Flash Marriage: Shrewd Wife, Devious Husband
Chapter 238: First Heartbreak

Chapter 238: First Heartbreak

Marcella had lunch there. Seeing the youngest baby girl who was five, sharing her food with her youngest boys and taking care of them, Marcella thought of stealing that girl from Gloria and raising her in her home.

"Stop it!" Gloria pinched her arm.

"Aww, what?" Marella rubbed her arm. Gloria dared to pinch her that hard.

"I know what you are thinking. You cannot do that. I’m not letting you," Gloria glared at her.

"What am I planning?" Marcella asked gritting her teeth. How would she know what she was thinking?

"You were thinking of stealing my little princess. Catherine is mine. If you want a daughter ask your husband," Gloria curled her lips.

"If my husband had that capability, why would I think of stealing my friend’s daughter?" Marcella mumbled under her breath. She was really upset with Tony for not giving her a single daughter.

What is the probability that she had five sons? Just how?

Gloria laughed seeing Marcella’s pout. This was not the first time Marcella was thinking that. She once tried to leave their house with Catherine. She found Marcella’s yearning for a daughter funny. It truly is not in their hands. Any child is a blessing.

"Look at the bright side," Gloria held her hand. "Your five sons will bring you five daughters-in-law and~"

"I do not want daughters-in-law. I want a daughter. Just... Hey, Glo, let me bring Catherine with me. I will raise her. I’ll bring her to see you often and~"

"My husband will kill me. She is his princess and I will be executed if anything happens to her," Gloria was serious.

Marcella sighed.

Raphael finished eating and went to Catherine to take over taking care of his brothers. Marcella observed that eccentric boy of hers handling Catherine with the same care as a gentleman.

"He’s a well-learned young man..." Gloria whispered. "Look how well your husband taught him. He made such an impression on him."

"You can have him. Let’s exchange him for Catherine," Marcella said.

Gloria hit Marcella hard on the head with the ladle. "How drunk are you, idiot?" she asked.

Marcella rubbed her head. She was drunk, all right. Why would she want to trade her child with another? She would never. Tony would kill her if he learned that she suggested it.

"I am going to marry Catherine," Raphael said.

The elder boys giggled mocking their brother. Marcella couldn’t help but smile too. Her boy looked so serious.

"Okay, but only if Mr. Butler approves," Marcella said.

Gloria was laughing so hard, she was on the table holding her stomach.

Raphael’s eyebrows twitched a bit. Holding the button in his shirt, he squirmed with uneasiness. He was afraid of the rugged Mr. Butler.

With everything happening around, no one noticed poor little Catherine.

"Why are you crying?"

Raphael’s voice snapped everyone out of their reverie. Caterine’s face was read and her cheeks were wet with tears. Her shoulders were shaking and her little hands were fisted to balls.

"I do not like him!" Catherine pointed at him while looking at her mother tearfully.

"Oh, dear," Gloria rushed to console her little daughter.

Marcella looked at her son. His hands were in his pockets and she saw his cheeks getting red.

"Raph?" she called him. He looked at her and Marcella saw the tears in his eyes. He then rushed out of the room.

Marcella staggered out of the room. Raphael had rushed to the birch tree at the far end of the front yard. Sitting under the tree, hugging his knees, he looked desolate.

Poor boy got his first heartbreak!

Marcella sobered up a bit seeing her son crying and rushed to him. Seeing her, he tried to run away.

"Stop, Raph! Mom cannot run as well as you. I won’t say anything. I will just stay by your side. Come...sit..." she called him.

She didn’t think he would listen to her but he stopped and turned to look at her. Seeing her holding her chest while panting, he walked to her. Holding her hand, he led her to the bench near the tree.

"Do you want water, mom?" he asked.

Marcella let out a deep breath. His face was expressionless as usual when he talked to her. She at times wouldn’t know if he did what he did out of obligation or if that was what he felt. He always did the right thing though.

How was that possible? He was just a kid!

"I am fine. But are you okay?" she held his hand.

He bowed his head. "She said she didn’t like me..."

Marcella pulled him closer and hugged him. "It’s okay... It’s okay to be hurt..." She picked him up and sat him on her lap. He didn’t like sitting on her lap much. He considered himself an adult but he didn’t protest.

He leaned on her shoulder. "Don’t worry, mom. I am not going to make an issue out of this..." he said.

Marcella felt like someone splashed cold water on her face. "It’s not about me," she said. He didn’t know why her son thought that she was worrying about him acting up.

"It’s true I am worried about you. I worry that you are hurt. But you are a boy and not all girls will like you..." Marcella paused. She didn’t know how to discuss this topic with him.

See, she was not very well-suited for raising boys.

"You can lean on me when you are hurt, all right?" she said. She didn’t know what more she could say. She should talk to Tony about this.

Raphael leaned on her shoulder and within five minutes, fell asleep. Marcella held him and looked at his face.

Ah, my son is an angel when he’s asleep!

That night, after putting their kids to sleep, Tony came to her. She took care of the youngest two and Tony took care of the elder three.

"Are they asleep?" he whispered. The toddlers were sleeping in the same room and the three other boys were together in another room. They were planning on giving Joey his room sooner as soon as he gave the okay.

Marcella nodded and gently closed the door and walked to him. She had a feeling Tony was a bit angry. She thought he needed to vent about something that happened at his work.

She followed him and he opened a bottle of wine and poured a tall glass for her.

"You are angry at me?" Marcella asked.

"I am...not angry at you," Tony let out a deep breath. "Here," he gave her the glass. "Drink."

Marcella looked at the glass. He had added a generous amount of wine. He must be mad at her. "Tell me what it is," she told him. She didn’t have the mood to drink.

"Did something happen today? With Raphael...?" Tony asked.

The stiffness on his face had dissipated by now and he had calmed down. He was usually like that with her. He had a great self-control. Since they had talked about being open with each other when they were angry, Tony would open it up with a glass of wine.

"Raphael?" Marcella didn’t want to beat around the bush and told him everything that happened in Gloria’s home. "He had his first heartbreak today. I was going to ask you to talk to him. Did he tell you anything?" she asked.

"You think Catherine was his first crush?" Tony asked.

"Wasn’t that obvious? It was cute too," Marcella said with a smile.

Tony was still not smiling with her. Marcella’s smile disappeared. "There is more?" she asked.

Tony wetted his lips.

Marcella sighed.

Here it goes! What is it?