Substitute Mother

Chaptre 96. The Values of Honesty

Tyona bit her lips full of antipace, her fingernails twisting each other. He was never this big except on the day of his wedding. Tyona did not want to hope. Because if his estimation is wrong, he is not sure his heart is able to swallow disappointment again. But his chest was pounding violently, as hard as he tried not to want to hope, in fact his instincts were to hope.

“Anna.”

Tyona raised her face, facing off against Kiran's beautiful face which seemed to have been finished with the examination. He could not guess what Kiran's gaze meant. In fact, Tyona was eager to get her feet out of her seat before Kiran revealed the results of the examination that she was not pregnant. That the result of her missed period is due to stress. That his dietary changes were only due to many thoughts. Not because of ha—

“Congratulations, darling. You're positive about containing”

**

Mark's health condition is getting better. Even the doctors and nurses praised the admiration for their burning patient spirit to heal. From being able to just lie down, slowly Mark was already able to sit down. His nose was no longer fitted with oxygen aids. Now the medical equipment that is still attached to his body is just an infusion hose. With significant progress, doctors believe Mark will be allowed to go home as soon as next week.

“Honey, you don't want to go home?”

Hannah stopped her orange peeling activities to look at her lover. “You kicked me out?”

Mark chuckles. “Not. But you've been here for days. You also need rest, sleep in a roomy and warm bed”

“No want”

One of Mark's eyebrows shot up. Hannah placed the orange on the plate, replacing the emptiness of her hand with Mark's. “I don't want to leave you a day's worth. I want to be here, unless you don't want me here”

“Of course I like you here, baby. But what about your job?”

Oh, Hannah almost forgot that Mark didn't know anything about Victoire at all. He did not bring a topic about his work after the lover siuman. Only now did Mark ask about his work. Good news, thanks to Jeanno for all of Louis's criminal files being proven to be true and the chances of him being punished are huge. So the point is, Hannah's free. Free from all the cunning snares of the blue-eyed man to snatch his happiness.

“It...” Hannah stumped a smile. “I've stopped, Mark”

The pair of twin marbles were rounded. “Really? But why?”

“The story is long. But the police found many illegal things done by Victoire's owners, and it made him have to be willing to see his assets frozen, one of which was Victoire”

“So.. The legendary Victoire is already..no more?”

Hannah nodded. “I'm free. I'm no longer Hannah's erotic dancer”

The two smiled, Mark's thumb rubbing the back of Hannah's hand. “I'm not happy because you're unemployed, but don't worry baby, my money is enough to support you”

Hannah then chuckles, pinched Mark's stomach slowly. “You said as if I couldn't live a day without money. Take it easy, honey, I'll probably find a job once you're cured. The work is ‘sehat’, and of course there is no need to show my thighs to the men-men”

Mark did not answer, but preferred to look at Hannah's past-goals. Seen as clumsy, Mark's gaze was so deep as to dive into every detail of his mind and heart. Making her nape hot and her cheeks feel like they're melting.

“Hannah.”

Hannah muttered in response. Somehow he felt the next sentence out of Mark's lips was not something he could answer with a joke.

“So you want to tell me? You said wait time. Is this..exact time?”

Hannah's body stiffened. He was afraid, but he couldn't back down either. His dishonesty once almost brought him to the brink of regret about losing Mark forever. And Hannah doesn't want anything bad to happen again just because she's buying time by still burying her secret.

“I... Mark, I can say that the honesty I will expose to you may, ah no, it will definitely hurt you, tarnish our relationship. But I can't keep this alone. I don't want my silence to have a bad impact on us, as it is now. I've got my karma, and it doesn't taste good”

Mark nodded, letting Hannah continue her sentence. He was ready, his ears ready to catch every honesty that was thrown from his lips. Her heart was ready to accept the secret that might hurt her as Hannah had just said. But if he wants to take Hannah a step further, isn't honesty a good start?

Every word for word, it was as sharp as a knife that pierced his heart. Bemoan. Mark's face was red, feeling betrayed. Feeling fooled. And feel useless. When the lover needs something he believes he can help, Hannah runs to ask for help from others. Someone else who clearly has a specific purpose. Others who are already clear will take advantage of the ‘help’ he provided to attack Hannah's weak spot.

Hannah finished her story two hours later. Closed by another tear feather that escaped wet his cheek that still left a trace of crying before. Hannah looked down, not daring to look at Mark. He was ashamed, so embarrassed that he wanted to hide.

Mark takes off his hand which is tied to Hannah. “Kear”

Hannah believes her ears are still functioning well. When she heard the first word from Mark after the honesty he gave, Hannah questioned the function of her sense of hearing. Did Mark really tell her to come out?

“Y-ya?”

Mark turned his face. “Out. For a while. I don't want to see you first”

Hannah nodded heavily. He understood, however, the fact that Mark had just learned was the bitter pill that he had to swallow roundly. It's not easy for Mark. Hannah stood up, fixing Mark's slightly messy blanket, but her lover did not respond, still throwing his face away.

“I'll call mom to come here. If you're calm, can you call me?”.

Mark did not answer. His lips were silent and from the look of his face was mapped with a vexation that only he and God knew. Hannah's chest throbbed pain, but again, she couldn't blame Mark.

“I go first”

As it had become routine even when Mark was in a coma, Hannah pressed her head forward to kiss Mark's cheek. But the man shifted his position to dodge, making Hannah smell the void. The woman smiled bitterly.

“Happy break, Mark.”

Hannah turned. Stepping with heavy feet towards the exit. Before he could reach the doorknob, he turned to look at the man. Mark was still lying with a straight look out the window. Contrary to him.

Once Hannah is out, she realizes she must be ready to lose Mark.

**

Tyona was never this happy. Realizing that there was another life growing with her, making her chest seem like it wanted to explode would be an unstoppable sense of happiness. The only thing he could have imagined, was now a reality. It feels a thousand times more beautiful. His cheeks began to ache because he kept smiling from earlier. But he doesn't care, let people think he's insane. Tyona is happy!

The apartment door is open. No need to see who came, because she knew it was definitely her husband who had just returned from the hospital. Smile wears off. Euphoria about her pregnancy makes Tyona completely forget about Jeffrey. The pregnancy that he was waiting for, but came when his household was not okay.

A pair of burly arms wrapped around his waist from behind. Almost made him drop the plate he just finished washing.

“You smell” Jeffrey said as he sniffed his neck, spiked with a butterfly kiss on his nape. Tyona shuffled, pushing Jeffrey slowly. “Detach, Jeff. You're dirty after from hospital”

Jeffrey chuckled, not letting go, his embrace getting tighter. His palm rubbed Tyona's flat stomach. Simple things but made Anna nervous to death.

“I just saw you come out of poly obsgyn. What's up there?”

His heart was running. Make Tyona pray that Jeffrey doesn't hear it. He looked up, running into Jeffrey's high nose.

Should he be honest?

**