas loved her, the easier it would be for her to ask for anything, especially when it came to financial matters.

After their passionate moments, Dallas said he would go home to pack. Once again, he asked Mira to come to his house. Mira's answer was still the same; she didn't want to. She walked Dallas to the front door.

"Since you've made me happy, you don't need to take me to the airport. Go, see your husband," said Dallas. Mira smiled broadly. See? When you do good, it comes back to you. "Do you want me to bring you anything, sweetheart?" Dallas asked.

"I don't want anything except for you to come home safely," she replied. Dallas kissed Mira's forehead for a long time. Then he walked to his car. The engine roared, and the car slowly reversed. Dallas waved before the vehicle disappeared.

After Dallas left, Mira went back to the kitchen to finish washing the dishes. Once she completed a few household chores, she prepared to return to the hospital. She made sure all the doors were locked, then ordered an online taxi to take her.

Now, Mira was halfway there. She couldn't wait to see her beloved. Despite her relationship with Dallas, Mira still loved her husband. No one could replace Matteo in her heart.

The taxi stopped right in front of the hospital entrance. After paying the fare, Mira got out. She walked lightly into the multi-story building. Her eyes immediately focused on the people waiting in line for the elevator.

"I guess I have to wait in line," she murmured. Mira stood at the back, with about five people in front of her. She prayed that the elevator would be empty when it arrived so she could go up. Her prayer was answered; she managed to join the group of visitors in the elevator.

Mira stepped out as soon as the doors opened. She was the only one to get off at that floor. Her destination was in the fourth row. When she reached Matteo's room, Mira, already wearing her ICU visitor gear, apologized repeatedly to her husband. She felt guilty for not being there for Matteo during his critical moments. The nurse she met earlier had told her that Matteo was still in critical condition after the surgery. The medical team was still monitoring him closely.

"Get well soon, my love. Please wake up," said Mira as she caressed Matteo's hand, which was free of IV tubes. She kissed it several times. Her mouth continuously prayed to God for her husband to wake up soon. She missed his voice and gaze.

Mira kept holding Matteo's hand as if trying to transfer her energy to him, but she had to let go when the doctor came in to examine him. Mira was asked to wait outside, and she did as the nurse told her. Mira waited anxiously for news about her husband.

When the doctor finished the examination and came out of the room, Mira immediately approached him with questions. The conclusion was that Matteo had not shown any progress. If he remained the same by tomorrow, he would enter a coma-brain death. Mira's legs suddenly felt weak. She sat on the floor, unable to believe Matteo's condition had become so severe.

"I thought the surgery would make him better, but now he's in a coma," she whispered. She covered her face with her hands. Memories of the accident they had on their way back from their honeymoon replayed in her mind. Mira's quiet sobs turned into full-fledged crying. After she had cried enough, she went back into Matteo's room.

"Darling, wake up. I miss you. Don't stay like this, please. Wake up," she said into Matteo's ear. Yes, Mira was trying to wake Matteo up. She knew Matteo could hear her. The touching moment was interrupted by Mira's phone ringing.

She knew it was Dallas calling. She wanted to ignore the call, but considering Matteo's condition, which still required a lot of money, she reluctantly answered it.

"Hi sweetheart, are you about to board the plane?" Mira asked softly. As she said this, Matteo's finger twitched.

"Sweetheart?"