I Chose You💕

XVI.

XVI.
Mikhail's POV
"Did you ask how's her mother?" Asked Dad during dinner. I got a major scolding from him when he got home from driving her to the airport.

"She said she's in good condition," I answered, not really having the appetite to eat.

"When are you going to follow her?" Asked Mom. Do I have to really? "She's staying there for couple of weeks or so," she continued, making me completely lose my apetite.

She's staying there for some time? She skipped to tell me that. If she wants to play the role of a dutiful wife, she not only tells her husband where she's going but also how long she's staying.

"I don't know...Monday, I guess. I'll file a leave or something," I said, bothered by the fact that she'll be gone for a couple of weeks and she didn't tell me. Usually, she tells how long she'd be gone.

"Can't an officemate file for you?" Asked Jam, my sister.

"I'll follow her, okay? Just give me time," I said a little bit annoyed at how they're ganging up on me. I don't need it right now. I pushed myself out of the table. "I'm done with dinner."

I could feel their gazes on me when I walked out. I proceeded to my room - our room, if you want, and let my eyes scan the space. I almost expected to find her slumped in the workspace. I was so used to her presence the room suddenly felt empty.

I flopped down on the bed and once again felt like the it had gotten spacious.

Oh, spare me the cheesy thoughts. So, what if it had gotten empty and spacious? I was used to it before she came.

Annoyed, I grabbed my phone on the night table. I opened my Instagram and scrolled through my notifs. The number of likes is unusually large. The photo was a tagged one from Suzy. I froze. Dang, she posted a pic of us at the bar. We were dancing and grinding... I felt the urge to groan so loud. Who took this photo anyway?

I stopped the urge to throw my phone away. Why am I getting annoyed over the smallest things? What if Kenzie saw that pic? What would she think of me? She's already suspecting me of cheating on her.

Speaking of Kenzie...I haven't really visited her IG feed. I hadn't checked it out since I wasn't really interested. But now, I am stalking her and seeing what she's up to.

She only have few posts. And the last one's the book I saw her reading the last time.

Oh, there's a photo of her friends including Fahd. I couldn't imagine I had secretly followed them all day on what they were up to. I hated it when his attention were focused on her. I hated it when he looks at her, all I wanted was to take her away but not before I had beaten the hell out of him. Didn't he know she was married?

I scrolled down and saw another post of our coffee cups at Starbucks when we went out of town. That day started really good and refreshing. We had a smart conversation. She didn't hold back on her ideas. I think that's what I liked about her, she's honest. She speaks her mind and she can decide for herself. She's strong and independent. And she can be funny.

But then it has to end with us bumping into Pia and her new boyfriend. She dumped me for an older and more privileged guy. It hurt, of course. I loved her, gave her everything she needed and in the end, she dumped me? My friends were right, she didn't deserve me at all.

And now she had ruined that perfect day. I didn't think introducing Kenzie my girlfriend would be a great deal, but she seemed hurt. Maybe the way I said it didn't sound right to her. Was the label that scandalous?

Another post and it was a big religious seminar we went to. It was a great lecture, I learned something and sparked something inside of me. I hadn't told her but she made me God-conscious I started following religious accounts in Twitter and Instagram. I recently downloaded e-books to learn more about the religion because I wanted to learn more on my own.

I smiled to myself, am I becoming a saint now?

I remembered what followed after the lecture. She was checking out the bookstand to buy more books. She had forgotten to cover her face (she always did with her hankie I thought at first she was embarrassed by her looks) and I noticed some guys in the corner were checking her out. I had kept my distance from her, checking out another booth so they didn't realize she's with someone, aka married. And really, all I wanted to do at that moment was land my fists into their faces. Hadn't they heard the reminder, "Men, lower your gaze."?

I could feel my blood boiling at the sight of them undressing my wife in their minds...I'm a guy and I know what's going on in their dirty minds! I was about to unleash my beast but held back. I instead approached her and led her away. I gave the guys daggers, hoping it would send them the message not to mess with me.

"Let's go," I had said which startled her that I grabbed her hand.

"Where?" She had asked, not wanting to leave the books.

"Away," I said. "Your hankie."

She seemed confused. "What, why?"

"Cover your face all you want," I said.

I had understood that day why she covers her face most of the time, especially when I am not around, I noticed. She was keeping other guys away from her. Why hadn't I looked further into that and turned blind-sided? She was doing it for me. She was being the devoted wife. And yet, I had ignored this all because of my ego and pride.

I reached another photo -- a photo of the pizza. God, I had been a jerk, I know. I read her text saying she wanted pizza. My stubborn pride got to me first and ignored it. I passed by a pizza parlor and decided to drive past it. It's not like she'll die without eating pizza, right?

But as I neared home, guilt plagued me. It's just a pizza, why couldn't I get it for her?

I pulled to the side couple of blocks away from home and texted my sister to buy pizza. I know she's not yet home because of work, . I told her Kenzie wanted them and made her promise not to mention that it was me who told her to get pizza. After a little bit of prying, she finally agreed and promised not to say anything. How Kenzie's face fell when she realized I didn't get her pizza.

I think that I'm the worst guy to ever live.

I scrolled some more and reached posts before our wedding. This time she was in the pictures unlike the recent ones where there was no photo of her. I didn't recognize the eyes at first, but those were her eyes. She had face cover, like literally the face cover where the eyes could only be seen. I bolted from my lying position and sat up.

Did she use to wear the face veil, what do they call that? Niqab?

But why hadn't she told me? And why did she take it off?

It wasn't her recent health condition, was it?

"I had to get married in exchange of something I have to give up. It was my protection and I was hoping you could instead protect me," she had said. Was that it?

I guessed that's it. Oh, man.

I scrolled down some more and found a photo of her and my friends in the review school. It was taken in the leisure room and then it hit me. She was the one they were playing the table tennis with! She was that girl! Why hadn't I recognized her?

I had goosebumps, suddenly realizing she was that girl I've always been curious of.

🌾🌾🌾

Sorry, got a little caught up with work so I couldn't upload right away.

How was the chapter? Hope you like it! --c.rose