Sweet Surrender: The Ceo’s Second Wife - Chapter 316

Three months later.

Caroline and Mike met each other in a cafe inside the mall for the first time since they got separated. He brought with him the doc.u.ments for signing that would speed up the process of their annulment.

Mike sighed deeply and put the doc.u.ments on the table. “Here are the doc.u.ments for you to sign. My attorney said that the annulment can take one up to two years, but he will try his best to shorten the length of time of waiting,” he said.

“Where I will put my signature?” Caroline asked.

Mike handed her the pen and he flipped the pages so that she can sign easily. “This area here… and here…” he said, patiently guiding her through the signing process.

A few minutes later, Caroline had finished signing the doc.u.ments.

Mike put back the doc.u.ments in his briefcase. He looked at her and her protruding belly. “How are you?” he asked trying to start a conversation with her.

“I’m fine…” she replied. “And how about you?” she returned his question.

“I’m also doing fine,” he answered.

“How’s Althea?” she asked.

“She’s fine…” answered Mike. “So…how is Alex? Is he taking good care of you?” he asked even if he saw that his ex-wife’s face is glowing radiantly, which means she’s in good condition. He was curious to see the face of his wife’s lover, but it’s no use now…what for? They’re already separated and nothing can change that.

Caroline looked at him in the eyes. She can feel a little bit of concern in his voice the way he asked him about Alex. “Yes, Alex is taking good care of me. I’m good,” she answered briefly. “How about the children, are they good?” she asked even if she just visited the children three weeks ago in Susan’s mansion. But every time she visits the kids, Mike is not always at home, he’s at Althea’s place. Guada has been sending her messages every day reporting the condition of her children. So far so good.

“Yes, my mother has been taking good care of them. You don’t need to worry about them,” Mike told her.

“Thank you,” Caroline said. “So…when is the wedding? When are you going to wed Althea in the church?” she asked.

“We’re planning to get married after the annulment is granted by the court,” Mike replied. “How about you and Alex? When are you going to marry him?”

“Same, Alex and I will wed after the annulment is granted by the court,” Caroline responded.

“How’s your pregnancy going?” he asked.

“Just fine. The babies are growing healthy inside my w.o.m.b, thank you for asking,” she said.

Mike’s eyes widened. “Huh? Are you going to have twins again?” he asked in amazement. His ex-wife is indeed a baby maker.

Caroline smiled. “Yes, it’s gonna be twins again this time,” she replied joyously. “How about Althea? Is her pregnancy okay?”

Mike nods his head. “Yeah… the baby is growing healthy inside her tummy, it’s just that she had hypertension…so I’m extra careful with her condition right now,” he said a bit worried.

Caroline sighed. “Tell her to cut on oily and salty foods and eat healthy food always. A little bit of diet is needed to ensure that both the baby and the mother are healthy every day,” she gave him a bit of advice.

“Thanks, I’ve been telling Althea about those things. Sometimes she would obey me and sometimes she wouldn’t. So I have to remind her frequently,” he said and continue. “She said she was craving for braised pork belly all the time, it seemed our baby inside her w.o.m.b likes to eat pork,” he joked. “Her OB has been scolding her to cut down on oily pork dishes and switch to fruits and veggies as well as fish, she just says yes in front of the OB, but when she reached home and I’m no longer by her side, she goes her way and cooks the foods she likes eating the most which are the forbidden dishes. Every time I confronted her, he always tells me that it’s the baby’s craving,” he said with a gloomy sigh.

Caroline watched his haggard face. It seemed Althea’s bad eating habits troubled him a lot.

“Althea is heavier and three times fatter than you right now,” Mike confessed.

“Oh…that’s not good. A pregnant woman shouldn’t be too overweight. Anyways, keep scolding her, tell her birthing is not easy and dangerous. What if during the time she gives birth to the baby her blood pressure arises she might undergo a cardiac arrest during labor. I heard that some women died during child birthing because they got cardiac arrest while undergoing labor. So tell her that kind of scary information, maybe she will mellow down on fatty foods and pork dishes. Just tell her to eat moderately,” Caroline said.

Mike took a deep breath. “Damn, why I’m talking to you about Althea’s condition! I must be going crazy! Anyways, thanks for your information, Caroline. I will tell Althea everything you told me today,” he said feeling fl.u.s.tered. He found himself talking to her easily just like their old days.

A few seconds of silence descended upon them.

He cleared his throat and rose to his feet. “I’m leaving now…” he said.

“Wait…I got to ask you something…before you go away,” she said.

Mike lowered himself back on the chair. “What is it?”

“Are we good? I mean…you don’t hate me anymore?” she asked.

Mike breathed deeply and pondered about her question for a few seconds. “I used to hate you on the first month of our separation…but the pain gradually fades away. Now I’m getting used to my new life. I still miss you from time to time. If you asked me if I still love you. I do! But it’s no use, right? We already have new partners in life and we will be getting annulled soon, so, yeah, let’s just keep things as they are. Actually, there are still unanswered questions that I want to ask you but it’s useless now. Anyways, I better get going…you take care of yourself,” he said and left the cafe without looking back at her.

Caroline’s heart stops beating for a few seconds after seeing the pain in Mike’s eyes. She watches him exiting the door of the cafe. A tear rolled from her right eye. Someday, if she will gather enough courage she will tell him everything that happened to her life during her darkest days. She was sure that if that time comes she can open up to him easily because they are no longer a couple.

Someday if the time permits…

Caroline stayed in the cafe and ordered her second avocado smoothie while reminiscing about her and Mike’s happy memories before the tornado hit them hard and separated them for good.

Half an hour later. Alex arrived at the cafe to fetch her.

“Is it done? The signing of the annulment papers?” Alex asked.

Caroline nods her head. “Yes…it’s done,” she replied

“Are you okay, babe?” he asked worriedly. Her face was filled with sadness.

Caroline looked at him and smiled. “Yeah, I’m okay. Don’t worry about me,” she assured him.

They left the cafe and exited the mall going to the parking area. After they settled in the vehicle, Alex started the engine and drove home.

On the way…the couple was gripped with uncomfortable silence.

Alex preferred not to ask Caroline why she’s feeling sad. Maybe she was just being affected deeply after seeing her husband again. He will give her space and avoid asking her lots of questions.

The couple went home safely.

Caroline was struck by a gloomy mood the rest of the afternoon and lasted the whole evening until they fall asleep that night.

When she woke up the next day, she was back in her sunny self.

Alex breathed in relief.