Filtered sunlight found its way into the room, through the slight space made in the curtain.
The sunlight directly fell into Rebecca's eyes, causing her to squint.
She tossed softly, her hands covering her eyes.
"Too bright." She grumbled.
Memories of yesterday came rushing into her mind and her eyes snapped open instantly.
She sat up, her eyes scanning the surroundings.
Rubbing her neck, she muttered, "so it really wasn't a dream."
Then slowly… her eyes lit up.
"Wait…"
"Doesn't this mean…" she paused, the twinkle in her eyes getting stronger. "...I have two wonderful kids without getting to experience the pain of pregnancy and childbirth?" She asked no one in particular.
After arriving at this conclusion, she instantly jumped to her feet, clapping excitedly. "Perfect!" She exclaimed.
"This is truly perfect." With a smile on her face, she left the bed, and went into the bathroom.
When she came out, she was on only a towel. She walked to the wardrobe, and opened it, but what she saw inside made her scream.
The scream attracted Anderson whose room was right next to hers.
He rushed into the room.
Anderson's steps halted the moment he noticed the towel. Couldn't she be more self-aware? He thought.
His jaw tightened.
"Get dressed," he said flatly, turning his gaze away.
Rebecca looked down, and smiled awkwardly. She quickly picked out a red bathrobe and fled into the bathroom.
A few seconds later, she walked out, more clothed.
"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice flat when he noticed her presence.
"Are these... mine?"
This wasn't the Rebecca he knew. And that unsettled him more than anything.
"So?" She snapped her fingers, breaking his train of thoughts.
"These are yours." He answered with a deep voice. "You love these clothes."
"Impossible." She shook her head, denying it. "These aren't mine." She frowned. "They belong to someone else."
"They're yours. Who else would they belong to?" He stopped, his eyes darkening, and with a bitter voice, he continued, "Carl liked you in these."
Rebecca blinked. "And what does that have to do with him? I'm saying these are not mine." She insisted.
Without any hesitation, she pulled the clothes off the hanger, throwing them to the floor.
Anderson took a deep breath as he watched her. "What are you trying to do?"
"Burn them. Isn't it obvious." She answered without sparing him a glance.
"You..." he trailed off while he watched her. She gave off a different feeling and he didn't know if he should be wary or if he should be... glad.
"Did you and Carl have a fight?" He closed his eyes as he questioned her. "Is that why you're doing this?"
Rebecca paused in her actions. She was silent for a while. But that moment of silence was enough for Anderson's mind to run wild.
"As expected. He had a fi—"
Rebecca paused.
His words hung in the air.
Carl. The name was unfamiliar.
She frowned slightly.
"…Who's Carl?"
For a moment, Anderson didn't respond. His gaze lingered on her face.
"You don't need to know," he said finally, his voice flat.
Rebecca frowned. "I do need to know. You keep mentioning him, and—"
"And what?" he cut in sharply.
She stiffened.
His eyes darkened slightly. "So you can decide whether to go back to him?"
"What?" Her confusion deepened. "I just told you I don't even know who he is."
A scoff escaped his lips.
"Right."
That one word carried disbelief, mockery… and something else buried beneath.
"Then explain it to me."
For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes. But it vanished just as quickly.
"Figure it out yourself."
Rebecca stared at him, stunned. "Anderson—"
"I'm busy."
His tone turned colder than before.
Without sparing her another glance, he walked out of the room.
Rebecca remained where she stood. Her brows slowly drew together.
"What is wrong with him?" she muttered under her breath.
***********
"Good morning, Cassie." Rebecca greeted with a smile once she walked into the dining room.
Cassie unconsciously stiffened when her gaze fell on Rebecca.
"Uhm... good morning, ma'am?" She answered, still rooted in place.
Rebecca smiled as she took her seat. Her eyes trailed to the kids who didn't seem to acknowledge her.
They were dressed in their school uniforms and quietly eating their breakfast.
She studied them for a while and she let out a resigned sigh. One moment, she was studying. The next moment, she was already married and had two kids.
And she didn't have memories of what happened in the last eight years. The emptiness in her memory unsettled her more than anything.
"Uhm, Liam," she called out softly.
The little boy raised his head, and his expression was guarded. "Mommy... don't hit Liam and Cheryl. We are eating quietly and aren't throwing any tantrums."
The girl stopped eating, and moved closer to her older brother while blinking innocently at Rebecca.
Cassie watched the scene, her heart in her throat. Her gaze darted from the two kids to Rebecca who was quietly studying the kids.
'Should I alert the Master?' She asked, silently watching.
Obviously, Rebecca didn't know what was going on in Cassie's mind. Rather, she was stupefied.
Although the two kids had guarded expressions, she was a perceptive person and she could see the flicker of fear in their eyes... even though they tried to hide it.
"What happened these past years?" She murmured softly. Her two kids were so wary of her. And her so-called husband... he kept mentioning Carl and wouldn't even explain who he was.
What did she do?
Something was wrong. She just didn't know what.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed those thoughts aside. For now, she had to coax these kids and make them believe that she won't hit them again.
Plastering a soft smile on her face, she rose to her feet and walked around the table just to meet them.
Slowly raising her hands...
Cassie's eyes went wide as she ran out of the dining room immediately.
Liam and Cheryl closed their eyes tightly.
Seeing them react this way, her hands stilled mid-air.
Was I really that kind of person?
But the pain they were expecting didn't come. Instead, they felt something warm ruffling their heads.
Yes.
Rebecca was calmly patting their heads with a warm smile.
She looked at the two kids, her eyes twinkling. "Mommy won't hurt you." She paused, her voice softening. "Not today. Not ever."
She cocked her head to the side, rubbing her chin. "Don't be scared of mommy, okay?"
Cheryl looked at her… and suddenly burst into tears.
Rebecca froze. She hadn't even done anything.
She looked at the girl who was wailing and she was at a loss on what to do. She had never coaxed a crying child.
What was she to do?
Soon, urgent footsteps could be heard.
Anderson rushed into the dining room. His face turned pale seeing Cheryl cry. Without hesitation, he walked to them, covering the distance in large strides.
He shoved Rebecca aside.
Not violently, but without hesitation.
Anderson picked Cheryl, and with a hardened expression, he looked at Rebecca who was still in shock.
Cheryl clung to him, sobbing into his shoulder. Anderson's jaw tightened.
When he looked at Rebecca again… there was nothing soft left in his eyes.
"We're getting divorced."
In response, she snapped her head up to him. "On what basis?"