Chapter 238 - I Always Love You

That night after getting home from the family gathering, the couple were resting in the bed preparing to sleep.

Caroline caresses her tummy. "Hubby, what do you think is the gender of our firstborn?" she asked.

Mike smiled. "I think it's a boy! We will have a son as our firstborn," he answered with a grin.

"If the baby is a boy, what are you gonna name him?" she asked again.

"I will have him carry my name, he will become Mike Jr." Mike beamed and caresses his wife's tummy. Deep inside, he wanted the DNA testing to happen soon so that he can be sure that it's his offspring that his wife is carrying inside 'coz if not he can't stomach raising a son that is not his blood.

"Hubby, I want to visit an OB tomorrow. Can you accompany me to the clinic?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure. Speaking of an OB, my mother had a good OB friend and she suggested that if you want one she can refer her friend to you," Mike suggested.

Caroline nodded her head. "Sure, can you bring me to that OB tomorrow?"

"Yes, sweetie...let's go there at her clinic after lunch. I will call mother so that her friend can accommodate our visit anytime tomorrow," Mike replied.

"Thanks, hubby. After the clinic, can we visit the mall? I want to buy more maternity dresses? Please?" she said showering him her most precious smile.

"No problem. I'm free tomorrow, the whole day. I can accompany you anywhere you want to go," he said while continue running his hand on his wife's baby bump.

Caroline smiled sweetly at her hubby for being so accommodating and always ready to pamper her.

The couple was just cuddling in the bed enjoying each other's company.

After a while, Mike's mind was getting restless. He feels like it's now the perfect time to ask his wife about the truth of why she disappeared.

"Sweetie...c-can I ask you a question?" Mike's gaze pierced his wife's eyes.

Caroline was getting nervous all of a sudden. Oh my! He was going to ask me tonight!

"Yes...sweetie...what is it?" she asked nervously.

"How did your vacation go? I mean...where have you been staying for two months?" he asked her point-blank.

Caroline closed her eyes for a brief seconds gathering strength. "I stayed in several hotels..." she asked not daring to name any hotels afraid that he will check that hotel's name.

"I see...so why did you have to go away? Have I offended you somehow?" he continued asking, he could not stop.

Caroline was shaking her head vigorously. "No! it's not that...you are perfect for me in many ways. It's just that after our honeymoon, I was feeling depressed all of a sudden. The trauma I experienced under Joseph's hands resurrected in my mind and I feel so dirty and violated. I feel like I don't deserve to be your wife. You are too good to be true, I feel like I don't deserve you. So, I have to go away for a while to sort out my feelings and bring back the peace that I have cultivated hard after Joseph's passing. After a while during my absence, I feel whole again I decided to finally return to your side. I'm sorry for leaving your side, hubby. Please forgive me..." she pleaded for his forgiveness as fresh tears flooded her face instantly.

Caroline continued sobbing asking her husband forgiveness. Her tears were genuine, her cries were heartbreaking as her body was trembling. She was crying uncontrollably in his arms.

Mike was moved by his wife's crying. He was debating either to believe everything she told him today or continue interrogating her. On the other hand, he doesn't want to stress her out knowing she's pregnant, the baby might get affected by the stress that the mother is going through right now.

He decided to stop bombarding her with stressful questions. "Hush now, stop crying, sweetie...I believe everything you said to me. Please stop crying..." he ran his fingers on her hair and rubbed her back gently.

But his mind was pushing him to ask another question. If she can't give her at least one place where she stays then he will suspect that she was lying. "Sweetie, just give me one place where you stayed recently..." he said.

Caroline's mind was racing, she was panicking again, then she realized that telling the truth might stop him from interrogating her any further. "I stayed in one of the hotels in Angeles Pampanga," she finally answered.

Mike finally released the breath that he was holding. At least she was telling the truth this time. He will stop asking her questions for now. If the DNA test will prove that he is the father of the baby that she was carrying in her w.o.m.b, then, he will stop asking her questions for good.

The only thing that matters to him right now is that his wife is back in his arms for good and he is the father of their unborn child, as, for the rest, he can learn to forget everything and pretend that it didn't happen at all.

That is how much he loves his wife and he is willing to forgive her for abandoning him for more than two months.

Caroline finally stopped crying, she wiped her tears with the face towel that Mike had given her. Inside she was already smiling triumphantly, it seemed her acting was effective and she was able to soften and stopped her husband's questioning mind and killed his suspicion of her.

Well, not literally killed...but more of stalling his progression of uncovering the truth on what really happened when she was gone for more than two months. By the time she already gave birth to their first child, his mind will get distracted by the baby and he would no longer be clamoring to know the truth.

She will just stick to her alibi and keep repeating it, again and again, every time he will try to mention about her disappearance. Maybe one day he will get tired of asking and just let that topic die on its natural death.

She just wants to move on without being hindered by the dark events of her past.

Now that she was given another chance by God to live her life according to her own free will then she must try hard to make her husband forget what happened, her husband must be able to accept her whole again without lingering doubts and suspicious in his mind.

Mike looked heavenward and fixed his stare on the ceiling.

Caroline already revealed the reason why she was gone for more than two months. Although the reason that was given was believable enough somehow it still has plot holes. She could just have told him that she will go on a vacation for two months somewhere in a resort just to nurse her mental health and depression, he would be able to understand her that way.

But why go on the mysterious way of disappearing and just leave everything behind without explaining her mental health in the first place?

That what keeps bugging his mind.

For such a simple thing why would his wife not detail the reason clearly in her farewell later way back on the day she disappeared?

Why is it that even if she already told him the reason why...he's still not satisfied?

As if his mind is not fully convinced with her reasons?

Maybe because he feels like she was lying...and her tears aren't real? Crocodile tears?

Dammit...he's getting paranoid!

He already lectured his mind about this that he won't let his suspicion and doubts destroy them and what matters for him is that she's back in his side and they are going to raise their child soon.

Mike released a deep sigh.

Caroline looked up at his face worriedly...bothered by the heaviness of his sighing as if he was carrying a heavy burden in his shoulder.

"Hubby, a-are you okay? Is there something wrong? What's bothering you?" she asked.

Mike looked at her and smiled. "Nothing...I'll go to the bathroom to take a quick shower. You may rest now," he said softly and eases away from her.

"Okay," she murmured and followed his back with her gaze while he sauntered towards the bathroom.

Caroline released a deep sigh of frustration. It looks like her husband wasn't buying her reasons and still doubting her or maybe she was just overthinking because she was guilty of not telling him the truth?

Which is which...she needs to get her rest tonight.

She will worry about him tomorrow, for now, she needs her good night sleep her baby needs it as well, the rest can wait. Now that she's back...she can endure everything that her husband will throw at her. If for some reason he will start giving her a cold shoulder, she will try to remain the same and not mind his negative attitude and moods, as long she remained reasonable and treat him the same way as before, then everything will be alright.

She will hide the truth from him no matter what.

And there's nothing he can do but accept the reasons she gives him.

She closed her eyes and get ready to sleep with a clear mind.

A few minutes later, Mike was done showering and emerged from the bathroom door. He looked at his wife tenderly, she was already sleeping and snoring softly. He turns off the light, went to the bed and lay down beside her. He wrapped his arms around his wife affectionately.

He buried his face on her hair smelling her shampoo. Embracing her always gives him a feeling of lightheartedness and euphoria. His feelings for her didn't change at all. He always adored her.

No matter what she does, he will always love her.