The Faceless Billionaire Celebrity Wife-Chapter 309: Failure Before Starting

Music Recommendation: Alone by Alan Walker.

Closing the distance between himself and Shikera, he pulled her into a tight embrace, his one hand wrapped tightly around her waist while the other dug into her hair.

Taking in a deep breath, he began, "Shikera, I love you. You know that, right?"

"Don’t do this, Ethan. I’m not—I am not dying now. We still have months to be with each other—"

Ethan cut her off, "You’re so fucking annoying, Kera. You know that right? Months? I wouldn’t even know what to do if we had years left but you say months? Fuck this!" he cursed.

"Ethan, don’t..." Shikera tried to stop him, withdrawing herself slowly from his embrace.

"Don’t what?" he scoffed. "There won’t be a need for that, Kera. We’re getting that out of you tonight so let’s—"

Shikera’s confusion grew as she tried to understand what he was talking about. Getting; That; Out; Of; You! Those four words resonated in her mind as it finally dawned on her.

"No, you don’t mean that, Ethan," she interrupted.

"I do mean it, Kera."

"No, you do not," Shikera declared firmly, shaking her head. "You aren’t being serious," she added.

"Shikera, I have never been more serious than this. If you think you could make those decisions including tricking me into signing a contract, then I also think i can make you do this," Ethan argued. Turning to stare down the corridor, he continued in a softer voice, "We don’t have much time, Shikera. Let’s just get this over with and then we leave for home."

"Hey!" Shikera snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Look Ethan, my life can’t be more meaningful than this; I know that without needing anyone to tell me. Besides, this is the only way we can live a normal life as a married couple."

"And what exactly is normal about this, Shikera? I thought it was all over. You could get treated and then we live our lives happily... Together, Kera. But while I was fooling myself, you have totally convinced yourself we would be able to live separately? The fuck is normal about that?"

Shikera averted her gaze from his, unable to bear the intense emotions expressed from those eyes which used to be cold.

"It’s normal, Ethan. We get married, I have your babies, I uhm—I leave, then you live on. Happily with the kid and everyone else," she replied.

"If that’s your definition of a normal life, Kera? Then I want an abnormal one. I just want you, alright? I don’t care about a baby or whatnot! All I want to see and live with is you!"

"And if the surgery turns out unsuccessful?" Shikera deadpanned. "According to the doctors, what’s the probability that I can get out of this unscathed?"

"There’s an eighty percent chance of success. The twenty doesn’t mean anything as long as you have a strong will to live," Ethan replied, his eyes holding a hint of hope. Was she finally considering all he had been saying since? Would she finally agree to undergo surgery?

Shikera’s next words shattered his hope to pieces and he was sure it could never be whole again, as long as her surgery and pregnancy was concerned.

"Even if it was a hundred percent chance of success, I would not agree, Ethan," she stated.

"What did you just say?"

"What you heard," Shikera replied. "Ethan, you do not know how much I dread being under the scalpel. Why? I’d go there with a problem and while trying to correct that, the doctors always discover another and another and another! I hated myself multiple times seeing that look of despair and disappointment on my dad’s face and you know what? I would die if I saw that on your face!"

"Shikera, I swear you won’t have to—"

"Please, Honey. Let it go just this once, huh? I really can’t bear to live if I lose this baby for the surgery only for it to turn out the other way round, and make you disappointed too," she pleaded, the eyelashes wet with the tears brimming at the bottom of her eyes.

Frustrated, Ethan combed his hand through his hair as he replied, "You are getting all this wrong, Kera. If by chance everything goes wrong, which I’m damn sure it wouldn’t, then we would be certain we tried as much as we could. With this, you’re basically killing yourself!"

Shikera shook her head slowly in disagreement, "No, I am not. I really can’t do this, Ethan. Don’t force me..."

The corridor fell silent with Ethan eyes piercing through her bent head, on his face an undecipherable expression.

"Let’s leave here," he finally broke the silence, turning to leave immediately.

The shocked Shikera had to take a few seconds to process his words and when she did, she didn’t waste any time in running after him. They walked past the group of surprised doctors where Krystal stopped them.

"You are leaving?" she asked.

"72 hours," Ethan replied her. "If we aren’t back within three days, then dismiss this doctors."

"Got it," Krystal replied. She flashed a small smile at Shikera and walked away to join the other doctors.

All through the elevator ride and the short journey back to the car, Shikera noticed the difference in Ethan’s demeanor. It was even worse than when she just met him; the coldness.

She kept to herself until they got back home and he alighted from the car, slamming the door after himself to head straight into the villa. Unlike before when he would walk around to join her and they would go in together.

"He is annoyed," she murmured, trying to understand his actions."But it’s still my fault. If I can stop being selfish..."

She pushed open the door and stepped out, a gust of cold wind hitting her face as she did. She noticed there was an extra car which hadn’t been there when they left for the hospital and wondered who it was.

Stepping into the living room, her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who was in.

Enoch.

"Hey!" she greeted, breaking into a smile in spite of herself.

He didn’t return the smile, maintaining the small frown on his face. "I should be saying I am happy you’re back, but I don’t think so. I will ask if you’re alright instead,"

"I am alright. Why? Don’t tell me you—"

He nodded. "I do know, but that’s not the reason I am asking if you’re alright. Your husband just ignored me when I asked when he’s resuming his duties. What do you think that means? He is not resuming anytime soon!" Enoch groaned.

"And does that have anything to do with me not being alright?" Shikera blinked in confusion.

"I asked that because it seemed like he was pissed off. Wanted to know if there’s something wrong with you two," he replied. Noticing how her gaze slightly flickered, he changed the topic instantly, "Anyways, I will join Ruth at the back. I don’t think my presence is welcome here."

With that, he flashed a quick smile and walked out.

"Good night," Shikera wished, waving as he left. She turned to see the door close after him, but her ears picked up the sounds of two doors closing.

She lifted her head to the second floor where the sound had come from and sighed.

"He didn’t eat anything," she whispered. Making her way to the kitchen where the already cold food still lied on the set table, a sad smile settled on her lips. She soon noticed there was something wrong with the setting, like some things were missing.

"Miss And— Oh, I’m so sorry. Mrs DeLoach, you are back?" A voice echoed behind her and she turned to see Hazel standing at the kitchen’s entrance, an awkward smile on her face.

"Hi, Hazel! How have you been? I uh—I didn’t know you came back too. Seems like everyone is back here," Shikera guessed.

Hazel nodded in reply.

"Apart from Miss Esther," she added. "By the way, you left the candles burning when you left so I blew it off when I came in. Is that... alright?"

"Yeah, thanks for that," Shikera affirmed."I could use your help in discarding this food too. I was actually trying my hands at cooking for someone else for the first time and guess what? It was a failure even before I started," she chuckled mirthlessly. "I hope it’s not too much trouble. You could be tired and—"

"No, it’s alright, Mrs DeLoach. I think you’re the one who is tired here and besides, it’s my job to do all these so don’t worry," Hazel interrupted her, worry etched on her brows.

Shikera let out a sigh of relief.

"If you say so then."

With one last glance at the table, she left the kitchen to her bedroom. Unbeknownst to her, as soon as her door closed behind her, Ethan’s door opened at the same time.

Without sparing a glance at her door which he was well aware that she just entered, he made his way down the stairs.