CHAPTER 81: HOW ABOUT ME?

"Oh no, I wish I could stop time from moving forward." Naomi murmured wistfully as she bit her lower lip miserably. She hugged him tightly, not ready to let them go yet. "When can we see each other again?" she asked in a wretched tone.

"It will be soon. I will message you if we can see each other next week," he responded, caressing her back lovingly.

"I love you," she spoke between tears, feeling the pain of separation.

"I love you more, sweetie. Stay strong for the both of us. OK?" he murmured, wiping tears out of her eyes.

"I will." Naomi nodded her head somberly. She hugged and kissed her son. Tears of anguish flooded her face, her heart squeezed painfully between her rib cage.

Alpha Maxwell heaved a sigh. "It’s hard to say goodbye, sweetie. But we have to go home," he said in a dispirited tone.

"I know. Give me a few seconds please," she said sadly, kissing her son’s cheeks. "I love you so much son. I hope we can see each other again soon."

After a few minutes of internal struggle, she finally let go of her son, her heart breaking into tiny pieces.

"We are leaving now," he said, kissing her lips. "Let’s chat tonight before we go to sleep."

"OK." Naomi walked to the door and opened it. "I will stay here for a few minutes. I need to compose myself before going home," she said, fighting the urge to cry.

"Will you be okay?" he asked worriedly, reluctant to leave her alone in the room in her emotional state.

"Of course, I will be okay," she replied calmly. "Go now. Grandma is already waiting for you. Please give her my thanks from the bottom of my heart." She kissed her son’s cheeks one last time. "I love you so much, son. See you soon."

Letting go of her son created a vacuum in her heart.

Alpha Maxwell groaned in despair. This is one difficult goodbye. He didn’t want to say goodbye to Naomi yet. However that their bonding time being cut too short, he had no choice. "I love you, sweetie. Take care of yourself. OK?" He murmured lovingly.

"OK, take care of yourself and take care of our son," she responded in a wretched tone. Her mouth quivered. The dam of tears she was holding inside was about to spill out of her eyes.

He planted a kiss on her lips and finally walked away, carrying his son in his arms.

When she could no longer see him, extreme sadness suffocated her. She closed the door and ran back to the bed, crying her heart out.

Back in the mall...

Alpha Maxwell can be seen reunited with Grandma and the nanny inside the pizza restaurant. "Have you ordered, guys?" he asked.

"Yes, we did. Our order will arrive in a few minutes," Grandma replied, taking baby Jacob into her arms. Then she looked at the maid. "Buy me a bottle of alcohol, cotton buds and my favorite cookies at the grocery store," she told the maid.

"Yes, Madam." After the maid received the money, she left the pizza restaurant and went to the grocery store.

Grandma observed his face. He looked forlorn. "What’s wrong, my boy? Did you have a quarrel with Naomi?" she asked worriedly.

"No. We were fine. I’m just feeling the pain of separation. I hate leaving her there in the room alone crying helplessly," he responded in a tone filled with concern.

Grandma sighed. "Oh, sorry to hear that. It’s a bittersweet reunion indeed. Did you tell her you would be seeing each other again soon?"

"Yes, I did, but I don’t know when," he replied.

Grandma nodded her head. "Let’s wait for the perfect time. But after sneaking out of the house like that, your wife will grow suspicious and she will no longer trust you again. I’m sure she already knew you had left the house without her permission. Did she call and text you already?"

"Yes, but I ignored her completely. I didn’t return her calls and text messages," he replied with a sigh.

"So nasty. You are so cruel to your wife, my boy," she commented casually.

Alpha Maxwell nodded his head. "Yeah, maybe I am. She can’t blame me. She knew this would happen to her in advance yet she still insisted on marrying me. Now she will suffer because of her stubbornness and arrogance."

"Then prepare yourself for her rant after we arrive home." Grandma adjusted baby Jacob’s shirt.

"I know." Alpha Maxwell shrugged off. "Grams, Naomi said thank you for taking care of baby Jacob," he said.

Grandma smiled. "No need to thank me. This little fellow here is my bundle of joy."

The waiter arrived and delivered pizza, French fries, crispy fried chicken and soda to their table.

They began to eat.

The nanny returned a few moments later with the groceries.

After they had finished eating their meal, they left the mall and went home.

When they arrived home, Grandma and the nanny quickly proceeded to the back of the house to avoid encountering the angry lioness.

Alpha Maxwell entered the house and met his wife in the living room. She had been waiting for him for ages. The expression on her face was pure outrage.

"Where have you been? Why didn’t you answer all my calls and text messages?" Deborah asked, her nostrils flaring in anger.

Alpha Maxwell sighed heavily and took baby Zed into his arms, kissing his chubby cheeks. "I’m not in the mood to argue with you," he answered, heading for the stairs.

Deborah followed him to the staircase. She was annoyed that he refused to answer her questions.

When they reached the second floor and arrived at his room, he faced her. "Stop calling and texting me when I’m out of the house," he said calmly.

"Why? I have all the right in the world to know your whereabouts, dammit I’m your wife!" she snapped.

"Wife on paper only. I don’t really consider you my wife. My legal wife is Naomi and we both know that. So shut up!" He retorted, placing his son gently on the bed.

She bit her lower lip in frustration. "Just tell me where you have been? You followed Grandma and baby Jacob to the mall?"

"Yes, that’s right. I sneaked out of the house and didn’t tell you where I was going because I knew you would not give me permission," he explained.

Deborah’s eyes burned with contempt. Hmp! That old hag is really trying to test her patience. She was sure the malling was Grandma’s idea to annoy her. "Alright, I won’t get mad anymore, but I want to visit the mall right now with our son. You have to accompany us!"

Alpha Maxwell groaned in dismay. "What the hell? I just came back from the mall and now you want to drag me back there?"

"I don’t accept no for an answer coming from you!" She declared, her eyes glaring in fury.

"Fine. Give me a few hours’ rest, then I’ll accompany you to the mall," he finally relented to shut her up and left the room.

"Yesss!" Deborah squealed in delight.

Alpha Maxwell went to the guest room to take a nap. He will make sure he oversleep so Deborah will get tired of waiting and she will cancel their trip to the mall.

After sending a text message to Naomi, he lay on the bed, closed his eyes and went to sleep.

A few minutes later, he fell asleep.

Back in the room, Deborah got busy choosing her attire for their first family outing after the wedding. She would make sure they would look together, the three of them, so people would see they are one happy family.

She will give her husband one hour’s sleep. If he backs out she will drag him out of bed. She will do everything in her power to persuade him so they can go to the mall today!

One hour later, she was already dressed up for their family outing. Her son was ready as well. The only one missing is his father.

She left the room, went to the guest room and knocked on the door loudly. "Hubby, it’s time to wake up. We are going to the mall today!" she said loudly.

After a few minutes of knocking he still refuses to open the door.

If he already thought she would give up, he was wrong!

She kept knocking on the door, much louder this time.

Finally the door was opened by the annoyed Alpha Maxwell, scowling. "What the hell? I’m sleeping, you’re disturbing my sleep!"

"You forgot? You said we were going to the mall today!" she reminded him. "You can’t back out!" she said, glaring at him.

His jaw clenched in annoyance. Sigh. He really couldn’t avoid her. "Fine, wait for me in the living room!" He closed the door to her face.

Deborah’s mouth twitched in anger. Does he think she will give up easily? Hell no!

She went back to the room and picked up her bag and baby Jacob, then she proceeded downstairs to wait for him in the living room.

Back in the guest room, Alpha Maxwell took a quick shower to get ready for the mall outing with Deborah and his son.

He checked his phone, Naomi was not responding yet to his text message.

Where is she now? Not home yet?

Ah, never mind, he will just text her tonight after he arrives home from the mall.