Stuck in The Marriage Pact
Chapter 24: does he still want me?

Chapter 24: does he still want me?

The next day...

Isabella continued to curl up in bed even though it was already 8:00 AM. She even forgot her duty to prepare Hunter’s work clothes.

"Oh God... my whole body feels like it’s been beaten," she muttered while shivering, clutching herself inside the thick white blanket. "I’m going to sleep all day... I’ll sleep all day," she added, her eyes still closed.

Meanwhile, Hunter entered the room carrying a tray of breakfast and sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the pale and shivering Isabella.

"Get up, have breakfast, and take your medicine," he said in a flat tone.

Isabella slowly opened her eyes, glancing at Hunter as memories of leaving him to spend time with Joe flooded back. She quickly sat up, tucking a pinch of hair behind her ear, and nervously glanced at her husband.

"Sorry... I overslept," she said.

"It’s okay, you’re sick after all," Hunter replied, still with the same flat expression.

Isabella nodded and averted her gaze from Hunter’s blue eyes, which made her feel both frightened and guilty.

"Maybe you’re sick because you didn’t eat anything last night," Hunter said, offering her a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and fried chicken, with a small bowl of hot sauce on the side. "Eat..."

Reluctantly, Isabella took the breakfast and started to eat slowly with a fork, keeping her head down, too afraid to look at Hunter. Her emotions were a mess—wanting to hate and mistrust him for being a liar, but his explanations and kindness made her think he might actually be a good man.

"If you want to spend time with him again, just don’t do it in public," Hunter said, watching her eat.

Isabella immediately looked at him in confusion, quickly realizing that Hunter knew she had met Joe.

"I didn’t follow you or ask anyone to follow you, but I know what you did," Hunter said, pulling out his phone from the nightstand and showing her a message from Davin. "He told me..."

Isabella’s heart raced as she looked at the picture and read the caption, which was clearly an insult to Hunter. She felt her breath tighten with shame and sadness, cause she had been affectionate with another man while being married. Worse, her husband was being ridiculed by his own cousin because of her actions.

"Hunter..." she looked at her husband, distressed. "I..."

"It’s fine to meet with him, that’s your right... Having you as my wife doesn’t mean I control your life," Hunter said calmly, in stark contrast to his anger the previous night. "But you need to be careful because you are my wife... If my mother finds out, it’ll cause problems for you. And I don’t know if Davin will tell her or not... But I’ll try to get him to delete the photo."

"That’s all you’re worried about?" Isabella asked, puzzled.

"What else?" Hunter raised an eyebrow.

Isabella looked back at her breakfast. "I thought you’d be mad because this embarrasses you... You’re getting insulted by Davin because of me," she said anxiously.

Hunter gave a slight smile.

"A liar like me is used to insults... I don’t mind... I actually laugh at it. He thinks I’m pathetic, but in reality, I’m not that pathetic," he said with a smirk. ’But truthfully, it hurts... It hurts so much,’ he thought to himself.

Isabella remained silent, watching Hunter, who seemed so unfazed as if he wasn’t jealous about her time with Joe.

"Come on, finish your breakfast. I don’t like seeing you so pale," Hunter said again.

Isabella nodded and continued eating, while Hunter got up after placing a cup of tea on the nightstand. She glanced at him again, feeling a wave of sadness. She worried that maybe he no longer cared about her, yet she couldn’t promise him love either.

Her mixed emotions confused her, leaving her with little appetite. She soon placed her breakfast back on the nightstand and sipped her tea, her eyes once again drawn to Hunter as he approached her with a small bottle.

"Why didn’t you finish it?" Hunter asked, sitting down and frowning at her.

"I don’t want to," Isabella whispered, turning her face away. "I can’t eat with my mind in such chaos," she continued, biting her lower lip.

"What happened?"

"Is there a problem? Is this about your boyfriend?"

"No..."

"Then what is it?" Hunter asked, confused. "I’ve given you freedom... So why are you acting like this?" He questioned as Isabella looked back at him.

"It’s not about that," Isabella replied before taking another sip of tea, while silently thinking, ’I’m so confused. I want to know if you still care about me or not... But I’m too afraid to ask. I’m naive... I can’t give you certainty, yet I crave certainty from you. I’m foolish and selfish... I’ll suffer with my own thoughts!’

Hunter exhaled sharply, then took some medicine from the bottle and handed it to her.

"Now take your medicine, then afterward we’ll go somewhere," he said.

"Where?"

"I thought you might be bored here, so maybe we could take a little vacation."

"A vacation?" Isabella frowned, looking at him while recalling how difficult it was to be outside with him because she had to pretend he was paralyzed.

"We could visit some recreational spots... Maybe a square, Manhattan, a museum... Or..."

"I don’t want to!" Isabella interrupted before he could finish. "I don’t want to go anywhere because it means you’ll have to pretend to be paralyzed... I hate it."

"Why?" Hunter smiled slightly.

"It doesn’t like the real you," Isabella averted her gaze, her eyes focusing on the beautiful view outside—the blue sky and towering skyscrapers.

"But I’m bored here... I want a change of scenery. I want to show everyone I have a beautiful wife," Hunter said, smiling teasingly, causing Isabella to glance at him. "You are my wife anyway."

Isabella remained silent, once again confused by Hunter’s behavior.

"We can spend some time outside," Hunter raised his eyebrows.

"No," Isabella murmured, sipping her tea for a moment. "I’m not feeling well... It’s stupid to spend time outside... I’ll get exhausted pushing your wheelchair... I’ll walk until I’m tired while you just sit... It’s so unfair."

"Fine, I’ll use a cane..."

"No... I don’t want to... I’m worried my body is too weak and I’ll faint... Who will help me if you’re pretending to be paralyzed?" Isabella asked lazily, placing her tea back on the nightstand and lying down again, facing away. "I just want to sleep here... I’m dizzy, I need rest."

Hunter sighed deeply, looking at her with resignation.

"You should go to the office, and take care of your new job," Isabella said lazily.

"I’m not going when my wife is sick," Hunter replied.

"Don’t care about your wife... You don’t really want her anyway, do you?" Isabella asked, unable to hide her curiosity about how much Hunter still cared for her.