Through Your Eyes, Book 2

We rested for a while after we arrived home. Our vacation in Hawaii was long enough to make me fall completely for my husband. He cared for me like I was the breath of his life, and he attended to my every need like it was his only lifeline.

"Excited for my surprises?" Sean asked after he lay down at my side, still panting.

We just christened our bedroom with our first lovemaking in the house. The first surprise I got after we stepped inside was to see that the connecting doors of our units were finally opened, converting it to a single, detached house. Everything Sean wanted to do in his absence that involved personal and private matters was always accomplished through Philip.

"I already have everything. How could I ask for more?" I replied, snuggling into his chest. He also lifted my head and inserted his arm under my head, cuddling me closer.

"You deserve to have more. Even before you were born, you are already destined to be great."

I giggled and burrowed my face into my new, favorite spot--his chest. There's something in his masculine scent, especially when it diffused with the fragrance of his musk. I just couldn't understand this weird thing about me lately. Probably, because our souls had then became one.

"What are you talking about?"

"In case you have forgotten, I am Red Nelson, the daughter of a seafarer who lost his life on board. My mother died when I was three, and I grew up under the care of a nanny. When dad left, a heartless businessman took me in. He provided me a home, funded my education, and bought me all those fancy things. He gave me everything, except for his damn heart. All because a beautiful woman named Calla already owned it."

"Where's my part of the story?" Sean grumbled, and I giggled again. I just love to see his sulking face, even if it was just an act. In those days we were alone with each other, away from our real world and away from work, I was glowing in his love.

"One day, when I got too fed up and humiliated, I happened to met a young and stunningly handsome billionaire. One time, he made me crazy in thinking he got infected by the Bronc X virus. Since then, he turned himself into a shadow."

"Shadow?" He turned to his side and placed his elbow on the pillow, raising his hand and rested his head on his palm.

I smiled at how interested he seemed in listening to his part of my story. "Shadow, because wherever I turned my head, he was always there. When I needed a partner on the dance floor, he came over like my knight in shining armor. When I needed a shoulder to cry on, he gave me his. When I needed a job to get away from Eric, he offered me one. When I needed a house, he offered me a unit. Only that I didn't know that the unit he offered is connected to his own."

"What else?"

"Later on, he hurt me with his lies. I learned that she kept the woman, the woman who gave him the first romantic experience, and the woman who first made his heart beat. Most of all, the woman who carried his baby in his womb."

"Babe-" He started to reason out, but I cut him by placing a hand in his mouth.

"I tried to understand, and I tried to see it in a good way. Mr.Sean Grey has a good heart; he just can't turn his back on his child. And because he proved it to me by being persistent in asking for my hand in marriage, I gave him my whole heart. If a man asks to marry a woman, I believe he wants to be with her forever."

He hugged me tighter and kissed me on the forehead. "I'm sorry, dear. I didn't want to hurt you unnecessarily. President Abella asked me to hide her from the angry people, and so I did. Also, because Calla is pregnant and that she said the baby could be mine."

I didn't know why I suddenly felt a sense of bitterness. Maybe, I was just jealous. "Didn't she ask you to marry her for your child's sake?"

"Of course, she did. But as I said, I want only you in my life."

He started kissing me again, and I felt that in that kiss, he wanted to make up for lying to me. He wanted to let me feel that he, indeed, wanted no other woman to be with him in his whole life, except me.

Touched by his move, I also kissed him back and gave him my full submission. And before we knew it, we were already into another round of sensual lovemaking.

"Now, let's take a bath and go out for lunch," Sean said after he pulled out from me.

"No, I'm tired."

"Then, I'll help you."

Without waiting for a reply, he picked me in his arms and brought me to the bathroom. I allowed him to wash me, a routine that I always loved. Closing my eyes as I dipped into the lukewarm and scented water, I waited until he rinsed and carried me back to my room.

Later at the closest restaurant to our house, we chose a table close to the glass wall where we could see outside.

"What do you like for a drink?" I asked Sean as I flipped the pages of the menu to the beverage section.

Silence answered me. I glanced at him and found that he was staring outside. I followed his eyes, and I saw Philip coming out of his new, expensive car and walked towards one of the vehicles in the parking lot. As I followed Philip with my eyes, I also glanced at Sean. His eyes were sharp as he cast an intense gaze at Philip.

Soon, his eyes widened in shock as Philip opened the door of another car. I also looked closer, and I realized that the man behind the steering wheel was Eric!

"Babe, let's go!" Sean said, pulling my hand and helped me spring to my feet. He did not wait for my reply, and I got nervous. Sean was never like this--he always waited for my decision in almost everything.

Running fast to cope up with his long strides, I held his hand as we took the exit door.

"Guard, do you have a car-for-hire here?"

"Yes, sir. I'll call one."

He never explained what he was doing, and he seemed lost in his thoughts. He only got back to reality when the car stopped in front of us.

"Get in, babe! Fast!"

"Sean, what are we doing?" I asked as he instructed the driver to run around the parking lot.

Sean did not answer me, but his eyes were on the vehicles at the restaurant's circumventing parking area. When he saw that Eric's car was still there, he asked the driver to pull over at the space parallel to where Eric had parked.

I knew better when to keep my mouth shut, so I just kept quiet while observing him. When Philip emerged from Eric's car, and when he got back to his vehicle, Sean picked up his phone from the stand and dialed Philip's number.

"Sir, good noon!" I heard Philip's answer on the other line as Sean set his phone into a loudspeaker mode.

"Is everything ready for tonight? We have just arrived from Hawaii."

"Yes, sir. I even have Dr. Red's gown delivered at the house."

We arrived just in time for the hospital's 30th Founding Anniversary Celebration. During the ball at night, I would be presented as TAG Medical Center's Director of Medical Affairs. The event would be attended by all the dignitaries of the TAG Group of Companies and the VIPs of the city.

"Thank you. By the way, where are you now?"

"I'm at the office, sir."

Sean's eyes narrowed as he listened to him.

"I see. I just thought I saw you a while ago."

"I had been to places before I came here, sir."

"It must have been you, and I noticed you have a nice car. Congratulations."

"It's a blessing, sir."

Sean ended his call and glanced at the driver. "Can you please take us back to the exit?"

"Sure, sir."

We walked back to the same table we occupied, and the same waiter who took our orders approached us.

"Ma'am, sir, your orders are ready. Shall I bring it now?"

I smiled at the waiter and nodded, but my eyes didn't leave Sean. He looked bothered. I held his hand as he sat beside me, his head at the top of the backrest.

"Red, I just checked BMW's Dealer Company in the city and got the information that Philip applied for a car loan."

"He must be very good at saving his salary." He ignored my comment, telling me indirectly that he disagreed with me.

"Do you know who is the guarantor?"

I pulled my brows closer and looked at him. The answer was already obvious.

"Why would it be Eric and not you?"

"That's also my question."

As Sean's most trusted assistant, Philip should have approached Sean if he wanted to apply for a car loan. Why would he ask Eric, instead? And why did Philip hide it from Sean? What's more intriguing was the fact that the car he availed of seemed too expensive an assistant whose salary was just slightly higher than the average.

Sean picked up his phone again and pressed one of the contacts. This time, he no longer turned on the speaker.

"Sir, I have changed my mind. Let's hold the announcement until it's clear."

What's the announcement? And who is he talking to?

I could only hear Sean's part of the conversation, but even if this kind of subject was common to hear from a businessman who makes constant decisions, I felt uneasy about it. We were already married, and I already thought I would now be a part of his planning. I would be no different from the role Eric previously gave me--a trophy for the public to see. A prize that any recipient may hold proudly. Unfortunately, I felt like a brainless puppet who relied on the role these powerful men assigned me.

"Dear," I jolted out of my insecurities when I heard his voice, "here, take this." I got so lost in my thoughts that I did not see Sean pulling out a huge cardholder.

I looked up and knitted my brows, flipping at the plastic pages that swelled with cards.

"Those are my cards. The rest of my financial accounts are already sent to your folder."

"What am I going to do with all these?"

"You are now my wife, so whatever I have is yours."

"I don't need that." I protested and pushed the card album back to him. As someone who is not being business-minded, I didn't care about his businesses. All I needed was for our basic needs and a few of our wants.

"Then, keep it," he insisted. "You might want to buy something in the future. And those access for the rest of our financial accounts is so that you'll know how much are we earning."

"All of these? What about you?"

"You will be the one to decide how much you will give me for my daily, weekly, or monthly budget. It's up to you."

"No."

"Yes," he smiled and pulled me close to him.

The waiter came in with our food, dropping our topic aside. He began placing food on my plate, but his silence told me that something was really troubling him. I held his arm when he was about to put another strip of meat into my plate, forcing him to look at me.

"What's bothering you? Aren't you going to talk about it?"

He signed, then looked away. "It's business-related, and I don't want to put too much into your plate at one time. However, I'll orient you to all of the businesses under the TAG Group of Companies one at a time."

"I hope I can help you with that something bothering you," I pursed a smile and began picking my spoon and fork. At the back of my mind, I was suspecting that it was about Philip and Eric. Sean was never that stressful until he saw Philip earlier.

Sean bit his lip and heaved out another deep sigh. "Sweetheart, regarding your guess that something is troubling me, I'm afraid it's true. Tonight, I wouldn't be announcing..."

He stopped and pulled in a deep breath again.

I placed my spoon and fork down and looked into his eyes. "What is it?"

"I-I," he stuttered and looked away.

"What?"

"Something is troubling me, and I'm afraid that tonight, I couldn't announce that we are married already."

A lump formed in my throat, and I stiffened, afraid that his reasons were related to Calla.

"I am a public figure, and the people are expecting me to hold grand wedding preparation. Omitting this part would make them think I don't regard you as someone precious."

I chuckled, adjusting my body simultaneously so that I could rest my face in his chest again. This had become my hobby wherever he was around; the masculine scent of his chest really made me feel good.

"You worry so much. What matters most to me is the truth."

Book 2:3

I wore a body-embracing, old-rose-colored gown with a sleeveless fitted bodice. The deep V-neckline plunged deep, enhancing the beautiful shape of my bustline. The spaghetti straps opened to a strappy open back that gave way to a tapered sheath skirt with a thigh-high slit. I didn't need Sean to confirm if I indeed looked stunning. People told me I am gifted with a beautiful body shape, whose curves swelled perfectly in my slender built. I also stood tall, with long beautiful legs.

As I marched down the aisle with Sean by my side, the long slit at the front of my skirt showed my legs, but I didn't feel guilty about it. Sean was not a jealous type like Eric, who barked at me every time the crowd feasted their eyes on me. I could never understand him. He was the one who chose my gown, but he always got angry if he found it too revealing. He would always accuse me of making secret arrangements with the seamstress, so I could have the chance to flirt.

Flashes from the sea of cameras glittered all over our bodies, and I was sure I would make headlines the next day. Why not? This was the first time the people saw me with Sean, and even if we wouldn't be announcing our status, the people could tell through the way we looked at each other that we were lovers.

"Are you alright?" Sean asked; he probably knew I was not feeling comfortable. Most of these dignitaries saw me with Eric, and I was sure they would be thinking I was always running after billionaires. First, it was Eric, the man behind the Martela Group of Companies, and now with Sean, the legend behind Thomas and Albert Grey conglomerates.

"With you by my side," I smiled back. The love I had for Sean swelled in my heart, making my smiles more radiant.

Sean stopped and faced me. He pursed a smile then placed a hand at my nape before pressing his lips on my forehead. His eyes then glistened with threatening tears, but he drew in a deep breath to hold it back.

"Thank you so much," he said in a low voice before stepping back at my side to continue the march.

Sean was wearing a maroon tuxedo, complimenting my silver-sequined, old rose gown. Stunning as he was, his genuine smiles made him look more alluring. He kept looking at me, even as we held hands toward the table for the important guests.

All the chairs and tables at the sides were facing the aisle so that those around wouldn't miss anyone who walked in. Just as we settled in our assigned seats, a loud commotion swept through the crowds. They whispered among themselves, and some stole glances at us. I looked at the entrance, and I saw Eric with a beautiful woman, holding his arm.

I recalled the moment where I had an appointment with the designer. She helped me grab some design ideas through the brochure she gave me. After a long while of being indecisive, I picked up one that caught my attention.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Red. Mr. Martela has already taken that design for her woman."

A weak smile broke out on my face. Eric still upheld his dominance because he still decides for this new woman he now had. That gown I would have worn tonight if I had the chance to pick it first, was perfect for her. She looked dazzling, and she walked with so much grace that I could not take my eyes off her. I was amused at the thought, and as with the fact that Eric had also found someone else, as fast as I did.

I glanced at Sean, whose eyes also riveted on this beautiful couple. I couldn't deny the fact that Eric's looks were also captivating, though I could not pick who between Sean and him was more handsome.

"Eric found her," Sean whispered, and for a moment, I got confused.

Eric found her? I turned his declarative statement into a question, then after a short pause to think, I got it! It was her! Oh, no. Damn it!

"Calla?"

"Yes."

I stared at Sean-watching his reaction--wondering if he's hurting. He looked disappointed, but I couldn't be so sure if that disappointment was related to jealousy.

Perhaps, not; I assured myself. Yet, my heart betrayed me. It started to send loud and painful thuds against my chest.

Sean loved me more because he married me. Ever since he wooed me, he never stopped asking me to marry him. But what if he married me because he never had the chance to win Calla over the president?

"Jealous?" Sean bent down and whispered in my ear.

I frowned and glared at him. "Look, who's talking?"

Sean laughed softly and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. He looked into my eyes and held my gaze for a moment.

"I love you, Red," he said, "in the truest sense of the word. She may be my first, but that doesn't mean I'm hooked to her forever. Just like Eric and you."

I was about to tell him, "First love never dies," but I held it back because I realized he would also throw it back at me. Anyway, his confession--a confession that I already heard a hundred times--moved me again.

"And I love you, Mr. Grey," I replied, leaning my head at his chest.

He tightened his arm across me, pressing me closer to him, then planted a long kiss at my temple.

"I love you more."

I no longer replied because the moment my face hit his chest, I began sniffing his scent again. Call me crazy, but I honestly found comfort in this new hobby.

"Sweetheart, why do I feel I am not only gaining a wife, but also a lovely puppy?" Sean commented, looking amused.

I rolled my eyes and giggled because I realized I acted silly. Yet, I couldn't help it. I felt addicted to his charm.

I was so hooked in my sniffing session that I didn't realize the two pairs of eyes thrown in our direction.

"You look so hot in that revealing gown. Where is your shawl?" Eric's glaring eyes almost protruded from its sacs as he stared at my cleavage.

I looked up to find Calla's eyes on me, her right hand holding Eric's arm. She smiled at me, and I gave back an awkward smile.