Reawaken Expired Love

Lightning lit up the sky, followed by the deep rumble of thunder outside the window.

The bathroom's frosted glass door, touched by a soft, uncertain light, showed the outlines of two figures.

A tall man and a woman, both delicate and graceful, stood behind it.

Steam clouded the air, making it hard for Alicia Ellis to see. Her hands pressed against the glass, the pattern of her palms clear against it.

Around her waist, the man's arms held her tight, strong as iron.

A whirl of emotions filled her. Confusion and happiness tangling together, she felt like a feather tossed high into the air before falling.

Today, she celebrated three years of being married to Erick Ellis.

In the past, Alicia always reminded Erick, but he never remembered. He even seldom came home.

Though they were married, they felt like strangers.

This intimacy, typical for a couple, was new to them.

Three years of marriage, and Alicia remained untouched.

But she never held it against Erick.

Finally, the bathroom door opened. Erick, dressed in a bathrobe and immersed in steam, stepped out.

His robe hung open, showing his chest, marked with Alicia's nail scratches.

Alicia was bursting with excitement, like a hyper little animal. In her eagerness, she accidentally scratched his skin a few times, unable to contain her wild energy.

Erick, wearing a cool smile, took a seat and casually lit up a cigarette.

After a bit, Alicia came out, gripping her bathrobe tightly. Her cheeks were pink, a blend of shyness and nerves showing. She was trying hard to look composed. "You seem pretty happy today," she remarked, somewhat hesitantly.

In their marriage, Alicia had always been the more submissive one, partly out of guilt.

Three years back, her stepsister Michelle Singh had orchestrated a car accident that had almost killed Alicia. Erick, who was very fond of Michelle, had stepped in to mediate.

Erick's lips curled into a charming smile. "What would make you forgive Michelle?"

At that time, Alicia was recovering in a hospital bed, barely surviving. Even raising her hand was tough. She struggled to lift her head, staring at Erick's lips, then finally met his gaze.

"I want you," she declared, each word weighted with determination.

Her demand was clear. She wanted Erick to marry her and send Michelle away to Faylea.

She decided to let go of any grudges.

She was surprised when Erick actually said yes.

A marriage made from such a deal seemed like it would be dull.

But today was different. He returned early, and they made love with passion, igniting the faint hope in her heart.

She went to him, hopeful, even daring to wish for an embrace.

After their passionate encounter, her legs were still shaky. Her bathrobe, loosely tied, revealed a scar running from her ankle to her knee, thin and delicate yet seemingly ready to break.

It was the reminder of her almost fatal car accident, closed up with more than ten stitches.

It was a sign of her struggle to be with him.

Erick sat across from Alicia, outlined against the light, his gaze cold. "Michelle got back from overseas yesterday. She's unwell and wants to stay with me to get better. Your thoughts?"

His cigarette glowed intensely, and with a flick, the ash fell onto the plush carpet.

What grew cold next was Alicia's heart.

In that moment, she realized everything.

Erick's sudden change in behavior today made sense now. He had even touched Alicia, something she found both exciting and confusing. Initially, she was thrilled about this new development in their relationship.

But soon after, she felt like she was putting on a show for no one.

"You did this out of pity for me, right?" Alicia asked, her voice trembling. Her face lost all color. Her hands, tightly gripping her clothes, clenched into fists.

The warmth she had felt from their intimate moment earlier quickly vanished, leaving her feeling cold and hollow.

She wondered if Erick had been intimate with her just to get her to agree to let Michelle move in.

To Alicia, this felt like the ultimate insult.

Erick, looking a bit impatient, put out his cigarette in the crystal ashtray. "Why do you keep resisting? Michelle is your sister. How long will you avoid her?"

"She may be my sister, but she nearly killed me. Do you expect me to see her every day and remember how close I was to death?"

Alicia's voice surged uncontrollably.

She was sure she looked terrible at that moment. In the past, she had done everything to be the perfect wife for Erick, even giving up her career to care for him, all in the hope of winning his love.

Alicia knew Erick was a man of pride. Being forced into a marriage with her was like a constant annoyance to him.

Yet, she had hoped that, with time, he might start to have feelings for her.

Now, she realized how naive she had been.

He was unaware that three years ago, she nearly lost her life in a car crash caused by Michelle, resulting in a three-month hospital stay and leaving her dependent on a wheelchair for months. He didn't know about the nightmares that haunted her every night since, making her wake up screaming. Nor was he aware of how rainy weather brought pain to the scar on her leg.

Her life had been filled with such struggles, day and night.

To him, Michelle was just a poor girl who had to leave her country due to his jealous wife, a woman he saw as hysterical and resentful.

It was them who had pushed her to the point of hysteria.

Erick looked at her with a cold, sharp gaze, so different from the warmth and gentleness he had shown just moments before. But this time, Alicia stood her ground, her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes burning with firmness.

She had been backing down for years, yet she still had her limits.

She couldn't stand to see Michelle enter their house and get close to her husband right in front of her eyes.

She just couldn't.

"I think you've got it all wrong." Erick lifted himself slowly, walked by her, shed his bathrobe, and got dressed with a seamless grace.

His profile was striking, as if carefully crafted by an artist, but the cold blankness in his eyes made him seem even more mysterious. However, his words were clear and straightforward.

Erick's words were firm and unyielding. "This is my house. I have the final say. It's not up for debate. It's just how it is."

As he fastened the last button of his shirt with precision, Erick turned to face Alicia.

It was as if all the heated moments from before were just figments of Alicia's imagination.

Alicia felt a crushing sensation in her throat, like invisible hands were squeezing tightly, making it hard for her to breathe. She watched Erick move closer, step by step, a sense of unexplained fear washing over her.

Without realizing it, she stepped back until Erick reached out and held her chin firmly.

Their eyes met, and Alicia's heart began to race.

Then, out of nowhere, a loud commotion broke the tension. Their maid burst in, announcing, "Mr. Ellis, Miss Singh is downstairs!"

Miss Singh? Was that Michelle?

Alicia tensed up suddenly. She noticed Erick respond promptly, hurrying to the window to check outside.

Curious, she joined him, and that was when she caught sight of the scene below.

It was a stormy mess, with lightning cutting through the sky, thunder booming, dark clouds hanging low, and rain coming down hard. Trees were bending in the wind, and there, right at the entrance of their villa, stood Michelle. She was soaked through, her hair plastered to her face, yet she stood firm.

She looked both pitiful and appealing.

Alicia glanced at Erick, who was right next to her, his eyes wide with shock. He turned around abruptly, ready to race downstairs in an instant.

Despite the lingering warmth in her body, Alicia felt a cold shiver.

She spoke through her gritted teeth, her voice steady but firm. "If you step out that door today, it's over between us."

Erick stopped at the door.

Without turning around, he laughed softly. "You think you're in a position to make deals with me just because I'm being nice? That's funny."

He swiftly grabbed his coat and headed downstairs without a second thought.

Alicia watched him go, feeling numb. It took her a moment to realize there was a strange sensation on her cheeks.

When she touched her face, she discovered tears were streaming down without her even knowing.

Three years had passed, but she still couldn't hold onto him.

No matter the day or what had just happened, there was Michelle standing there, effortlessly undoing everything Alicia had worked for in these three years.

Alicia had never been harsh with Erick, but this time was different.

She knew if he walked out that door, it was really over.

Slowly, she moved to the window, looked down, and saw Erick quickly approaching Michelle. Michelle leaned slightly and fell into his embrace.

Erick quickly helped Michelle into his car, their closeness noticeable. Alicia couldn't help but wonder, did Erick still have her fragrance?

Yet, the woman he held now was different.

She watched the car fade into the subsiding rain.

The rain had passed by swiftly.

But the storm in Alicia's heart seemed endless.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden ringtone. Reluctant at first, she finally turned and answered the persistent call.

It was from her stepmother, Lana Singh.

After Alicia's mother went missing, suspected of running away with someone, her father, heartbroken, remarried Lana a year later. Lana brought her own daughter, Michelle, who was a year younger than Alicia.

Alicia understood her father's struggles. She carried guilt and embarrassment over her mother's actions for years.

Gradually, Lana and Michelle filled her home, even replacing her in her father's affections.

A car crash three years ago destroyed any facade of peace between her and Michelle.

Lana's voice was warm, almost too familiar. "Alicia, have you had your hospital check-up? How did it go? I don't mean to nag, but you've been married for a while. It's about time for a baby, don't you think? It'll satisfy your mother-in-law."

Alicia had tied the knot with the Ellis family, and Erick's mom, Helen Ellis, wasn't too happy about it.

The Singh family couldn't compete with the Ellis family in wealth and status.

Despite Erick's distant attitude towards Alicia, her family had gained some benefits from his over time.

In this situation, with no positive word on Alicia's pregnancy, both sides of parents were discontented.

But Alicia was in a tight spot.

She and Erick hadn't even shared a bed. A baby under those circumstances would be strange.

Lana, on the other hand, was pushing Alicia hard, which puzzled her. Lana's own daughter hadn't ended up marrying Erick, so Alicia expected Lana to despise her.

Yet, there Lana was, insisting Alicia have a child.

Alicia was too stressed to engage. "Okay, Lana."

Alicia's words to Lana were gentle, yet they clearly touched a nerve. Lana, still talking, said, "Remember the Vertriver land we mentioned earlier? Has Erick said yes? I don't want to interfere, Alicia, but it's important for you to realize our family's situation is getting worse. Your mom ran off with someone, and that's messed up our family's name. Without a child, how do you expect to stand strong in the Ellis family?"

"My mom just went missing. She didn't run off with anyone," Alicia retorted quickly, her anger rising.

Her mom had disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Her dad, who had married into her mom's family without a penny to his name, was left to deal with the consequences and the rumors of an affair.

The news hit Alicia like a bolt of lightning.

Every time it was mentioned, she felt a piercing pain in her heart.

"Fine, fine. She's missing, not run away." Lana's voice was like she was talking to a child. Her sneer showed her contempt for Alicia's denial. "Regardless, missing or running away, we've spent years hiding your mother's shameful actions. We're family. Helping your father is helping you. You wouldn't want Erick and his family, who always look down on you, to find out, right?"

Alicia's face stiffened, and she bit her bottom lip without thinking.

She knew she couldn't let Erick and the Ellis family, who always scorned her, learn about her mother's secret.

That was why she bore this burden, constantly pleading with Erick for Singh family's benefits, only to be looked down upon even more.

Weary, she gave Lana an affirmative response. After getting the desired answer, Lana continued with some small talk.

Just as Alicia was about to end the call, her face went pale, and she stared at the coffee table nearby.

Erick had just been sitting there.

Now, there was a small white pill on the table.

Alicia's heart raced. She dropped her phone and walked over to the small, unnoticed pill.

It was... It was the contraceptive pill Erick had left for her.