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Chapter 6: The Honeymoon

Looking around the gloomy room, I felt as if I had been transported to another universe. All the curtains were drawn, and the only source of light was the seashell lampshade beside the bed, where a slender, sickly woman lay, attached by a tangle of life-sustaining tubes and a feeble beeping from the heart monitor to indicate that the patient was still alive.

Silently, Jacob's whispered voice brushed into the air. "Mom, are you awake?" His approach exuded tenderness, his deliberate strides assuring no disruption to the delicate connections that kept his mother alive. "Mom, Lily is here." His eyes pinned me to the corner of the room.

Though I grew up without a motherly presence, the palpable affection between Jacob and his mother spoke volumes about their bond. Moving closer, I locked eyes with the woman as she slowly opened her own, and a whispered "Hello" slipped from my lips. Her hand trembled as it reached out towards me, and I gently clasped it. In that touch, warmth mingled with tears streaming down her cheeks, finding solace in our connection. "Please," she pleaded, her voice quivering, "don't leave my son again, Lily."

"Mom, I'm sorry we got married without you," Jacob spoke gently, his words infused with love, "but fear not, your wish has been granted. Lily has returned, and soon we embark on our honeymoon. She won't leave me again." His eyes then shifted to me, a silent plea for compliance evident. "Right, Honey?"

"Yes," I said, my voice filled with compassion for the suffering mother. A wave of strange empathy engulfed me. Instead of the harsh Jacob Alvarez I had known, I saw a man deeply entrenched in his mother's love.

Her grip tightened, and a smile danced across her lips. Jacob's delicate kiss on her forehead demonstrated their intimacy. However, within me, there was a resonance of an estranged and uncaring mother—my mother—a twinge of grief that surprised me. Whoever she was, my anger for her was intense. I wiped my tears away carelessly. After a brief talk, Jacob said farewell to his mother.

Alone in my room, thoughts of Mrs. Alvarez weighed on my mind, rekindling a need I'd never acknowledged: the lack of a mother's love in my life. Watching Jacob care for his mother with such tenderness, experiencing the depth of their love even in her frailty, made me feel bittersweet jealousy. I couldn't help but envy Jacob's pleasure as a child, endowed with a mother who showered him with constant affection.

"Are you ready for our honeymoon?" Jacob asked, breaking the silence as he stood by the door, his eyes set on me expectantly. Without saying anything, I obediently picked up my luggage and followed him, my duty as a paid wife controlling my actions. Down in the hotel basement, the familiar sight of the limousine and chauffeur greeted us. Jacob took my suitcase and held the door open, silently beckoning for me to enter.

As the automobile started moving, quiet blanketed us once more. Jacob retreated into his own thoughts, leaving me alone with my silent reflections, a simple companion on this duty-driven voyage rather than one of passion.

As we entered the sea port, I tried to distract myself by admiring the city scenery passing by. However, my attempts were futile as we approached the water's edge, and the sight of the vast expanse of the sea filled me with a sense of unease. Waves crashed against the seawall, stirring up memories of childhood fears.

"What are we doing here? Are we going to travel by boat?" I turned to Jacob as the limousine came to a stop.

"Yes," Jacob confirmed, opening the door as the chauffeur did the same on my side.

"I'll take care of your luggage, madam," the chauffeur offered.

"This is insane," I muttered, hurrying to keep pace with Jacob as he strode towards a small boat.

"For your information, this is not just a simple boat," he said. "This is an expensive yacht."

"Still, it is small, and I'm not comfortable traveling by boat." I began to back away, but Jacob swiftly moved, seizing my arms.

"Wherever I'm going, you'll be there, my dear wife," Jacob declared, his grip tightening as he pulled me towards him.

Before I could protest, he hoisted me over his shoulder, carrying me like a sack of potatoes. My attempts to wriggle free were futile as he marched determinedly towards the yacht, my protests drowned out by the sound of the crashing waves.

"Put me down! I've never been in the sea!" I struggled against Jacob's hold, but his strength was overpowering.

"When I said you're riding with me, you're riding!" Jacob's voice was firm as he pushed me into a chair on the yacht. I wanted to resist, but the motion of the boat and the rocking waves rendered me immobile.

"Oh no!" I exclaimed, squeezing my eyes shut as a wave of nausea washed over me.

"Oh yes!" Jacob loomed over me, his tone mocking. "Stay put before I decide to toss you overboard." With that, he strode away to assist the chauffeur with our luggage.

"I'm going to be sick," I whimpered.

"Then be sick," Jacob retorted, unfazed. "At least you'll have something to clean up as we sail."

"Where are you taking me?" I persisted, desperation creeping into my voice.

"Are you daft? I already told you, we're on our way to our honeymoon," Jacob snapped as he finished loading the last of our luggage, signaling for the chauffeur to depart. With a swift motion, he started the boat, and we began to move away from the safety of the port.

"Oh no, please, turn back to the port! I can't handle this; I'll drown in the sea," I pleaded frantically, but Jacob seemed too preoccupied to pay heed to my distress. His expertise in sailing was evident in the way he maneuvered the yacht with ease, exuding calmness and contentment.

As we sailed further away, the port grew smaller in the distance, and the wind grew colder and stronger. I remained frozen in fear, unable to move, stealing occasional glances at Jacob, who seemed to find amusement in my predicament. His smile infuriated me. "You're so insensitive," I muttered, attempting to compose myself and regain control over my fear by sitting upright and stretching my arms.

"To become insensitive always has roots," Jacob retorted, his smirk widening as he accelerated the speed of the yacht, sending a surge of anxiety through me.

"Are you planning to kill me out here in the sea?" I questioned, my voice trembling with fear.

"I could have done that anytime before bringing you here. But you're not worth the trouble of imprisonment," Jacob replied nonchalantly, his focus fixed on navigating the increasingly turbulent waters.

"Could you please slow down?" I pleaded, gripping the boat's railings tightly as the speed intensified, my stomach churning with unease.

"There's a storm approaching from the east that we need to avoid. Hold on tight and don't distract me; otherwise, we'll all be in grave danger," Jacob instructed, gesturing towards the direction of the dark clouds intermittently illuminated by flashes of lightning.

"Is that storm heading our way?" I asked, dread knotting my stomach as I watched the ominous clouds loom closer.

"Yes, and if you keep complaining, we might end up right in the heart of that storm. So stay quiet and pray for our safe passage," Jacob advised, his voice dripping with anxiety.

With each wave that slammed on the yacht, panic overtook me, and I couldn't help but scream. As expected, seasickness overcame me, confining me to the restroom. Between bouts of vomiting, I vented my rage, cursing Jacob in my anguish. "I hate you, Jacob!!!" I vomited again.

The storm raged furiously, severely shaking our vessel—a dance of impending doom on the wide sea. To me, it felt like my reckoning was nearing, but Jacob saw this wild turmoil as normal. He maneuvered the boat with a steady hand, keeping us out of the storm's path until its intensity accelerated when I saw a giant wave coming at us. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the next horrible episode, but hands grabbed me and brought me out of the open restroom door.

The next time I opened my eyes, I found myself cocooned in the embrace of a comfortable bed, the storm's fury replaced by a newfound tranquility as the boat glided smoothly across the water. As the door open, Jacob entered, offering me a glass of water along with a pill.

"Take this," he instructed, the pill resting in his outstretched palm. "Why didn't you tell me about your seasickness earlier?"

"I did tell you, but you didn't listen," I replied, reluctantly accepting the pill.

He scoffed, "I thought you were just overreacting to get my attention," before taking the glass of water and retreating towards the door.

"Thanks for your concern," I muttered sarcastically as he left the cabin.

"Make sure you freshen up; you smell," he added bluntly before disappearing.

Realizing the truth in his words, I hurried to the cramped bathroom, shedding my sea-soaked clothes for something more presentable. Emerging onto the deck, I found Jacob at the helm, his gaze fixed on me with a hint of mockery.

"We're almost there," he stated flatly, the monotony of his voice betraying no emotion.

As we approached the island, Jacob skillfully guided the boat to dock perfectly. He looked at me seriously and said, "Remember, keep everything you see and hear to yourself." Then he walked over to a chubby man in a Hawaiian shirt at the harbor, his smile growing wider.

"Are we on schedule?" Jacob inquired as I stepped out of the yacht to the docking board.

"Absolutely punctual," the jovial man replied, his eyes glancing towards me with equal warmth. "Your accommodation is all set."

Just as Jacob turned to address me, a woman's voice rang out, cutting through the air. "Hey there, Darling, welcome to our paradise." Sofia Perez, her hands waving enthusiastically, bounded aboard and enveloped Jacob in an embrace. "Thank you for keeping your promise." She planted a kiss on his lips, sealing their affection.

So, this was the promise Jacob had made to Sofia on our wedding day – a shared honeymoon on this very island. An unexplained fury surged through me, and the urge to lash out at Sofia's smiling face overwhelmed me, a wave of indignation I struggled to comprehend.

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