Diary of Fragile Heart (Spin of Loving You Too Long)

Morning approached, and the sunlight caused their warm embrace to loosen slightly. Gladwin’s hand, still faithfully resting on his wife’s stomach, moved slowly in a circular motion, eliciting a groan from Flavia.

“Morning, honey,” Gladwin kissed Flavia’s temple. His wife wasn’t fully awake yet. Gladwin gently pulled her chin to turn towards him and kissed her lips softly. “Let’s get up and shower,” he requested, met with a nod from Flavia, her eyes still closed. Gladwin smiled, finding his wife irresistibly adorable, possibly due to the pregnancy.

Gladwin pulled his left hand, which served as a pillow, and bent his elbow to use it as head support. Flavia still lay on her back, allowing Gladwin to freely stroke her stomach, which wasn’t yet prominently showing but already felt firm.

“Honey,” Flavia caressed Gladwin’s jaw softly. Her eyes were now fully open, no longer drowsy.

“Yes, honey?”

“I love you,” she whispered. Gladwin smiled, reaching for Flavia’s right hand with his own and tenderly kissing the back of her hand.

“I love you too, honey. I love you so much. Thank you for sticking around to love me,” he said softly, kissing his wife’s forehead affectionately.

“Are you angry with me for leaving?” Gladwin shook his head. “No. I’ve been thinking of it as you being on vacation this whole time. So I’m not angry at all, honey,” Gladwin ran his fingers through Flavia’s hair. “How about we shower and then you can tell me all about what you did on your ‘vacation’?” He suggested, met with a nod from Flavia.

Gladwin got up from bed, reached for Flavia’s right hand, and placed it behind her knee, lifting her up and carrying her into the bathroom.

After cleaning up, they sat on the sofa by the window. The sun in Turkey during springtime like this usually appeared around six in the morning. Gladwin sat in the corner of the sofa, asking Flavia to sit beside him on his right. He requested his wife to sit sideways and lifted both her legs to drape over the sofa, while Gladwin bent one of his legs and pulled Flavia’s body so her back leaned against his chest.

Still longing to express his affection, Gladwin hugged his wife’s stomach again and stroked it gently while Flavia leaned comfortably. Inhaling the scent of her husband, she gazed at the sky outside the window.

“To be honest, I was shocked when I woke up in the morning and found you weren’t there,” Gladwin began to recount. “I searched every corner of the apartment for you, but I couldn’t find you. Then I found that diary and the last note you wrote. At that moment, I felt scared and frustrated. Especially seeing the envelope containing divorce papers, I felt truly heartbroken.”

Flavia bowed her head, looking at her husband’s hand still caressing her stomach gently. “I’m sorry,” she whispered softly.

“I’m not finished,” Gladwin interjected, kissing Flavia’s cheek from behind. “At first, I was angry because you left so suddenly with divorce papers after the passionate night we had. I felt worthless. I felt used. I felt betrayed.

“I was powerless, my world seemed to crumble at that moment. I thought you didn’t value our marriage. I thought you pawned me off to that woman.

“Then I realized you didn’t actually leave your wedding ring.” Gladwin took a deep breath and then chuckled. “The pain lessened a bit. Then with newfound hope, I started reading all the contents of that diary. And I knew that you loved me deeply, just as much as I love you. Just as I don’t want to lose you, you don’t want to lose me either.”

“Because we’re meant for each other,” Flavia interjected, which was met with Gladwin’s nod along with a gentle kiss.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“And that letter, I knew it was just a bait for my mother. Because if you really wanted to leave me, you wouldn’t have said you’d come back. You should have promised to disappear forever if you truly wanted to leave me.

“Truth be told, I found it amusing. My heart bloomed instantly even though the longing couldn’t be contained,” she continued softly.

“I felt lonely. Every night I struggled to sleep thinking about where you might be. Whether everything was okay. Whether you were safe wherever you were. All these thoughts made me restless.

“I didn’t dare to ask because I was afraid. I held on, clinging to your promise that one day you would come back to me.

“I diverted all my thoughts to work. Exhausting my body so I wouldn’t have to think about you. But the truth is, every time I returned to the apartment, I still felt lonely.”

“I forgive you.”

“I forgive you, honey. Just as you forgave me after I left you six years ago. I’m so grateful that you only left me for three months,” he said with a genuine smile. He rewarded his wife with a kiss on the cheek again. “So, tell me, what have you been doing and where have you been all this time?”

Flavia placed her hand on the back of her husband’s hand. She rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. Her eyes wandered.

“I’ve prepared everything once my memory returned. About all Mama’s and that woman’s words. But I didn’t want to give up and retreat just like that. I knew everything wouldn’t be easy. Especially the promise I made when I lost my memory, it weighed heavily on me.

“I secretly went for tests at the hospital. Planning pregnancy programs with the doctor, and that’s also one of the reasons I agreed to go on a honeymoon. Because according to the doctor’s calculations, it was my fertile period.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you choose to fight alone?”

“Because I was desperate. I was afraid of giving you false hope and I was afraid my efforts would fail,” she whispered. “I didn’t want to lose you. But if I stayed, I would be forced to watch you marry that woman. You’re my only hope. I hoped you wouldn’t agree to the divorce petition.

“You know that when the divorce is initiated by the husband’s side, the process is easier. Especially since I wasn’t there, there wouldn’t be any conflict in court.

“That’s also why I promised to come back. Because if you didn’t grant Mama’s request for divorce, then you would still be my husband. And even if Mama forced you to marry that woman, you wouldn’t be able to legally marry her because I didn’t give permission. And that means, even if she becomes your wife, in the eyes of the law, I’m still your only lawful wife.” Flavia smiled, looking up at her husband, studying his expression. But he seemed indifferent. “I don’t want her to be happy at the expense of our suffering. I don’t care if she suffers, because she’s the one who caused that suffering herself,” she answered softly.

Gladwin kissed Flavia’s temple for a long time. His embrace tightened. “Luckily, everything went according to your prediction. What if I did something that didn’t align with your prediction? What if I decided to grant your divorce and marry her legally?”

Flavia remained silent for a while. “If that’s the case, then it means your love for me all this time isn’t as great as my love for you,” she replied sadly.

Gladwin burst into laughter. He lifted Flavia’s body and placed her petite frame on his lap. His hands reached for Flavia’s hands, placing them behind his neck. Then he cupped his wife’s face and looked into her eyes deeply.

“Just like you love me so deeply that you trust me so much. That’s how I feel too.

“You don’t know the struggle I went through to fulfill Mama’s request. I even felt like a lowly person for doing something cruel to that woman.

“Deep in my heart, I ask for forgiveness from God for my sins. But above all, I did all those wrongs because she truly deserved it. Because she made me suffer, and made the wife I love suffer even more,” he answered, kissing Flavia’s lips. “Thank you for trusting me so much.”

“I’m also grateful that you trusted my decision,” Flavia replied.

“Then, where have you been all this time?” Gladwin returned to his initial question.

“That night, I went to my private house and stayed there for a week.”

“Your house?” Gladwin furrowed his brow. He had visited Antony’s house and asked Ignazio about Flavia’s whereabouts. But Ignazio clearly stated that Flavia had never stayed there. “Antony’s house?” he asked uncertainly.

Flavia shook her head. “My house. The house I bought myself. Not an apartment or penthouse, but a countryside house that only Abigail knows the location of.”

“So that night, Abigail escorted you there?” Flavia nodded.

“Abigail deliberately stayed over so you wouldn’t suspect that she was the one taking me away. She even spent her daytime at my house and stayed at your apartment at night,” she continued. “Two weeks later, I decided to come here.”

“So you’ve been here for two months.” Flavia nodded.

“I asked Uncle Gian to pick me up at the airport. And then, I spent all my time visiting various places and enjoying culinary delights. I spent my holidays playing with Aunt Joanna, Luca, and Sara.” Gladwin, who had been stroking his wife’s long hair, simply nodded along.

“While I was here, Abigail often contacted me and told me everything that happened. She even sent me videos of your wedding, including the video of your argument with Mama a month ago.” Flavia felt her husband’s surprise, her back tensing. Surely, her husband didn’t expect that their argument with his mother and that woman had been secretly captured by Abigail.

“The girl,” he whispered. Flavia smiled.

“Then yesterday, during the event at Auntie’s boutique. Suddenly, I felt dizzy and somehow fainted out of the blue. Uncle Gian immediately called the doctor and it turns out I’m pregnant. I immediately contacted Abigail and asked her to request your presence here because I couldn’t go back to America for the time being.”

“Abigail knows? About her?” Gladwin rubbed Flavia’s stomach.

Flavia shook her head. She lifted her body and looked at Gladwin. Her face blushed. “I want her father to be the first to know about her presence,” she replied. Oh God, how adorable Flavia is, Gladwin thought happily. “Even though Uncle Gian was the first to know, but all this happened not because of my plan.” Her voice was filled with guilt. Gladwin cupped his wife’s face again. He stroked her cheek with his thumb.

Gladwin gave a brief kiss on Flavia’s lips. “Thank you, honey. Thank you for everything. For you, for our baby. For our marriage.” He then kissed his wife’s lips passionately.

Gladwin was about to invite his wife to return to their bed when the bedroom bell rang. Letting out a sigh with a racing breath. Gladwin furrowed his brow, silently asking.

“Maybe Abigail.” Flavia got off her husband’s lap. She tidied her hair and clothes before walking to the door. She peeked through the peephole, and indeed it was Abigail.

Flavia opened the door and Abigail burst in. Her face looked fresh and her hair was still wet. “Breakfast, then to Auntie Joanna’s place. I want Uncle to empty his boutique because I didn’t bring spare clothes,” she demanded with a demanding tone, which was only responded to by Gladwin’s nod of agreement.