PMS1: President's Forgotten Wife

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 17: POSSESSED BY A PIECE OF MY MIND

JADE jumped in shock when she dreamed that she was falling into endless darkness. Until now, she can still feel the depth of her own body, the feeling of not knowing when she will be able to reach the end of the ground or how hard the impact would contribute to her body once the collision happened.

As if her body is losing against weakness that spontaneously made her tremble. Jade felt weak and helpless at the moment. It was just a nightmare, yet it sent her a message that she needs to be cautious about something she's trying to figure out. Even though her eyes are wide open and her spirit is awake, thank you so much for her dream; Jade can't help but feel scared of thinking about the fact that she almost didn't wake up.

She got up from lying down and unconsciously folded the blanket she was wearing. Regardless, Jade stopped in the middle of doing anything when she remembered that she did not have a blanket and a pillow when she dozes off. Jade didn't even realize that she had fallen asleep outside.

A smile creeps out on her lips as she intently stares at the novel lying on the bedside table like it has been there before she fell asleep.

"Thank you," she whispered as she glanced at the book. Jade looked like a lunatic who suddenly smiled as she envisioned out how Eisen put the pillow on his head earlier and how he delicately covered her body to protect her from the rays of the sun proudly shining up above.

She's giggling at the thought as she remembered that she felt something that slowly caressed her cheeks earlier.

Jade let her hand fondled her burning cheek before closing her eyes. The first thing that came popping into Jade's vision was the young man's handsome face smiling and watching him closely. Jade felt it; Eisen's eyes longingly search for her like her eyes hold all answer to Eisen's unspoken questions. The man may not be asking her anything, but deep within his gaze, there is something that they shared together. It may not be precise as the sunlight or the waves of the ocean, but she knew there's a connection.

There is something more than what meets the eyes.

"What the f**k are you doing?!"

"Peanut butter and jelly!" Jade's heart almost went hysterical on her chest after hearing his voice, again—that deadly voice that you'd rather want to be eaten alive by the sand instead of hearing him with that tone. She's in a state of shock but immediately regained her composure before starting deep onto Eisen's deep blue eyes, where sadness, jealousy, and regret lie beneath.

Instead of getting angry or making his mood worst, Jade plastered her most convincing smile as she met Eisen's eyes. But Jade wasn't pleased with what she saw because anger screams on his feature. However, she dismissed the negativity and started a conversation with a bright smile.

Jade clasped her hands together to make a sound and opened her mouth to talk to Eisen, aiming to flip his mod upside down.

"Th-" she wanted to thank the man for giving her a pillow and a blanket when she suddenly fell asleep. Please take note, Eisen didn't even bother waking her up! But thanking him, Jade wished that the young man would suddenly stop continuing with his dangerous side and refrain himself from yelling at her again.

"It's already 12, and I am f*****g hungry. Maybe you decided to want to cook for me after a long rest finally?!" it was as if Eisen just poured a bucket of cold water at Jade's head as she could not take her eyes off the young man's furious gaze.

Eisen's sudden reaction shattered the fantasy world that she's living in at the moment.

Not long ago, he wanted to make amends with her. Not long ago, they decided to choose the path of knowing each other better. Not long ago, they wanted to be closer than ever. But now, in just a snap of a finger, everything seemed to turn into shattered pieces of trust and lots of believing in each other's words.

His voice was so full of outrage that at any moment, his words could eat him alive right before her eyes. Is Eisen angry with her because she fell asleep? But can't he wake her up earlier and told her that she's not allowed to sleep? Why does he suddenly change just because of one mistake? Why does a single misstep ruin everything that they tried to build together? Why is it easy for him to give up and eat his own words? She doesn't even know what she has done!

"What?! Are you just going to stare at me like you don't have any obligation to do?! Do you have no intention to serve the boss of this house?! Oh, maybe you're tired of working?!" the truth seemed to slap Jade when she heard the words the young man uttered. Jade wanted to shrug off his words, but the pain seemed to find its way to hurt her.

Boss? Of course, you dumb! Who is she, anyway? Right! She almost forgot where she belonged. She's just a f*****g replacement for the real wife. She's just no one. And she ended up believing she's turning to be someone more than a stand-in to him.

"What's wrong? Why are you acting like this again? Did something bad happen? We were just—" she felt pain slightly pinched her heart as she looked deep into Eisen's eyes. Her lips fell into a thin line as she tried to calm her senses while thinking desperately for answers. He seems like he doesn't care. And Jade seemed to be desperate for attention.

Maybe, he already felt numb. And it hurt Jade's feelings because she finally reached the part where she thought she had someone to rely upon but ended up depending too much on that. It caused her painful hopes and lasting consequences. Jade thought they were okay. But why is the man suddenly angry with her again?

She didn't want to either shout at him or push further because of the pain that started to build up on Jade's system. Jade didn't know what she had done wrong this time.

"You're suddenly asking me what's wrong? Let me tell you this. I'm standing in front of the sole reason for every problem I face. I'm acting like this because of the same reason. And did something bad happened? Yes! Something bad happened, and that was the worst part. Because I was already facing that huge problem in my life, does that answer your questions, sleeping beauty? Because if not, I have a lot of ways to show you how madly irritated I am right now facing the only reason that gave me too much problem to handle alone."

Jade did not know how to respond to what the young man said. It was as if reality decided to slap both of her cheeks to wake her up because the young man looked at her as if she's a worthless piece of meat. Eisen is furious, and Jade gets that now. But she still has the right to know what happened that made him act like that again. It's unfair on her part that Eisen decided to get mad at her without any exact reason.

In Eisen's words, the young man seemed to convey that she was not doing anything right. His words trampled on her dignity as a woman. And it hurt so much because it came from Eisen.

Jade thought they were okay, but it was too late for her to figure things out. That between them and every happy moment they shared together, she is the only one who depends on nothing that she thought was something.

"I don't get it. We were—we were still fine earlier. You were happy to tell me the story of the book you're reading. Why did the wind suddenly change? If sleeping while on duty is what makes you angry, you could've just told me calmly and properly, Eisen. I hope you woke me up. Or was it because I wasn't able to listen to your storytelling? I can make it up to you, and I promise. It's not fair on my part that you were shouting at me like everything I did was wrong."

Jade restrained herself from choking. She wanted to cry, but she stopped herself from doing anything stupid or something she'll regret. She's not even sure why her tears are trying to sabotage her composure, but she wanted nothing more but to stop herself from breaking down in front of Eisen, who looked at her with wrath in his eyes.

But instead of waiting for Eisen to reply, she hesitantly took the pillow and blanket as her feet went inside the house, allowing her to reach her room painfully.

And when the door closes behind her, a grain of tear started to paint her cheeks. Another tear followed until her eyes filled with rain-like tears. Jade bit the back of her wrist as she let herself drowned in her silent crying. She leaned against the door as she slowly slips down into the floor.

She didn't know what she did wrong. She didn't understand why she wanted to cry. She failed to recognize the reason for what is happening now. If only Eisen could directly tell her instead of playing puzzles with him.

If only he could open up to her directly to understand his situation rather than enduring his hurtful words that she couldn't discern where these words came from.

__________

SILENCE. That was the only word that existed between Jade and Eisen all day. Deafening silence between the two of them for the reason that Jade still can not identify.

They did not meet even though they ate lunch and dinner together. Jade should no longer accompany Eisen to the meal. Still, when the young man ordered her to accompany him to still dine with him, she immediately obeyed, trying to avoid any negative words coming from the young man's lips.

They are back to normal. A dog and a cat together on the same roof, avoiding each other to prevent getting attacked or chased with sharp teeth on the impoverished Jade's tail. Because after all, Jade would not want a fight. She knew that Eisen was just acting like that because he's confused.

Jade lays down on the soft covers of her bed when he felt fatigued, which she had been feeling before and after she washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen after a long, devastating, and disastrous dinner with Eisen. Her body is weak, and she wanted to shut her eyes and sleep as nothing happened.

Exhausted, Jade decided to strip down her clothes and let the room's cold temperature shelter her nakedness. Her eyes were closed as she felt her body, feeling no shame of her own possession. Jade is egregiously tired and in no mood to walk around. However, she needed to take a shower before going to bed. So, she grabbed the remaining communication device she had at the moment, the walkie-talkie, before walking towards the bathroom door.

As soon as Jade made her way to the bathtub, she immediately threw a bubble bath and let it dissolve for God knows how long before drenching her fingers in the warm bath. She wanted to play some music, any random musical, to complete her perfect place for harmony when she remembered that Jade forgot where she left her phone. Thinking about it now made her realize that she didn't get any chance to get a hold of her gadget.

But she just smiled and focused her attention back on the bathtub. After that, she started convincing herself to rest against the water's warmth, bubbles filling the top of it.

Her eyelids were about to close to relax and indulge herself in the calm surrounding when a sudden noise ruined her peace of mind. And when someone tried to annihilate her equilibrium, then she will show mercy no more.

Her brows spike up as her gaze darted onto the walkie-talkie resting on the side of the bathtub. For a moment, she forgot about everything that had happened earlier. But as soon as the phone beside her started ringing, Jade disapprovingly remembered Eisen's unsolicited change of mood.

"Urgh! What does he want this time?!" Jade hesitantly groaned before grabbing the walkie-talkie and shut her eyes closed, trying to sound not too much annoyed.

Jade wanted to enjoy her time alone with herself. And Eisen is too good at ruining everything. That irritated her the most. He's the boss, remember? She needed to constantly remind herself that thought starting from now on, whether she likes it or not.

Jade took three long breaths before finally receiving the call.

"Hello?" She asked but received no response from the caller. She took the walkie-talkie away from her ears in a brief moment before bringing it back to hear whether someone decided to answer on the other line.

"Hello? Can't you just fu-" at that moment, Jade wanted to burst out all her collected anger at the caller, which she's referring to Eisen, for him to stop disturbing her peace every single minute! But when she heard crackles on the other line, Jade remained silent as she tried to listen carefully to the other line. The noises on the other line sounded like he's in no suitable shape or danger. He hissed like he's in pain.

"f**k," when Jade heard that baritone voice that only a single person she knows who owns it, the worry was all over her when he sounded like he was having difficulty breathing on the other line, Jade unhesitatingly dropped the phone on the side of the bathtub and grabbed her towel as she hurriedly wrapped it against her body.

But because of her desperation to reach Eisen in no time, she accidentally slipped onto the floor, causing her split of second before she felt her body colliding against the floor, causing a loud thud.

Her body hit the floor hard, as her head started to feel dizzy. Her lower body felt numb as she slowly hit herself and inwardly cursing words she never wanted to say to herself.

"Ouch!" Dumb, b***h! Clumsy granny! Stupid mother—! She wanted to scream in agony as pain seared on her right arm. But because of the adrenaline rushing through her veins, Jade stood up absentmindedly and ran to Eisen's room.

When she opened the door, Jade was almost out of breath when she saw the young man lying on the floor and writhing in pain.

"Eisen!"