Unsaying Words
CHAPTER III - Chris' Memory (2)

Since that night, Chris and Lina's relationship has become colder than ever. Lina tried her best to avoid direct contact with Chris. She did not want to ignite the anger of her husband again, which even made her more hurt. She kept trying to cook and serve her husband to eat, simply because she did not want to see Chris sick. She knew that as the head of the company, her husband was so busy that sometimes he could forget to eat. He also knew that Chris had an acute ulcer.

Apparently, Rina's love overcame her heartache because of Chris' words a few nights ago. She realized that with her uncertain marital status like this, her husband could file for divorce at any time. Therefore, while there was still time, Lina tried to make the most of it. Who knows, she can still change her husband's view of her and make him maintain his marriage. I don't know why Lina still hung herself to that stupid-looking hope.

However, without realizing it, the more Lina tried to stay away, the more Chris tried to get closer to her. Like when it happened that Chris came home a little faster than usual, while Rina turned out to still have to overtime in her office and went home a little late. Upon entering the apartment, Rina saw her husband sitting at the dining table. Her husband's expression looked agitated as he looked at her.

"Where are you?"

Suddenly Chris asked. It was the first time her husband had spoken to her since the incident that night.

Surprised, Rina could only answer that she usually had to work overtime at the end of the month. This was his first time as well for Chris to pay attention to Rina's activities. Usually Chris would leave for the office before Lina, and would return home after his wife arrived home. So what Chris had in mind was that his wife should have been in the apartment by the time he got home from work. The existence of things outside this habit seemed to make Chris uncomfortable and for no logical reason, he felt dislike.

Already not having the energy to fight anymore with her husband, Rina also stepped into her room to rest but stopped because of the words of Chris's second.

"No food."

It was a statement, not a question let alone a request considering Chris had previously said hurtful things about this. But for some reason, Lina catches a message that Chris is asking to eat with her. Her husband wanted her to cook and wanted to eat her cooking. Whether this is true or her mind has gone crazy for loving her husband too much, but Rina's heart still slightly shuddered to hear it. Can he still hope?

Lina saw her husband seem misbehaved waiting for his answer. Her husband also seemed to avoid looking at her, and chose to look at the phone he was holding at the time. This sight inevitably made Rina smile a little.

With fatigue suddenly gone from her body, Lina put her bag on one of the dining chairs and opened the refrigerator to see the contents. Turning around, she asked excitedly to her husband, "What do you want to eat?"

Back to the present.

After putting the rings back down, Chris grabbed the scattered cards. He saw that those were the cards he had given to Rina to use. One debit card, one credit card and one access card for the apartment. The cards he handed over because he felt obliged to give a living to his wife, although temporarily. He also wants them both to have privacy and not interfere with each other with different access sharing. Chris knows that since becoming his wife, Rina has hardly used both cards except to buy daily necessities.

On a whim, Chris once instructed Rich to print his expenses for 4 months Rina became his wife. And the result surprised him quite a bit. Rina never used her credit card once, and her debit card was used to a minimum. As a husband, Chris felt a little slapped and thought that his wife did not appreciate him.

Either Chris is too stupid to realize his wife's intentions, but this makes him immediately buy a lot of dresses, shoes, bags and jewelry. Of course, they all never chose themselves. He relied on his assistants to choose a model that was trending and was roughly favored by many women. He does not care how much money is spent, just to satisfy his ego as a man.

While playing the cards in his hand, Chris remembers the response of his wife who looked surprised and even seemed disappointed with many of his gifts. Especially when realizing that all the items were chosen by others, which made Rina feel that there was no special thing to receive the items even though they were expensive. Spontaneously, Chris laughed ironically when his wife asked him what he was giving her. Which in the end made Chris again issued a word that hurt his wife for the umpteenth time.

Flashback 8 months ago.

When she got home and entered her room, Lina was surprised to find so many boxes and shopping bags scattered on the floor of her room and bed. From the writing on the bags, Rina knew that everything was a famous brand and the price was far beyond the reach of Rina. Even in a dream he did not dare to imagine that he would have it because even if he kept the rest of his salary for a year, not necessarily he would be able to buy one of these items.

Sitting languidly on the bed, Lina looked at the entire grocery with an unhinged heart. On the one hand, as a woman, of course, she is happy to finally be able to have good things. But considering her husband's cold character, to be honest, Lina did not know what Chris meant to do all this.

While contemplating, Lina heard the apartment door open. Thinking her husband had gone home, she immediately came out of the room to ask about the situation. However, it was not the husband she met but Rich, Chris's personal assistant who looked troubled carrying a few small pockets.

"Rich."

Lina exclaimed, surprised. He did not expect that Rich had access to this apartment.

Like Rina, Rich did not expect to see his superior wife who turned out to be at home. While upholding his body, Rich tried to keep his attitude in front of the hostess.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Lina."

Although Chris had actually told him not to give frills in front of his wife's name, Rich still had a conscience to disobey his superior orders. With a slight stiffening, he extended the small bags in front of Rina.

Seeming confused, Rina also received a whole bag of six.

"Is this Rich? As I recall, I haven't had a birthday."

He asked casually, trying to dilute the atmosphere that suddenly felt bad. He is not familiar with the man who is the same age as him, but Rina must maintain her relationship with Rich if she wants to still be able to ask about Chris to him.

Honestly, Rich didn't know what to say. Previously, he hoped that Rina had not come home so that the man could just leave various items in his room.

As a man who has 2 sisters, of course he is quite able to read the mind of a woman considering he is often the months of his two brothers who consider him as an insensitive man. Rich recalls that he also once got a cursive from one of his sister's lovers who is now her husband, who told him how difficult it was to satisfy women.

"Women are strange creatures."

Aldo, his first brother's girlfriend suddenly walks in and throws himself in Rich's bed. At that time, Rich was still a student and part-time employee in Chris' office and still lives with his parents and two brothers.

"Hm."

Rich nonchalantly replied, as he was busy preparing presentation materials for his script exam tomorrow.

Seeing the person who wanted to be cursed, Aldo held Rich's shoulder and shook his shoulders slowly.

"Richhh, please help your brother," he whined.

With a body that swayed uncontrollably, Rich closed both eyes so as not to feel dizzy. Frankly, he began to feel annoyed by the behavior of the older man 'supposed. Aldo is his older brother's sweetest girlfriend Rich has ever known. Despite showing significant competence when faced with work problems but beyond that, Aldo showed himself as a childish person and seemed to thirst for affection. He was spoiled because he was raised as an only child and came from a rich family. This is inversely proportional to his girlfriend, Elsa.

As the oldest sister, Elsa grows up to be a strict and responsible person. Although he is not charged to be the backbone of the family, but there is already a realization not to become dependent on parents who make him accustomed to looking for a side job starting from his High School. To her sisters, Elsa seemed to be assertive and instilled the values of independence from an early age.

Therefore, Rich did not understand how his brother could date a man as strong as Aldo, even ended up marrying him. Even-even

"Rich?"

Rina's call suddenly breaks Rich's daydream about what happened 10 years ago.

The man looked at Lina, and he knew for sure what answer the woman wanted.

The woman is a strange creature. When you don't get a birthday present, they'll say 'you're not paying attention.' But when offered 'yes already ni cc, whatever you want to buy, ' they say you are not sensitive. What do they want anyway?

With the words of his brother-in-law who was still circling in his brain, Rich tried to answer carefully. "Look-"

Rina threw the scorched-looking piece of chicken into the trash. For 1 hour he tried to cook, but there seemed to be no activity whatsoever that he did properly as usual. He could not concentrate on making food because Rich's word some time ago still ringing in his brain.

Exhaling in frustration, Rina finally intended to serve her potluck food. Fortunately some other dishes still look quite representative, although in fact he is not satisfied. He felt free to force himself, because his hands seemed to not want to move according to his will. He had already spilled flour on the floor, sliced his fingers, broke some eggs and the latter emptied his chicken. He did not want to burn down the kitchen, so Lina decided to stop.

While washing the napkin used to clean up the mess she made herself, Rina's mind wandered into the incident this afternoon. What Rich said about the items in his room made Rina want to demand an explanation directly from Chris. It is not out of thought, why Chris to ask Rich to buy these items even without caring, whether or not Rina will like it. Without even Rich admitting it, Rina knew the man must not have told the whole truth. Of course, he will try to cover up the disgrace of his boss.

Hearing the front door being opened, Rina regained her senses from her daydream and immediately washed the napkin in her hand and drained it. Just as she turned, she saw her husband standing at the table. Lina gulped her saliva, thinking how to ask Chris without touching him. She knew her husband was quite temperamental, considering the events of the time they used to choose rings before marriage.

When her husband sat down, Lina immediately prepared her husband's food as usual. Afterwards, she chose to sit in front of Chris tensely, waiting for her husband to finish the meal before starting to ask. Rina also waited for her husband's comments about his cooking that was not as complete as usual, but until Chris finished eating, not a single comment came out of her husband's mouth as usual.

So far, Lina also does not know whether Chris likes his cooking or not, but since he cooks it seems Chris always has breakfast and dinner at home. As Rina remembered, her husband rarely went home without tasting his cooking. Therefore, as long as her husband did not comment anything then Rina considered her cooking quite according to her husband's taste. However, sometimes she feels sad because as a wife, sometimes she also wants praise from her husband. But Rina was also quite aware, what kind of marriage she was living now. She could only hope that time would change her husband's view of her.

This was the first time Lina tried to open up a serious conversation with her husband. All this time, they were both like strangers. Come and go, eat and sleep without any meaningful interaction. They also only exchange information when Chris has to be served out of town. She was quite nervous, because she did not know the character of her husband.

When she saw Chris leaving her seat, Lina ventured to say, "Hmmm... Chris, I have something to ask you a little."

Rina saw her husband's eyebrows slightly raised, but realized his wife's eyes were round and seemed to be begging, finally Chris complied with her request and sat back down. As she sat down, Lina noticed that both of Chris' arms were cupped on the dining table. Unknowingly, she marveled at how long and clean her husband's fingers were. Despite knowing Chris spent a lot of time in the room, but his fingers and arms look strong and muscular, the result of his exercise so far. Lina swallowed her saliva with difficulty and began to imagine, what if-

"Ehem."

Deheman Chris' voice returned Rina's mind to her senses. Finally she re-awakened about her goal of asking to talk to her husband.

Gathering all her courage, Rina straightened her sitting position and tried to look at her husband right in both eyes. And it happened again. Unwanted, she realized how beautiful her husband's eyes were. Both of his sharp eyeballs look dark gray, the result of a blend of Indonesian blood from his mother, and German-Japanese from his father. His nose looks straight and perfect, without having to get a touch of plastic surgery. Her lips are naturally pink and

"When do you want to look at me?"

With uneasiness Chris asked, when he saw his wife just looked up and looked at his face from earlier.

Realizing the mistake she had made, Rina threw away her gaze and tried to cover her flushed face with a lowered head and looked at the two hands on her lap. Inwardly, she condemned her inability to control herself before her husband. It's not over thought, something like this has almost never happened before. Rina is aware that Chris is handsome enough to be able to be juxtaposed with film actors, but never once thought in her mind to admire the physicality of her husband, especially with their abnormal marriage situation. What the hell happened to him?

"What do you really want to say?"

I can't wait for Chris to open the conversation. Right now, there was enough time for him to be able to take a bath and get some rest.

Frankly, he was quite tired of dealing with investors this afternoon in the office, who debated about some corporate strategies that must be adjusted to the provisions of the government that often change. Not to mention the potential for misconduct from one of his trusted employees, who is currently still in the internal investigation stage. Chris' head was dizzy enough, so he had thought about going home soon, eating and getting enough rest.

Seeing her husband begin to show a less pleasant gurgle, Rina immediately expressed the things that had become her strangeness since this afternoon.

"Hmmm, regarding the items that you just dropped to Rich this afternoon. Why you-"

Not done yet Rina asked, Chris had already cut.

"So how? You likey?"

Chris was confident that Lina would love the items she gave. Every woman will like to be given expensive items, he said. Chris stared intensely at Lina, and prepared to receive the constant thank you from his wife. I'm sure you're just like most women.

Chris' words made Lina riveted. What did Chris expect of him?

"I... Should I like it?" Tanya Rina was not sure.

This unexpected answer began to make Chris' blood boil. What the fuck is this woman!

"Don't all women like to be given expensive things?"

Chris tried to control the tone of his voice. Don't tell me that his wife would rather be given cash than that silly stuff. He had already spent a lot of time and money to have Rich pick and buy everything.

Chris' question sounded an unconscious alarm in Lina's mind.

"Do you choose everything?" Unconsciously Rina hoped for the answer: yes.

"No."

The expected answer, still made Rina close both eyes when she heard the continuation.

"You think I have time?"

"Why did you buy it?" Challenge Rina.

Disappointed, he looked into Chris's eyes. He must get the answer now. To make sure that she was in her husband's eyes.

"Those things aren't cheap, Chris."

With an ironic laugh, Chris replied.

"So that you deserve to take me to my mother's house."

Actually in his little heart, Chris never had any problems with the style of dress Rina. He even tends to like his wife's casual style and still looks polite. He knew that the items Rina was wearing were not expensive, but suitable and appropriate when worn by his wife.

But his ego as a man wants Rina to acknowledge his ability to financially support his wife. The report that Rich gave this morning was enough to get him slapped, especially since he assumed that Rina thought that she could not afford to buy him expensive items.

Chris regained his senses when Lina suddenly got out of her chair and went into her room. He did not remember ever hearing the answer from his wife about this, and because they felt their conversation was over then Chris went into his room also to rest without bothering about the conversation.

That night in her room, Rina cried for the first time since becoming Chris' wife and it was because of 2 things. First because of Chris' words that hurt her heart, and second because she realized that she had fallen in love with her husband.