Best Defense

The Extreemly Hurt

"Call me when you're done, baby. I'll pick you up." Sean told me as I was about to get out of the car.

I raised my head, smiling at him. Both of his blue eyes were staring at me intensely. A perfect smile spread across his handsome face, making my bones seem to turn into sponges. Slowly I felt my head light, then it was as if all my anxiety was drifting somewhere when I looked at him. At any moment, what I feel for him, the pounding of my heart, and every swish of my blood will belong only to that wonderful man.

"Yes," I said briefly as I nodded, then stepped forward slightly to kiss her lips at a glance. "Thank you."

With one hand touching her shoulder, I grabbed my bag from the back seat and put the phone in it. I kissed her again. "Be careful" I said before finally getting out of the car.

There is something that is troubling my mind right now, which is about the message Nino sent yesterday. I was thinking about letting it go, but I think I need to see him to find out what's going on with Sean. Later he was a bit different, his attitude and gestures implying he was hiding something from me.

I wanted to ask him directly but I knew it would be worth it, Sean couldn't possibly want to say something if it wasn't a good thing to say. And I can't stay silent like a coward while he's facing something weird. So, I decided to meet Nino today.

Half a day in the office to prepare all the things Denise needed during her time in Paris, we finally got it all done. Without wasting any longer, after Denise came out of my room, I immediately contacted Nino and asked her to come to my office.

Half an hour later, the man appeared at the door of my study with a fairly casual appearance. Black jeans, white shirt, and sneakers. A big smile seemed to decorate his face. Not much has changed from him since the last time I met him, it just looks a little unkempt.

"Hey, how are you?" sweep it while stepping towards me. He looked calm, but his face said something else.

I nodded, then smiled. "good. You alone?" I replied, trying to sound relaxed, but I knew my tone was clearly telling me I was nervous.

It's nothing, I've given my life to her for a long time, and also our last meeting wasn't a good moment to remember, so it doesn't feel weird if I'm a little worried right now.

He landed his butt on the chair opposite me and leaned back with a smile that did not disappear in the slightest on his lips. "I'm good too. Ben is still at my mom's house. Maybe later in the afternoon I can just pick him up."

I'm nodding. "Hm, no problem. How's your mama doing? Is she okay? I'm sorry I haven't been there yet, say my regards to her."

"Yes, his condition is getting better" he said. "And I'll give you your regards."

The silence was gripping for a while. I knew he felt guilty about our last meeting, it was obvious from his look. Nine years of living with him certainly made me understand what his habits were like, I could still clearly remember every change in expression that appeared on his face when he felt something.

"So, what do you want to say about my husband?" I decided to ask and end that awkward moment.

He lowered his head, looked like he was thinking, then glanced at me without raising his face. I raised an eyebrow, stating I was waiting for his answer.

Nino straightened her body and looked at me with a difficult gaze, then took a heavy breath. "Listen..don't misunderstand anything I'm about to say. First, I don't mean to want to ruin your relationship with him. Second, I'm doing this purely because I'm worried about you. I mean, if something happens to you, then Ben's gonna be affected, too."

I frowned, unable to guess where the direction of the conversation was. "What are you talking about exactly? Why does it sound like I'm going to die?" I shakes not believing him. But he seems serious about his words. And now she squeezes her hair and curses it softly.

"Nino, what's wrong? Don't make me think this is just a trick you're doing to screw up my relationship with Sean."

"Absolutely not, Franda. I told you that wasn't my goal."

"Then, what?" my sahut is impatient. I'm not comfortable in this situation.

Talking to Nino was actually one of the things I wanted to avoid the most, because I'm sure Sean would know this anyway. She couldn't possibly leave me alone, one of her people must have been around the boutique to watch over me.

"Your husband's dealing with gangsters."

I frowned, then shook my head and laughed insensibly at his words. "You must be kidding me. I know who my husband is. After all, what's he dealing with them for?" I laughed again while leaning my back against the back of my chair.

"Franda, I'm serious!" he murmured, not seeming to mess with his words. Nino sighed and then started talking again. "The fake contract case created by Dave is no simple matter. Dave has a pretty big debt to some drug dealers, and they're after him. I don't know how your husband was involved in the case at first, but from what I've heard he's now under Interpol's watch. And you..."

"Franda, you should know this. There's someone who wants to make you a target to threaten your husband."

I shook my head, not believing her words at all. Sean couldn't possibly do that, and even though Nino was telling the truth, Sean wouldn't let someone hurt me. I'm sure it is.

I took a breath and looked at him. "Nino, I appreciate your intentions, and I thank you for bothering to worry about my situation. But I don't understand what you're saying at all, and if anyone has to protect me, then I believe Sean will."

"Franda, you don't know how complicated this is. Tomorrow morning your husband is going to Malaysia to meet Dave, and he's going there with Paula Eddie, his ex-girlfriend a few years ago. Did he tell you that?"

I rounded my eyes, and suddenly I was electrocuted by thousands of volts. My body stiffened in a very painful way. I tried not to believe anything he said, but this one hit me so badly.

Suddenly I remembered the night I saw Sean with the woman at the club, and he hadn't said anything about the woman.

I took a breath and slowly exhaled. Trying to calm down while trying to digest everything. Sean has changed lately, but it's not possible because of the woman. I knew him well, and he never glanced at any woman as long as we were married, or related to any other woman.

Was the woman at the club the same woman Nino meant? If so, then Sean really lied to me. Gosh... What really happened?

I can't understand where this conversation is going. Dave's fake contract, gangster, interpol, then Sean's ex-lover. As hard as I tried, I still could not see the line that connected all of it. There is no reasonable possibility that I can deduce.

"Nino, I still have a lot to do, can you leave me?" I said at the end, after a while. I have to ask Sean about this.

He nodded, then stood up and without saying anything more, he stepped out of my room.

My mind drifted back to Sean. I thought that everything had been fine since our last fight. There will be no more secrets between us. But after I heard the news of his disappearance from someone else, Sean made me realize that he couldn't trust me the way I believed him. There's a line between us that I can never cross.

I don't doubt her feelings or her sincerity towards me, but I also know she's holding herself back from me. He was still worried that I would not be able to stay by his side if the situation changed. Without her knowing it, the way she kept me away from all her problems would eventually hurt both of us.

I can't just take this for granted. Whatever I do doesn't seem to mean anything to him. Sean and his life would never really be able to fuse with me.

I felt my throat choking while the tears caused by the anger and hurt I felt started to wet my cheeks. How could he hide all that from me? At least if he really appreciates me, why does he make me look like a fool and keep lying?

I leaned my back against the back of the chair, closed my eyes and tried to catch my breath that was starting to tighten. I don't want to panic, I have to calm down. It was painful when I trusted him completely, but he never once gave me the chance to go further into his life.

"Frand,"

I opened my eyes and found Sean standing at the door of my room. He closed the door and locked it. Part of me wanted to hear a reasonable explanation from him, but the other part wanted to slap him. I watched him for a while and wished he had said something, but nothing came out of his mouth.

I grabbed the tissue and rubbed my tears violently while lowering my head. "Leave me, Sean." I muttered softly, not strong enough to snap at him even though I wanted so badly. "I'm just your roadblock."

"No." He began to step closer to me, but soon stopped as I stared intently at him. He sighed then nodded. "I can explain everything, Franda." He started, trying to persuade me with his soft voice.

I stood up, threw a tissue at him, and faced him while taking a deep breath. Both of my hands clenched at my side. I'm not a woman who likes violence, but I think now things will be different.

"What's your real problem, Sean? Why do you keep lying to me? You know very well how I feel and many times I tell you to be open" I said trembling, but she was not affected at all.

I stepped towards the door, about to get out and leave it, but she held my hand and pulled me quickly. A stifled moan rang out from my mouth as he kissed me violently. Very very rude.

As fast as lightning I pushed his body away from me and slapped him with all my might. And without saying anything else, I stepped out of it.