She's My Sleeping Pill

Normally, if he doesn’t come to pick her up because of his busy schedule, she would go to his office and accompany him until he gets up to leave.

Surprisingly, he didn’t want her to come this time.

“Why?” She asked no one in particular as she read the message again. “Is he annoyed with my presence already?”

The bodyguards wanted to answer ‘NO’ but they were not in the position to act chummy with her and interfere with private matters.

At home, Stefan was pacing back and forth inside their room. The reason why he told her not to come and pick him up from the office was because he was home. He just kept the information from her.

“This woman.” Stefan muttered angrily. “How could she promise herself to someone else? And kids don’t lie. They express their most genuine feelings to other people. It means she genuinely wanted to marry him. Damn it!” He cursed and whipped the couch with the leather belt. His jealousy was brimming to the point of spilling in every corner of the room.

.....

Around 5:00 in the afternoon, Cayenne arrived and saw Jonas and Luiz in the living room. They were playing chess together and when they looked up, their expression was a bit off. They didn’t look happy to see her.

“Did something happen?” She asked. Her heart started beating erratically as she shifted her gaze between her brother and her stepfather. “Am I involved in another incident?”

“Probably.” Luiz answered. “Just go up and change.”

Well, it was what she wanted to do earlier but now, she thought of staying in the living room and just wait for Stefan.

“Just go.” Jonas added.

She nodded her head hesitantly and walked upstairs. Alarm bells were ringing in her head but her feet kept taking one step after the other.

The moment she pushed the door open, a large hand grabbed her wrist. She knew it was her husband because of the scent coming from him. However, before she could greet him happily, he pressed her hands on each side of the bed post and handcuffed her.

When she realized what just happened, it was already too late.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Cayenne asked in confusion. “Is this another roleplay that you want to do with me?”

“No.”

“Oh.” She mumbled while trying to think what could have urged him to do this. “So, what’s the matter?”

“I’m angry.”

Cayenne wanted to laugh because angry people don’t normally do this. If he said he’s horny and wanted to do some roleplay with her, she’d believe him without a doubt.

But angry? With whom? Her? She couldn’t remember doing anything that could anger him.

“I’m angry.” He said once again as if once wasn’t enough for her to hear him.

“What angered you? Or who angered you?”

“You and that damn Brian.”

Cayenne’s smile vanished and was replaced with a cold gaze. She watched him with no emotions in her eyes. She didn’t know what really happened and how her professor’s name became part of this, but she knew that this fight must have something to do with her past.

“You promised you’d accept me, my past and everything that I am.” She uttered softly to avoid cracking her voice from the disappointment she felt right now. “I guess, those were words you mentioned in the spur of a moment?”

“No, they were not. I was sincere and I mean what I said.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Cayenne wanted to stand up, to cup his face and look directly into his eyes but she couldn’t move freely because of the cold metal that kept her tied to the bed.

Stefan turned her back on her. He was looking down on the floor while thinking back to the conversation he had with Brian.

***

“It looks like she doesn’t remember me.” Brian told Stefan when they met at the cafe. “However, I remember her clearly.”

“Are you one of her exes?”

“That many? It seems like you don’t know your wife like how you claim to be. Cayenne isn’t that type of person.”

“So, what are you in her life?”

Brian smiled meaningfully and caressed the rim of his cup of coffee. His fingers were long and something that a woman would love to hold. Even Stefan felt envious because he has callused hands.

After a moment of silence, Brian looked into Stefan’s eyes again and answered, “I am the person she promised to marry. We were engaged since we were kids and she was the one who initiated it. She promised to be mine once we become adults.”

Boom!

As if he was bombarded with rolling thunders and rain of lightnings, Stefan though he’s gone deaf and heard some nonsensical things.

“Come again?”

Brian chuckled and lifted his coffee for a drink. He loves the look of frustration on Stefan’ face. “I can repeat the words again and again for you.”

“Never mind.” Stefan retorted readily as he stood up from his seat.

“One more thing.” Brian called out which stopped Stefan from leaving. “I didn’t lie. Cayenne may have forgotten about it but if I show her the pieces of evidence that proves our relationship, I am pretty sure that she’ll come back to me.”

“Dream on!”

Without looking back, Stefan left in a hurry. He wanted to confirm this matter with Cayenne but the words that Brian said kept resurfacing in his mind and he was getting angry.

He knew that the man wasn’t lying. He could tell it from the look of his eyes.

***

“I didn’t expect that you were engaged to someone else.” Stefan commented without turning back to look at his wife. “Ayen, I said I would accept everything that you are and including your past but you have to tell me about them.”

“And what if I tell you that I don’t remember being engaged to someone else? Will you believe me?”

“Hm.”

“Idiot!” Cayenne kicked him hard on the back which caused him to slip on the floor. Stefan glared at her but Cayenne glared back. “So, you are angry because I promised myself to marry someone else when I was a kid?”

Silence.

“I’ll take your silence as a yes.”

“But – ”

“No buts!” Cayenne interrupted in anger. “You still don’t trust me Stefan. You think so little of me. Did you really think I’d leave because someone said I promised to marry them? You should have – ”

“It’s myself.” Stefan expressed which cut her off. “I don’t trust myself, Ayen. I got jealous. I was jealous when you told me that Arthur was once the person you admired. I got jealous when Brian told me you wanted to marry him. I got jealous so easily. I don’t trust myself. I always ask if I have given you enough or more than that. I always ask what if I lack in some area and it will cause our relationship to break? What if I do something wrong and you’ll hate me for it? What if Brian is better than me and you’d realize it? What if -”

“There are no what ifs in life Stefan.”

“I just can’t help it.”

Cayenne sighed and closed her eyes to calm herself. If both of them become hotheaded, nothing will be solved. She needed to be calm and collected.

“Hubby.”

“Hm.”

“I love you.”

Stefan raised her head and looked at her. She was grinning from ear to ear when their eyes met. Her beautiful smile lit up his eyes and he realized how foolish he was acting at this moment.

“Did you hear me?” Cayenne asked but he was only staring at her stupidly. “I love you Stefan Dumrique.”

For the first time in a while now, Stefan blushed. He rubbed the back of his neck as he chuckled softly. Then, he laughed louder and louder which made Cayenne roll her eyes.

“Happy now?”

“Very.”

“Then, remove this handcuffs.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

Stefan stood up and Cayenne’s eyes trailed down his body until she saw that bulging monster hidden underneath his trousers.

“I got horny with the sight of you.”

“Shameless pervert!”