Marrying My Enemy

Chapter3

Valerie heard a whispering voice around her. Gradually, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see an unfamiliar woman in the room, along with her parents, who were sitting on the couch in the visiting area of the ward where she was staying.

“Mom…” she said in a cracked voice, trying to get their attention. They all looked at her, stood up, and went to her bedside.

“I’m so glad you’re awake, dear. Mrs. Hamilton is here,” her mother said.

The lady, introduced as Mrs. Hamilton, was in her late forties, like her mother. She had blue eyes, a smiling face, and an elegant look, suggesting she was a kind person. Valerie could see the genuine smile on her lips as she held her hand.

“I’m so sorry, my dear, for only coming today. I had no idea you were in an accident a few days ago. I was hospitalized as well, and I was only discharged today. As soon as I heard you were hospitalized too, I came to check on you,” Mrs. Hamilton explained, making Valerie smile at her worried expression.

“Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton, for visiting me, but you should take care of yourself, especially since you just came out of the hospital,” Valerie said.

“Oh, it’s nothing, my dear. What matters is that I see you’re alright. Alexander is coming to visit you soon. We were both surprised to hear you were hospitalized. If he didn’t have an important meeting to attend, he would be here with me, but as I said, he’s coming.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton. I understand if Alexander can’t come right now,” Valerie replied.

“Oh, you’re so kind and understanding. That’s why Dad was right to choose you as our daughter-in-law. And please, don’t call me Mrs. Hamilton. Just call me Mom, since you’ll soon be marrying my son.”

Valerie just smiled at Mrs. Hamilton’s words.

When she woke up the day after the accident, she had already decided to marry Alexander Hamilton. She considered this her second life. What she had witnessed between Daphne and Jayson was enough to make her accept the arranged marriage that had been arranged since she was young, perhaps even before she was born. She had to accept her fate and marry Alexander Hamilton.

Jayson and Daphne hadn’t appeared since she woke up, and she hadn’t received any news about them. Their absence only confirmed their guilt for betraying her.

****

Xander stared at his girlfriend's tombstone, the reality of her death still an unbelievable shock. He had harbored so many dreams for their future. If not for his mother's precarious health, he would have introduced Martha to her long ago, especially since his grandfather's passing.

Now, he felt obligated to accept the arranged marriage his grandfather had stipulated. With Martha gone, there was no reason to refuse. He resigned himself to marrying the woman who, ironically, had inadvertently contributed to his mother's recent hospitalization.

He recalled his mother's words, urging him to visit his future wife, who was herself hospitalized after a recent accident. The news had reached them shortly after his mother's discharge. He had initially declined to accompany her, citing an urgent meeting. However, the meeting concluded sooner than expected, leaving him with a hollow space of time he chose to fill by visiting Martha's grave.

The grief was still raw, the acceptance of her loss a slow and painful process. Yet, he knew he had to face the inevitable: Martha was gone, and his life was about to take an irrevocably different course.

"Hi Mom, you're already home?" he asked as he entered the house, seeing his mother sitting on the couch watching her favorite series.

"Glad you're back home. How was your meeting?"

"It went well. How was your visit to the hospital?"

"Well, Valerie is indeed a beautiful and nice girl. She hasn't changed since you two were young. Actually, no, she has grown into a beautiful woman," his mother said proudly, happiness evident on her face.

He simply smiled, seeing the joy in his mother's eyes. He couldn't help but wonder what her reaction would be if he introduced Martha to her.

He thought to himself, worried that his mother would be upset if he voiced his concerns, "I can see that you're having fun with that woman, even though she's the reason you were hospitalized a few days ago."

"Aren't you going to visit her at the hospital?"

"Not today, Mom. I'm feeling tired. I might go tomorrow," he replied, kissing his mother's cheek before heading upstairs to rest, exhausted after visiting his girlfriend's grave.

The next day, he woke up early, planning to stop by the hospital before going to the company.

"You're up early," his mother said as he entered the dining room, seeing her having breakfast.

He sat at the dining table as the servant brought his plate.

"I plan to stop by the hospital before going to the company," he told his mother, taking a piece of bread from the basket.

"Is that so? Can you take this soup I prepared for her?" his mother asked, causing him to frown.

"You made soup for her, Mom? Please take care of yourself. You shouldn't tire yourself out," he said, unable to hide his surprise and worry.

"Oh, it wasn't hard to make porridge for Valerie. Besides, she'll soon be my daughter-in-law. I'm so excited for your wedding so you can bring her home," his mother said.

Alexander shook his head, unable to share her enthusiasm.

Alexander called his assistant to accompany him to the hospital, due to the items he was carrying. He had bought a bouquet of flowers, a basket of fruit, and the lunch bag his mother had asked him to bring for Valerie.

Upon arriving at Valerie's ward, he was surprised to recognize the woman lying in the bed, holding a book and looking in his direction as he opened the door.