The cool water cascaded gently on Bryan and his wife, Claire Alfredo. Her soft hands roamed over his chest as she washed him, her hands a little hold, exploring his ridges and planes.
"When are you going to wake up and make me a complete woman?" She whispered to him gently. But Bryan's eyes were blank, his face stoic, his lips parted in an awkward angle.
Claire sighed as she looked at her husband's face and realized that he still couldn't hear her. "What on earth happened to you, Bryan?" She asked rhetorically. It wasn't like he could hear her, no, he was mute and couldn't speak since he'd been brought back from war six months ago. All that she was left with was a shadow of the man she once loved.
Claire looked keenly at him, he was still as unresponsive as ever and she shyly ran her hands over his crotch as she applied the scented soap all over him. She couldn't believe that she was a married virgin.
Four years ago, Bryan had been the best thing to have ever happened to her. He was handsome and strong and she couldn't wait to have him all to herself - body and soul. But the very day of their wedding, she ended up at the altar alone.
At first, she was upset that she'd been jilted by Bryan just on her D day, she was sad and vengeful but then, just when her family began to mock her, news came that Bryan had been sent off to war by his very own family.
Broken and distraught, Claire becomes some sort of a widow at her young age. The Alfredo family couldn't take the disgrace so they ordered her to divorce Bryan and move on with her life. With Claire's extraordinary beauty, there was a long line of men waiting for her once she left him.
But Claire loved her husband and she bowed to wait for his return no matter how long it would take. And finally, Bryan did return, but he wasn't the same man.
"I will make you take me today, I must feel you inside me, if I must divorce you as my family had ordered then you must be the one to take my maidenhead," Claire mused as she slowly moved her husband from the shower and began to towel him dry. She pulled a light blanket over him and was about to undress herself when she heard a loud bang on the door.
Startled, Claire pulled on her pajamas quickly and covered up her husband. "Who is the__" but she didn't complete that statement when the door opened and her mother, Freya Alfredo walked in.
Claire winced at the angry scowl on her mother's face. "This is all you ever do all day! Bath and cloth a grown-up man like he's a baby or an imbecile!" She snapped.
"Mom, please, don't be mean to Bryan," Claire begged her mother but Freya pointed at her in anger, "Don't you dare say a word before I slap the sense that you've lost back into your head!" She snapped.
Claire stood still, she knew how explosive her mother's anger could be and so she didn't say anything. "I was just trying to dress him up for__"
"Don't dress him him! Stop living im a fantasy world and wake up, Claire! That man is a vegetable, he's more useless than a newborn child, he's a retard, there is nothing we can do about it. You can't keep wasting the family's money when we don't even have enough!" She snapped.
"I'll get a job, I just need some time to make sure Bryan is taken care of," she pleaded. But Freya shook her head. "I've heard enough of this nonsense, you're the reason that Master Alfredo cut us off from the family's finances, you have brought nothing but shame to this family all because of that man," Freya said, pointing at Bryan who was on his wheelchair quietly, oblivious to the world around him.
"After tonight, you are going to sign divorce papers and leave that piece of trash, you better be on Master Alfredo's good side if you want to get back into the family," Freya warned, "Wear something nice to the family gathering tonight, you just might be lucky to have a promising man look your way," she said and hissed at Bryan as she walked out.
Claire sighed, she was still feeling a little tingly for her husband but she couldn't disobey her mother so she quickly dressed up and rolled Bryan close to the bedside, "I don't know what will happen to us, I have to get dressed for Master Alfredo's party tonight," she whispered dejectedly and placed a deep kiss on his lips as she left the room, going into her walk-in closet.
As the door slammed, a loud bang sounded in Bryan's head and his eyes widened. He looked around the room and almost fell off his wheelchair as memories assailed him. He saw himself in the car heading to his wedding when suddenly he was being taken back to his family and sent off to fight a war for Gato Republic against their enemy, Alemand.
Bryan groaned as he could see men were bowing to him respectfully, he was clothed in a general's uniform and led his men to battle, emerging victorious and bringing home the glory.
"The blood general" they called him as his enemies bowed before him. He could recall how happy he was to go home to his wife when his family decided his fate suddenly, he wasn't to return intact, they made him a retard with very powerful ancient herbs.
Bryan was still remembering who he was when Claire walked back into the room and saw her husband seated on the bed. She stopped in her tracks, surprised at how he had somehow moved out of his chair and was leaning on the bed. "Where am I?" He asked, his voice low and hoarse.
"Oh my God! You're conscious!
" Claire yelled in shock, her eyes wide.
Claire opened the door to see her husband on his feet. She gasped and dropped the jewelry box she clutched in shock. She couldn't believe that her husband was finally able to stand on his own. He didn't look so pale either and his features were focused. "Bryan, you're okay? How?" She asked softly and ran to grab him by the arm, thinking he might still be unsteady but she was surprised to find that he was very strong on his feet. "Mum! Oh my God! This is a miracle!" She yelled happily and her mother who was just in the hallways came rushing in along with her father, both dressed and ready for the grandmother's party that evening. Freya was shocked as she looked at her son-in-law, the same man she just mocked a few minutes ago. Bryan was very tall, he towered over them all in the room and Freya had to raise her head to look him in the eyes. "Oh, he's finally able to stand," she said casually, sounding like it wasn't a big deal, "He can finally pack his bags and leave you for goo
Claire and her entire family arrived at the birthday dinner for her grandmother. The entire hall was beautifully decorated and bright chandeliers hung overhead. The tuxedos and fancy dresses made Claire cringe because she already felt underdressed without being told. "We will put our heads down and go throw this party, hopefully after you sign those divorce papers, your grandmother will take pity on us and help with our financial situation," Freya, Claire's mother said as she walked beside her. Claire nodded dutifully, her gift wrapped up and clutched by her side. But their plan to get in and out of the party quietly was already crushed the minute their aunt arrived. Aunty Mae was not a very warm or friendly woman and she hated Freya and her family with passion. As she sighted them, she wasted no time in coming closer and asking why they'd arrive late. "Why are you showing up now? Huh? Did you guys run out of gas? I wouldn't be surprised," she said and laughed loudly. Claire sigh
The rook was silent for a few seconds and then Juliet's boyfriend, Mike, glared at, "What did you just say?" He asked furiously. Bryan wasn't intimidated by his cold glare or tone, "I said the ring is fake, that's not an emerald stone," he replied confidently. "Who brought this thing in here?" Aunt Mae asked, butting in as she noticed that Bryan had somehow gotten attention at the table. "How would you know what stone is fake or real? You're a retard!" She spat. "There's only one way to find out, let me do the test and prove it to everyone," he said. Aunt Mae sneered at him and then turned to Freya and Claire, "This is all your fault! You brought this madman from the asylum where he ought to be and invited him here!" She said angrily, "Isn't it enough that you are a disgrace to this family? You also brought a madman to your grandmother's birthday?" Freya immediately tried to grab Bryan and push him out of the party, she was fed up with being ridiculed by her family and he only
Bryan had a smirk on his face as Mike's face fell. The arrogant man realized that there was no denying the authenticity of the ring now that Bryan had openly shown it to everyone. He immediately apologized to his grandmother. "I'm so sorry, Grandma, I'm sure this is some misunderstanding from the jeweler," he said and picked up the ring, placed it in the box, and snapped it shut. "You don't deserve anything cheap or fake. I will make sure I get a more expensive stone from that careless man for you, I'm sure it's a mistake of purchase," he said with a wide smile on his face. Grandmother was very disappointed but she didn't say anything, "Is there any particular stone you'd want? Maybe an onyx or a ruby this time?" Mike insisted, trying to impress the old woman. "That won't be necessary," Grandfather said with a booming voice and Mike nodded quietly, pocketing his fake ring. "I didn't just call everyone here today for my birthday, I called us all to make a very important announcem
Claire stood like a fish out of the pond. She didn't know what to say. Staring at her grandmother's face only made her more afraid of what was demanded of her. "What do you say? Will you take the deal, Claire?" Grandmother asked with a stern look.It was obvious that it was a trick question. There was no way she could pull it off, not with the debt her family was in, not when her mother was already shaking her head in shame. Bryan held her hands softly and whispered to her, "Take the opportunity, Claire, we will do this together," he said. Claire looked at him and for some reason, she was brave again, she nodded. "Yes, grandmother, I will settle the debt," she replied. Everyone was shocked, they looked at her and Bryan with pity and some laughed, claiming they were just putting up a show. "This is just a game, you could never think of appearing before the mafia lord, Scar, to talk more about clearing out the debt, where do you intend to get the money from?" Aunt Mae mocked. Grandmot
Stunned, Claire asked Juliet what she was doing at Scar's house, "I don't think grandmother asked you to clear the debt too," she said curiously. Juliet laughed and looked down at her slightly muddy shoes, wrinkled her nose and replied, "Of course she didn't ask me to do that, she doesn't hate me like she hates you, you should know that by now," she replied. Claire was upset at her speech, she knew that grandmother didn't hate her - or so her mother tirelessly tried to convince her. She was only punishing her for marrying Bryan when she had openly refused it, Claire didn't have a choice but to prove herself to her and the entire family. "Grandmother doesn't hate me, she knows I can do this," Claire replied confidently. "Of course she does," Juliet replied sarcastically, she laughed loudly and then smiled at her, "Let me guess, you think getting the deal with the Gudling family will be easy too?" She asked mockingly. "It doesn't matter, I'll take it one step at a time, I'm here
Bryan was able to catch Claire just in time before she hit the floor. He cradled her in his arms carefully and then steadied her. "You shouldn't have done that," he sneered at Scar. Claire was surprised at his boldness but she was also frightened on his behalf, she didn't want them to get into trouble with the notorious Mafia so she tried to silence him. "Don't worry, I'm fine," she mumbled and held onto Bryan's arms tightly. "How dare you touch my wife? You've just signed your death!" He snapped. Scar looked at him with raised brows and then burst out laughing, the sound a cackling and ugly one. "I have signed my death?" He asked in a mocking tone and looked at Bryan's shoes, "You dare come into my home to threaten me?!" He snapped, his face quickly morphing into an angry scowl. "You dare lay your filthy hands on my wife? Do you know what you've just done?" Bryan sneered at him. Juliet was surprised that he was talking back to the mafia. She needed Scar's help and she wanted to be
Juliet was burning red with fury, with her cheeks still hurting from the impact of the slap, she sneered at Bryan and Claire. "What the hell did you guys just do? You will regret this!" She snapped. Mark came at her again and she stepped back, evidently frightened by the angry look on the mafia's face. "I don't know what this fiasco is but I will tell grandmother and uncle all about it! I'm sure you will be punished for this humiliation!" She snapped. Mark turned to her and gave her a final cold warning, "Get out of here unless you want that pretty little face of yours to be ruined," he snapped. Juliet jerked at his voice and huffed as she angrily walked out, more or less stomping. As she grabbed her purse and got into her car, she groaned loudly as she saw the red prints on her cheeks. There was no hiding that she had just gotten hit and she was even more furious that Claire and her retard husband were somehow the reasons for that. "Why would that mafia boss listen to them, who th