Contract Marriage: Emperor CEO's Secretary Wife

"I shouldn't have left you alone at all."

"?"

Ah? Why did it suddenly shift to hers? Wasn't it about another woman?

Xiu Mei's forehead creased. She was confused and she wanted to ask him what he was talking about but because of her speaking difficulty at the moment, and he was hugging her quite tightly, she couldn't ask him at all.

She heard him release a heavy sigh and from that, she could somehow feel his current mood.

Maybe he was too stressed at work? And then he probably missed her staying in the office so he was apologizing right now that he left her alone in the house?

Ah, seriously. She was so confused! She couldn't understand what he was thinking right at this moment and it bothers her a lot!

Since she couldn't understand his thoughts, Xiu Mei decided to comfort him anyway. She returned his hug and stroked his back in a gentle manner, trying to comfort him. She felt his hug tighten as he released another heavy sigh.

Xiu Mei got even more worried. She wondered whether if an issue came up in the company ah.... And then he got so stressed and all that's probably why he's acting like this?

Contrary to Xiu Mei's thoughts, Lu Chen wasn't thinking about work at all. Nor it was about other women either.

It was just simply, he thought he failed to be a good husband for her.

He usually didn't have that much low self-esteem at all, but seeing the sadness on her face even for just a split second brought him so much heart ache. Just because of that emotional slip on her face, Doctor Lee's reminders replayed at the back of his head.

That Xiu Mei would surely try to look fine and as if not being able to speak is not a big issue at all, but deep inside, she was surely hiding her true feelings. That she wouldn't be able to stop herself from getting envious with other people being able to do something that she couldn't even do right now. That she would unconsciously become more sensitive when she gets reminded that she can't do her normal tasks anymore. That she would just keep all those depressing thoughts within herself without letting anyone know about it.

And he, her husband, completely fell for what she was currently showing to himself.

Despite being unable to speak, she still acted like her usual self. Getting excited over her son's first day of school, getting frustrated and angry at him for keeping secrets from her, being so forgiving and understanding even though she was scared of Lucia and King at first, that she would even try to convince him that she wants to continue to work despite her current situation.

For the past two days that she's been with them and the past weeks that he spent together with her while she was under recovering in the hospital, Lu Chen almost couldn't pinpoint anything wrong with her. Nor that she was getting depressed with her current situation or something.

He was carefully watching over her but he still failed to see the true emotion behind her smiles.

He worried and wondered, whether she had already been like this for quite a while and he kept missing the signs.

He felt regretful and disappointed in himself. He kept promising her that he won't let her be hurt anymore but look at him becoming an utter failure again as a husband.

He pulled her even closer to himself as he continued his train of thought.

Lu Chen felt even more frustrated at the current situation.

It's not like he can just directly ask her if she was feeling sad or depressed being alone at home and being unable to work normally. She would surely lie and say that she was fine even if she wasn't. She would surely only say things that will make him feel assured that she was fine, even if it's not the truth.

Because Xiu Mei, his wife, is always such a nice person. Who doesn't worry about herself, but worries others first before herself and anything else.

She is a kind and warmhearted person especially to her family, her son, and her husband. He married such a wonderful woman that he wasn't even sure whether he was also doing a great job as her husband. Because all he knows in life is to work.

He didn't know how to be a romantic in a relationship, nor was he the best in child-rearing.

"Wife, will you forgive me?" He murmured, sounding almost like a plea when Xiu Mei heard it.

Xiu Mei's breath hitched as she got even more worried.

Seriously, what was going on with Lu Chen? She wanted to talk to him, to ask him why he was feeling so down right now but she couldn't even find a chance to grab her tablet or mouth the words at all with her face buried on his shoulders.

Nevertheless, she nodded her head hoping that it would comfort and appease him. She even patted his back trying to make it as sincere as possible through her actions.

Finally, after what seemed like a long time, Lu Chen slightly pulled away. Though he kept his arms around her waist, maintaining a short distance between the two of them.

She met his gaze that stared at her so deeply, that she almost drowned in his eyes. He stared at her with such immense emotions in his eyes.

No, it wasn't l.u.s.t or desire. It was different. Completely different.

A word came to mind but she was unsure of it.

Is it… what they say the gaze of a person who is truly in love with you? Is that what it is?

She was unsure but she could deny feeling like someone was scratching her heart. That butterflies on her stomach. And her heart doing somersaults in her chest.

He lifted his hand cupped her face.

"Wife, I love you." He blurted out.

Xiu Mei took a sharp intake of breath.

No matter how many times he already told her this, she still couldn't stop herself from being calm. She felt like she was on cloud nine and as if she had eaten mountains of candies because she was being drowned by his sweetness.

'What's wrong?' She mouthed to him. He was really acting so strange that she couldn't stop herself from asking anymore.

Lu Chen just simply smiled at her and shook his head as a response. He was telling her that it was nothing.

Xiu Mei thought differently.

He's lying.

How could it be nothing if he's acting like this? And he was even apologizing to her earlier. How could there be nothing?

Lu Chen lowered his head and caught her lower lip in between his mouth. But Xiu Mei felt slightly annoyed because of his lie so he slapped his chest to push away his face from hers.

Her brows furrowed as she stared hard at him. She was convincing him to tell her the truth.

"It's really nothing." He pressed. Xiu Mei's eyes squinted even further as she bit the inside of her cheek in frustration.

This time, she pushed him away with more strength and got away from his arms. She returned to her previous position on the bed, lied down, and turned her back to him. She even pulled over the blanket to herself in annoyance.

"Wife." Lu Chen whined as he kept staring at her back but Xiu Mei didn't give a response.

"Wife."

"Wife, are you really going to ignore me?"

"Wife, I'm sorry."

"Wife, I'm wrong. I'm sorry."

"Wife…"

"Wife, they said that couples shouldn't let the night pass with the two parties angry at each other. So wife, don't be angry alright?"

"Wife, let's make up."

"Wife, it was really nothing. That's the truth!"

"Wife…"

The longer that Lu Chen talks and pleads with Xiu Mei, the more his voice sounded more and more childish and like a puppy desperately apologizing to its owner. Xiu Mei who was pretending to sleep didn't know why she was suddenly feeling guilty.

It��s not like she was the one who did something wrong ah! It was clearly him!

But why are his words making her so strangely guilty? Gosh!

Lu Chen persisted in bugging her the whole time, so Xiu Mei could only raise the white flag first.

Gosh! She didn't know that Lu Chen could be this annoying ah!!!

She rose from the bed and turned to his direction. She squinted her eyes as if to glare at him but she still mouthed, 'Fine, I forgive you.'

Really. Her expression was the complete opposite of what she was saying.

'Just stop.' She mouthed again.

She was seriously feeling bad especially seeing his pitiful expression at the moment as if she had bullied him.

Still, Lu Chen did not stop.

"Wife, you're still angry."

"..."

Fudge it.

Let's divorce!!