MY UNKNOWN HUSBAND - Season 2 Episode 52

Surprise was evident on John’s face as he caught sight of Jessica. His gaze flew automatically to Nina, who was wearing an aloof expression. He frowned.

“I wanted to be home early, so I came back.” His tone was cold and challenging, daring anyone to question him any further. He had known that Jessica held an animosity towards his wife, and while he could not initiate an altercation with his own sister, he sure as hell wouldn’t let her bully Nina.

To be fair, however, Helen had told him that Nina had been sneezing all throughout the afternoon. He was worried, and that was why he rushed back home.

“Well, you should be focusing on your work more than anything else. There is absolutely no need for you to be back so soon when there isn’t anything worth noting going on here anyway.” Despite her words, Jessica looked Helen up and down as she spoke. Her brother’s timing was suspicious; this other woman must have contacted him in secret.

“What are you doing here?” John asked.

“Dad wants you to go home and have dinner with him. It’s going to be a family affair, so he asks that you take her with you.” She nodded over to Nina to indicate who she meant by “her.”

“Got it. Helen, walk Jessica out.” John was always cold and aloof, and people around him were used to it.

Jessica huffed in indignation as she stared at her brother. She felt like she was no longer the most important one in her father’s and brother’s eyes since Nina appeared.

Now John was even turning her away right to her face. She turned to glare at Nina, narrowing her eyes at this minx who had managed to bewitch her father and brother.

Reading the accusatory look in her sister-in-law’s face, Nina could not help rolling her eyes. ‘Does this woman not know the kind of person her brother is?

He’s cold to everyone! You’d think anyone who’s been around him even for a day would already be used to it. Why the hell is she blaming me for this?’

She had never imagined a day would come when she would be misunderstood in such a way. It irked her.

And so, without saying another word, Nina turned her back on everyone and made her way upstairs.

John watched his wife stomp to the bedroom, knowing that she was mad because of his sister. “Helen, escort Jessica out of the North Yard,” he said curtly as he followed after Nina, not even bothering to spare the other two women a glance.

“So now your wife is even more important that your sister!” Jessica yelled at him angrily, before leaving the residences in a fit of outrage.

Meanwhile, Nina walked directly over to the bed and buried herself under the sheets as soon as she stepped into the room.

She burrowed until only her head was showing, and turned her back to the door. She wanted to get some decent rest, but it seemed like all her attempts at it were doomed to fail. She couldn’t help it. When she closed her eyes and the world went black, her hearing grew sharper. She heard a familiar set of footfalls. The footfalls came nearer, then there was rustling towards the other side of the bed.

She felt the covers being lifted. The mattress sank as a hot and heavy weight pressed against her back.

Thick arms encircled her waist, and she was pulled closer against a broad and warm chest. John nuzzled her neck from behind, his soft lips rubbing at her skin.

“Did my sister upset you a lot?”

She didn’t know why, but those simple words made her feel like crying.

“No.” She squirmed in his arms, trying to escape, but it only made him tighten his hold.

“You little liar,” he whispered in her ear, his tone light and teasing.

John had barely kept himself from chuckling out loud. He knew the dynamics between his wife and his sister all too well. More to the point, he knew a lot about the two women separately.

Jessica had always been spoiled as a child, and had heard nothing but flattering and cajoling words from others. She harbored a natural expectation that everyone around her must serve and please her. Nina, on the other hand, was a feisty and independent girl. Stubborn. Proud. She would never do anything against her will for the sake of someone else’s leisure. Especially someone she disliked.

“You’re tired right?” John asked softly as he closed his eyes and settled into a more comfortable position, still holding onto Nina tightly. “I’m feeling rather sleepy myself. I didn’t exactly get much sleep last night.”

Nina’s face flushed hot at the mention of last night. “And whose fault was it that there wasn’t much sleep to be had last night?” she retorted. It was his, of course. In fact, it was his fault that she had been exhausted for several nights now. He was working her like a horse, practically literally. Her cheeks grew hotter.

“Well, who else has been keeping me awake besides yourself?”

“Shameless jerk.”

This time John did laugh. He had a nagging notion that Nina was right. He truly was becoming more and more shameless.

Within a matter of moments his breathing became long and even.

He was fast asleep.

Seeing her chance, Nina tried to break free of his embrace, but every time she pulled away, John immediately pulled her back, as though by instinct.

She finally resigned herself to being trapped in his arms, and eventually nodded off to sleep as well.

When she next woke up, it was already dark outside. Everything was quiet and peaceful, except for John’s soft breathing. She rolled over and stared at her husband’s sleeping face.

He had clear, bright skin, lustrous hair, and supple lips. Long lashes swept a shadow over his cheeks, and his chest rose and fell against the palm she put there. He looked very gentle.

Back then, Nina had played with the thought that she might fall in love with John once she divorced her husband. John was an eye candy, at least.

Fast forward to the present, and that very same good-looking man was her actual husband.

Now she could see his beautiful face every day, and look her fill to her heart’s content.

Most important of all, she loved him, and John also loved her.

She leaned over and pressed a kiss on the corner of his mouth, smiling happily as she lay back on the crook of his arm.
The next second, John’s eyes flew open, and he sent her an inviting look, coupled with a mischievous smile of his own.

“Are you going to be satisfied with just one peck?”

Nina’s cheeks bloomed red.

Being caught stealing a kiss was the worst!

“Don’t say anything more and just get back to sleep.” She tried to go for a stern tone, but they were well past pretentions for her attempt to even have an effect on John.

Still, Nina closed her eyes shut and pretended to sleep, which only earned her a chuckle from her husband. He reached out to stroke her hair several times before pulling her closer. Then he kissed her brow, and dozed off back to sleep.

As expected, his embrace was just as tight and secure as ever. Oh well, she got out of having to deal with his teasing, so she wasn’t going to raise any more fuss. She truly was having a hard time these days.

It was half past to midnight when they finally emerged from the bedroom.

John carried her all the way downstairs, with her legs wrapped around his waist and her head perched on his shoulder.

Nina was just as tired as she had been before coming to bed that evening.

Perhaps even more. There was a ripe flush on her cheeks, down to her neck and collarbone. He had made passionate love to her again, of course, right after he woke up. Only then did they remember that they had yet to eat supper.

Helen saw them descending the stairs and smiled to herself. She quickly laid out the table and placed servings of soup that she had prepared earlier. “Mr. and Mrs. Shi, dinner is ready.”

“All right.” John settled at the head of the table, Nina still cradled in his arms. “Wake up, little girl. Dinner’s here.”

Nina untangled herself from him with a groan. “I swear, I’ll be jogging every morning starting tomorrow.”

She needed to shape up if she wanted to keep up with John’s stamina.

She couldn’t keep embarrassing herself like this.

“I have no objections to that,” he muttered, his signature smirk in place. He settled his wife on his lap and pulled the bowl of soup closer. “Here, have some.”

“Mr. Shi, Mrs. Shi has been unwell. Perhaps you should be feeding her,” Helen suggested.

“No.” The response was immediate and unanimous.

“Her hands are perfectly fine,” John said calmly. He didn’t like feeding someone. Nina was nodding right alongside him.

“I can do that much by myself anyway.” Helen was at a loss.

True, it was an attempt on her part to make them grew even closer out of concern, but seeing their reactions just now, she only felt like a meddling busybody. Still, she felt like something was wrong here. She just couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

Putting her thoughts aside, she excused herself to the kitchen to take out another dish.

Not long after she was gone, Nina moved over to the chair next to John.

The soup was warm and savory, and she relished it as the thick liquid slid down her throat.

It took a spoonful of food for her to realize that she was actually famished, and she tore through their meal in no time.

Nina was much more energetic after eating, and she spoke cheerfully.

“John, should we have a little heart-to-heart talk?”

“Oh? About what?” They were still in the dining hall, and John was lounging on his chair as he gazed lazily at his wife. “Does this mean you haven’t had enough of my company?”

His tone was very suggestive, and Nina glared at him before rolling her eyes.

John burst out in laughter. “I’m just teasing, I’m sure you know. Go ahead then, I’m listening.”

“Right,” Nina smiled. “John, can’t we be…well…a little more romantic?”

“Romantic?” John leaned from his seat and took her hand, gazing at his wife with fire in his eyes. “But I most definitely think that we have already been very romantic.”