Love Redux: Fated to the Handsome Doctor

“Seno?” Lara stuttered. Behind Seno, she saw Olivia just getting into a taxi. Had the woman been released by her husband?

“Prepare a bath. I’m very tired,” he said abruptly. Lara immediately signaled to Melati. The assistant promptly prepared the bath as Seno requested.

“Where have you been, Seno?”

“Treatment.”

“Is that all you have to say?” Lara raised her voice. She felt very annoyed at Seno’s attitude, as if he were dismissing all her concerns.

“Aren’t you supposed to be happy? Your husband is fine. Stop asking so many questions. I’m very tired!” Seno went upstairs to his room without further ado.

“What?” Lara was speechless.

Melati simply looked down, pretending not to notice anything. She maintained her professionalism to avoid being influenced by the couple’s argument. “The bath is ready, Sir,” Melati said, opening the bathroom door.

“Good. Please also bring a towel.”

“Okay, Sir.”

“Seno!” Lara chased after Seno, demanding an explanation. But Seno ignored Lara and looked at her reluctantly. “Stop causing a scene!”

***

Lara watched Seno leave with mixed feelings. She couldn’t understand what had just happened. Somehow, Seno had returned without providing adequate explanations. Lara felt abandoned in the dark, compounded by the presence of Olivia who had just passed by in front of her.

Melati tried to reassure Lara, “Ma’am, I think we need to give Mr. Seno some time. There may be reasons behind all of this. In the meantime, I’ll prepare dinner. You should rest.”

Lara nodded, still lost in her own thoughts. She walked to her room. Her heart still fluctuated between worry and resentment. Melati cooked in the kitchen. Lara didn’t want to confuse her further. She had to find peace within herself. The atmosphere in the house felt strange and unlike usual.

***

A few moments later, Melati announced that dinner was ready. Lara came out of her room, while Seno appeared to have just come out of the bathroom. His face was flushed from the steam in there. Sweat dampened his body.

“I’m not having dinner,” he said flatly, then promptly returned to his room.

Lara was taken aback. She gave up on interrogating Seno during dinner time. Her stomach growled. It seemed she had to eat first.

“Would you like me to get your meal, Ma’am?” Melati offered.

“Yes, Mela. Just a little,” Lara said softly.

Melati nodded and served a portion of rice along with some stir-fried vegetables and fried fish, which were good for the nutrition of the fetus. Melati had received a weekly menu plan to meet Lara’s and her unborn child’s nutritional needs.

“Enjoy your meal, Ma’am.”

“Thank you, Mela.”

Melati withdrew to rest in her room. She was quite tired. Lara sat alone and ate her meal. She chewed slowly, trying to calm the emotional turmoil inside her.

After eating, Lara still wasn’t calm. She decided to chase after Seno again. Lara went upstairs. There, Seno was lying down, holding his temples.

“Seno, please talk! What happened to you?” Lara tried to ask politely to avoid provoking Seno’s anger. She needed answers. Lara had been restraining herself with understandings she shouldn’t have done.

“There’s nothing you need to know. Leave me alone,” Seno replied coldly.

Lara felt increasingly cornered. She couldn’t understand this drastic change in her husband. “We are husband and wife. We should share and support each other. It’s not fair if you keep everything from me.”

Seno just looked at Lara with indifference. “Lara! Your only task is to be a wife. Sit, be quiet, and relax at home. Give birth to our child healthily. Period. You don’t need to know anything, understand?!”

“No! I have to know what happened to you. I am your wife!”

“There’s nothing you need to know.”

“Seno!” Lara couldn’t take it anymore. Tears started flowing. “Seno… anyway, you are my husband. We are family. Please, tell me what really happened to you all this time….”

Seno responded with a sardonic laugh. “Family? What does family mean? You know nothing. It’s better if you don’t get involved!”

Lara was even more confused by Seno’s words. Did Seno now hide something and plan to divorce her for Olivia? Was that what happened? “Do… you want to marry Olivia?” Lara guessed with a broken heart.

Seno widened his eyes. He didn’t expect that question from Lara. “Huh? Olivia?” He asked back. “What does Olivia have to do with our family, Lara?”

“What does she have to do? She’s your mistress!”

“And… that affair is over, Lara! Why do you keep bringing it up?”

“She… she’s been looking for you since earlier! What have you been doing behind my back?”

Seno got even more confused. He didn’t expect his wife to be jealous of Olivia. After all, the woman had only come to ask for money to pay off her credit card debt. Seno was really fed up with Olivia’s behavior. “Lara, no. Olivia has nothing to do with this issue. I just…”

Lara cried. Seno softened his voice. He felt some pity for her. His wife. “Th-then, why did you confuse me?”

“Hhh… I… I received treatment, you know? And… it has nothing to do with anyone. This treatment is confidential. The company is developing a new drug and… I am participating in the trial,” Seno lied.

Instead of being a tester, Seno was a guinea pig. Madam X had truly cunningly trapped him into a tormenting situation. Seno had no choice.

“So… you don’t want to divorce me?” Lara asked, wanting to make sure.

“No! Why would I divorce you? I’m sorry….” Seno finally softened.

Lara nodded and accepted his apology. It turned out she had just been thinking badly about her husband.

“Come here…” Seno stretched out his arms. Lara approached and hugged her husband who was lying on the bed. They enjoyed intimate moments together. Lara missed Seno’s touch for a long time.

“Mmhh….”

The sound of sighs accompanied their togetherness. Lara and Seno once again had a passionate night as a typical husband and wife. This time, Seno’s virility functioned as expected.

The hot struggle was inevitable.

“Ar… e… you… sa… tis… fied?”

“Yes….”

Seno smiled broadly. It turned out that the treatment he underwent yielded optimal results. A little more, and his experimental drug would have the expected breakthrough.

***

Meanwhile, Olivia looked furious. She tried to contact Seno several times, but failed. After Seno appeared at the police station and freed her, Olivia placed even more hope in him.

“You cunning bastard! Where is he?” Olivia cursed Seno from time to time because the funds he promised hadn’t been deposited into her account as agreed.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Damn it! If I’m not paid tonight, I could end up homeless tomorrow morning!” Olivia panicked. She was confused about what to do. Until finally, she remembered her spare phone she usually used.

“Ah! There it is!”